Princeton, NJ

[Dreams]

Hello -

I've received an offer from Princeton and will probably enroll there in the Fall. I'm looking at the housing options, and am hoping to move into a New Lawrence studio apartment. Based upon the one or two posts I've read here it looks like it's difficult to get the rooms in Old or New Lawrence, but I was wondering if any of you know someone who successfully got their first choice as an incoming student.

Thanks in advance!

It is really hard to get a studio as an incoming student. It is easier to get a 1 bedroom in either Old or New Lawrence. Your best bet is to only list the places you would like to live on your housing application and submit it early. There is also room for you to make a case on why you should get your choices.

[windowseat]

Anyone know where you can park overnight on/near the Princeton campus? I just visited and most of the streets prohibit parking from 2am to 6am. What do current students do when significant others or family members drive in from out of town for a multi-day visit?

Any insight would be appreciated!

[lkn]

hey everyone -

Princeton grad student here.

The social life at Princeton is okay. Most people have lives outside of Princeton either with their families or with college friends in NYC/Philly/DC. People hang out at D-Bar a lot, but the main social scene here seems a bit immature compared to grad students at other schools (most first years live in dorms and eat in dining halls). There are very very few grad student groups which is unfortunate, but you can deffinitely make friends here just like anywhere, and the students are very diverse.

Butler apartments are totally sufficient. They are not luxury, but they are sizeable with significant storage space and decently sized kitchens. Positives include having your own yard sort of and having pets and negatives include paper thin walls and cold winters. I definitely recommend living on campus at least for a few years.

I don't know of anyone who has a studio and I doubt any first year would get one - first years are lucky to get any sort of apartment housing. But second year it should be possible.

When friends visit they can get a visitor's parking pass and park by your apartment / dorm. Parking is never a problem in on campus housing.

There are lots of possible outdoor activities here - you can bike and run by Lake Carnegie for one.

Grad students at Princeton are not the least bit snobbish. Many of them went to state schools etc. and they chose Princeton for its research not its snobbish social standing.

[ptongrad2013]

Hi,

I've been looking at the Old Graduate College floor plans and trying to make sense of the walk-through double I've been assigned. Is there a way to find out who your roommate is if you're in a walk-though double?

Thanks!

Edited August 26, 2011 by ptongrad2013

[emandar]

I don't know if there's a way to see who your roommate is, but I'm in room 19A!

[PickMe!]

Reading through all of these older posts about Princeton is really making me wonder if it's the place for me...

[france2010]

I will be attending Princeton in the fall, I was just admitted into a phd program there. I would really like to live in the annexes (one room, big house)... how likely is it, as a first year student, that I would be placed there? I know that it used to be mandatory for first year students to live in the graduate college, but I also know that that has changed recently. Does anyone have any thoughts?

[grep]

There are a few things that prospective Princeton grads should probably know before April 15 just incase they "forgot" to mention it at the open house.

Grad housing is about to go through a big overhaul. They are demolishing large grad complexes for some reason unknown to me. There isnt really a plan for where all these student will go. Housing at Princeton is already expensive and perhaps a bit crowded, but things are about to get worse.

Also, the nightlife in Princeton is practically nonexistent for grad student. There are a total of three bars near campus (none of them fun IMHO). There is also the DBar in the basement of the grad college but there are always way more guys than girls at the dbar (~ 7.5 guys/girl, yes, iv counted). Meanwhile, the undergrads lock themsevles into the eating clubs on the weekends. Point is, if your interested in a dating-scene, you will have to go to NY or philly to find it.

of course, there are obviously many great things about grad school at princeton, but im tired of typing now, so these will have to wait for another post

france2010: priority goes to first years, so you will most likely get your top pick

[lkn]

Okay, I feel like someone needs to respond to the extreme negativity of grep who doesnt seem to know anything about Princeton. I am not the biggest fan of Princeton because the town itself is boring with no decent restaraunts, but it is close to cities that are fantastic.

So - the housing plan is that they are tearing down a large apartment complex because it doesnt meet fire code. They are providing temporary housing for the people it affects in old faculty housing. After that they are tearing down the really old apartment complex. It is to improve housing options for grad students, but in the meantime there is slightly less available on campus housing. This should not affect incoming students because you are guranteed housing.

