princeton writing supplement 2023

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How to Write the Princeton University Essays 2023-2024

Princeton has two prompts that are required for all applicants, as well as three short-answer questions that give you just 50 words for your response. There is one other prompt, focused on your academic interests, which will be different depending on if you are applying for a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science in Engineering. Finally, Princeton has a somewhat unusual requirement—a graded paper to be submitted with your application.

Because Princeton is one of the most competitive schools in the country, you want to be sure that each of your essays, plus the graded paper you submit, will help you stand out from other applicants who have superb academic and extracurricular resumes. In this post, we’ll break down how you should approach each prompt so you can be sure that your essays maximize your chances of acceptance.

Read these Princeton essay examples to inspire your writing.

Princeton University Supplemental Essay Prompts

All applicants.

Prompt 1: Princeton values community and encourages students, faculty, staff and leadership to engage in respectful conversations that can expand their perspectives and challenge their ideas and beliefs. As a prospective member of this community, reflect on how your lived experiences will impact the conversations you will have in the classroom, the dining hall or other campus spaces. What lessons have you learned in life thus far? What will your classmates learn from you? In short, how has your lived experience shaped you? (500 words)

Prompt 2: Princeton has a longstanding commitment to understanding our responsibility to society through service and civic engagement. How does your own story intersect with these ideals? (250 words)

More About You Prompts (50 words each)

Please respond to each question in 50 words or fewer. There are no right or wrong answers. Be yourself!

What is a new skill you would like to learn in college, what brings you joy, what song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment.

Graded Paper: Princeton requires you to submit a graded written paper as part of your application. You may submit this material now or any time before the application deadline. If you choose not to upload the required paper at this time, you may mail, e-mail, or upload your paper through the applicant portal. Detailed instructions for our graded paper requirement can be found here . (1-2 pages)

Bachelor of Arts Applicants

As a research institution that also prides itself on its liberal arts curriculum, princeton allows students to explore areas across the humanities and the arts, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. what academic areas most pique your curiosity, and how do the programs offered at princeton suit your particular interests (250 words), bachelor of science in engineering applicants, please describe why you are interested in studying engineering at princeton. include any of your experiences in, or exposure to engineering, and how you think the programs offered at the university suit your particular interests. (250 words), all applicants, prompt 1, princeton values community and encourages students, faculty, staff and leadership to engage in respectful conversations that can expand their perspectives and challenge their ideas and beliefs. as a prospective member of this community, reflect on how your lived experiences will impact the conversations you will have in the classroom, the dining hall or other campus spaces. what lessons have you learned in life thus far what will your classmates learn from you in short, how has your lived experience shaped you (500 words).

Brainstorming your topic:

This prompt essentially boils down to its last sentence—how has your lived experience shaped you? Now, that is an incredibly open-ended question, which you could use as a road into just about any topic. That freedom, combined with a pretty long word count, means that the brainstorming process is crucial to writing a strong response. If you don’t already have a clear sense of what you want to say, your essay may end up all over the place.

One good way to focus your brainstorming is through the prompt’s attention to conversations. You’re likely going to share similar things with your peers at Princeton as you do with your friends and family right now. So, questions like the following may help you start figuring out what you want to write about:

• Which stories do you tell most often?
• When you meet someone new, what are some of the first things you usually talk about?
• When you give advice, which experiences do you draw on?

Hopefully, thinking through these slightly more targeted questions will give you some ideas about what you might want to include in your essay. Remember, you have space to work with here, so you don’t have to zero in on just one thing like you would for a shorter prompt. That being said, you also want to make sure that your essay is organized, so you also don’t want to be trying to fit in ten different things.

Rather, select one experience, or 2-4 experiences that are clearly related , to use as the foundation for your essay. Once you have a general structure for your essay, you can then connect bigger picture takeaways to it, which ensures that your essay is cohesive.

For example, maybe you choose to focus your essay on an ice fishing trip you took with your grandfather, and the lessons you learned about patience and the value of cross-generational relationships. Alternatively, you could write about your tradition of getting an owl-themed trinket anywhere you go on vacation, and how this small, seemingly silly routine has given you something consistent across different periods of your life.

Tips for writing your essay:

As noted above, for this prompt, brainstorming is more than half the battle. If you have a clear game plan before you start writing, actually getting the words down will hopefully be more about finding the right phrasing and crafting smooth transitions than actually generating content.

You do want to make sure that, like in any college essay, you’re utilizing the “show, don’t tell” strategy. In other words, rather than telling something to your reader directly, describe a moment or situation that illustrates the point you’re trying to make. To see the benefits of this approach, compare the following two excerpts from hypothetical essays:

Excerpt 1: “For as long as I can remember, I’ve collected owl trinkets on family vacations. In 2009, I got my first one, a ceramic burrowing owl from Tucson, Arizona. The most recent addition to my collection was a dense, bronze owl from Athens, who I was especially excited about since owls are the symbol of Athena, the patron goddess of that city.”

Excerpt 2: “As my family enters the small, dimly lit shop at the end of one of Athens’s many winding streets, my eyes immediately lock onto the shelves upon shelves of owls. Huge, marble ones that cost hundreds of euros, and tiny, wooden ones as spindly as a toothpick. After much deliberation, I select a dense bronze fellow who is barely an inch high. I can already envision how he’ll look on my desk at home, lined up next to all the other owls I’ve collected over the years.”

These two excerpts give us basically the same information, but the first presents it to us in a very dry, factual way. The second, on the other hand, drops us right next to the writer as they pick out their latest owl, and includes vivid descriptions that make this excerpt much more engaging to read.

Particularly since you have 500 words at your disposal, you should see this essay as an opportunity to show off your creative writing ability with a stylistic flourish here and there. That being said, in your early drafts, don’t focus on this kind of finer detail. Make sure you have a personal, informative, cohesive essay first, then take the time to add the cherries on top later.

Mistakes to avoid:

As we hinted at in the brainstorming section above, the biggest potential pitfall with this essay is that between the open-ended prompt and the high word count, you may end up adrift, without any clear focus point to anchor you. To avoid that happening, don’t just rattle off a bunch of vague, Hallmark card lessons. Instead, follow the strategies laid out in the previous two sections to ensure that the points you make are clearly connected to your own personal experiences.

The other thing you want to be sure to avoid is repeating information that can already be found elsewhere in your application, namely in your Common App essay. If you already wrote about your owl collection there, you want to pick something else to focus on here. You only get so many opportunities to share your personality with Princeton’s admissions officers, so don’t waste one by telling them things they already know.

All Applicants, Prompt 2

Princeton has a longstanding commitment to understanding our responsibility to society through service and civic engagement. how does your own story intersect with these ideals (250 words).

Keep in mind that the keyword is “story”—this prompt is not an invitation to list all of your achievements in community service as you will on your resume. Rather, Princeton is asking for a deeply held part of your identity through which you’re motivated to perform civic engagement and service. We’ll cover some specific points below, but we also have a detailed blog post on writing service essays that you’ll find useful as well.

Also note that this prompt is a bit more focused on Princeton itself, so devote about 30-40% of your writing to specific programs at Princeton that align with your interests. We always recommend spending a good hour snooping around a college’s website, clicking through links and looking at the different clubs, classes, programs, institutes, and communities. Also check out Princeton’s webpages for service and civic engagement .

A trusty table can be of good help while you brainstorm:

Focus on one interest or concern. Here, less is more—focusing on one key experience or aspect of your identity shows more thought and effort than copying and pasting several experiences. And for this prompt, it’s most effective to focus on the service work about which you can write the most and or to which you can relate the most.

For instance, a student wanting to study literature might help make sandwiches for charity every month, but she probably has a more immediate connection to being a weekly reader and Bible study leader at her church.

Don’t turn your brain on autopilot or regurgitate the prompt. This prompt uses a lot of “admissions-speak,” which should serve as a signpost to direct you, not as suggested wording to include in your response.

“Intersect,” for example, has become an important—but increasingly robotic—buzzword in recent years. Try to avoid repeating it, and instead opt for words with more emotional resonance: “find a home [at Princeton],” “delve into the research [at Princeton],” etc. The same goes for “service” and “civic engagement”—repeat them too much and you’ll start to sound like you’re using the prompt as a crutch. Besides, there are more vivid words at your disposal.

As always, be specific. Pick not just a broad issue (“helping the homeless”), but also a subset of the issue that actually seems manageable (“making sure that the homeless have access to Internet and library services”). From there, look for potential classes offered at Princeton, and student organizations involved in similar missions. It may be worth citing current student activism projects you find on Princeton’s website, and discussing how those same opportunities would allow you to apply your skills in the best way for you personally.

All Applicants, More About You Prompts (50 words each)

“There are no right or wrong answers.” (Alexa, play “Why You Always Lying?”)

There is a wrong answer, and it’s a category—“boring.” In fact, the more unique and genuine your answer is, the more you can break away as a contender. And because you have such a short word limit, you can even add a little mystery. This is the right place for that, too—it’s the end of your application, and a thought-provoking or fascinating answer will just remind your reader that “We have to interview this applicant to find out more.”

For example, a lackluster answer to the “soundtrack” question might be sensible and logical, but flat: “Since I’ve been sick and stuck in quarantine, ‘Circles’ by Post Malone summarizes my repetitive experience.” Well, it’s passable as small talk. But it’s self-contained and doesn’t elicit any curiosity.

A better answer will entertain, provoke a chuckle, frighten, intrigue —any verb you want your reader to have. Recontextualize a song. Pick a weird one. Send your reader to YouTube to look it up. For example, “Early in his career, David Bowie wrote a song about being stalked by a magical gnome . It is friendly, but harasses Bowie. Does it come in peace, or with malice? It is, like both, inescapable. Its voice plays in my dreams. I fear gnomes now.” The weirdness there commands attention.

You can also demonstrate uniqueness by redefining or recontextualizing a word in the prompt. For example, you could write about a niche type of joy, like schadenfreude (well, maybe not that one), fear/excitement, or watching fire. You could redefine “song” to include birdsong, or the indistinct chatter, easy listening music, and whirring of coffee machines at your favorite coffee shop.

A word on the “skill” question: it may be helpful to address a shortcoming or skill gap, then cite the skill and how it will improve your life. Doing so can prove that you’re not going for pure quirkiness or trying, superficially, to be a Manic Pixie Dream Freshman. For example, “juggling!!!” itself might seem a little vacuous, but can be easily deepened by expansion: “juggling as part of the team would help me overcome my fear of performing and presenting in front of crowds.”

Overall, use these “More About You” questions to showcase another part of your story, personality, or character that you didn’t have the chance to showcase before. When answering this prompt, it can also be helpful to astral-project yourself into another student or someone who’s assessing you as a potential friend.

With this outside perspective in mind , look over your answers: would you want to grab lunch or share a dorm with the person who has written them? Would you be inspired to befriend the engineering major who answers the first “More About You” question with yet another example of her love of engineering? Or would you rather befriend the engineering major who answers the same question with her love for candlemaking and Dolly Parton? The main point is that answering these prompts successfully takes a degree of self-awareness and quirkiness.

All Applicants, Graded Paper

Princeton requires you to submit a graded written paper as part of your application. you may submit this material now or any time before the application deadline. if you choose not to upload the required paper at this time, you may mail, e-mail, or upload your paper through the applicant portal. detailed instructions for our graded paper requirement can be found here . (1-2 pages).

Unlike with the other essays, Princeton isn’t assessing your personality and interests from the graded written paper you’re submitting. Rather, this paper will give the admissions officers insight into your academic capabilities as a student. While the admissions officers can already see your physical grades and reports from teachers, this is a unique chance for you to showcase your talents for conveying an academic idea in writing—a crucial skill you’ll need in college and in life.

We have an entire post dedicated to the requirements for the paper, tips for choosing your paper, and instructions for submitting it. You can read it here !

Bachelor of Arts Applicants, Prompt 1

This essay is only required for those who have indicated on their application an interest in pursuing a Bachelor of Arts.

This prompt somewhat fits into the “Why This Major?” essay archetype . The main difference is that rather than being asked about one specific major, you’re being asked about your general academic interests. This prompt is intended to get a sense of your passion and thirst for knowledge. Princeton only wants to admit the most intellectually curious students, so your essay should convey your academic passions and how you’ll explore them at Princeton.

You want to be sure your essay reveals meaningful emotional reasons for wanting to pursue the fields you want to explore. Asking yourself these questions will help you explain why you’re interested in your chosen topic(s):

• What are specific examples of concepts or things that you enjoy in this field?
• What positive skills or traits are exemplified by this field?
• How might majoring in/studying this topic serve your life and/or career goals?
• What is your state of mind or the emotional experience you have when you explore this topic? Why do you find that state or experience appealing?

Note: The above questions are phrased in a singular way, but the prompt does allow you to talk about multiple areas of study. If you’re interested in multiple things, you should consider writing about them in this essay. Bear in mind the 250-word limit, though, so don’t get too carried away with the number of areas you choose.

After you’ve figured out why you’re interested in your chosen field(s), you can start writing. A good essay will introduce the field(s), articulate your core reasons as to why you’re interested in the field (ideally through anecdotes or specific examples from inside and outside the classroom), and explain how this field might help you in the future.

Here are some examples of responses that include all of these elements:

1) A student who is interested in geosciences might write about how he has grown up by the beach and spent his whole life surfing. He could describe how he became fascinated with how the largest waves he loved to surf were formed.

He might then discuss the independent research he’s done on the tectonic plates, and his study of topographical maps of the Pacific Ocean floor to find the best locations for waves in California. Finally, he would explain how understanding the physics, chemistry, and biology of the ocean can help him predict areas at risk of climate crises as a future environmental consultant.

2) A student who is interested in politics could write about her experience volunteering for her local representative’s campaign. She could describe how she offered to run the social media accounts for her representative since she has an eye for graphic design.

Through attending strategy meetings, reading policy briefs, and speaking to constituents, the student got an inside look at what it means to be a representative, which sparked her interest in politics. After her experience in local government, she got very excited to learn the intricacies of national government and public relations in her classes. She feels that these classes will prepare her to be a press secretary on the Hill one day.

