princeton english essay

Choose Your Test

• Search Blogs By Category
• College Admissions
• AP and IB Exams
• GPA and Coursework

The Complete Guide to the Princeton Supplement

College Info , College Essays

Got your heart set on Princeton—the #1 ranked university in the US ? Then you'll need to learn how to write amazing Princeton essays for your Princeton Supplement, a key part of your application for admission.

In this detailed guide, we go over the different types of essays you'll be required to write for your Princeton application and provide you with some expert tips on how to write your most effective and unique essay possible.

Feature Image: James Loesch /Flickr

What Are the Princeton Essays?

The Princeton application requires five essays and three short answers from all applicants. One of these essays must answer a prompt provided by the Common Application , Coalition Application , or QuestBridge Application (depending on which system you choose to submit your Princeton application through).

The other four essay prompts , as well as the three short answer prompts, are part of the Princeton Supplement . The Princeton Supplement also requires an Engineering Essay from applicants who have indicated on their applications an interest in pursuing a BS in Engineering (B.S.E.). Students applying to the Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) degree program and those who are undecided must submit a supplemental essay as well.

Below, we'll look at each prompt in the Princeton Supplement. So let's get started!

While the Princeton supplement is submitted electronically, you might find that brainstorming the old fashioned way (with pen and paper!) helps you get your ideas organized.

The Bachelor of Arts/Undecided and the Bachelor of Science and Engineering Essays

Your first long essay is 250 words long and is assigned based on what you plan to major in. You will only need to answer one of these prompts .

The first prompt is for Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) degree and undecided applicants to respond to. If you are applying for the A.B. degree program or if you put undecided on your application, you must respond to this essay prompt in the first section of the supplement.

The second prompt is for Bachelor of Science and Engineering (B.S.E.) applicants to respond to. All applicants who indicate they'd like to pursue a bachelor of science in engineering degree must respond to this prompt. Next, we'll break down what each prompt is asking you to do and how to respond to it.

The good news is that both prompts are versions of the "Why This College?" essay, which is a pretty common essay to encounter on college applications. If you want more info on how to answer this type of question more generally, be sure to check out this article .

The A.B. Degree and Undecided Applicants Prompt

For A.B. Degree Applicants or Those Who are 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.)

This question is asking you to make a case for why you'll be an excellent fit as a liberal arts student at Princeton . You can make your case in your response to this prompt by showing that you understand the value of the liberal arts education that Princeton offers, and that you've thought about how Princeton's programs fit your academic and future goals.

In addition to asking you to show how Princeton is a good fit for you, this prompt is really asking you to highlight why you are a good fit for Princeton. Everyone knows that Princeton is highly competitive, so your response to this prompt is your chance to show that you'll bring valuable intellectual interests and perspectives to the Princeton community as well.

What Makes A Good Answer?

#1: Show how you're unique. Are you excited to geek out about the connections between critical human geography and twenty-first century Arabic literature? To explore the relationships between psychology and social media? If you've got a weird, quirky, or unique set of academic interests, this is the place to go into detail about them. A good answer to this question will nail down one or more specific academic areas that you get genuinely pumped about and why you're interested in them. This is your chance to show the thought processes behind your choice to pursue an A.B. degree at Princeton...or why you put "undecided" on your application.

#2: Connect to Princeton's program offerings. You could name specific professors you hope to work with who share your interests, courses you'd be thrilled to take, or special program offerings you hope to participate in (like study abroad or research opportunities). In order to make your response to this part of the question genuine, you'll have to do your research on the programs you're interested in and really know your stuff. This will show admissions counselors that you're interested in going to Princeton because it's a good fit for you, not because it's ranked #1 on college lists.

#3: Be honest . Your response should make it clear that you've spent a lot of time thinking about your academic interests. Make sure you're telling the truth: don't pick an academic area just because you think it's impressive. To show your sincerity, make sure you're being specific about why you're interested in the area you're writing about. This will help your passion come across on the page.