Housing on campus at Princeton is not expensive - you can see on the housing website that you can live here for as little as $450 per month. But incoming students have last priority in the housing draw (which grep has wrong - current first years have top priority) but are guranteed housing. That means that almost all of you will be in the grad college, and not the annexes or apartments unless you have families.

Some people complain about the social life, but it is what you make of it. Most first years hang out at the DBar all the time - it has really cheap drinks and is in the basement of the dorm. Many people leave town on weekends to go to NYC, DC, or Philly but there is plenty of stuff going on around campus. It is true that there aren't great bars in town, so people just hang out at apartments which is cheaper anyway. As far as undergrads go... well does anyone want to hang out with undergrads?

I have heard that dating is rough for guys for some reason. There are many more single guys than girls, but at this stage in life most people are in relationships and there are other young people in Princeton working so online dating is certainly an option.

Okay, I think that is everything, I think you all deserve a balanced perspective with the correct information!

[grep]

Ikn, thanks for the housing info, and as for current first years having priority, I didnt realize that but it works out better for me

As for dating, I think my "extreme negativity" is warranted here. Just for ghitz and shiggles, here is a quote I recieved in my email today regarding the local graduate Speed Dating event at the Grad College

"We currently need more sign-ups from “women seeking men” to be able to run this event. We can no longer offer anymore “men seeking women” spots at this time."

haha, ummm, yeah, ill be in New York this week

Also, I am not saying that $450 per month is wrong, but I cant imagine where the housing website is pulling that number from. If you calculate the per month cost of a room in the old grad college (with roomate) it comes out to around $800 per month. Plus, tack on the 95 meals that you are required to buy per semester at $12-$14 per meal. And Id say the grad college is pretty standard living situation for incoming students.

But I am glad to hear some other perspectives on these issues.

Edited March 20, 2012 by grep

[Aurelius]

2nd year phd student here, I'd mostly echo Ikn's statements.

I am not the biggest fan of Princeton because the town itself is boring with no decent restaraunts, but it is close to cities that are fantastic.

Can't agree with there being "no decent restaurants", though it's not really great. I really enjoy the cute downtown area adjacent to campus. If you have a car, the surrounding area has tons of great options, and of course being a train ride from manhattan or philly is awesome. good set of reviews:

http://www.cs.princeton.edu/~wayne/princeton.restaurants/

I went to a large state school for undergrad (aka total college town), and naturally the social scene at Princeton is wildly different (students are in the minority at town bars.) The social life is absolutely what you make of it, and what friends you make -- to a large extent. I (male) have had great success in the dating life (particularly if you extend your search outside of other grad students), and it's only natural that an event like speed dating at the grad college is going to get more male signups than female. The social divide between undergrads and grad students here is definitely unusual, and some people might find the relatively small population of grad students to be restrictive, but I personally don't mind it.

I do really like this place, but if you're looking for a grad school with a huge party scene, this isn't the place for you. But if you want a nice peaceful town/campus to live and work in for a few years, and prefer a smaller group of friends for dinner and drinks instead of massive ragers, this is a pretty great place.

Full disclosure: I live off campus. I have no idea what's going through the minds of people that show up here and want to live in what are effectively dorms.

[socscholar]

A couple questions:

1. If I were living in the area for 2-3 years, would you recommend bringing a car?

2. How's Princeton in the summer? Worth staying around, or better to sublet in the city or something?

3. Is it realistic to preference all of the 2-bdroom options hoping for random roommate assignment? Do you think if I am unwilling to live in GC I will still get housing?

THANKS!

[Aurelius]

1.) yes, but i haven't been without a car for the last 10 years so i'm probably pretty biased. you could manage on foot if you lived in a good location close to campus.

2.) i think it's great, aside from roving tourists. realize this isn't a conventional "college town" in any sense, so being short a few thousand undergrads isn't even noticeable. i don't know what a soc program is like, but you don't get to just disappear for a summer.

3.) no idea, sorry.

[New England Nat]

For those of you with a car I would advocate living off campus. If you go between eight and twelve miles south of Princeton into Trenton and it's suburbs of Lawrenceville and Hamilton you can get substantially lower rent. This is especially important given the temporary shortage in university owned housing stock that will happen over the next year or two. They are taking down one of the existing grad student housing structures and will be building new ones.