3) A student who is interested in architecture might talk about the trip he took to Barcelona, where he saw the most unique architecture he’s ever seen. After his trip, he researched the architects who created some of the structures he saw. His research inspired his portfolio in art class, in which he painted a collection of houses inspired by the Barcelona style. He hopes to learn more about architectural fundamentals so he can turn his creative designs into practical structures.

Since the prompt asks explicitly about the programs offered at Princeton, make sure you include specific opportunities unique to Princeton that make it the perfect place to pursue this field. You could talk about things like these:

• The specific approach the University takes in teaching specific fields (perhaps you are fascinated by approaching biology from an evolutionary standpoint in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology major)
• Classes or professors you are excited to have (e.g., Philosophy of Mind , or Turning Points in European Culture )
• Extracurricular opportunities that align with your interests (research projects, study abroad programs, and community service organizations, etc.)

Remember, name-dropping will get you nothing! For every resource you mention, you should have a concrete explanation as to what you hope to gain or contribute when you engage with the resource. Also, make every effort to avoid praising a subject without explaining its significance to you personally. And finally, don’t talk about how you might want to pursue a subject because it pays well or because your parents want you to pursue it.

Bachelor of Science in Engineering Applicants, Prompt 1

This essay is only required for those who have indicated on their application an interest in pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Engineering.

The key here is to be specific ; an implicit aspect of this question is “Why Princeton engineering? What makes Princeton’s engineering program different from other programs? Why would this be a better fit for you than any other?” In essence, this is sort of like the common “Why This Major?” prompt , but it’s referring to a specialized program rather than a specific major.

Rather than vaguely discussing the reasons that Princeton’s engineering program is something you wish to be a part of, mention specific resources and appeal to the philosophy of an engineering education. For instance, if there’s a particular class that interests you, don’t be afraid to directly mention it and connect the class back to your overall interest in engineering.

Extracurricular programs are another area you should definitely mention. If you’re passionate about sustainability, you could discuss your interest in the Princeton chapter of Engineers Without Borders , commenting on how you will use your membership to promote sustainable engineering. If you enjoy working with kids, perhaps Princeton Engineering Education for Kids is more appealing. No matter your interests, be sure to mention a club or organization that could allow you to pursue these interests outside of the classroom.

If you have a preferred area of specialization, such as bioengineering or chemical engineering, it would be great if you’re able to tie this back to your current passions or activities. Maybe you’re already involved in an organization at your current school that deals with these more specialized areas of engineering. If so, make sure to emphasize this, as that would allow your passion to shine through and showcase previous relevant experience.

Be warned, however, that listing all your engineering related activities can make your essay sound like a resume. Rather than simply providing a list, connect each activity to each other in order to construct a more cohesive essay. Make sure that any change in topic flows smoothly from one to the next to avoid transforming your essay into a laundry list of your achievements.

Another direction that you might take when discussing previous engineering experience is to discuss your state of mind when partaking in these activities. Perhaps working on complex engineering problems gets your adrenaline pumping, or maybe you find it quite therapeutic and relaxing. It’s always a good idea to show the admissions officers how you feel when partaking in subjects or activities you’re passionate about.

As always, remember to show Princeton another piece of yourself by highlighting your passions, interests, and goals, and by connecting these back to Princeton’s academic environment.

There are a few things you should avoid when writing this essay:

• First, don’t simply praise Princeton for being a prestigious institution. It’s not a bad thing to be nice, but you should save the limited space you have for substantive, meaningful reasons.
• Second, as mentioned before, don’t simply list your experiences without elaborating on their importance. You don’t want your essay to read more like a list than an essay.
• Finally, don’t state that you want to study engineering for the money or because your parents are forcing you to. These are seen as insincere reasons that won’t make you the most desirable applicant.

Where to Get Your Princeton Essays Edited

Do you want feedback on your Princeton essays? After rereading your essays countless times, it can be difficult to evaluate your writing objectively. That’s why we created our free Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

If you want a college admissions expert to review your essay, advisors on CollegeVine have helped students refine their writing and submit successful applications to top schools. Find the right advisor for you to improve your chances of getting into your dream school!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

How to Write the Princeton Supplemental Essays 2023-2024

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Consistently ranked one of the best schools in the country, Princeton University boasts a cozy 5:1 student-faculty ratio, an excellent financial aid program, and a broad range of study abroad opportunities for undergraduates. If you get into Princeton , you’ll be taking classes with professors at the tip-top of their fields – so now it’s just a matter of getting that acceptance letter. We’re here to show you how to write the Princeton supplemental essays, helping you give your best shot at walking through FitzRandolph Gate as a freshman in the Great Class of 2028.

For its class of 2026, Princeton reports an average ACT of 33-35 , a math SAT of 760-800 , and a reading and writing SAT of 730-780 . With the norm being top-notch standardized test scores like these – and a similarly top-notch unweighted GPA of 3.9 for previous classes – you’ll need more than just a stellar transcript to stand out. This is where your essays come in.

Princeton asks you to respond to  two long-answer  and  three short-answer prompts , for a total of five prompts in addition to your Common or Coalition App Essay. Don’t let all the writing intimidate you! Each prompt is an opportunity to tip the scales of admission in your favor, and show Princeton officials who you really are beyond your grades and test scores. With that in mind, let’s have a look at Princeton’s seven supplemental essay prompts for the 2023-2024 application cycle.

Princeton’s 2023-2024 Prompts

Short responses (50 words).

• What is a new skill you would like to learn in college?
• What brings you joy?
• What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?

Essay Prompts

Princeton values community and encourages students, faculty, staff and leadership to engage in respectful conversations that can expand their perspectives and challenge their ideas and beliefs. as a prospective member of this community, reflect on how your lived experiences will impact the conversations you will have in the classroom, the dining hall or other campus spaces. what lessons have you learned in life thus far what will your classmates learn from you in short, how has your lived experience shaped you  (500 words).

• Princeton has a longstanding commitment to understanding our responsibility to society through service and civic engagement. How does your own story intersect with these ideals?  (250 words)

General Tips

For the 3 short-answer prompts, you’ll need to convey a meaningful response within a tight  50-word maximum . To do this, we recommend the following tips: avoid restating the question, trim unnecessary connector words, and use colons, semicolons, and em dashes to improve concision.

The two example responses below have the same word count—but the first uses choppy, overly verbose writing, and the second cleans it up using the tips we’ve just discussed.

“A new skill that I would like to learn in college is how to analyze literature. I would like to be able to discuss books like John Locke’s Two Treatises in greater depth. This is because it interested me in high school, but I didn’t understand many of Locke’s theories.”

“John Locke’s Two Treatises on Government has confounded and intrigued me ever since I first read it in high school. At Princeton, I’d love to sharpen my literary analysis skills through discussions with my classmates—and return to writers like Locke with a new understanding of the written word.”

The long essay prompts give you more room to work with –  150 words  for the first prompt and  250  for the other two—but choppy sentence structure, run-ons, and unnecessary fluff will confuse your reader no matter the length of the essay. As such, you should always strive for concision, even with the longer prompts.

To ensure a well-rounded application, try to write your essays on topics you haven’t mentioned in other prompts or your transcript. Admissions officials may start to see you as single-faceted if they see your coding team in your activity list, then read about the same coding team two more times in your short responses. To avoid this, vary your essay topics as much as you can—and take advantage of any prompts where you can discuss an aspect of your background that isn’t reflected in your transcript.

Finally, before we move to a prompt-by-prompt breakdown of the Princeton supplemental essays, here are two tips to keep in mind for both your short responses and long-answer essays.

One, be detailed.  For longer essays, try to go from specific anecdotes to broader themes—introductory paragraphs in particular benefit from starting on a direct quote or an engaging scene. For shorter prompts, pick responses that showcase your unique personality. Here’s an example: good food brings everyone joy, but maybe  your  favorite food is your grandma’s red velvet recipe that you love making with her, even if you can’t quite get it right yourself.

Two, make sure you’re always telling admissions officials about  you .  This may seem like obvious advice, but many applicants get swept away in explaining the technical aspects of a topic that interests them or describing a school’s resources without connecting them to their own aspirations. Instead of telling admissions officials their School of Public and International Affairs is impressive, tell them why you’re dying to take that one class that aligns perfectly with your interests. Instead of flatly stating that conversations on healthcare are important, tell your reader how a conversation  you  had completely changed your perspective.

With these higher-level tips out of the way, let’s move on to a prompt-by-prompt breakdown of the Princeton supplemental essays.

Princeton’s Short Responses

What is a new skill you would like to learn in college  (50 words).

For this prompt,  specificity is crucial —the more niche the skill you describe, the more interesting and unique your response. For instance, perhaps you want to pick up writing as a skill. But what kind of writing? Academic? Journalistic? Poetry? Narrowing your scope to a laser-focus will show admissions officials you’ve thought about your answer, and truly intend to pursue this skill once you’re on campus.

Another tactic is to focus on an extracurricular. Perhaps you want to learn bird-recognition through Princeton’s surprisingly active birdwatching community, or gain new knowledge about fashion by contributing to  TigerTrends . For this approach, you might try skimming through Princeton’s list of student organizations to see if any interest you.

“I want to be funny—and not just dad-joke funny, but gut-bustingly hilarious at all times. As soon as auditions open, I’d love to try out for Fuzzy Dice or Quipfire and take up improv comedy, so I can overcome my stage fright and start thinking on my feet.”

No matter the skill you choose, your response should show admissions officials your willingness to learn through the resources you find at college. Pay attention to the word “new,” and steer clear of skills you already have or that relate to activities you’ve already discussed. Picking a skill you’re completely unfamiliar with will reflect that you’re unafraid to improve yourself by trying new things.

What brings you joy?  (50 words)

This is an especially open-ended prompt, which leaves you free to  interpret it in a way that’s genuine and personal to you.  Your answer could be an object, an activity, a piece of media, a memory, or even a person that makes you happy in your day-to-day life. As always, detail is the key to a unique response—everybody likes a nice view, but only you know the joy of monthly hikes with your dad to the waterfall in the woods outside your hometown.

If you’re having trouble coming up with a specific answer to this prompt, consider the following questions: what do you do to cheer yourself up when you’re feeling down? If you had a spare $100 to spend on a hobby, what would you buy? Do you have strong feelings about your favorite color, or favorite food? As long as you can convey it in 50 words (and it’s appropriate), don’t be afraid to pick something strange—an unconventional answer will only help your essay stand out.

What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?  (50 words)

This one can be a bit tricky.  Be creative,  and make sure to show your reader  why  the song you choose reflects your life. It doesn’t have to be a serious classical number either—your little brother’s enthusiastic but slightly off-beat mixtape might represent your life in a more personal way than Beethoven’s 5th Symphony.

You might also draw from movie soundtracks, or even a sound that people wouldn’t normally consider a song, such as a crackling campfire. Think about a song that will grab your reader’s attention—unless you have an interesting reason for choosing it, a consistent breaker of the Billboard Hot 100 likely won’t stand out. In contrast, saying you relate to the  Super Mario Bros . death jingle or the opening bars of the  Star Wars  theme will certainly pique some interest.

Princeton’s Essay Prompts

This prompt is a bit long, so let’s start by breaking it down. You’ll want to do three things here: one, reflect on a lived experience that shaped who you are today; two, explain why it shaped who you are; and three, illustrate how you’ll bring this lived experience as a new perspective to Princeton’s campus community. With a 500-word maximum, you’ll have time to expand on the lessons you’ve learned— but specificity is still key here. Instead of a laundry list of lessons, try picking one that’s central to who you are, and craft your narrative around that.

Here are some example categories you might reflect on:

• Formative experiences, in school or otherwise
• Important aspects of your background or identity
• Core values and beliefs
• Challenges you’ve overcome
• People or relationships that impacted you
• Sources of inspiration

Above all, Princeton often looks for students who can have respectful, open conversations with their peers even when those conversations challenge their beliefs. This prompt reflects that value— pay particular attention to the words “challenge” and “respectful.” You might write about the time you were halfway through an argument with a high-school classmate and realized you were completely wrong, or a career panel you attended that blew your life plans out of the water. If you can show admissions officials you have a unique perspective to bring to campus, and you’re open to other perspectives that might change your mind, you’ll go a long way toward convincing them you’re the kind of student they’re looking for.

Princeton has a longstanding commitment to service and civic engagement. Tell us how your story intersects (or will intersect) with these ideals.  (250 words)

This is another prompt where you might find yourself touching on topics you’ve already mentioned elsewhere – namely, any volunteering experience you might’ve listed in your activity transcript. However, bear in mind that you shouldn’t just be listing these experiences again in slightly more detail. Instead, try to  present a compelling narrative  about your beliefs regarding community and civic service, and how you came to believe them.

For instance, you might feel strongly that every citizen should exercise their right to vote. How did you first adopt this ideal? How have you furthered it in your own community? Have you volunteered for any voter outreach programs, or platformed information about voter registration on your social media? How did that work continue to shape your belief in being an active voter?

Even if you’ve already mentioned some of these activities in your transcript, providing the full narrative of your experience will give admissions officials a much deeper understanding of your commitment to service. You can craft this narrative by highlighting two things – one, how you gained your current beliefs, and two, how you’ve concretely demonstrated those beliefs in your volunteer work and activities.

Finally, you might also consider mentioning some volunteer opportunities you’re interested in at Princeton. Your conclusion would likely be the best place to include this—if you wrap up your essay by stating how you plan to carry your ideals forward into the future, explaining how you would do so at Princeton specifically could make a perfect endpoint for your narrative.

If you need help polishing up your Yale supplemental essays, check out our  College Essay Review  service. You can receive detailed feedback from Ivy League consultants in as little as 24 hours.

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Princeton Supplemental Essays 2023-24 – Prompts and Advice

August 24, 2023

Although Princeton has withheld admissions statistics for the Class of 2027, citing concerns with student anxiety levels, their last reported acceptance rate was 4.4% for the class of 2021-22. However, even if the acceptance rate has gone up (or down) a percentage or two since, it doesn’t change much—when applying to an Ivy like Princeton, even applicants with perfect GPAs and test scores need to find a way to stand out from a pack of equally credentialed teens. Fortunately, the Princeton supplemental essays provide just such an opportunity. These compositions present the chance for wannabe Tigers to showcase superior writing ability. This is an opportunity to craft responses that are authentic, honest, compelling, and potentially needle-moving to the admissions office.