What Should You Avoid?

#1: Avoid generalities. You don't want to respond to this question with general fields of study or disciplines. For instance, saying that "history" or "art" piques your curiosity won't be specific enough. Instead of "history," you could say, "I'm curious about how war monuments and memorials in the U.S. impact the communities they 're located in." Above all, you want to describe specific issues, questions, or perspectives in your areas of academic interest that you hope to explore when you become a student at Princeton.

#2: Don't focus on past achievements. This question isn't the place to talk about your academic achievements and awards from high school. Here's why: Princeton admissions isn't necessarily looking to learn about why you're good at the subjects you're interested in. They want to understand why you're curious about those areas and why you want to study them at Princeton.

3 Tips For Answering This Prompt

#1: Start with your interests. Start by brainstorming which academic interests you want to talk about. You might have to think for a little while! If you know you want to major in African American Studies, take some time to write out the historical, political, and economic issues and questions that get you excited about majoring in this field. Let the specific aspects of the fields of study you're considering be the foundation for your answer.

#2: Do your research. Once you've brainstormed the specific aspects of your major or possible majors that you're most curious about, head over to Princeton's website to search for more information. If it's African American Studies, comb through every sentence on that major's website. Look into the interests of professors in this department, courses they teach, and events hosted by the department. You can even talk about your interest in working with specific professors or taking specific courses in your response.

#3: Be specific. The more specific you can be about your academic interests, the more likely your answer is to appeal to Princeton admissions. You don’t have to have your entire degree plan mapped out, but you do need to show that you're already thinking carefully about how you'll forge your path forward as an independent thinker and intellectual citizen once you start at Princeton.

The B.S.E. Degree Applicant Prompt

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.)

This prompt is specific for applicants who want to major in engineering at Princeton. Essentially, this prompt is asking you to highlight the factors in your background and experiences that have influenced you to pursue engineering.

More specifically , this prompt wants you to explain why Princeton engineering is the program for you.

#1: Showcase your background. A good answer to this question will explain why you're interested in engineering. For instance, maybe you grew up in a city that experiences earthquakes, so you want to study civil engineering to make buildings safer. Or maybe your parents and grandparents are engineers and you're passionate about carrying on the family legacy. Whatever your story, telling some of it will provide important context for your interest in engineering.

#2: Connect your interest to Princeton. Admissions counselors want to know why Princeton engineering is the only program for you. For example, say you want to focus on engineering for health professions. During your research, you read that Princeton students are developing new personal protective equipment for healthcare workers. This essay is a perfect place for you to explain that you want to join this research project! Making connections to real people, courses, and proj ects wi ll show that you're excited about the unique opportunities provided by Princeto n engineering .

#3: Share your research interests. In addition to stating a specific subfield of engineering that you're interested in (if possible), a good response to this prompt will describe your interest in key issues or questions pertaining to the subfield of engineering you want to stud y. For example, if you hope to become a chemical engineer who works with cruelty-free cosmetics, describe that research interest here. While it's important to be flexible, and it's okay if you don't have your whole future with engineering planned out, being able to describe some of your vision for your future in Princeton Engineering is a crucial part of a good response.

#1: Avoid discussing awards and achievements. Avoid talking about awards, competitions, or other academic achievements if possible. Princeton admissions can find out those details from other parts of your application. Instead, showcase the passion behind your interest in engineering. Instead of describing achievements, describe moments of inspiration in your story that have led you to pursue engineering at Princeton.

#2: Don't skip the context. You don't want to describe your specific interests in engineering without connecting them to what Princeton has to offer. Make sure you describe specific courses, professors, or research projects. Do your research and make sure your interests coincide with the possibilities Princeton provides.

Tip #1: Start with the research. It will be tough to write a meaningful response to this prompt if you haven't done some serious research about the B.S.E. program at Princeton. Get really acquainted with the B.S.E. program's website. Gather the info you need to incorporate information about professors you want to work with, research projects you'd like to work on, and courses you're eager to take.