Parking is free on campus if you qualify, just bring a copy of your lease into the parking office.

THere is a massive divide between the grad students and the undergrads made I think more accute by the fact that there is relatively less teaching done by Princeton grad students. The likelyhood of the same undergrad having the same preceptor (TA) in more than one class is basically nil in most departments. Grad students tend to see them as privelaged and isolated (there are jokes about it), while they see us as mysterious creatures. Last september the opening issue of the Daily Princetonian advocated "talking to a grad student" as one of the not to be missed opportunities to the freshman.

The tourists I think is the most shocking thing, and they get much more pronounced over the summer. In the late 1960s a Japanese photographer took a well known series of pictures of Ivy League students and it apparently carries some sort of weird cache in Asia so there are often tour groups of 50 or a 100 wandering around the historic parts of campus. At first you try to avoid walking in their pictures and than you just give up because you do have to get places.

I wouldn't say the undergrads being missing in the summer is unnoticeable, but it's nothing like other college towns I have lived in. This is not a town that looses the majority of it's population in the summer and since most of the undergrads don't live off campus it really has very little effect on the town itself.

[BlackAlbino]

Can anyone comment on the undergrad-grad dynamic?

I'm also considering Yale, which seems, from what I've read, to have an almost institutionally mandated schism between the two (grad students don't have access to undergrad colleges, organizations are distinct between the two, etc.)

Is it similar at Princeton, or is there a bit more interaction?

[virmundi]

Can anyone comment on the undergrad-grad dynamic?

I'm also considering Yale, which seems, from what I've read, to have an almost institutionally mandated schism between the two (grad students don't have access to undergrad colleges, organizations are distinct between the two, etc.)

Is it similar at Princeton, or is there a bit more interaction?

 

Be aware that at Yale, there are opportunities for graduate students to become "liaisons" of sorts with undergraduate colleges, which comes with the privilege of access to undergraduate colleges, facilities, and an opportunity to intermingle with them. I have a friend who has done this for two years in a row and has met some wonderful people. She also gets two free meals a week in the undergraduate dining halls (which are quite good, actually, as is the graduate hall in HGS). In return, she hosts one event per semester in the college around a quasi-academic (or just plain fun) theme... it isn't odious and it is meant to provide graduate students with an opportunity to mentor undergraduates, interact with them, etc. I am not aware that it is particularly competitive to get one of these positions either.

 

In any event, as a current Yale Ph.D. student, most of my classes have at least two junior or senior undergraduate students in them and they certainly don't behave differently and nor do the professors or other students interact with them differently. 

 

In short, I don't know what your field is, but in my field (history), the divide is as big as you want it to be, essentially.

 

Sorry about the brief Yale interlude -- back to all things Princeton.

[barça]

Housing question: When I visited, the first year grad students told me it's normal for entering students in the program to live in the Butler apartments (one lives in Lawrence, although he himself admitted he lucked out). Only one of the first years lives in the graduate college, and that was because he actually wanted to. This sort of seems to contradict what was said earlier in the thread...the impression I got from the forum was that it's really hard NOT to live in the graduate college your first year. Could anyone clarify this? I'd really like to avoid being stuck in a dorm-style living situation (2 BR apt would be ideal, actually). For the record, I'd be entering as a PhD student (although I'm not sure that matters).

[BlackAlbino]

Be aware that at Yale, there are opportunities for graduate students to become "liaisons" of sorts with undergraduate colleges, which comes with the privilege of access to undergraduate colleges, facilities, and an opportunity to intermingle with them. I have a friend who has done this for two years in a row and has met some wonderful people. She also gets two free meals a week in the undergraduate dining halls (which are quite good, actually, as is the graduate hall in HGS). In return, she hosts one event per semester in the college around a quasi-academic (or just plain fun) theme... it isn't odious and it is meant to provide graduate students with an opportunity to mentor undergraduates, interact with them, etc. I am not aware that it is particularly competitive to get one of these positions either.

 

In any event, as a current Yale Ph.D. student, most of my classes have at least two junior or senior undergraduate students in them and they certainly don't behave differently and nor do the professors or other students interact with them differently. 

