Princeton University is a private Ivy League research university located in Princeton , New Jersey .
Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey , Princeton is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution and the fourth chartered institution of higher education in the American colonies . [ A] The institution moved to Newark in 1747 , then to the current site nine years later , where it was renamed in 1896 as a university. contemporary College of New Jersey in the nearby village Ewing , New Jersey , is an independent institution . Princeton has close ties to the Presbyterian Church , but has never joined a church and today allows no religious demands on its students . [B]
Princeton provides undergraduate and graduate education in the humanities , social sciences , natural sciences , and engineering . It does not have medical schools , law, divinity , education , or business, but it does offer professional degrees through the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs , the School of Engineering and Applied Science , the School of Architecture and the Bendheim Center for Finance. The university has ties with the Institute for Advanced Study , Princeton Theological Seminary , and the Westminster Choir College of Rider University . [ C ] Princeton is associated with 35 Nobel laureates , 17 National Medal of Science winners , two Abel Prys Wenners , 5 Fields medalists , and three National Humanities Medal recipients .
Campus :
The main campus sit on approximately 500 acres (2.0 km2 ) in Princeton . In 2011 , the main campus was named by Travel + Leisure as one of the finest in the United States . The James Forrestal Campus is split between nearby Plainsboro and South - Brunswick . The University also owns some property in West Windsor Village . The campuses are located approximately one hour from both New York and Philadelphia .
The first building on campus was Nassau Hall , completed in 1756 , and is located on the northern edge of campus facing Nassau Street. The campus dilate Nassau Hall during the early and mid-19th century. The McCosh presidency (1868-1888) , the construction of a number of buildings in the High Victorian Gothic and Romanesque Revival styles ; many of them are now gone, leaving the remaining few to appear out of place. At the end of the 19th century, Princeton , the Collegiate Gothic style for which we know it today . Implemented initially by William Appleton Potter and later by the university supervising architect , Ralph Adams Cram enforced , the Collegiate Gothic style remained the standard for all new building on the Princeton - campus through 1960. A wave of construction in the 1960s a number of new buildings on the south side of the main campus , many of which have already received weak. Several prominent architects have contributed some more recent additions, including Frank Gehry ( Lewis Library ) , IM Pei ( Spelman Halls ) , Demetri Porphyrios ( Whitman College , a Collegiate Gothic project ) , Robert Venturi ( Frist Campus Center , among a few others) , and Rafael Vinoly ( Carl Icahn Laboratory) .
A group of 20 - century sculpture scattered throughout the campus forms the Putnam Collection of Sculpture . This includes works by Alexander Calder ( Five Disks : One Empty ) , Jacob Epstein ( Albert Einstein ) , Henry Moore (Oval with Points ) , Isamu Noguchi ( White Sunday) , and Pablo Picasso ( Head of a Woman ) . Richard Serra 's The Hedgehog and the Fox is located between Peyton and Fine halls along Princeton - stadium and Lewis - library.
On the southern edge of the campus is Lake Carnegie , a lake named for Andrew Carnegie . Manmade Carnegie funded the pond construction in 1906 at the urging of a friend who is a Princeton alumnus . Carnegie hoped the opportunity to take rowing would inspire Princeton students football , which he abandoned as " not civilized . " The Shea Rowing Center on the dam se shore remains the headquarters for Princeton rowing serve .
Cannon Green:
Buried in the ground in the middle of the lawn south of Nassau Hall is the "Big Cannon, " which was left in Princeton by British troops as they fled as a result of the Battle of Princeton . It stays in Princeton until the War of 1812, when she took to New Brunswick . In 1836 , the cannon was returned to Princeton and placed on the eastern side of the village . It is removed from the campus under the cover of night by Princeton students in 1838 and was buried in its current location in 1840 .
A second " Little Cannon " is buried in the lawn in front of nearby Whig Hall. The gun , which also captured in the Battle of Princeton , stolen by students of Rutgers University in 1875 . The theft of fire Rutgers - Princeton Cannon War. A compromise between the presidents of Princeton and Rutgers end of the war and forced the return of the Little Cannon to Princeton . The outstanding guns are sprinkled sometimes painted by Rutgers students who continue the traditional dispute .
