Princeton 2013

[infinitelooper]

Hey! I'll probably be starting for an MSE in Computer Science in fall 2013. Anybody else heard back? There were precious few CS admits (MS/PhD) on the results page

 

Where are you planning to stay? OGC, NGC?

[tarrman]

I'm strongly considering the ECE dept. there, but there are several professors in CS I'm really interested in (doing work in big data, machine learning, and compressed sensing).

 

I think I'm gonna try for Butler apartments, only because there will be a new set of apartments developed in 2014 and Butler will be demolished (so current occupants get priority ).

[ak48]

I'm strongly considering the ECE dept. there, but there are several professors in CS I'm really interested in (doing work in big data, machine learning, and compressed sensing).

 

I think I'm gonna try for Butler apartments, only because there will be a new set of apartments developed in 2014 and Butler will be demolished (so current occupants get priority ).

 

Hey tarrman, it sounds like from a different thread that you visited EE and liked it a lot!

 

How was the town itself? i got admitted and it's pretty high on the list for me. Did it take long to get from Newark to the campus? 

[Ezzy]

Hey tarrman, it sounds like from a different thread that you visited EE and liked it a lot!

 

How was the town itself? i got admitted and it's pretty high on the list for me. Did it take long to get from Newark to the campus? 

 

Hey, you might be thinking of me, if the thread is the one I'm thinking of. The guy at the bookstore kinda chuckled when I asked him where "all the stores and restaurants" were, and I can see why-- Nassau Street is not the most exciting place. It reminded me of the commercial section of an expensive suburb of New York (which is, like, kinda what it is). Not at all the "college town/quirky/weird/etc" vibe I'm used to near to campus.

 

But then again, I wasn't there for that long.

 

The ride from Penn Station in NY was a bit more than an hour, I think.

[ak48]

Hey, you might be thinking of me, if the thread is the one I'm thinking of. The guy at the bookstore kinda chuckled when I asked him where "all the stores and restaurants" were, and I can see why-- Nassau Street is not the most exciting place. It reminded me of the commercial section of an expensive suburb of New York (which is, like, kinda what it is). Not at all the "college town/quirky/weird/etc" vibe I'm used to near to campus.

 

But then again, I wasn't there for that long.

 

The ride from Penn Station in NY was a bit more than an hour, I think.

Oops, my bad! You were the one I was looking for!

 

I'm hoping that it won't be a big deal for me. For me, a school's social life is secondary to the academic quality for a PhD program, but obviously still important! (especially for us, ahem, single people out there).

 

From the website, it seemed like Princeton was its own town out in the middle of the woods instead of in the city . The fact that the town is named after the school kinda leads me to believe that there's not much there outside the school.

 

Did you go to a bustling undergrad? I went to a decently sized school (~5500 undergrad) that was in a rather crime-heavy/dangerous city so I never really wandered too much in college.

[ak48]

@jj2270 I've heard (from my mentor) that the professor's are pretty flexible with what you work on. Also, the endowment at Princeton is MASSIVE, and I think it has the highest endowment-to-student ratio in the country, so funding is guaranteed for all students for the full duration of their Ph.D.

 

 

Ironic that the best "endowment-to-student" ratio school can't fund flights/lodging for its admitted students on its visit day, when it should be trying the hardest to convince students to attend!

[tarrman]

@ak48 Surprisingly, I think that is pretty typical for the big name schools; they know you will dish it out to come visit! I've talked to a few people who said the reimbursement at MIT was comparable. Oh well it's wort a few extra hundred to come fly out and stay an extra night.

 

I too have heard about what a boring place Princeton is. I grew up in a small town in the northeast, so I'm used to locations like it. I have to say that I prefer them over big bustling cities as I'm a pretty low-key person There's something quaint and peaceful about these kinds of locations that really appeals to me. I can't imagine the social life is as bad as everyone says, but I wouldn't expect being able to go out to bars/clubs to meet new people. It probably helps a lot of if you know some people in NYC, though.

[ak48]

@ak48 Surprisingly, I think that is pretty typical for the big name schools; they know you will dish it out to come visit! I've talked to a few people who said the reimbursement at MIT was comparable. Oh well it's wort a few extra hundred to come fly out and stay an extra night.

 

I too have heard about what a boring place Princeton is. I grew up in a small town in the northeast, so I'm used to locations like it. I have to say that I prefer them over big bustling cities as I'm a pretty low-key person There's something quaint and peaceful about these kinds of locations that really appeals to me. I can't imagine the social life is as bad as everyone says, but I wouldn't expect being able to go out to bars/clubs to meet new people. It probably helps a lot of if you know some people in NYC, though.

 

Yeah, I just visited a different school with a much lower EE ranking (although good reputation overall) and they paid for both lodging nights, as well as a reimbursment limit WAY more than I needed for flights and ground transportation. They even paid for a pricy entertainment event in the evening. I guess "lower rankings" need to throw more money at you.