 

In short, I don't know what your field is, but in my field (history), the divide is as big as you want it to be, essentially.

 

Sorry about the brief Yale interlude -- back to all things Princeton.

 

Cheers, that's helpful information.

I also read about that program (although, as I understand it, you only have access to the college at which you act as liaison).  

I would also agree about the divide being as big as you want it to be, but there is something to be said about the university placing unnecessary hurdles in the path of the two groups interacting.  

Princeton has the disadvantage of having a much smaller graduate population in comparison to Yale, so it isn't necessarily a clear-cut issue.

After my visits, I'll probably end up flipping a coin!

[virmundi]

Cheers, that's helpful information.

I also read about that program (although, as I understand it, you only have access to the college at which you act as liaison).  

I would also agree about the divide being as big as you want it to be, but there is something to be said about the university placing unnecessary hurdles in the path of the two groups interacting.  

Princeton has the disadvantage of having a much smaller graduate population in comparison to Yale, so it isn't necessarily a clear-cut issue.

After my visits, I'll probably end up flipping a coin!

 

To be perfectly honest, I don't think that you can lose either way. Relative to each other, I would say that Yale's advantage is that it has New Haven (a city with *tons* of stuff to do, much of it free to us as Yalies)... Princeton's advantage is that it is not in New Haven (a city in which the issues of American poverty are front-and-center, although more exaggerated in terms of the "danger" factor than the media would have one think)... I do think that you are right about only having access to a single college, but somehow one of the graduate students here has access to all of the residential colleges... and in terms of hanging out in wonderful garden spaces, there are a few times when I've just lurked around the entrance for a moment or two until a student goes in/comes out and then enjoy the gardens... there are also events that happen in the residential colleges (I belong to a weekly lunch colloquium) and we still have to wait for undergrads to let us in (and this lunch series typically involves around 20 faculty and another two dozen or so graduate students!!)... it hasn't been much of a barrier to my enjoyment of things here so far!

 

In any event, Princeton is darned amazing and is easily my favorite Ivy campus... Best of luck to you in choosing -- that is going to be a tough choice!

[socioeconomist]

Hey guys! I was admitted to one of the Princeton's PhD programs and I am wondering what is the best housing option for a incoming graduate student (I'm single). As far as I got from the website, you can choose between dorms in the Old (New) Graduate College and apartments in Lawrence, Butler and Stanworth. I don't need much space and I'm totally fine with living in a dorm as long as I have my personal room. Of course, I would like to spend on housing as less as possible, although quality of living (not money) is my major concern.

 

0. How common is to stay in colleges rather than apartments? 

 

1. What is the difference between graduate colleges? Is it true that you might need to share a room there? Is it mostly 1st year student who live there? Are the all mixed from different departments?

 

2. Is it obligatory in colleges to buy these meal plans? As for me, it looks ridiculously expensive, but I might be wrong. What do you think, does it make sense?

 

3. How is it likely to get studio in one of the complexes?

 

4. The website says that Butler and Stanworth will be closed next year and their residents will get a priority for the new Lakeside complex. What do you think about this new housing option? It looks cool, but I assume it'll be very expensive. 

 

5. How do Butler, Stanworth and Lawrence compare? 

 

Sorry for so many questions and thanks in advance!

[really]

Hi, I'm a second year phd student.

Hey guys! I was admitted to one of the Princeton's PhD programs and I am wondering what is the best housing option for a incoming graduate student (I'm single). As far as I got from the website, you can choose between dorms in the Old (New) Graduate College and apartments in Lawrence, Butler and Stanworth. I don't need much space and I'm totally fine with living in a dorm as long as I have my personal room. Of course, I would like to spend on housing as less as possible, although quality of living (not money) is my major concern.

 

0. How common is to stay in colleges rather than apartments? 

Contrary to a post above, I think it is more common for first years to be in the GC (old & new), and if you don't know anyone else in Princeton, I would recommend that option. In the NGC, rooms are small and bathrooms are shared. I don't remember what the OGC was like.

 

1. What is the difference between graduate colleges? Is it true that you might need to share a room there? Is it mostly 1st year student who live there? Are the all mixed from different departments?

OGC was built a while ago and has more multi-person housing. The NGC is all single-person housing. I think most students in the GC are 1st or 2nd years. Mixed from all departments.