In years when the Princeton football team beat the teams of both Harvard University and Yale University in the same season , Princeton four with a bonfire on Cannon Green. This happened in 2012 , ending a five - year drought . The next bonfire happened on Sunday, November 24th, 2013 , and was broadcast live over the Internet.
Organization :
The Trustees of Princeton University , a 40 - member board of directors , is responsible for the overall direction of the university. To approve the operational and capital budgets , supervises the investment of the University of donations and supervision on campus property and a long - range of physical planning. The trustees also exercise review and approval concerning changes in major policies , such as those in the programs and admission , as well as instruction - and administrative costs and the rent of the members of the faculty .
With a donation of American $ 17100000000 , Princeton University is one of the richest universities in the world . Ranked in 2010 as the third largest endowment in the United States , the university has one of the largest per - student endowment in the world ( more than $ 2 million undergraduate ) . Thus, a substantial donation to be sustained by the continued donations of its alumni and is maintained by investment advisers . Some of Princeton 's wealth to invest in its art museum , which features works by Claude Monet , Vincent van Gogh , Jackson Pollock , and Andy Warhol among other prominent artists .
Academy :
Undergraduate fulfilled general education requirements , choose from a wide variety of elective courses , and pursue departmental concentrations and interdisciplinary certificate programs . For independent work is a hallmark of undergraduate education at Princeton . Students graduate with either the BA ( AB ) or the Bachelor of Engineering ( BSE ) .
The graduate school offers advanced degrees ranging from the humanities , social sciences , natural sciences , and engineering . Doctoral training is available in all disciplines . This emphasizes original and independent scholarship whereas for careers in public life and professional preparation . Engineering applications in architecture , engineering, finance , and public affairs and public policy for candidates.
Undergraduate::
Undergraduate courses in the humanities is traditionally a seminars or lectures held 2 or 3 times a week with an additional reservation seminar which is called a " commandment . " Graduation, all AB candidates must be a senior thesis completed , and in most departments, or two extensive pieces of independent research that are known as " junior papers. " Juniors in some departments , including architecture and the creative arts , complete independent projects that differ from written nominations . A. B. Candidates must also meet a three or four semester requirement and distribution requirements with a total of 31 classes. foreign language B.S.E. candidates follow a parallel track with an emphasis on a rigorous science and math curriculum , a computer science requirement , and at least two semesters of independent research including an optional senior thesis . All B.S.E. Students must complete at least 36 classes. A. B. candidates typically have more freedom in course selection as BSE candidates because of the fewer number of lessons required . Nevertheless , in the spirit of a liberal arts - education , as well as enjoy a relatively high latitude in creating a self - structured curriculum .
Undergraduate agree to meet an academic integrity policy has the honor code , established in 1893 under the Honor Code , no faculty exams Proctor not . ; Instead, the students together and Proctor must notify an honor committee composed of undergraduate . Any alleged breach The committee investigates reported violations and holds a hearing if it is warranted. An acquittal at such a hearing results in the destruction of all records of the hearing ; a conviction results in the student's suspension or expulsion . The commitment required by the honor code signed is an integral part of students ' academic experience that the Princeton Triangle Club performs a song about it each fall . Outside - classroom training sunken under the jurisdiction of the Faculty - Student Committee on discipline . Undergraduate expected to sign to confirm that they are not amortized work . Their written work an oath.
Admissions and financial aid:
Princeton's undergraduate program is highly selective, admitting 7.86% of undergraduate applicants in the 2011–12 admissions cycle (for the Class of 2016). In September 2006, the university announced that all applicants for the Class of 2012 would be considered in a single pool. In this way, the early decision program was effectively ended. In February 2011, following decisions by the University of Virginia and Harvard University to reinstate their early admissions programs, Princeton announced it would institute an early action program, starting with applicants for the Class of 2016. In 2011, The Business Journal rated Princeton as the most selective college in the Eastern United States in terms of admission selectivity.