(Want to learn more about How to Get Into Princeton? Visit our blog entitled:  How to Get Into Princeton: Admissions Data and Strategies  for all of the most recent admissions data as well as tips for gaining acceptance.)

Below are Princeton’s essay prompts for the 2023-24 admissions cycle with accompanying advice about how to tackle each one:

Princeton Supplemental Essays – Your Voice

1) Princeton values community and encourages students, faculty, staff and leadership to engage in respectful conversations that can expand their perspectives and challenge their ideas and beliefs. As a prospective member of this community, reflect on how your lived experiences will impact the conversations you will have in the classroom, the dining hall or other campus spaces. What lessons have you learned in life thus far? What will your classmates learn from you? In short, how has your lived experience shaped you?   (500 words or fewer)

Essentially, Princeton is trying to uncover how your personal experiences will impact what kind of academic and social community member you might be. As such, this prompt wants you to discuss: 1) a specific aspect of your lived experience 2) what you learned and how you might engage with others as a result of that lived experience. “Lived experience” is broad and could include:

• Your role in your family.
• Your role in your social group.
• A challenge you’ve faced.
• A formative experience or realization.
• Important aspects of your upbringing.
• Cultural, religious, community influence.

Princeton Supplemental Essays (Continued)

Once you’ve chosen a particular direction, think about what you’ve learned from the experience and what you think others could learn from you. This is a chance to show that you are an open-minded, curious, and humble young person who is willing to learn and grow from their experiences. For example, perhaps growing up on military bases with a parent who was frequently deployed taught you about the importance of putting yourself out there to find a supportive community.

Perhaps you also learned that you have to be intentional about creating said community, which can be a difficult proposition in an increasingly technological and social-media-centric world. It’s also taught you not to take the relationships in your life for granted. As a result, you hope to model the importance of in-person connections and friendships—and the importance of putting a significant amount of effort into those friendships—even when it may feel easier to connect virtually.

This year, Princeton has doubled the length of this essay, giving you ample space to explore a particular aspect of your identity. You’ll just want to ensure that whatever topic you choose is completely unique from your Common App personal statement.

Princeton Supplemental Essays – Service and Civic Engagement

2) Princeton has a longstanding commitment to understanding our responsibility to society through service and civic engagement. How does your own story intersect with these ideals?   (250 words or fewer)

Remember, the admissions committee has already seen the  President’s Volunteer Service Award  and the number of hours you volunteered at multiple nonprofit organizations. This shouldn’t be a recap of already-presented information. Rather, applicants should strive to share issues close to their hearts. We encourage you to share specific details about a time (or two) when you were civically engaged or volunteered on a community service project. Why was this experience important to you? Why and how did it cement the values of service and civic engagement? For example, perhaps you started making blankets for a local hospital during COVID, which evolved into a thriving extracurricular club that now has fifteen other members. Whatever you decide, you’ll want to demonstrate a deep-rooted and genuine connection to service. Moreover, consider including a Princeton-specific resource or two that will allow you to continue pursuing meaningful engagement.

Princeton Supplemental Essays – More About You

Please respond to each question in 50 words or fewer. There are no right or wrong answers. Be yourself!

1) What is a new skill you would like to learn in college?

You can be straightforward, offbeat, or highly creative on this one—all with equal effectiveness. The straightforward answer would be something directly related to Princeton’s programmatic or extracurricular offerings. Discussing particular character traits, work habits, or social goals you hope to pursue—like networking or meditating—are fair game as well. If you really hope that college is when you finally take the time to pursue a new hobby, go ahead and share those aims in this space. It could be anything: crossword puzzles, stand-up comedy, yoga, genealogy, journaling, cooking, sewing, etc.

2) What brings you joy? 

What brings you great pleasure and happiness? Universal experiences of joy like family, a beautiful sunset, a place, a hobby, a tradition, or your cat or dog curled on your lap are perfectly acceptable answers here. However, you could also talk about dreams for the future, more bittersweet moments, abstract thoughts, moments of glorious introversion, or a time that you  unexpectedly  felt joy.

3) What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?

As Plato wrote, “Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.” Music can express emotions that are beyond words. What stirs up deep feelings of connection within your soul? Be honest. It doesn’t have to be Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor. Rather, it might be a piece by Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar, or Lana Del Ray. Don’t be afraid to share what music you genuinely connect with even if it isn’t “high-brow.” In addition, be sure to include a brief “why.”

Princeton Supplemental Essays – Degree-Specific

Depending on whether you are applying to an A.B. or B.S.E. program, you’ll need to answer an additional essay question:

A.B. (or Undecided) Essay

As a research institution that also prides itself on its liberal arts curriculum, Princeton allows students to explore areas across the humanities and the arts, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. What academic areas most pique your curiosity, and how do the programs offered at Princeton suit your particular interests? (Please respond in 250 words or fewer.)

B.S.E. Essay

Please describe why you are interested in studying engineering at Princeton. Include any of your experiences in or exposure to engineering, and how you think the programs offered at the University suit your particular interests. (Please respond in 250 words or fewer.)

For both essays, you’ll want to discuss your personal experiences in relation to your academic interests as well as why Princeton will the optimal place to pursue them. Let’s break this down:

• Which academic/engineering areas are you most drawn to, and why? What experiences have you had? How have you engaged with your interest areas up to this point? This should be fairly brief—a paragraph at most.
• Why will Princeton be the best fit for you? Stay focused on academic programs/offerings here, which could include academic departments , professors ,  research opportunities , internship programs ,  courses , degree structure/curriculum , etc. Be sure to discuss how you plan to take advantage of your chosen resources.

Princeton Supplemental Essays – Graded Paper

In addition to the essays noted above, you’ll also need to submit a graded paper as part of your application . Princeton recommends that your paper be between 1-2 pages in length, so don’t go crazy and send them your 25-page English paper. Ideally, the paper will be as recent as possible—junior year is preferable. Moreover, your English and/or history teacher will be an excellent resource who can help you decide which of your papers best represents your writing ability and will be the most advantageous to include. Keep in mind that you’ll also need to submit the paper’s grade as well as your teacher’s comments, so it should go without saying that you’ll want to send Princeton a paper that you’ve excelled on.

How important are the Princeton supplemental essays?

Princeton rates the essays as being a “very important” factor in their evaluation process. The essays are listed alongside GPA, the rigor of high school coursework, class rank, extracurricular activities, recommendations, talent/ability, and character/personal qualities.

Want personalized essay assistance with you Princeton supplement essays?

Lastly, if you are interested in working with one of College Transitions’ experienced and knowledgeable essay coaches as you craft your Princeton supplemental essays, we encourage you to  get a quote  today.

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How To Answer Princeton's 2023/24 Supplemental Essays: Tips & Insights

What's New in 2023/24

What Are Princeton's Essay Prompts?

Your Voice Questions

More About You Questions

Academic Interests Questions

Dive into Princeton's 2023/24 supplemental essay prompts, understand the nuances behind each question, and get expert insights on crafting standout responses. Our guide offers a comprehensive breakdown, from understanding Princeton's ethos to tailoring your narrative for maximum impact.

Princeton’s 2023/24 Supplemental Essay Updates: What's Changed?

Securing a coveted spot at Princeton University, with its estimated acceptance rate hovering around 5.82% or potentially even lower, is a monumental achievement. In such an intensely competitive arena, your supplemental essays become a vital instrument in highlighting your distinct narrative and compatibility with Princeton's ethos.

Each year, elite institutions like Princeton meticulously adjust their application process to ensure they obtain a holistic perspective of their prospective students. For the 2023/24 admissions cycle, Princeton has introduced several significant alterations to its supplemental essay questions.

New Prompts Address Your Academic Interests

Previously, there wasn't a dedicated prompt focusing on academic interests. The current cycle, however, has introduced distinct prompts for A.B. Degree Applicants and B.S.E Degree Applicants . These questions invite students to delve into their academic passions and articulate how Princeton's esteemed programs resonate with their academic goals, all within a 250-word framework.

An Updated “Your Voice” Prompt

In the prior cycle, applicants were prompted to probe challenging conversations and the insights they yielded. The updated prompt emphasizes Princeton's cherished values of community and respectful dialogue . Applicants are now encouraged to introspect on their life experiences and how the lessons they've learned from their experiences will shape their contributions to campus life, all encapsulated within a 500-word limit.

The Essay on Service Ideals and the “More About You” Sections Remain Mostly Unchanged

The essay on Princeton's service ideals remains but is now distinct, with a 250-word boundary.

The "More About You" section remains steadfast, retaining its trio of short-answer questions that probe into personal aspirations and reflections, each capped at 50 words.

These modifications underscore Princeton's evolving admissions strategy, emphasizing a deeper comprehension of applicants' academic leanings and the diverse experiences they'll infuse into the university's vibrant community.

What Are Princeton’s Supplemental Essay Prompts for 2023/24?

For the 2023/24 application cycle, Princeton University has meticulously crafted specific supplemental essay prompts to delve deeper into the profiles of its applicants alongside the Common App or Coalition App questions. These prompts aim to uncover your academic inclinations, personal narratives, and how you envision your journey at Princeton.

“Your Voice” Questions

Princeton cherishes its diverse community and the countless voices that enrich campus conversations.

• Lived Experiences: Princeton values community and encourages students, faculty, staff, and leadership to engage in respectful conversations that can expand their perspectives and challenge their ideas and beliefs. As a prospective member of this community, reflect on how your lived experiences will impact the conversations you will have in the classroom, the dining hall or other campus spaces. What lessons have you learned in life thus far? What will your classmates learn from you? In short, how has your lived experience shaped you? (Please respond in 500 words or fewer.)
• Service Ideals: Princeton has a longstanding commitment to understanding our responsibility to society through service and civic engagement. How does your own story intersect with these ideals? (Please respond in 250 words or fewer.)

“More About You” Questions

These succinct questions provide a snapshot of your personality, aspirations, and current reflections.

• Skill Acquisition: What is a new skill you would like to learn in college? (50 words)
• Joy: What brings you joy? (50 words)
• Life's Soundtrack: What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment? (50 words)

Additional Prompts

Tailored to understand your academic aspirations and how they align with Princeton's offerings.

• For A.B. Degree Applicants or Undecided: As a research institution that also prides itself on its liberal arts curriculum, Princeton allows students to explore areas across the humanities and the arts, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. What academic areas most pique your curiosity, and how do the programs offered at Princeton suit your particular interests? (Please respond in 250 words or fewer.)
• For B.S.E Degree Applicants: Please describe why you are interested in studying engineering at Princeton. Include any of your experiences in or exposure to engineering, and how you think the programs offered at the University suit your particular interests. (Please respond in 250 words or fewer.)

With an acceptance rate estimated at around 5.82% , Princeton's application process is undeniably competitive. These prompts offer applicants a unique opportunity to showcase their academic passions, personal growth, and the distinct perspectives they'll bring to the Princeton community.

Looking for inspiration? Dive into these Princeton essay examples to see what successful applications look like!

How to Answer Princeton’s “Your Voice” Questions?

As a prospective member of this community, reflect on how your lived experiences will impact the conversations you will have in the classroom, the dining hall or other campus spaces. what lessons have you learned in life thus far what will your classmates learn from you in short, how has your lived experience shaped you, - 500 words or fewer.

Princeton values a diverse student body, not just in terms of demographics but also in experiences and perspectives. The university believes that each student's unique journey enriches classroom discussions, group projects, and the overall campus environment. This prompt seeks to understand the depth of your experiences and how they've shaped you as an individual .

Diving Deep into Personal Experiences

Begin by selecting one or two pivotal moments or experiences in your life. These could be:

• Challenges you've overcome and the resilience they've instilled in you.
• Unique opportunities you've had and the insights they've provided.
• Personal or family stories that have significantly influenced your worldview.

Reflect on these experiences in terms of events, the emotions they evoked, and the lessons they imparted.

Influence on Conversations and Interactions

Reflect on how your experiences will shape various facets of your Princeton journey:

• Classroom Discussions : Your unique perspective, derived from your experiences, can add depth and a fresh viewpoint to academic debates.
• Casual Chats : In dining halls or dorm lounges, your stories might inspire, enlighten, or offer a different perspective to peers.
• Group Activities : The skills and insights you've acquired can be beneficial in collaborative endeavors.

Additionally, delve into the key lessons your experiences have taught you. Whether it's values like empathy, resilience, or specific skills, consider how these lessons will benefit you and enrich your interactions with peers.

Envisioning Your Contributions to Princeton

Reflect on how your experiences will guide your contributions to the Princeton community. This could be in terms of:

• Clubs or organizations you plan to join or initiate.
• Community service or outreach programs you aim to be a part of.
• Research or academic projects that your experiences have inspired.

By detailing these, you showcase a proactive approach to making a positive impact at Princeton.

Personal Growth and Shaping

Conclude by addressing the final part of the prompt: how your lived experience has shaped you. Reflect holistically on your journey, considering the amalgamation of experiences, lessons, and insights and how they've molded your character, aspirations, and worldview.

Princeton's first prompt is an invitation to share your personal journey and its significance. It's an opportunity to highlight how your unique experiences have shaped you and how they'll influence your contributions to the Princeton community. Approach this essay with introspection, authenticity, and a clear vision of your future at Princeton.

Princeton has a longstanding commitment to understanding our responsibility to society through service and civic engagement. How does your own story intersect with these ideals?

- 250 words or fewer.

Princeton's dedication to service and civic engagement is deeply rooted in its ethos. The university believes in nurturing individuals who excel academically and contribute positively to society . This commitment is reflected in various campus programs, initiatives, and student-led organizations that aim to make a tangible difference in the community and beyond.