 

2. Is it obligatory in colleges to buy these meal plans? As for me, it looks ridiculously expensive, but I might be wrong. What do you think, does it make sense?

If you live in the GC, it is required. It is indeed ridiculous and they are screwing you over. Buy the cheapest meal plan. You can also live in the Annexes which are converted houses converted to dorm-style living. You live with ~12-15 others depending on the house, and there is a communal kitchen and sometimes a common room. You actually live closer to campus than if you lived in the GC. And you're not required to buy a meal plan. So if you like to cook, I'd say this is the best option. 

 

3. How is it likely to get studio in one of the complexes?

Don't know, but I think it's hard.

 

4. The website says that Butler and Stanworth will be closed next year and their residents will get a priority for the new Lakeside complex. What do you think about this new housing option? It looks cool, but I assume it'll be very expensive. 

Agreed. Looks cool and new and shiny, but will probably be pricey. But (I think) there will be 2br, 3br, and 4br options, and the rooms should cost less as you add people. With priority (and 3 friends to room with), that would be a pretty sweet deal.

 

5. How do Butler, Stanworth and Lawrence compare? 

Butler is like a trailer park. 2-br homes. Cozy, super cheap. Prices listed on the price sheet are for 2 bedrooms so cut it in half if you have a roommate. Far from town. Bike to campus or the town, or take the shuttle.

 

Stanworth is nicer, but I've only been there once. Used to be faculty/postdoc housing. A bit far from campus. Can walk to town, but most probably bike there. I think everyone bikes or takes the shuttle to campus.

 

I think Lawrence is comparable to Stanworth in quality. Big, tall apartment buildings. Feels new, lots of grad students around, nice common space and kitchen. Can walk to town, but most probably bike there. Can walk to campus but most probably bike or shuttle there.

Sorry for so many questions and thanks in advance!

[really]

On 2/21/2013 at 11:56 AM, barça said:

Housing question: When I visited, the first year grad students told me it's normal for entering students in the program to live in the Butler apartments (one lives in Lawrence, although he himself admitted he lucked out). Only one of the first years lives in the graduate college, and that was because he actually wanted to. This sort of seems to contradict what was said earlier in the thread...the impression I got from the forum was that it's really hard NOT to live in the graduate college your first year. Could anyone clarify this? I'd really like to avoid being stuck in a dorm-style living situation (2 BR apt would be ideal, actually). For the record, I'd be entering as a PhD student (although I'm not sure that matters).

 

I think it's actually more normal for entering students to live in the GC, but perhaps that's just people in my program (neuro). It's definitely convenient for entering students -- you don't have to buy furniture or cookware and you can opt for a 1-br and not risk living with someone you don't get along with. Most people move out of the GC after living there for a year though because it kind of sucks to live in... especially over the summer when it is just sweltering hot (no a/c built-in or allowed). You also get screwed over by the expensive meal plan and it's annoying to cook in the two communal kitchens.

 

If you don't want to be in dorm-style living and eating off of the meal plan for a year, I would definitely apply for an apartment.

[Conscia Fati]

My husband and I have two small children.  Which graduate student apartment complex would be most suitable for a family of four?  Proximity to the train station is important, since my husband will commute to NYC two days each week. Any advice is welcome!

[Bleep_Bloop]

I deferred an offer from last year so I'll be moving to the area for fall 2014. I know it's a little early to be posting in these forums since people probably haven't even begun submitting apps yet, but I wanted to ask about cell phone reception in Princeton. My current contract is about to expire and I want to make sure that whatever service provider I sign on with next will get good reception on and around campus. What works best? Any experience in particular with T-Mobile? I'm considering switching because the plans are cheaper (and there are no long-term contracts), but I heard that their service is shoddy outside of big cities.

[Bleep_Bloop]

Bumping this for 2014. Given that housing is going through an overhaul with butler closing and the new apartments opening, can any current students speculate as to the chances of an incoming phd student getting a spot in a 2br apartment? Or will things stay the same with first years basically shut out of apartments and forced to live in the GC? Living in a dorm again sounds absolutely horrible. I'm overall super positive about my program and the university, but the graduate housing situation is a real turn-off.