Tip #2: Focus on your experiences. Incorporating your background with engineering is important to a good response here, but you need to be strategic about what details you include. Describe the moment your interest in engineering began, the most exciting experience you've had with engineering, or what gets you pumped about studying engineering at Princeton. Revealing where your interest in engineering comes from can help prove that the B.S.E. program is a good fit for you.

Tip #3: Be specific. State the subfield of engineering that you're interested in and/or what engineering issues pique your curiosity. Princeton wants to know that you already have a vision for how you'll be an active engineering student!

The Your Voice Supplement

The "Your Voice" supplement section consists of two required, approximately 250 word essays. The prompts for these essays (below) are asking you to give Princeton admissions a sense of how your past and ongoing experiences shape the kind of student you will be at Princeton.

In other words, the "Your Voice" supplement is asking you to show evidence that you live out values that fit with Princeton's values. So, to answer these two required questions, start thinking about points in your ongoing story that reflect your commitment to having hard conversations and serving others. We'll get into the specifics of how to write about your story in response to each prompt next.

Prompt #1: The Difficult Conversation Prompt

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)

The first of the required "Your Voice" supplements is asking you to show that you're capable of engaging in civil discourse with others on campus —even when the topic of conversation is tough to talk about or goes against your own beliefs and values. For this essay, you’ll need to pick an experience or two from your life that has helped shape the way you interact with all sorts of people, even those you disagree with on things.

Describing these experiences and the lessons you’ve learned from them will help show that you’re prepared to respect and listen to others on campus who don’t have the exact same perspectives on things as you. A good response to this prompt will also show that you can push through uncomfortable situations and learn new things from others, and that you can help others around you do the same. 

#1: Share a real experience. Thinking of a challenging experience that seems meaningful enough to include in an application essay might feel...well, challenging. Nevertheless, you want your story to be as truthful as possible .

Princeton Admissions knows that you probably didn't change the world from one difficult conversation or situation. What they want to know is that you're willing to have tough conversations and listen to others with different viewpoints than your own. So, pick a memory of an experience that challenged you, taught you a lesson, or helped you grow. More specifically, make sure it’s an experience that has helped prepare you for the different perspectives and challenges you’ll encounter from others on campus. Try and recall as many details about what happened as you can, and draft a description of the situation that’s as true to real events as possible. 

#2: Be thoughtful. Did you learn something new during the experience(s) or lesson(s) you're writing about? Explain what you learned from it in your response! For instance, perhaps you learned that being a nonjudgmental listener can help others feel more comfortable with listening to what you have to say. Whatever you learned, make sure you describe it in your response. This will show Princeton Admissions that you're open to learning and growing.

#3: Show you're forward thinking. How will the knowledge you gained from this experience (or experiences, if you choose to write about more than one) shape your behavior as a Princeton student? Think about what college is like: you'll encounter students, faculty, and staff from all over the world. This means you'll be in constant contact with different values, cultures, and ways of thinking about the world. Princeton wants to know that you're prepared to participate in this environment in positive ways!

#1: Don't disparage anyone. Even if the conversation or experience you're describing was incredibly frustrating, don't insult the other people who were involved. Instead, show empathy toward the people you interacted with. Princeton Admissions wants to know that you're a person who can extend empathy to many different kinds of people to be a good student and citizen.

#2: Don't brag. Don't brag about what you accomplished. Instead, focus on what you learned from the conversation --even if you think that the other people involved were totally wrong and you were totally right. Admissions counselors want to know that you learned from your experience.

2 Tips For Answering This Prompt

Tip #1: Pick an experience or lesson that impacted you. You should definitely write about an experience that was meaningful to you, rather than one that you think is impressive or controversial. This is your chance to show how you’ve made the most of your unique experiences—you’re giving Princeton an idea of who you are, what you’re capable of, and how this all came to be. Take time to reflect on tough situations you’ve encountered and lessons you’ve learned before drafting your response. 