Mapping Personal Experiences to Princeton's Ideals

Begin by reflecting on your personal experiences where you've engaged in service or civic activities. Consider:

• Pivotal moments or experiences that shaped your values and dedication.
• Direct and indirect ways you've helped others or contributed to organizations with a service mission.
• Influences, whether individuals or events, that steered you towards these ideals.
• Challenges faced, lessons learned, and the impact of your service activities.

Connect these experiences to similar initiatives or groups at Princeton, showcasing how you can continue and expand upon these endeavors at the university.

Intersecting with Princeton's Ideals

After narrating your personal journey, draw explicit parallels between your experiences and Princeton's commitment to service:

• Match your past experiences with clubs or groups at Princeton that share a similar mission or serve a similar population.
• Reflect on how your values and lessons from personal experiences align with Princeton's ideals.

Identifying Opportunities at Princeton

Research specific clubs, organizations, or programs at Princeton that align with your service experiences. You demonstrate a proactive approach and genuine interest in contributing to Princeton's service-oriented community by pinpointing where your skills and passions could be applied . Envision how your past experiences will influence future contributions to the university's community and its mission. Conclude with a forward-looking statement on what you hope to accomplish at Princeton.

Crafting a Unique Narrative

Every applicant will be addressing the same prompt. To make your response stand out:

• Delve into personal stories or experiences that have shaped your commitment to service.
• Reflect on challenges faced, lessons learned, and the impact of your service activities.
• Consider how your unique perspective can bring a fresh approach to service and civic engagement at Princeton.

Princeton's second prompt is an opportunity to showcase your dedication to service and how it aligns with the university's core values . Remember, every applicant will be addressing the same prompt. To make your response stand out, intertwine your personal journey with Princeton's ideals, creatively interpret the prompt's underlying themes, and provide a clear vision of your future contributions. Approach this essay with introspection, authenticity, and a clear vision of your future at Princeton.

How to Answer Princeton’s “More About You” Questions?

What is a new skill you would like to learn in college, - 50 words or fewer.

At its core, this prompt seeks to understand your aspirations beyond the traditional academic curriculum. Princeton values holistic growth, and this question is an invitation to share a personal or professional skill you're eager to acquire during your college years.

1. Reflecting on Personal and Professional Growth

Consider skills that align with the following:

• Personal passions or hobbies you've always wanted to explore.
• Professional aspirations that require a specific skill set.
• Interdisciplinary interests that bridge your major with another field.

2. Connecting the Skill to Princeton's Resources

While the prompt doesn't explicitly ask for it, it's a good idea to tie your desired skill to resources available at Princeton subtly. Whether it's a specific club, workshop, or course, showcasing your awareness of Princeton's offerings can be a plus.

3. Crafting a Unique Response

Given the brevity of the answer, it's crucial to be concise yet impactful. Avoid generic answers. Instead:

• Share a brief backstory if there's a compelling reason behind your choice.
• Highlight how acquiring this skill aligns with your broader goals or values.

The first "More About You" prompt is a window into your aspirations outside the standard academic trajectory. Approach it with a mix of personal authenticity and a nod to how Princeton can facilitate this learning journey .

What brings you joy?

This prompt seeks to uncover a more personal side of you. It's an invitation to share what genuinely makes you happy, offering a glimpse into your personality, values, and passions.

Reflecting on Genuine Happiness

Consider moments or activities that:

• Evoke a sense of contentment or excitement.
• Align with your personal values or passions.
• Have consistently been a source of happiness over the years.

Going Beyond the Surface

While it might be tempting to provide a straightforward answer, try to delve a bit deeper:

• If reading brings you joy, is it a specific genre or the act of immersing yourself in another world?
• If it's spending time with family, is there a particular tradition or shared activity that stands out?

Relating to the Princeton Experience

Though not explicitly required, subtly connecting your source of joy to potential experiences at Princeton can be impactful. For instance, if nature brings you joy, you might look forward to peaceful moments at the Princeton University Art Museum's outdoor spaces.

The second "More About You" prompt offers a chance to showcase your individuality and what truly resonates with your heart. Approach it sincerely, and don't hesitate to share simple joys that hold profound meaning .

What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment?

This prompt is an opportunity to convey your current emotional, mental, or situational state through the medium of music. It's a chance to share a snapshot of your life, encapsulated in a song, providing insight into your feelings, aspirations, or experiences.

Reflecting on Your Current Phase

Before selecting a song, introspect on your current life phase:

• Are you in a period of transition, growth, or self-discovery?
• Are there challenges you're facing or milestones you've recently achieved?
• What emotions dominate your daily life?

Choosing the Song

When selecting a song:

• Ensure it genuinely resonates with your current state.
• Consider lyrics, melody, and the overall mood of the song.
• It doesn't have to be a popular or well-known track; it just needs to be authentic to you.

Explaining Your Choice

While the song title might be self-explanatory to you, provide context:

• Share why the song resonates with your current life phase.
• Discuss specific lyrics or musical elements that align with your feelings or experiences.
• Relate it to recent events, aspirations, or personal growth.

The third "More About You" prompt uniquely expresses your current state of mind and life phase through music. Choose a song that genuinely mirrors your feelings or experiences, and offer context to make your choice relatable and insightful.

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How to Answer Princeton’s Academic Interests Questions?

As a research institution that also prides itself on its liberal arts curriculum, princeton allows students to explore areas across the humanities and the arts, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. what academic areas most pique your curiosity, and how do the programs offered at princeton suit your particular interests.

Given that this prompt is for A.B. Degree Applicants or those undecided, it's crucial to convey an open-minded and exploratory approach to learning. Princeton's liberal arts curriculum is designed for students to discover and hone their interests over time.

Identifying Your Academic Interests

While you might be undecided or open to various disciplines:

• Highlight subjects or topics that have intrigued you in the past.
• Discuss experiences or projects that have given you a taste of these interests.
• Mention if there are interdisciplinary areas that you're curious about.

Researching Princeton's Offerings

Before addressing how Princeton's programs align with your interests:

• Dive deep into Princeton's course catalog , faculty research, and departmental offerings related to your interests.
• Identify specific courses, professors, or research opportunities that align with your academic goals.

Drawing Connections

Now, bridge your personal interests with Princeton's offerings:

• Discuss how specific programs or courses at Princeton can further your academic exploration.
• Mention any unique Princeton initiatives, research opportunities, or academic resources that particularly resonate with your goals.

Envisioning Your Academic Journey at Princeton

Reflect on how Princeton's environment will enhance your academic growth:

• How will the blend of research and liberal arts at Princeton shape your academic trajectory?
• Are there interdisciplinary opportunities at Princeton that you're eager to explore?

This prompt is an opportunity to showcase your current academic curiosities and your eagerness to explore and grow within Princeton's diverse academic environment . Emphasize your open-mindedness, curiosity, and the potential for discovery at Princeton.

For B.S.E Degree applicants only

Please describe why you are interested in studying engineering at Princeton. Include any of your experiences in or exposure to engineering, and how you think the programs offered at the University suit your particular interests.

Begin by articulating your intrinsic motivation or the initial spark that drew you to engineering. Was it a childhood fascination, a particular project, or an influential figure in your life?

Your Engineering Journey So Far

Detail your experiences and exposure in the realm of engineering:

• Highlight specific projects, internships, or research endeavors you've undertaken.
• Discuss challenges faced, innovative solutions devised, or key learnings from these experiences.
• Mention any relevant coursework, competitions, or extracurricular activities that further solidified your interest.

Why Princeton's Engineering Program?

Dive deep into what makes Princeton's B.S.E program stand out for you:

• Are there specific courses, labs, or faculty members aligned with your interests?
• Does Princeton offer unique interdisciplinary opportunities, research facilities, or collaborations that resonate with your engineering aspirations?

Synergy Between Your Interests and Princeton's Offerings

Draw connections between your past experiences and future endeavors at Princeton:

• How will your previous engineering exposure benefit from and contribute to Princeton's B.S.E program?
• Are there specific areas within engineering that you're keen to explore further at Princeton?

Envisioning Your Engineering Future at Princeton

Reflect on your potential trajectory:

• How do you see yourself growing and evolving as an engineer at Princeton?
• Are there specific communities, clubs, or initiatives at Princeton that you're eager to join or lead?

This prompt allows B.S.E Degree Applicants to showcase their dedication to engineering and how Princeton's program aligns with their aspirations . By revealing a strong area of engineering passion and curiosity and intertwining past experiences with future goals at Princeton, applicants can craft a compelling narrative that underscores their fit for the program.

General Guidelines for Answering Princeton's Supplemental Essay Questions

• Research and Specificity : Princeton's prompts often delve into your connection with the university's ethos, programs, and community. Ensure you mention specific courses, professors, research opportunities, or student organizations that align with your interests. Demonstrating detailed knowledge indicates genuine enthusiasm and thorough research.
• Show Self-awareness : Princeton appreciates students who possess introspective qualities. When discussing academic interests, personal experiences, or future aspirations, always circle back to personal growth, lessons learned, or insights gained.
• Diversity of Thought : Princeton, renowned for its diverse student body, values varied perspectives and experiences. Emphasize the unique viewpoints, experiences, or backgrounds you bring to the table, showcasing how they'll enrich the Princeton community.
• Be Authentic : Authenticity is key. While it's tempting to craft responses you believe the admissions committee wishes to see, genuine narratives resonate more profoundly. Discuss genuine passions, challenges, and aspirations.
• Quality Over Quantity : Given the word constraints, prioritize depth. Instead of briefly touching upon multiple points, delve deeply into a few, providing insight and clarity.
• Narrative Storytelling : Engage your reader through vivid storytelling. A well-narrated experience or reflection can be more impactful and memorable than a mere listing of facts.
• Proofread and Revise : Ensure your essays are polished. Beyond grammar and syntax, ensure your narrative is coherent, concise, and effectively communicates your message. Seek feedback from trusted individuals for fresh perspectives.
• Connect to the Bigger Picture : Relate your responses to your potential contributions to the Princeton community and how Princeton's offerings align with your goals. This showcases your forward-thinking and eagerness to be an integral part of Princeton's legacy.
• Embrace the Challenge : Remember, these essays are an opportunity to provide a more comprehensive view of who you are beyond grades and test scores. Embrace the challenge, and use this platform to convey why you and Princeton are a perfect match.

Princeton's supplemental essays offer a window to showcase your individuality, aspirations, and alignment with the university's values. By intertwining personal narratives with Princeton's offerings and ethos, you can craft compelling responses that underscore your fit and potential contributions to the Princeton community.

For further insights, consider exploring these Princeton essay examples to discern what makes an application stand out!

Final Thoughts

Embarking on the journey to Princeton is not just about academic prowess but crafting a narrative that resonates deeply with Princeton's ethos and the admissions committee. Your supplemental essays are a window into your character, aspirations, and the unique contributions you'll bring to the Princeton community.

Every Princeton aspirant has a distinct story to tell. This is your invaluable chance to share yours. Approach your essays with authenticity, introspection, and a genuine passion for the narrative you're weaving.

If you're unsure whether your essay truly captures your essence or stands out amidst the myriad of applications, our essay review service is here to guide you. Our seasoned experts will provide a meticulous review and very personalized feedback, ensuring your essay resonates with Princeton's admissions officers. For added inspiration, delve into our ebook , which showcases essays from students who've secured spots at top-tier institutions. And for those targeting Princeton, our compilation of successful Princeton essay examples will provide crucial insights.

For those just beginning their college application journey, consider scheduling a free consultation with our seasoned college counselors. We're dedicated to assisting you in creating an application that maximizes your chances of joining the ranks of Princeton's esteemed alumni. Your dream of becoming a Princeton Tiger is within reach, and we're here to support you at every juncture.

What Makes Crimson Different

Key Resources & Further Reading

• Everything you need to know about US Application Supplemental Essays
• Acing your College Application Essay: 5 Expert Tips to Make it Stand Out from the Rest
• How to Tackle Every Type of Supplemental Essay
• 2023-24 Common App Essay Prompts
• What are the Most Unusual US College Supplemental Essay Prompts?

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Princeton University Supplemental Essay 2022-2023

Princeton Supplemental Essay 2022-2023

There are seven Princeton University supplemental essays that all applicants must write. While this may feel daunting, take comfort—each Princeton supplemental essay is on the shorter side. However, the Ivy League application process may feel exhausting. That’s why it’s important to start early. Then, you can dedicate sufficient time to every part of your application. This includes the seven essays that we’ll go over in this Princeton essay guide. 

The first four essays are slightly longer, with word limits ranging from 150-250 words. However, the last three Princeton supplemental essays are very short—they’re capped at only 50 words. You can view the Princeton supplemental essays on Princeton’s admissions site .

Princeton Essays: Quick Facts

• Princeton acceptance rate : 4% – U.S. News ranks Princeton as a most selective school. 
• 1 major-specific essay (~250 words) 
• 1 work experience or extracurricular activities essay (~150 words) 
• 2 half-page essays (~250 words) 
• 3 short response essays (~50 words) 
• Single-choice Early Action : November 1 st
• Regular Decision : January 1 st  
• Princeton application note : In addition to your Princeton supplemental essays and the Common App essay, you will also need to send in a graded written paper as a part of your Princeton supplemental materials. Students can complete the Princeton application via the Common App or QuestBridge . 
• #1 Princeton essay tip: Princeton admissions wants to further get to know you through your essays. Use your writing style and essay responses to show what you would bring to Princeton as a student and community member. 

What are the Princeton essay prompts?

In addition to completing the personal essay on the Common App or Questbridge application, applicants will also complete seven Princeton supplemental essays. 

The Princeton essay prompts have low word counts and cover a large span of topics. Through this breadth, the Princeton essays aim to let you show Princeton admissions who you are and why you would excel on campus. Let’s dive into the specifics of the Princeton essay prompts. 

Princeton Supplemental Essays

We’ll walk through each of the prompts above in this Princeton essay guide. But first, you may want to learn about the application process from someone who’s experienced it firsthand. Read this application story from one admitted student. 

Remember that with such low acceptance rates , Ivy League schools are always a reach. However, when applying to Ivies, all you can do is try to create the best Ivy application possible. This includes writing stellar essays that we’re going to outline in this Princeton essay guide. 