In 2001, expanding on earlier reforms, Princeton became the first university to eliminate loans for all students who qualify for financial aid. All demonstrated need is met with combinations of grants and campus jobs. In addition, all admissions are need-blind. U.S. News & World Report and Princeton Review both cite Princeton as the university that has the fewest of graduates with debt even though 60% of incoming students are on some type of financial aid. Kiplinger magazine ranks Princeton as the best value among private universities, noting that the average graduating debt is US$4,957, "about one fifth the average debt of students who borrow at all private schools"
Grade deflation policy :
In 2004 , Nancy Weiss Malkiel , the Dean of the College , implemented a grade deflation policy number A - series. Curb undergraduate degrees received Malkiel 's argument was that an A was beginning to lose as receive a larger percentage of the student body its meaning. While the number of A 's have indeed decreased under the policy , many people claim that it hurt Princeton students when they apply for employment or graduate school . Malkiel said his flyers to inform the policy so that they consider Princeton students equally , but students argue that Princeton can apply to other institutions that know nothing about . Graduates sent settings They argue that as other schools purposefully inflate their grades, Princeton students ' GPAs will look low in comparison . In addition, studies have shown that employers prefer high grades , even when they are inflated . The policy remained in place even after Malkiel resigned at the end of the 2010-2011 school year . The policy blowing degrees, only with regard to their previous levels ; Indeed , as of 2009 , five years after the policy is set, the average graduating GPA had a marginal decline , 3.46-3.39 .
Graduate:
Princeton offers postgraduate grade exploration in many areas of the social sciences, engineering , natural sciences, and humanities . Although Princeton offers professional graduate degrees in engineering , architecture , and finance , it has no medical school, law school , or business school like other research universities. The most famous university vocational school is the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs , founded in 1930 as the School of Public and International Affairs and renamed in 1948 to the university president ( and U.S. President ) Woodrow Wilson .
Rankings :
From 2001 to 2013, was the Princeton University ranked first or second among national universities by U.S. News & World Report ( USNWR ) , the top spot ( single or tied ) for 11 of the 13 years , and has been ranked # 1 again for 2014 , as per U.S. News . In the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2012, Princeton was ranked sixth in the world . In the QS World University Rankings 2012, this was the ninth position overall in the world, making it fifth among U.S. universities. The three highest subject rankings was 7 in Arts & Humanities , 8 in Science and 12th in the social sciences . In the 2012-2013 World University Ranking of Universities, Princeton placed second above MIT and Caltech back in Engineering & Technology . Princeton was ranked seventh among 300 Best World Universities in 2011 compiled by Human Resources & Labor Review ( Hrlr ) measurements of the World Top 300 Universities graduates performance .
The "America's Top - Colleges " rankings by Forbes in 2013 , Princeton University was in third place among all national colleges and universities .
Princeton Graduate School programs are also highly ranked among universities in the United States . In the 2009 U.S. News & World Report " Graduate School Rankings" , all fourteen of Princeton docking oral program evaluated is placed in their respective top 20 , 7 of them in the top 5 , and 4 of them in the first place ( Mathematics , Economics , history , Political Science ) .
In Princeton Review's rankings of " softer" aspects of the student's college experience , Princeton University was ranked first in "Students happy with financial aid " and third in " Happiest Students" , behind Clemson and Brown Universities .
The university 's individual academic departments ranked highest in their respective fields . The Psychology Department is the fifth in the country and its individual graduate programs have received high national rankings as well . The behavioral neuro - program is sixth and the social psychology program has been ranked seventh . The Department of History is currently ranked first in the world .
Princeton University also participate in the ( NAICU ) , the University and the College Liability Network ( U - CAN) .
Princeton University has an IBM supercomputer BlueGeneL called Orangena , what position is the 89th fastest computer in the world in 2005 ( LINPACK performance of 4713 compared to 12,250 for other U.S. universities and 280600 for the top - position supercomputer , which is part of the U.S. Department of energy )