Tip #2: Connect the topic to college life. While you obviously need to describe the topic of your experience, how you handled it, and what you learned from it, a crucial part of your response is how it prepared you to be an engaged, ethical member of the Princeton community. Be sure to focus part of your response on explaining how what you learned will guide your life as a Princeton student. Whichever experiences or lessons you choose, you’ll need to explain how you can use what you’ve learned to have respectful and insightful conversations with people across Princeton’s campus. 

This is a chance to tell your story and show how committed you are to being a good citizen.

Prompt #2: The Service and Your Story Prompt

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)

This supplement prompt is asking you to show your commitment to serving others and/or being an engaged citizen —and you'll need to describe a specific experience or idea that demonstrates this commitment.

When the prompt asks "how does your own story intersect with these ideals," it means that you should think of real things you've done or real values you hold that motivate your civic engagement. This is a key part of the story you'll have to share in your response.

#1: Tell a story. Basically, the prompt is assuming that who you are and what you value will motivate how you serve others and participate as an engaged citizen. To answer this prompt effectively, then, think about telling the story behind your decision to serve or fulfill your civic responsibilities in a specific way.

#2: Connect it to your local life. The decisions we make about our community involvement are often personal. For instance, maybe someone in your family recovered from cancer as a child, so your story with service involves gathering donations for a pediatric cancer care center in the region where you live. Think about the personal connections that you've made, then include them in your response.

#3: Consider the future. Maybe you don't have much experience with service or civic engagement yet, but you have a big vision for how you'll serve and engage in the Princeton community. This prompt is a chance to describe the details of that vision. Alternatively, if you have existing experience with service and civic engagement and want to continue serving in similar ways at Princeton, share your ideas about how you'll accomplish that. Service and civic engagement are lifelong commitments—describing your ideas about how you'll serve in the future will show that you're prepared for that commitment.

#1: Don't be condescending. While it's likely that the people you've served in the past learned things from you, don't focus your response on describing how wonderful you are . Instead, focus on how your service and civic engagement experiences have refined your values and helped you become a better human, which is what Princeton admissions wants to hear about.

#2: Avoid delusions of grandeur. If you decide to include a description of how you hope to serve once you get to Princeton, don't get too carried away. For example, you probably aren't going to get every single Princeton student registered to vote...but you can probably make some progress. Be realistic about your ideas for how you'll serve in the future. Princeton admissions just wants you to show dedication to service and civic engagement. They don't expect you to solve all of the world's problems.

Tip #1: Tell a story. It's important to coach your answer in the form of a story. Describe who you served, what the service looked like, and why you decided to serve in this way. If possible, connect it to your background, your identity, or your values. Turning your service experience into a story for Princeton admissions will make it more memorable.

Tip #2: Describe the impact. Princeton Admissions doesn't just want to know the story of your past experience with service—they also want to know how the experience continues to impact you today. Describe what you learned from the experience, how it changed you, and how it shapes your current actions and values.

Tip #3: Connect it to your future. Connect your story about your service to your vision for your life as a student at Princeton. This will let admissions know that you'll also be an exceptional student outside of the classroom in the Princeton community.

The "More About You" Short Answer Supplements

The "More About You" short answer section of the Princeton Supplement is your last chance to show who you are: the real person behind all of the stats, scores, and successes that the rest of your application showcases. In fact, the instructions for this required portion of the supplement are clear: "There are no right or wrong answers. Be yourself!"

This means that, in 50 words or fewer, you'll need to give admissions counselors a clearer picture of the "you" behind the application. All three of the "More About You" short answer questions are required, and each one gives you a chance to provide a little more context for your desire to be a student at Princeton.

#1: The New Skill Prompt

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

To answer this question, all you need to do is describe a skill that you want to learn in college! There are a couple of different ways that you could interpret this prompt. Just remember: answer honestly.