Princeton Essay: Extracurricular Activities Essay

Briefly elaborate on an activity, organization, work experience, or hobby that has been particularly meaningful to you. (150 words), extracurricular activities essay.

The first essay we’ll discuss is the extracurricular activities essay. Your extracurricular activities essay will highlight one activity that means the most to you. 

Princeton supplemental essays are a great way to add meaningful information to your personal application narrative . What do we mean by that? Well, a successful Princeton supplemental essay will not just repeat information that is already in your Princeton application. This extracurricular activities essay asks students to do more than just replicate their activities list. 

Princeton application essays let you show who you are as a person beyond your test scores, grades, and activities. Sometimes, when students are asked to reflect on a particularly meaningful extracurricular activity , they simply reiterate information from another part of their application. However, this Princeton supplemental essay does not just ask what activity you’ve been most involved in. Instead, it aims to help the admissions committee understand what lessons you’ve learned from taking part in a meaningful activity. You should also discuss how this activity has helped you grow in other areas of your life.

What NOT to do…

Here’s an example of how not to approach the second of your Princeton University supplemental essays. Say you’re on the softball team , and this year you were elected team captain. This would certainly be a meaningful extracurricular activity! However, if you focus the essay on how you spent your season perfecting your pitching skills, you won’t be taking advantage of the opportunities this Princeton supplemental essay offers. 

To respond effectively to the Princeton supplemental essays, you could talk about how being the softball team captain helped you to develop leadership skills. This might include effective communication or support for team members who lacked confidence. These skills are transferable to many areas outside of softball. They also represent your own personal growth.  

Emphasize universal lessons learned

Whatever your extracurricular activity, focus this Princeton supplemental essay less on skills that are specific to that particular activity—such as writing a Model UN policy statement, mastering a challenging piano piece, or repairing a motor. Instead, emphasize lessons and character development that will help you in a variety of circumstances in college and beyond. 

Since this Princeton supplemental essay is just 150 words, you should stick to writing about one extracurricular activity. Leave explanations of the activity’s mission and the role you played in the organization to the activities list. Then, you can spend most of your words elaborating on the lessons learned.

Princeton Essay Reflection Questions:

• Does your essay identify one extracurricular activity that is particularly important to you?
• Do you show your reader how this activity helped you grow in a way that can be applied to other contexts?
• Does your essay reflect on how you may continue to grow in the future?

Princeton Supplemental Essay: A.B. Degree Applicants & Undecided Majors

This Princeton supplemental essay prompt asks you to reflect on your academic interests and how Princeton will help you develop and excel in those interests. We’re going to focus on what that means if you are applying as an A.B. degree applicant or undecided. But before we jump right into this Princeton supplemental essay prompt, let’s clarify what exactly is an A.B. degree. 

What is an A.B. degree?

An A.B. degree is a Bachelor of Arts degree. An A.B. degree focuses on the liberal arts and humanities. Many disciplines fall within this degree. In fact, unless you are going into the sciences or engineering , you’ll likely have a Bachelor of Arts. Majors such as architecture , economics , literature, foreign language, and history fall within this degree. However, there are many more. 

There are 37 concentrations for applicants to specialize in within the Bachelor of Arts degree at Princeton. You can check out the full list of majors and disciplines offered at Princeton within the A.B. degree here . 

There are many advantages to a liberal arts education. While Princeton is a top-ranked university, you may be interested in other schools that offer excellent liberal arts programs. Check out our list of the best liberal arts colleges for more inspiration. There, we break down the difference between a college and a university. We also highlight some of our favorite college picks. 

Princeton supplemental essay prompt for A.B. degree applicants and undecided majors

As a research institution that also prides itself on its liberal arts curriculum, princeton allows students to explore areas across the humanities and the arts, the natural sciences, and the social sciences. what academic areas most pique your curiosity, and how do the programs offered at princeton suit your particular interests (250 words), your essay must address two points.

Not only do you need to explain how and why you are interested in your chosen academic area , but you also need to highlight the role Princeton will play in your future. In your essay, you should show how Princeton will foster your academic passions and help you build your career. 

First up, you will need to select at least one academic area of interest. If you already know your intended major, you have a great topic for the first of your Princeton supplemental essays. However, if you aren’t sure what you want to study, keep in mind that this Princeton supplemental essay does not ask you to commit to a major. Instead, you can simply talk about one or more academic subjects that interest you. 

If you need help, try thinking about what subjects in school you have most enjoyed. Additionally, think about if there are any particular subtopics that you have found especially exciting. You can also look at the list of majors Princeton offers and explore department pages to see if any area stands out to you. 

Connecting your interests

If you have multiple areas of interest—especially in seemingly unrelated fields, like History and Computer Science, or Sociology and Physics—you can absolutely talk about them both in your Princeton University supplemental essays. Pointing out unexpected ways that your interests intersect can even help you stand out in your Princeton application essays. Just remember that with a word limit of 250, there isn’t much room to go into depth about more than one or two academic fields. 

Getting specific

Once you have selected an area of study for your Princeton supplemental essays, you’ll come up with a short list of examples from your life that demonstrates your genuine connection to the subject. You don’t need to include all of these experiences in your Princeton essays. However, justifying your academic interests with club participation, independent research, and/or personal experiences will show the admissions committee that you have thought carefully about your future and the role Princeton can play. 

Not sure what counts as a “genuine connection” to your academic area of interest? Here’s a hint—salaries, your parents’ wishes, and the perceived prestige of certain majors and careers may play a role in your decision-making. However, they likely won’t count as genuine personal reasons for wanting to study a particular topic. 

Connect to Princeton

Finally, remember that this is a Princeton supplemental essay—so your answer needs to show a connection to Princeton! Look through departmental websites, chat with current students if possible, and research extracurricular opportunities that connect to your chosen field. Make sure to mention at least one Princeton resource related to each subject you discuss in your Princeton supplemental essay.

• Does your essay identify at least one of your academic areas of interest?
• Do you demonstrate a meaningful, genuine connection to the academic field you discuss? 
• Does your essay illustrate how Princeton can help you explore your academic interests? 

Princeton Supplemental Essay: For B.S.E. Degree Applicants

So, if you don’t fall into the category of an A.B. degree applicant or an undecided major applicant, don’t get too excited. You didn’t exactly luck out of an essay. All applicants will either respond to the previous Princeton supplemental essay prompt or this one depending on their major. 

So, the next prompt we’re going to outline in this Princeton essay guide is for B.S.E degree applicants. Now that we know what an A.B. degree is, let’s discuss the B.S.E degree. 

What is a B.S.E degree?

A B.S.E. degree is a Bachelor of Science and Engineering. If you’re the captain of your robotics team or spend your free time doing your own science experiments, then it’s likely that this degree has caught your attention. Basically, if you plan to pursue a STEM major, then this is the prompt for you. Some majors that fall within the Bachelor of Science and Engineering degree are chemical and biological engineering, electrical and computer engineering, and computer science. 

Overall, there are 37 concentrations available to B.S.E. degree majors at Princeton. Check out the full list here . 

Princeton supplemental essay prompt for B.S.E. applicants 

Please describe why you are interested in studying engineering at princeton. include any of your experiences in or exposure to engineering, and how you think the programs offered at the university suit your particular interests. (250 words).

This prompt is not exactly the same as our prompt for A.B. degree and undecided applicants. However, the basic guidelines are actually quite similar. When responding to this prompt, give some background on your involvement in STEM programs. Remember that you don’t want to just repeat your activities list. Instead, delve into the meaning and significance behind those STEM-specific experiences. How did they impact you? What made you decide to study engineering as a major?

Choosing your topic

First, brainstorm your experiences within the sciences. Then, try to choose the most important moment to mention in this essay. You don’t have many words to answer both parts of this question. So, focus on one experience that led you to decide to study engineering. Choose to write on a topic that was genuinely impactful. Your passion for this academic area should be evident in your essay. 

Now that you’ve chosen the “why” of engineering, you need to answer “why Princeton?” Was there a certain program, internship, or certification within the B.S.E. degree that only Princeton offers? Get specific when answering these questions. Search for programs within the B.S.E. degree if you don’t already have programs in mind. The biggest mistake a student can make in this Princeton supplemental essay is giving a generic answer that could work for any school. So, make sure your reasoning is specific to Princeton. 

Show your passion

Successful Princeton supplemental essays will show Princeton admissions why they’re so passionate about studying engineering at Princeton. Use your unique voice and writing style when responding to this Princeton supplemental essay. You can be creative and passionate while also answering the prompt completely. 

• Does your essay identify your specific interests within the sciences?
• Do you highlight your passion for your topic?
• Does your essay showcase how Princeton will foster your STEM-related interests? 

Princeton Supplemental Essays: Your Voice

Getting started

Before you begin writing your Princeton essays, try these writing exercises . These exercises will help you narrow down your topics and themes for the Princeton essays. They’ll also help you to get inspired and in touch with your writing style and voice. That way, you can write strong Princeton essays where you sound genuinely passionate and excited about your topic. Remember, the best Princeton essays will highlight what makes you unique. 

Princeton admissions urges applicants to write essays that show what they’ve done both academically and non-academically. This helps the admissions team get a better idea of who you are as not only a student, but also a person. As a part of some helpful tips from Princeton admissions, the site states that Princeton essays are your chance to “convey ideas in your own voice.” But, what exactly does that mean?

Write in your own voice

Writing in your own voice means that the words you’re expressing are essentially an extension of you as a person. The reader should be able to feel your personality through your style, tone, and word use. This may seem like a hefty task, but there are things you can do to find your own voice in writing if you haven’t already. 

All of the Princeton supplemental essays should be written in your own voice and style. If you write your Princeton essays in your own voice and tell a compelling story, then you will be able to convey exactly why you should be admitted. 

CollegeAdvisor’s Tips for finding your Writing Voice: 

Set a timer for fifteen minutes and allow yourself to write on the topic at hand freely. Don’t think about spelling, grammar, word choice, etc. Just write what comes naturally. Read it over after you’ve hit your time. You’ll probably be able to pick out the most important themes and expand on them in a more “formal” way for each Princeton essay. 

Write as you

This may sound odd, or maybe extremely obvious as we are talking about your voice. Still, this is one of the biggest mistakes students can make in their Princeton essays. Don’t write what you think admissions wants to read. You shouldn’t need a dictionary to read your own Princeton essays. Basically, don’t try to be the world’s best writer: just be you.

Show your personality

Hopefully, if you are writing words without trying to be anyone else, then your personality will come across. However, often in essay writing, students try to sound too formal. This can dilute your voice and personality. Yes, you should use proper grammar and a clean structure. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t be creative and show your personality through your writing style. Additionally, your personality will come naturally when writing about a topic you are passionate about. So, be sure to choose topics for your Princeton supplemental essays that genuinely excite you. 

Know when you’re done

This can be difficult, but you don’t want to obsessively rewrite and edit your Princeton essays. Give yourself ample time to write your essays, but don’t over-edit. You want your writing to be sharp and mechanically impeccable, but you don’t want to lose your voice. With each edit, it’s easy to get stuck in thinking more about what admissions wants to read and lose who you actually are, which is the whole point of these essays. Your final essays should convey your personality; don’t lose your voice as you revise your drafts. 

Voice can be tricky

Understanding voice when it comes to writing can be difficult. The words should seem like yours, but they also shouldn’t be overly conversational for the Princeton essays. To best understand how to use your voice when writing the Princeton supplemental essays, check out some successful Princeton essay examples. Use these Princeton essay examples to observe how each student used their individual voice but also thoughtfully and comprehensively answered the Princeton essay prompts. 

Finally, the Princeton essay examples can serve as inspiration, but don’t try to copy their voices. A successful Princeton supplemental essay shouldn’t be able to pass as anyone else’s. 

Princeton Essay Prompts – Your Voice #1

Now, let’s look at the next two Princeton essay prompts and get into the specifics of how to answer them completely while also showing your voice. 

At Princeton, we value diverse perspectives and the ability to have respectful dialogue about difficult issues. Share a time when you had a conversation with a person or a group of people about a difficult topic. What insight did you gain, and how would you incorporate that knowledge into your thinking in the future? (250 words)

Like many universities, Princeton aims to bring together students who are curious, willing to hear other perspectives, and able to reevaluate their own positions. The Princeton University supplemental essays help the admissions team to see if students fit these qualifications. This Princeton supplemental essay offers you the chance to demonstrate how you responded to different perspectives in the past. In doing so, it lets you show Princeton how you will engage with your classmates in the future.

Selecting a topic

There are two strong strategies for approaching this third Princeton supplemental essay. First, you could write about a time when you had a difficult conversation that helped you to change your thinking on a challenging topic. This approach likely requires considerable vulnerability and humility. However, it can be very powerful if done effectively. Second, you could write about a time when you challenged another person or group’s belief or practice. While this approach runs the risk of sounding preachy, it can also be very effective if you highlight your personal stake in the issue and show the reader why you felt it was important to speak up.

Whatever approach you select, make sure the tone and topic of your Princeton application essays are appropriate for the goals of this prompt. Debating where to grab lunch with your friends is not exactly a weighty issue! It should also go without saying that your Princeton supplemental essay should not conclude with you advocating on behalf of racism, sexism, or any other form of prejudice.

Telling your story

Beyond your choice of topic, the most critical component of this Princeton supplemental essay is how you illustrate that this experience helped you gain new insights. These insights could be a change in your own perspective. They also could be a better understanding of how others view a complicated topic. Additionally, you could discuss how the situation helped you understand your own perspective—especially if you learned something about your values and priorities. 

Remember that this Princeton supplemental essay also asks you to think about how you will use your insights going forward. Though your response will look different depending on your situation, think about how you will behave or think differently in future difficult circumstances. This could be a continuation of the behavior you exhibited in your initial example, or your new insights could push you towards a new pattern of behavior. Whatever you choose, remember to be genuine, vulnerable, and honest.