 

I grew up in suburbia and really don't like clubbing/shopping, so I doubt I'll miss TOO much about big city life. Plus, right now I'm in the middle of nowhere so really ANYTHING will be a social upgrade. My one concern is that by the end of the PhD program I'll be in my late 20's, so finding a significant-other/eventually-spouse will admitedly be a non-trivial concern. But I think factoring that into a school decision is probably silly.

[tarrman]

@ak48 It might be difficult to meet a significant other in the ECE dept. , but I'm sure there will be plenty of campus events to attend and groups to join; those are some great places to meet people. Princeton's also in a good location in relation to two major cities, so you could always try online dating. I wouldn't be too worried about it.

[ak48]

@ak48 It might be difficult to meet a significant other in the ECE dept. , but I'm sure there will be plenty of campus events to attend and groups to join; those are some great places to meet people. Princeton's also in a good location in relation to two major cities, so you could always try online dating. I wouldn't be too worried about it.

Haha for realz.

[Ezzy]

It's a bit later in the season, so hopefully by now we have more people who know they're heading to Princeton! I just decided two days ago myself. I'm planning on living in the GC, which is apparently guaranteed to first-years who want it. Anyone else know what they're doing for housing?

[tarrman]

Definitely not new GC. Community bathrooms suck. Maybe old GC, but I'm gonna try for one of the other apartment complexes.

[ak48]

It's a bit later in the season, so hopefully by now we have more people who know they're heading to Princeton! I just decided two days ago myself. I'm planning on living in the GC, which is apparently guaranteed to first-years who want it. Anyone else know what they're doing for housing?

 

I can't commit to a PhD program without visiting the campus or meeting the professors!!

 

I know nothing about the housing situation lol 

[Ezzy]

I can't commit to a PhD program without visiting the campus or meeting the professors!!

 

I know nothing about the housing situation lol 

 

I guess that's sensible.....

[tarrman]

Just accepted a couple days ago! Who else is going????

[Ezzy]

Sent in my housing form yesterday! GC for me, praying for a single.

[ak48]

To hell with all you GC applicants, those rooms are mine!

[Ezzy]

Everyone should check out the "Graduate College Guide to the Universe," if you haven't already. The latest site is down at the moment, but it has a lot of useful information in it. Interesting tidbit: the tower is closed during generals period. Pretty macabre...

[tarrman]

@ak48 You know incoming students are guaranteed housing in the GC!

@Ezzy Did you apply for Old GC or New GC? I read through that guide a week ago; it's really helpful!

I wonder if the only gradcafeers going to Princeton are EE... where are the rest of the majors?!

[Ezzy]

I believe I marked down New as my preference, but either would be fine, as long as it's a single.

 

And yeah, everyone else, say hi! Not everyone in the GC can be EE!

[ekphrasis]

Not to break up this whole STEM party, but I'm going to be studying something infinitely more practical: Art & Archaeology.

 

I've applied to live in the Graduate College; I figure that I can always move into one of the apartments in a later year, and it will be nice to be able to meet people and have a cheap bar within stumbling distance.

 

With regard to meal plans, the cost does seem a bit ridiculous at first glance. However, it all seems more reasonable when you factor in the five free breakfasts each week.

[tarrman]

Welcome ekphrasis!

 

My plan is to do Old GC, hopefully make friends, find one to live with the following year, and then move into the new Lakeside Apartments that will be available in Summer 2014. Otherwise I'll have to dish out a few extra hundred dollars and get a single.

 

The forced meal plan kind of sucks, but the pricing isn't too bad. ~$10,000/yr for housing and food is pretty good, IMO. That leaves me plenty of extra money to pay off undergrad loans and buy stuff I don't need. The free weekday breakfasts is really great, too.

[Ezzy]

I assume you're going for the 90-meal plan? That still leaves a lot of food-buying we'll have to do, and no cooking either... might add up a bit.

[tarrman]

I only eat twice a day, and remember, the semesters are only 12 weeks long. That gives one meal a day plus another 11 meals (it's 95-meals). The free breakfast takes care of my other meal of the day for everything but the weekend. If I use my swipes on the weekend, I can get ~6 weeks of weekend breakfast/lunch.

 

I don't mind buying lunch out every now and then either. It shouldn't add more than another $1000/yr in food costs, which is pretty negligible in comparison to the stipend Princeton offers.

[ak48]

I only eat twice a day, and remember, the semesters are only 12 weeks long. That gives one meal a day plus another 11 meals (it's 95-meals). The free breakfast takes care of my other meal of the day for everything but the weekend. If I use my swipes on the weekend, I can get ~6 weeks of weekend breakfast/lunch.

 

I don't mind buying lunch out every now and then either. It shouldn't add more than another $1000/yr in food costs, which is pretty negligible in comparison to the stipend Princeton offers.

 

did you have to sign up for meal plans already? I didn't think it was on my housing selection ballot.