For starters, you could think of the prompt as asking about a skill that you want to learn from your actual college courses . If this is the path you choose, you could write about how you want to learn to produce a podcast, to lead a Socratic Seminar, or to write a winning elevator pitch. Connecting the skill you want to learn to your areas of academic interests is a solid strategy.

Alternatively, you could think more generally about any skill you want to learn during your time in college ! For example, maybe you struggle with public speaking, and you want to learn to share your ideas more clearly in your classes and your extracurriculars. Writing about skills that are more oriented towards exploring your identity, background, or interests outside of academics is perfectly fine here too.

Whatever skill you decide to write about, it's important to briefly explain why you want to learn that skill. For instance, if you were writing about learning to bake like your grandmother, you might explain that this skill has been passed down in your family for generations, and you'd like to pass it down as well. If you want to learn how to produce a podcast, maybe you'd explain that you were searching for an interesting podcast on Marxist economics, but couldn't find one that had good production quality, so you want to learn how to produce one yourself.

#2: The Joy Prompt

What brings you joy? (50 words)

The same principles go for this prompt: write your response about something that genuinely brings you joy. It could be an activity, a person or relationship, or an experience you've had. To answer this question, simply describe the thing that brings you joy.

A good answer to this question will identify one specific thing that brings you joy, then describe it with gusto. For example, if the thing that brings you joy is building model planes with your little brother, briefly tell the story of why that experience brings you joy. Maybe you like the challenge of focusing on small details, or perhaps your joy comes from building something with your hands.

Briefly giving these specific details will show how the thing that brings you joy reflects your values and identity --both of which will give more clues as to the kind of person you'll be as a student at Princeton.

#3: The Soundtrack of Your Life Prompt

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

This short answer is fun! Keep your song selection relatively clean, of course, but otherwise, just think of a song that you're literally listening to on repeat right now , or pick a song that symbolizes your current experience. Then explain why!

For example, maybe you'll write about "Inner Child" by BTS because getting ready to leave home for college in the midst of so much has made you reflect on your younger years. Or, if you've literally listened to "my future" by Billie Eilish one thousand times since its release, briefly write about why you can't stop hitting repeat.

Don't overthink this prompt: the music we love reveals things about our personality and how we cope with the realities of our lives. Just be real, and you'll show Princeton admissions another facet of your genuine personality and how you process the world.

How to Write a Great Princeton Essay: 4 Key Tips

To wrap up, here are some final tips to keep in mind as you write your Princeton essays and any other essays for college applications.

#1: Be Specific

A vague essay is certain to squelch your chances of getting into Princeton, so make sure you're being as specific as possible in your writing.

For example, if you're writing about somebody who inspired you, touch on the little quirks or traits they have to help the admissions committee more easily visualize this person, such as their subtle mannerisms, the way they handled stress, or their perseverance in a difficult situation.

Remember that you're writing about something real, whether that's a person, event, object, or experience. Your aim should be to make the subject of your essay feel as real to your readers as it did and does for you.

Other ways to ensure that you're being specific enough in your essay are to use common literary devices such as anecdotes, dialogue (an actual conversation you had with someone), imagery, and onomatopoeia. These not only add color to your writing but also paint the subject of your essay in a more effective, relatable way.

Lastly, I recommend getting somebody else to read over your essay (which I talk about more in tip 4); this person can let you know if your writing isn't specific enough and if too much is left to be implied.

#2: Be Honest and Use Your Voice

The whole point of writing an essay for a college application is to show the admissions committee who you are. In short, what makes you you ? This is why it's so critical to use an authentic voice in your Princeton essays.

For example, if you love making people laugh (and think humor is one of your defining traits), then it might be a good idea to include a joke or two in your personal essay.

However, don't exaggerate anything that happened to you or any feelings you might have —the admissions committee will more than likely be able to see through it. Remember that you want your voice and feelings to come across strongly but also (and more importantly) authentically.