Reflection Questions for your Princeton Essay:

• Have you chosen a situation appropriate to the tone of the Princeton supplemental essay prompt?
• Does your essay demonstrate vulnerability and reflection as you recount your difficult conversation and its aftermath?
• Does your draft illustrate new insights that influenced your perspective, informed future actions, or changed your relationship with another person/group?
• Does your essay look forward to how you may approach future conversations differently?

Princeton Essays – Your Voice #2

Like other Princeton University supplemental essays, the prompt below gives you a few options. First, you can discuss how you have been committed to service and civic engagement throughout high school. Alternatively, you can talk about the ways you will use Princeton’s resources to engage in these pursuits. The best approach to this Princeton supplemental essay will combine these options. In doing so, it will talk about your past, present, and future of civic engagement and service. 

Princeton has a longstanding commitment to service and civic engagement. Tell us how your story intersects (or will intersect) with these ideals (250 words)

Articulate your reasons for involvement.

As you think about service and civic engagement, be sure to articulate your reasons for engaging with these goals. First, try to highlight any long-term, formal volunteer work. However, if you don’t have an experience like this, you can also talk about more informal projects. Say the bulk of your service work is mostly one-off experiences, like helping a neighbor weed her garden or tutoring a few junior high students in math. These are absolutely examples of service and civic engagement, and they can be a great fit for the Princeton supplemental essays. However, unless you clarify your underlying reasons for doing these activities, you run the risk of sounding disorganized. 

Instead, you could frame your Princeton supplemental essay around your commitment to community. You might state that as part of that goal, you try to make yourself available to jump in wherever you see a need. Supplying these examples with a broader organizing narrative helps you to sound more intentional and thoughtful in your behaviors.

Structuring your essay

Begin this Princeton supplemental essay question by establishing your history as a civically engaged person in high school. Then, connect those experiences to ones you will have at Princeton. No matter your intended career field, there are plenty of ways to use this Princeton supplemental essay to establish your interests in service and/or civic engagement. For some majors—looking at you, political science—this Princeton supplemental essay prompt makes it easy. Connections between your academic field of study and opportunities for civic engagement may not be as clear in some other majors, but this offers you the chance to be creative. 

Of course, when writing your Princeton supplemental essays, you do not necessarily need to connect your academic interests to the ways you intend to engage in service. Perhaps you are planning to study physics but also have a long-held interest in advocating for victims of sexual assault. Using your Princeton essay to tie together seemingly disparate interests can help Princeton understand your complexity and depth. Unexpected responses in your Princeton supplemental essays can even be stronger than those with obvious connections between major and civic engagement. 

Focus on your growth

Finally, remember that this Princeton supplemental essay prompt asks you to illustrate your involvement in service and civic engagement in the context of your own story. Your Princeton supplemental essays should ultimately be about you and your growth. So, don’t just write an essay about a particular service project. Your essay should focus on how this project aligns with your personal values, how engaging in this pursuit has helped you to grow as a person, and how you hope to make a difference in this cause using Princeton’s resources.

• Does your Princeton supplemental essay identify at least one area in which you are civically engaged or involved in service work?
• Does your draft highlight your values and motivations for getting involved in your cause?
• Have you highlighted specific Princeton resources that can help you pursue service and/or civic engagement in college? 

How do I write my Princeton supplemental essay?

In this Princeton essay guide, we’ve seen how to respond to the Princeton essay prompts specific to your major. Shortly, we’ll dive into how to write the remaining Princeton essays. However, when it comes to writing each Princeton supplemental essay, there are two important guidelines to follow. 

#1- Make sure your essays remain specific to Princeton

While it may seem obvious, writing a generic Princeton essay is the biggest mistake an applicant can make. Princeton only accepted 1,500 students to the class of 2026, and that was their effort to expand the undergraduate enrollment. Just think of all the students who apply to this Ivy League university. If you want a chance at admission, then you need to write exceptional, and specific, Princeton essays. 

#2- Highlight your unique voice

When writing each Princeton essay, make sure you write in your own unique voice and style. Princeton admissions won’t engage with a basic story about how you volunteered at a nursing home one summer. But, if you show us a snapshot of your volunteer experience that shows us how it was meaningful to you and gave you transferable skills, then that’s a different essay completely. Don’t be afraid to write creatively with your own personality. After all, your essay needs to stand out. Just make sure that you answer the Princeton essay prompts completely while doing so. 

How Ivy League Admissions Officers Rate Your Application

When applying to a competitive school like Princeton, it’s important to understand how your application will be evaluated. Check out this article on how admissions officers rate Ivy League applications. Still, remember that you shouldn’t write an essay that reads as something you think admissions wants to see. 

Princeton Essays: More About You

The final prompts that we’re going to dive into in this Princeton essay guide may seem like the easiest, as they have a 50-word maximum. This is a common tactic among highly selective colleges. When approaching these Princeton supplemental essay questions, remember that writing very short—yet compelling—responses is far more challenging than writing interesting longer essays. When figuring out how to get into Princeton and overcome the Princeton acceptance rate, every part of your application matters. Within these essays, the same concept applies. You should choose every word of these shorter Princeton essays carefully.

Princeton Essay #1

What is a new skill you would like to learn in college (50 words).

When writing your Princeton supplemental essays, remember to be creative. Try to go beyond the easiest and most immediate answer you can think of! Of course, you will learn to research, read, and manage your time in college. However, what are some more unique skills that you’d like to learn? 

Your answer to this Princeton supplemental essay prompt can be academic in nature (“I’d like to learn how to read Medieval French and how to conduct formal archival research”) or non-academic (“I hope to master my grandmother’s spaghetti sauce recipe using only the utensils I keep in my dorm room”). Either way, this Princeton supplemental essay is all about a specific, concise answer.

Highlight your values

Your chosen skill for this Princeton supplemental essay should also reflect your core values. Perhaps if you go the Medieval French language and history route, developing that skill could help you achieve your goals of honoring the past and bringing little-understood experiences to light. If you want to master your grandma’s spaghetti sauce, that effort could align with your values of prioritizing family, expressing your creativity, and being thrifty with the things you already have. 

When thinking about this Princeton supplemental essay prompt, please note that you do not need to try and impress those who will read your Princeton essays. In fact, they would much rather hear about a skill that you genuinely would love to develop rather than a skill that you think would impress them. After all, genuine responses to your Princeton supplemental essays help your reader to understand you better.

Be detailed

Bearing the word count in mind, you do not need to explain every detail of your response to this Princeton supplemental essay prompt. You should include enough detail so that your reviewers know what you are talking about. However, you can leave things a little ambiguous if it suits your purposes. It can often be effective to use plenty of figurative language to describe your chosen skill, how it interests you, and why you want to learn it in college. To go back to the spaghetti sauce example—you might describe to the Princeton supplemental essay readers what the sauce smells like, what different components taste like, and what the emotional experience of eating it with your grandmother feels like. 

• Have you selected a new skill that you want to develop in college—not a skill you already have?
• Does your essay invite the reader in with sensory details to illustrate why this skill is interesting to you?
• Is your chosen skill something that you genuinely want to pursue, or have you selected something based on what you think your reader will find impressive?
• Does your essay fit within the very small word limit?

Princeton Essay #2

What brings you joy (50 words).

Like other Princeton supplemental essay questions, the very short word limit challenges you to say something interesting and genuine with significant constraints. Additionally, this Princeton supplemental essay asks you to respond to a rather profound question. So, it is critical that you find an answer that resonates with your readers and avoids clichés.

Let’s start with those clichés: responding with an obvious answer like “my family” or “nature” without any specific details virtually guarantees that your Princeton supplemental essays will be the opposite of memorable. Princeton University supplemental essays like this—where many people would respond similarly—don’t tell your reader anything unique about you. Instead, cliché responses imply that you rushed through your Princeton essays and wrote down the first thing you thought of. Even worse, it could suggest that you assumed this Princeton supplemental essay prompt was not important.

Keep it specific

A far better approach for the sixth of the Princeton supplemental essays would be to focus on small and unique details. Instead of “my family,” you could write about the secret look you share with your sister when something funny happens or the specific meow your cat uses when he wants you to pick him up. Rather than sweeping statements about nature, Princeton University supplemental essays like these should discuss the feelings you have when you wake up early to see the sunrise. Whatever your approach, drill down to specific and sensory details that can paint a picture for your reader. 

At its core, this Princeton supplemental essay question asks how you see the world and interact with it emotionally. So, there are very few things that are wrong to talk about here. As with all Princeton University supplemental essays, no matter what you choose to discuss, highlight as many details as possible. Then, trace your emotional experience of joy for the reader. These strategies will help you use your own voice and provide insight into who you are. The clearer and more specific your source of joy, the stronger your Princeton essays will be. 

• Does your draft have a clear answer to the Princeton supplemental essay prompt?
• Do you have sensory details supporting your answer?
• Does your draft highlight your emotional experiences?
• Does your essay comply with the word limit?

Princeton Essay #3

What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment (50 words).

This Princeton supplemental essay prompt is fun—a less existential version of some of the other Princeton supplemental essays. As with the other subjective Princeton University supplemental essays, there are no right or wrong answers. Still, you should stick to just one song. The rest of your 50 words in this Princeton supplemental essay should explain why that song is the soundtrack of your life.

You might use this Princeton supplemental essay to highlight something interesting going on in your life now. This could include an important relationship, an exciting milestone, or a particular emotional experience. For example, maybe after your summer job working for a local daycare center, the soundtrack of your life has become the theme to a popular children’s TV show. Maybe you have a favorite song that helps you de-stress before big exams. Whatever you choose for this Princeton supplemental essay, your readers want you to use this Princeton supplemental essay prompt to show the personal significance you attach to a particular song. So, make sure you share some context.

Strategies to avoid

Less effective strategies for this Princeton supplemental essay include listing very popular songs for the sole reason that they’re popular, responding with a non-specific reason (i.e. “it makes me want to dance”) with little explanation, or simply not providing any context to your response at all. Always remember that these Princeton University supplemental essays should show the admissions committee something new about you.

• Did you identify one song to discuss in your Princeton supplemental essay draft?
• Have you provided context or an explanation for why this song is the soundtrack of your life?
• Does your answer to this essay tell your Princeton essays reviewer something new about you?

More Princeton Requirements

In addition to your Princeton supplemental essays, you will also need to submit the other Princeton requirements so that your Princeton application is complete. Applicants will need to submit their completed Common Application, Princeton supplement (Princeton essays), graded written paper, and their application fee by the application deadline. 

Princeton requirements include: 

• Transcript. An official high school transcript needs to be sent by your school.
• School Report. This is to be completed by your school counselor via the Common Application. 
• Counselor Recommendation. In addition to the School Report, your counselor will also need to submit a recommendation. You can “invite” them to do so on the Common App.
• Two Teacher Recommendations. Teacher recommendations should also be submitted via the Common App. You should ask for recommendations from teachers who have taught you in higher-level courses and in core academic subjects. 
• Midyear School Report. This needs to be submitted by a school official when your midyear grades are available. Be sure to ask them to do so. 

Test-optional admissions

Princeton is test-optional for the 2022-23 application cycle. This means that applicants won’t be penalized in the evaluation process if they choose not to submit standardized test scores. However, if English is not your native language and you haven’t been attending a school for at least three years where the instruction is in English, then you will need to complete and submit the TOEFL, IELTS Academic, or PTE Academic.

There are also optional Princeton supplemental materials that you may want to complete in order to enhance your application. After all, given the low Princeton acceptance rate, you’ll need more than a good SAT score or an average GPA to get in. Use the opportunity to shine in another area that hasn’t yet been highlighted in your application if applicable. 

For applicants who excel in the arts or opt for an interview

Students who’ve excelled in the arts may want to complete the arts supplement . Applicants are also offered optional alumni interviews. Once your entire application has been submitted, Princeton admissions will invite you to an alumni interview unless you’ve opted out of one. If you choose not to interview, you will not be at a disadvantage in the admissions process. 

Check out the complete list of Princeton requirements in order to submit and request everything needed for your application by the deadlines (EA or RD). Be sure to read the application tips before you apply as well. 

Tips for Choosing a Graded Written Paper

As a part of the Princeton supplement, students are required to submit a graded written paper . Princeton admissions wants to see how students express themselves when writing in an academic setting. Keep in mind that this graded written paper should enhance your application by showing how you could contribute to the Princeton community. It should also highlight how you would excel in an academically rigorous and demanding environment such as Princeton. 

Things to consider when choosing your graded written paper:

• You can submit essays, research essays, papers, exam essays, etc. The essay should not be a creative writing essay—don’t submit your favorite haiku. 
• The paper should be from the last three years of high school. It should be a paper for an academic core course such as English, History, or Social Studies. 
• The paper needs to have the teacher’s grade and comments if applicable. Supply a grading rubric if there was one as well. 
• Your essay should be one to two pages in length. 

Students are able to submit their graded written paper via the Common App or you can upload it to your Princeton applicant portal. You may also mail it to the admissions office. 

Choose a paper that shows your growth

It may be hard to narrow down your options when thinking about all of your graded essays over the past three years. If one stands out to you, and you think it demonstrates your writing ability in an academic setting, then great. However, don’t feel limited to submitting your highest-scoring essay. You do not need to submit an A paper. Instead, you could submit a lower-scoring paper that shows a moment of growth or understanding. 

Your Princeton supplemental essays should have a clear voice and personality. However, the aim of the graded paper among the Princeton requirements is to show your writing capacity within an academic setting. Sure, this paper will provide admissions with more insight as to who you are. However, it should highlight your academic accomplishments above all else. 

Princeton Supplemental Essays & the Admissions Process

Remember that Princeton is one of the most competitive schools in the nation. In fact, it’s currently ranked #1 on U.S. News’ Best National Colleges list. While it may seem stressful to complete so many Princeton supplemental essays, try to think of the Princeton essays as another opportunity to impress Princeton admissions and overcome the low Princeton acceptance rate. 

In short, the Princeton University supplemental essays that we’ve outlined in this Princeton essay guide aim to offer your reader insight into who you are, how you think, and how you can enrich the campus community. Princeton wants you to be thoughtful, honest, and creative in your responses. 