Don't claim in your engineering essay that you've liked engineering since you were 3 years old if you only recently developed an interest in it. Lying about or exaggerating anything in your essay will simply make you seem insincere and, yes, even immature. So avoid it!

#3: Write Well and Avoid Clichés

You'll need to be a decent writer if you're hoping to get into Princeton—one of the most selective universities in the US ! On the technical side, this means that your Princeton essays should have no grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors.

If you're unsure about a certain grammar rule, such as how to use a semicolon correctly, feel free to consult our SAT grammar guide for a quick refresher.

Writing well also means varying up your sentence lengths and styles (in other words, don't start every sentence with "I," even though you're likely talking about yourself).

On the more stylistic side, your essays should really grab your audience's attention—and keep it throughout. Therefore, you'll need to come up with a unique way to hook your readers from the beginning. For example, you could start with a piece of dialogue that someone said to you once (I'd avoid famous quotations, though, since these can come across really clichéd).

Alternatively, you could start with a memory, opening a description with a strong emotion you had, a sound you heard (using onomatopoeia would be a good idea here), or powerful, sensory images of the setting.

As a final tip, make a conscious effort to avoid clichés. These include quotations that have been quoted to death and phrases or idioms that are often overused. Using clichés indicates laziness to the reader and a lack of authenticity in your voice and storytelling.

For example, instead of writing, "I woke up at the crack of dawn," you could write something like "I woke up as soon as the sun began to peek over the horizon" (if you're the poetic type) or even just "I woke up at dawn" (if you're more like Hemingway).

Here is a lengthy but useful list of clichés to avoid in your writing .

Remember that you're ultimately telling a story with your essays, so don't be afraid to get creative and use a variety of literary techniques!

#4: Proofread, Proofread, Proofread!

The final step before you submit each of your Princeton essays is to edit and proofread it.

Editing isn't a one-step process. After you finish your rough draft, put your essay away and take it out again a few days or even weeks later to get a fresh perspective on what sounds good and what comes across awkward, unclear, or irrelevant. Do this step numerous times. At this time, you should also be checking for any typos, grammar errors, etc.

Once you've done a few editing sessions on your own, give your essay to someone you trust, such as a teacher, counselor, or parent, and have that person look it over and offer any feedback or corrections. Getting another set of eyes to look at your essay can help you catch smaller mistakes you might've failed to notice; it also gives a clearer sense as to what kind of impression your essay will likely leave on the Princeton admissions committee.

What's Next?

If you're applying to Princeton through the Common Application, you'll need to write an essay that answers one of the Common App prompts . Our in-depth guide goes over all the current prompts and gives you expert tips on how to answer them.

You can also check out our guide on how to choose a Common App prompt if you're struggling with deciding on the best one for your college application.

Not sure what your chances are of actually getting into Princeton? Calculate them with our own college acceptance calculator , and read up on how to submit a versatile college application .

Trending Now

How to Get Into Harvard and the Ivy League

How to Get a Perfect 4.0 GPA

How to Write an Amazing College Essay

What Exactly Are Colleges Looking For?

ACT vs. SAT: Which Test Should You Take?

When should you take the SAT or ACT?

Get Your Free

Find Your Target SAT Score

Free Complete Official SAT Practice Tests

How to Get a Perfect SAT Score, by an Expert Full Scorer

Score 800 on SAT Math

Score 800 on SAT Reading and Writing

How to Improve Your Low SAT Score

Score 600 on SAT Math

Score 600 on SAT Reading and Writing

Find Your Target ACT Score

Complete Official Free ACT Practice Tests

How to Get a Perfect ACT Score, by a 36 Full Scorer

Get a 36 on ACT English

Get a 36 on ACT Math

Get a 36 on ACT Reading

Get a 36 on ACT Science

How to Improve Your Low ACT Score

Get a 24 on ACT English

Get a 24 on ACT Math

Get a 24 on ACT Reading

Get a 24 on ACT Science

Stay Informed

Get the latest articles and test prep tips!