Details and language

Remember that what makes your Princeton supplemental essays unique and memorable is not the experience you write about itself. Instead, the impact lies in the details you share and the language you use to express yourself. The more detailed your essays, the more your Princeton supplemental essays will reflect you as a unique individual rather than one of the thousands of applicants. Princeton essays are most effective when they help your reader feel a personal connection to you and an investment in your future success. 

Focus on Princeton

While many of these tips can apply at any school, you are writing Princeton supplemental essays. Remember to anchor your experiences, hopes, and goals in each Princeton supplemental essay response to the resources available on campus. The more specific you are in your Princeton application essays, the better. You might mention individual professors or classes, hint at research questions that fascinate you, or explain how particular clubs and organizations can help you grow as a scholar and as a person. This will serve you better in your Princeton essays than just listing resources for which Princeton is famous. You want to use your Princeton supplemental essay prompts to demonstrate to the admissions team that you’ve explored the website beyond the first page.

Don’t brainstorm topics for the Princeton supplemental essays based on what you think the reviewers will want to hear. It sounds cheesy, but choose to write your Princeton essays on topics that genuinely matter to you.

5 Tips on How to Write the Princeton Supplemental Essays

Every student will tell a different story with their Princeton supplemental essays. Remember that you aren’t simply answering the Princeton essay prompts. Rather, you’re using the Princeton essays in order to enhance your application narrative. Since the Princeton acceptance rate is so low, you need to do all you can to stand out. 

So, what are the most important things to keep in mind in order to make each Princeton supplemental essay a success?

Five tips on how to write your best Princeton supplemental essays: 

#1- be specific.

We’ve mentioned this before, but it’s of utmost importance. Your Princeton essays need to be specific to not only you as an individual, but also specific to Princeton. Refer to specific programs, extracurriculars, or courses that are only offered at Princeton. Share meaningful experiences in your Princeton essays that highlight your unique connection to the school. 

#2- Have a voice

Be sure that your writing voice comes across in each Princeton supplemental essay. Don’t write your Princeton essays thinking only about what admissions wants to see. These essays should show your unique personality. 

#3- Choose topics carefully

The topics that you choose to write about will make or break your essays. That doesn’t mean that the topic itself matters—it’s how you write about it. You need to choose topics that you are genuinely passionate about. That’s the only way that your authentic voice and personality will shine through in each Princeton supplemental essay. 

#4- Fully answer the Princeton essay prompts

Don’t get carried away artfully and creatively painting a beautiful scene with words and then forget to answer half of the prompt. Make sure that your writing has style, but also answers each prompt thoughtfully, carefully, and completely. 

#5- Start early

The best way to write successful Princeton supplemental essays is by giving yourself ample time to brainstorm, draft, and revise. These essays are likely a stressful part of the application process. Rushing them will amplify that stress. Do yourself a favor and start the process early in order to write your best Princeton essays. 

Princeton Essay Guide and Additional Resources from CollegeAdvisor

The best way to write successful Princeton supplemental essays is by using the resources available to you. Learn all about what it takes to write successful college essays with the ample resources available from CollegeAdvisor. 

You may want to start your Princeton journey by learning just how to get into Princeton. Our guide will provide applicants with important highlights on how to tackle the application process despite the low Princeton acceptance rate. When thinking about how to get into Princeton, it can seem overwhelming. Take advantage of everything that is available to you, starting with the How to Get Into Princeton guide. 

How to Get Into Princeton Guide

Princeton essay resources

For more Princeton essay guidance, you may want to start by reviewing the previous essay guide for Princeton. Reading the past guide will surely get you into the Princeton essay writing mode. If you are confident in understanding what admissions looks for, then you will be able to write freely and surely within that scope. Additionally, you can read these essay tips from admissions experts. While they aren’t specific to Princeton, they can guide you when completing all of your college essays. 

39 Essay Tips from CollegeAdvisor.com’s Admissions Experts

Princeton Webinars

Finally, after learning all about how to get into Princeton and reading the Princeton essay guides, watch a Princeton University panel webinar . This webinar will provide you with important information from Princeton alumni on just what it takes to apply to and attend Princeton.

Princeton University Panel

Princeton Supplemental Essay – Final Thoughts

You are more than a collection of statistics, and the Princeton University supplemental essays are meant to help the admissions committee understand what unique skills and characteristics you can offer the Princeton community. While there are many Princeton supplemental essays to write, thoughtful execution of these Princeton essays can help your application stand out. 

Use our guide

Use this Princeton essay guide to help you approach your Princeton supplemental essays carefully and intentionally. Also, be sure to have one or two people read over them before you submit your Princeton supplemental essay prompts. Whether from your college advisor, your school counselor, a teacher, or a trusted friend or family member, external feedback on your Princeton University supplemental essays will help you to ensure that you are putting your best foot forward. Still, when applying feedback, be sure to maintain your unique voice and style. Best of luck!

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5 Princeton Supplemental Essays That Worked

Are you applying to Princeton University in 2023? Or perhaps you're a parent curious about what it takes.

If so, writing great application essays is the most effective way you can stand out.

In this article, I've gathered 5 of the best Princeton essays that worked so that you can get inspired and improve your own essays.

What is Princeton University's Acceptance Rate?

As a world-renowned college, Princeton has highly competitive admissions. Located in Princeton, New Jersey, the Ivy League school received 37,601 applications this past year and only 1,647 of those students were accepted.

That gives Princeton an overall admit rate of 4.4%, or in other words only 1 in every 18 students get accepted.

Princeton University Acceptance Scattergram

While admissions into Princeton is difficult, this only means that your application essays have more of an impact.

To have your best shot of getting admitted, it's important you write stand-out essays in response to Princeton's writing supplement.

What are the Princeton Supplemental Prompts for 2023?

This year, Princeton requires applicants to write three short essays and answer three short answer questions. Princeton also requires that you submit a graded academic paper as a part of your application.

The questions on this page are being asked by Princeton University:

Extracurricular Activity and Work Experience

• Briefly elaborate on an activity, organization, work experience, or hobby that has been particularly meaningful to you. (Please respond in about 150 words) (1-200 words)

Please respond to each question in an essay of about 250 words.

At Princeton, we value diverse perspectives and the ability to have respectful dialogue about difficult issues. Share a time when you had a conversation with a person or a group of people about a difficult topic. What insight did you gain, and how would you incorporate that knowledge into your thinking in the future? (50-350 words)

• Princeton has a longstanding commitment to service and civic engagement. Tell us how your story intersects (or will intersect) with these ideals. (50-350 words)

More About You

Please respond to each question in 50 words or fewer. There are no right or wrong answers. Be yourself!

What is a new skill you would like to learn in college? (1-50 words)

What brings you joy? (1-50 words)

What song represents the soundtrack of your life at this moment? (1-50 words)

Princeton requires you to submit a graded written paper as part of your application. You may submit this material now or any time before the application deadline. If you choose not to upload the required paper at this time, you may mail, e-mail, or upload your paper through the applicant portal. Detailed instructions for our graded paper requirement can be found here.

Do you wish to submit a graded written paper at this time?

Upload the graded written paper here. (0-2000 words)

Additional Information (Optional)

Please attach a document if you wish to provide details of circumstances or qualifications not reflected in the application. (0-2000 words)

5 Princeton University EssaysThatWorked

Here are 5 of the best Princeton essays that worked, inclunding responses to Princeton's writing supplement.

I've also included some Common App essays written by admitted Princeton students.

Princeton University Essay Example #1

Princeton university essay example #2, princeton university essay example #3, princeton university essay example #4, princeton university essay example #5.

Prompt: Briefly elaborate on an activity, organization, work experience, or hobby that has been particularly meaningful to you. (Please respond in about 150 words) (200 words max)

Why This Essay Works:

This essay provides good specifics that elaborate on their extracurricular activity. It is specific where possible, which helps provide context and make more compelling.

What They Might Improve:

This essay touches on the impact of this activity (connection to their religion and friendship), but it could go deeper. The takeaways in this supplement are somewhat surface-level, which is fine to start, but ideally would be expanded upon and more in-depth.

Prompt: Please tell us how you have spent the last two summers (or vacations between school years), including any jobs you have held. (200 words max)

By admitting when things are difficult, you aren't making yourself seem less capable. Instead, showing what is challenging is what admissions wants to see. Challenges are what cause growth and development, so they are important to address.

In several areas of this essay, the author could be more specific to be more engaging. Rather than saying "the research happening in the labs" they could specify what types of research they witnessed. Rather than saying "these experiences were pivotal to my passion for the sciences," they could specify how these experiences gave them a new appreciation and for what areas of science in particular.

Prompt: Tell us about a person who has influenced you in a significant way. (250-650 words)

Last summer I participated in molecular biology research at Boston University. Surrounded by 39 other high school seniors, I perceived with new clarity how an inquisitive, curious mind must interact in an unapologetic manner. Entering lectures about the basics of molecular biology, most of us initially thought we knew a great deal about biology. I quickly realized my naivete, and once I accepted my own ignorance, I settled into a passive absorption mode. The looks on all our faces told the same story. Well, all of ours except Kelsey’s.

Brilliant and inquisitive, Kelsey exhibited no fear raising her hand and boldly asking questions. Even during the portions of the lectures when we were simply reviewing concepts of biology, she never ceased to question the current topic. The first few times she asked questions, I thought she had little background knowledge so she just needed clarification. Yet as the first week progressed, I realized that not only did she have the background information required for this course but also the grit and determination needed for success in research. The levels of her questions stumped our lecturer at times and he responded, “I’ll have to get back to you on that one.”

Often I just wanted to yell, “PUT YOUR HAND DOWN!!!”, as my tolerance for her constant inquiry began to erode while sitting through her questions and their subsequent answers. Due to her deep and thought-provoking questions, she became the class pariah; not necessarily because she was annoying but because of her resolute and indefatigable inquisitiveness. She was insatiable in her pursuit of knowledge, like a ribosome clinging to the endoplasmic reticulum.

Yet as the course progressed, I finally began to notice the value of Kelsey’s questions. She asked questions of importance, questions researchers must ask themselves every day. Her inquiries were thoughts no one else my age seemed to have. The depth and breadth of her ideas fascinated me, especially given that she was only sixteen.

Kelsey’s questions made me realize the importance of questioning preconceived notions.

Subsequently, I became aware of my own willingness to challenge concepts that were accepted and taught as seemingly concrete, and I recognized the danger of blindly absorbing information without disputing it. Seeing the scholarly nature of Kelsey’s intellectual curiosity, I began to emulate her queries during the final few weeks of the program. Not only did I get more out of the lectures, but I also gained the experience necessary to question ideas and facts and search for answers, a vital skill in every academic realm.

As a student with an interest in the sciences, I ask questions that may not have an obvious answer. As someone who strives for knowledge, I am willing to do research if what I am asking has no answer, but I do not simply possess an affinity toward knowledge. I wish to create it. Most young people cite coaches, teachers, or other adults as influential; however, for me, a peer-modeled approach to learning also has merit.

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Common App Prompt #5: Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. (250-650 words)

It's important to create a "voice" in your personal statement, so that admissions officers can imagine your character and personality. Try to write as you would speak, but refined and polished. In this essay, natural-sounding phrases like "...let me admit, I was awful..." humanizes the author and makes the reader feel like they're being spoken to.

This essay is a perfect example of how effective essays don't need to have a super unusual story to be compelling. What makes this essay's story compelling is not necessarily the topic itself (meeting distant relatives), but instead how the student reflects and makes interesting connections to broader ideas. Even seemingly mundane experiences can make for meaningful personal statements topics.

This conclusion works well by connecting to the main story of the essay. However, certain phrases like "As a global citizen" and "I am hoping to forge relationships" are potentially too generic. Instead, try taking your main idea (in this case forming connections with others) and broaden it or connect to more universal ideas.

Common App Prompt #1: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. (250-650 words)

Having a unifying idea is key to successful personal statements. Find your deepest idea or realization and focus your essay around that.

Find a way to showcase your achievements while connecting to broader, more universal ideas.

Connecting your ending to your beginning is a powerful way to bring your essay full circle. A great conclusion expands on your ideas introduced earlier, while leaving some room for more to be said.

These 5 Princeton essays that worked showcase great examples of responses to the Princeton writing supplement.

What did you think of these Princeton essays?

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Princeton Admitted Essay

People love to ask why. Why do you wear a turban? Why do you have long hair? Why are you playing a guitar with only 3 strings and watching TV at 3 A.M.—where did you get that cat? Why won’t you go back to your country, you terrorist? My answer is... uncomfortable. Many truths of the world are uncomfortable...

MIT Admitted Essay

Her baking is not confined to an amalgamation of sugar, butter, and flour. It's an outstretched hand, an open invitation, a makeshift bridge thrown across the divides of age and culture. Thanks to Buni, the reason I bake has evolved. What started as stress relief is now a lifeline to my heritage, a language that allows me to communicate with my family in ways my tongue cannot. By rolling dough for saratele and crushing walnuts for cornulete, my baking speaks more fluently to my Romanian heritage than my broken Romanian ever could....

UPenn Admitted Essay

A cow gave birth and I watched. Staring from the window of our stopped car, I experienced two beginnings that day: the small bovine life and my future. Both emerged when I was only 10 years old and cruising along the twisting roads of rural Maryland...

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Optional Arts Supplement

The optional Arts Supplement is for students who have devoted a significant amount of time and energy to one or more art forms and who wish to have their work considered as part of their application. If you've excelled in  architecture, creative writing, dance, music, music theater, theater or visual arts , and would like us to consider your talent as part of your Princeton application, you are welcome to submit an Arts Supplement. 

Submission Guidelines

Princeton values the arts in all forms. We cannot, however, evaluate areas outside those in which our faculty have expertise. Please read the descriptions for each area for further guidelines on how to submit your supplementary materials.

Single-Choice Early action optional Arts Supplement is due on or before Nov. 6 at 11:59 p.m. (applicant's local time).

Regular decision optional Arts Supplement is due on or before Jan. 8 at 11:59 p.m. (applicant's local time).

Transfer optional Arts Supplement is due on or before March 8 at 11:59 p.m. (applicant's local time).

Instructions

On the Common or QuestBridge* Application, please indicate your intention to submit an Arts Supplement in Princeton’s member questions. You will be able to access the link to submit an Optional Arts Supplement in your Princeton Applicant Status Portal.

Please keep in mind that you need to submit your application to Princeton University before you can submit your optional Arts Supplement on your Princeton Applicant Status Portal. 

*For students who are participating in the QuestBridge College Match, we will be unable to review the optional Arts Supplement as part of the Match application review process, given the early timeline.

Helpful Tips

As one of your media uploads, we encourage you to include a résumé if you think that will add to an understanding of your training and experiences. Please keep in mind, information you provide in your arts supplement will only  be read by the arts faculty evaluating your supplement unless you submit it as additional information along with your application to Princeton.

Changes cannot be made to the optional Arts Supplement after submission. If you wish to include an arts letter of recommendation, it must be requested prior to submission and an arts résumé must be included as one of the media uploads, if you wish to submit one.

We only accept one submission per program.

Your completed arts supplement will be reflected on your Princeton Applicant Status Portal within 24 hours.

Documents (for example, additional academic information, research papers, etc.) should  not  be uploaded with your arts supplement. You may upload those materials through the additional information section of the application or on your Princeton Applicant Status Portal.

If you have excelled in an area of the arts not covered by our supplement, we are still interested in seeing how your talent and expertise might enhance our community. You may submit additional materials or links to your work through your application or on your Princeton Applicant Portal. Although we cannot guarantee that the Admission Office will have time to review your work, we will include it in your file.

For questions related to the Princeton optional Arts Supplement, please email  [email protected] .

Acceptable Formats:

We support media files as large as 5GB, but please be advised that larger files will take longer to upload from your Internet connection and may stall if you are on a wireless connection or one that cannot sustain a connection for the necessary period of time. We support the following file formats:

• .3g2, .3gp, .avi, .m2v, .m4v, .mkv, .mov, .mpeg, .mpg, .mp4, .mxf, .webm, .wmv
• .aac, .m4a, .mka, .mp3, .oga, .ogg, .wav
• .bmp, .gif, .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .tif, .tiff
• .doc, .docx, .odg, .odp, .odt, .pdf, .ppt, .pptx, .rtf, .wpd

You may also include external media from YouTube, Vimeo and SoundCloud. Please do not upload links to personal websites.

Supplement Type, Category and Description of Acceptable Submissions:

Architecture.

Submit between 3-10 samples of your work in architecture or design. These can include blueprints/plans, drawings, renderings, 3D models, photographs or video.

Creative Writing

Categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translations

Include a portfolio of your work in any or all of the following media, totaling no more than five pages: poetry, short stories, novel excerpts and translations. Please do not submit journalism samples or complete books.

Categories: Choreography, Performance

Include a digital video of one or more solo performances of contrasting styles (modern, improvisation, hip hop, contemporary, ballet) and/or of your choreography (no more than five minutes total). Please do not submit group work unless you have a prominently featured solo or you are the choreographer. Art Supplements for dance should be accompanied by a personal statement related to your interest in the arts, and how you would like to integrate dance into your studies at Princeton (no more than 250 words). Please contact the Dance program office during business hours at (609) 258-3017 for more information or questions about the program.

Categories: Classical Instrument, Classical Voice, Composition, Electronic Music, Jazz, Piano

The Princeton musical community is rich in many kinds of music. This includes non-Western classical and popular music of many types. The Department of Music, however, can provide evaluations only of the performance genres for which formal instruction is offered. For further information or questions about the program, please direct emails to Greg Smith at [email protected] . 

Please attach a résumé as one of your media uploads that details your music training and accomplishments. You may send submissions in the form of digital audio or video files. Additionally please refer to the "Acceptable Formats" section above. 

Classical Instrument (except piano) — Include a 10- to 15-minute submission of advanced solo work that shows contrasting examples of expression and technique. Do not submit orchestral or ensemble work unless you have a prominently featured solo.

Classical Voice — Whether you prefer solo repertoire, small group or large choral settings, Princeton offers countless learning and performing opportunities, and we are eager to hear you sing. Your supplement submission should contain at least two songs, totaling no more than 10 minutes, that best demonstrate your level of technical and musical accomplishment. At least one submission should be from western classical art song or operatic repertoire, and at least one submission should be in a language other than English. You may additionally submit small ensemble work if this is an area of interest.

Composition — Include a submission of one to three works that demonstrate your interests and abilities in composition. The Department of Music has a broad definition of composition, one that includes concert music, improvisational music, un-notated music, and while they don’t have the expertise to fully evaluate non-Western compositional traditions, these are also welcome. Submissions can consist of PDF scores or recordings; recordings or MIDI mock-ups of scored works are welcome if you have them but not required.

Electronic Music — Include a submission of a work that shows your skill in electronic music composition.

Jazz Composition and Arranging  — Include a 10- to 15-minute submission showcasing arrangements of existing material and/or original compositions for ensembles of any size.

Jazz Instrument or Voice   — Include a 10 to 15-minute submission featuring contrasting solo work as an improviser with live or virtual accompaniment of your choosing. Standard jazz material is encouraged, but original material is welcome. Please do not submit large ensemble (e.g., big band) work unless you are prominently featured. Please do not submit performances of solo transcriptions.

Piano — Please submit solo recordings that demonstrate your current level of technical and musical accomplishment. We recommend that you include works of contrasting styles. 10 - 15 minutes of music is plenty, but you may submit more if you wish. 

Theater / Music Theater

Categories: Performance, Writing, Design, Directing

We invite you to introduce yourself as a theater-maker with a short personal statement (no more than 250 words) that engages the question: “Why does making theater matter?” In addition to this statement, you are also welcome to submit short videos, writing samples or portfolio images to demonstrate your prior theater making experience (in acting, singing, writing, designing, producing and/or directing). Video submissions should be no more than five minutes in total length; should begin with a clear introduction of yourself and your role co-creating the project shown; and, when possible, should provide a multi-faceted view of the kind of theatre you make (i.e. contrasting samples, songs or monologues). Writing samples should be no more than 30 pages long. When compiling your supplement, we encourage you to focus on giving us a clear sense of you as an artist and to worry less about things like video production values. Further information or questions about the program may be directed by email to: [email protected] .

Visual Arts

Categories: Film, Digital Video and Animation, Graphic Design, Interdisciplinary (including Sound), Painting and Drawing, Photography, Sculpture

We encourage applicants to include works that reflect experimentation and imagination rather than stylistic consistency. We also encourage including exploratory and/or preparatory works (such as sketchbook pages) that convey how you think visually.

Whether you are self-taught or have taken art classes makes no difference; please represent the breadth, depth and complexity of your efforts. Test your digital materials to make sure they are viewable in their entirety before submitting them.

If your portfolio includes work from more than one category, choose the category that is your predominant one. If you are intentionally working in more than one category, submit under interdisciplinary. 

Graphic Design, Interdisciplinary, Painting and Drawing, Photography   — Your portfolio may include 10-20 images of your most recent work in any medium or across media. For painting and drawing submissions, please include some examples that involve drawing from observation if possible.

For interdisciplinary, you may include video in your portfolio as well, using the same submission requirements as film, digital video and animation (see below).

Film, Digital Video and Animation —  Submit up to a maximum of 10 minutes total of video, either from a single work or clips/excerpts from multiple works. Submit only as link(s) to YouTube or Vimeo (without any password protection). Files on Google Drive will not be reviewed. Include a Word document listing the title(s), running time, short description, your role in the production and the category: narrative, documentary, animation, experimental or interdisciplinary.

Arts Programs

The School of Architecture, Princeton’s center for teaching and research in architectural design, history, and theory, offers an undergraduate major and advanced degrees at both the master’s and doctoral levels.

The Program in Creative Writing offers Princeton undergraduates the opportunity to craft original work under the guidance of some of today’s most respected practicing writers including Michael Dickman, Aleksandar Hemon, A.M. Homes, Christina Lazaridi, Yiyun Li, Paul Muldoon, Kirstin Valdez Quade, and Susan Wheeler.

The Program in Dance welcomes all students to engage and experiment with dance. At the core of the program is the belief that dance fosters an integration of mind and body that allows for a greater connection to ourselves and our communities. The program provides a depth, diversity, and flexibility of offerings that nurture beginners and challenge pre-professionals. While pursuing a liberal arts education, students have the opportunity to undertake demanding courses with professional choreographers, dancers, interdisciplinary artists, and scholars.

As a Music Major, you can engage in independent work in musicology or composition while diving into the intersection of making, studying, and writing about music. Whether our concentrators ultimately choose to make music, to research and write about it, or do both, they are encouraged to develop independent work that moves across traditional disciplinary or methodological boundaries.

Theater/Music Theater

The purpose of the Program in Theater is to engage Princeton students of all kinds in the making of theater with significant artists, faculty members and each other, through studio classes, and through our theater season. The Program in Music Theater brings together students, faculty, staff and guest artists in the creation, study, and performance of music theater.

The Program in Visual Arts introduces students to the studio arts in the context of a liberal arts education. Offering courses in painting, drawing, graphic design, photography/digital photography, film/video, and sculpture, the program provides enrolled students extensive contact with an accomplished faculty as well as access to technical, analog, and digital labs including darkrooms, ceramics facilities, welding and mold-making areas, a letterpress studio, film editing bays, and a renovated theater for 35 mm and 16 mm film projections.

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Johannes “Hannes” Ledolter

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our dear friend Johannes Ledolter who was a Professor of Statistics and Business at the University of Iowa and Emeritus Professor at the University of Economics and Business, Vienna, Austria. Johannes passed away peacefully at his home in Iowa City on Sunday, November 5, 2023, after a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer.

Born in Austria, graduating from the University of Vienna, Hannes came to University of Wisconsin, Madison on a Fulbright Scholarship in 1971. That was the beginning of an exciting new life for him. In1973, he met Lea Vander Velde, a law student in Madison, who later became his wife and life partner. He also met Professor George E.P. Box, one of the greatest statisticians of all time, who became his Ph. D thesis adviser, mentor, and friend. He finished Ph. D in 1975. During that time, he also finished a master’s degree in social and economic statistics at Vienna University. Friends from his years in Madison, recall his curiosity for learning the new environs and enjoying the sights and sounds of Madison.

After his graduation in 1975, he spent two years at the International Institute of Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Laxenburg and at the Austrian Institute of Economic Research, Vienna. Then he returned to Madison where Lea was finishing her law degree and joined the University of Wisconsin as a Research Associate working with Professors George Box and George Tiao.

Johannes joined the University of Iowa in 1978 with a joint appointment in the Department of Statistics (later renamed the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science) and Department of Business Administration (currently renamed as the Business Analytics Department) at the Tippie College of Business. In 2000, he transitioned to the Tippie College of Business as a chaired professor while retaining his life-long affiliation with the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science. At the time of his passing, he held the Robert Thomas Holmes Professorship in Business Analytics. Hannes also had a joint appointment as Professor of Statistics at the Vienna University of Economics and Business (1997-2015). He also had visiting appointments at prestigious universities such as Princeton, Yale, Stanford, and Chicago Booth Business School.

Hannes was an excellent lecturer who enjoyed teaching at all levels. His teaching was recognized with the Executive MBA GREAT Instructor of the Year Award in 2000, the Tippie Dean’s Teaching Award in 2005, and the Tippie College’s Faculty Career Achievement Award in 2023. He had given invited addresses and lectures at various national and international conferences and had several awards and accolades from the profession. He was a Fellow of the American Statistical Association, a Fellow of the American Society for Quality, and an Elected Member of the International Statistical Institute. He was also honored with the William G. Hunter Award from the American Society for Quality in 2022.

Hannes adopted George Box’s philosophy of seeing Statistics as a vehicle to solve real world problems. Instead of bringing a particular set of methods or genre he took the cue from the real-world problem. As an applied statistician, he was a highly productive researcher and had made seminal contributions to diverse areas such as Time Series, Business Analytics, Forecasting, Industrial Statistics, Quality, and Visual Sciences, through his books, papers, and technology transfer activities. As a firm believer in experimentation not only in manufacturing and marketing, but also in many other endeavors, he experimented with diverse topics and co-authors. He wrote more than 10 books and was the author of more than 150 papers. His co-authored book with Bovas Abraham, “Statistical Methods for Forecasting”, has been cited over 1,600 times, according to Google Scholar. His books span several areas including Forecasting, Engineering Statistics, Business Analytics, and Text Mining, the latter of which was written with his wife Lea Vander Velde, a law professor at the University of Iowa.

Johannes was an excellent statistical leader and educator who served the statistics profession in many capacities. He was passionate about the accurate application of statistics and precise communication of results. He was a careful listener, clear thinker, and problem solver, and was genuine in his approach to get the work done ethically. He has given excellent industrial consultation to various organizations such as the Ford Motor Company, Procter and Gamble, American Express, Lenzing Fiber, and Telekom Austria. He also taught short courses and workshops for business and Quality professionals, engineers, and scientists on various topics spanning areas such as statistical modelling, forecasting, quality improvement, business analytics, and data mining.

Hannes was a skilled skier and bicyclist, wood worker, and preparer of paella for the neighborhood block party, but most of all he was a devoted friend. In addition, he was a cherished mentor to many. He generously shared friendly advice with numerous junior colleagues, encouraging them to think outside the box while keeping the big picture in mind in their endeavors. He was gentle and genuine and possessed a warm personality, always reaching out to connect with his colleagues. Even in the late summer of 2023, when he was feeling a bit better, he rode his bike to visit one of us (KSC) on the campus. At that time, he appeared physically well, and our lengthy conversation covered various topics, including the importance of text mining in research and education. During the year, one of us (BA) had several conversations with Hannes, mostly personal and some philosophical, the last one being in late October 2023.

He is survived by Lea Vander Velde, his life partner of 50 years, son Thomas of San Francisco, son Jeffrey of Iowa City, and his mother Herta in Austria. Hannes had many friends around the world, and we all join to say, ‘Bye my friend.’

Written by Bovas Abraham, University of Waterloo, Canada, and Kung-Sik Chan, University of Iowa, USA

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