Hannah received her MA in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California. From 2013 to 2015, she taught English in Japan via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel.

Ask a Question Below

Have any questions about this article or other topics? Ask below and we'll reply!

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

10 Stellar Princeton University Essay Examples

What’s covered:.

• Essays 1-2: Why This Major
• Essay 3: Extracurricular
• Essay 4: Difficult Topic
• Essays 5-7: Civic Engagement
• Essays 8-10: Quotation and Values
• Where to Get Your Essay Edited for Free

Princeton University is consistently ranked within the top three colleges in the nation, and is world-renowned for its quality of education. Admissions is extremely selective, with an acceptance rate dropping lower every year. Since most applicants will have a strong academic profile, writing interesting and engaging essays is essential to standing out. 

In this post, we’ll share Princeton essay examples that real students have submitted to give you a better idea of what makes a strong essay. We will also explain what each essay did well and where they could improve.

Please note: Looking at examples of real essays students have submitted to colleges can be very beneficial to get inspiration for your essays. You should never copy or plagiarize from these examples when writing your own essays. Colleges can tell when an essay isn’t genuine and will not view students favorably if they plagiarized. 

Read our Princeton essay breakdown to get a comprehensive overview of this year’s supplemental prompts. 

Essay Example #1: Why This Major

Prompt: If you are interested in pursuing a B.S.E. (Bachelor of Science in Engineering) degree, please write a 300-500 word essay describing why you are interested in studying engineering, any experiences in or exposure to engineering you have had, and how you think the programs in engineering offered at Princeton suit your particular interests. (300-500 words)

In 7th grade, I was assigned a research project. Although I didn’t know it at the time, this project would end up sparking an interest which would guide me throughout the rest of my public school career. The project was simple: using Google and other resources, I had to find a potential career I’d be interested in pursuing later in life. Being a naive 7th grader, I had virtually no idea where to start. I knew I had a strong preference for STEM, but as to which area of STEM to pursue, I was clueless. After looking at a myriad of other careers, I finally came across aerospace engineering. 

At first, I was intrigued by the name. I remember thinking that it sounded awesome, and I was compelled to learn more. Fast forward a few days and many hours of research, and aerospace engineering stole my heart. When I got to high school, I took all of the classes my school offered that would be beneficial for an aerospace engineer. AP Physics, Multivariable Calculus, PLTW engineering courses, and countless others made the list, and all the while my desire to become an aerospace engineer intensified. I joined numerous STEM clubs to nurture this interest, and in doing so I not only became a better engineer, but also a better person. I also began looking into outstanding aerospace colleges, and Princeton made the very top of my list.

When I look back on it now, I’m not surprised that aerospace engineering is what called to me in that project. In fact, I’ve been fascinated with planes and rockets since a very young age! I would often build models out of LEGOs, and there are numerous times I spent way too many hours playing Kerbal Space Program. When I discovered there was a career dedicated to those parts of my personality, it makes sense that I’d be drawn to it. I find it fascinating that just by using the arsenals of math and science, we can fabricate every tool needed to explore and catalog the cosmos. If that isn’t powerful, I don’t know what is.

Although aerospace engineering has been my main interest throughout high school, I’ve also felt a pull towards mechanical engineering and robotics. Princeton is unique in that it offers a joint major in mechanical AND aerospace engineering, which is something I haven’t seen at any other school. In addition, Princeton’s certificate program in Robotics and Intelligent Systems will allow me to pursue robotics in the context of aerospace engineering. In particular, if I am admitted to Princeton University, I would love to have the opportunity to conduct research in the Intelligent Robot Motion Lab. The IRoM-Lab’s focus on how robots function in complex environments safely and efficiently has me especially excited, and I’ve come up with a few ideas of my own to be pursued. 

Engineering is the driving force behind progress in society, and I am willing to do everything I can to contribute to that progress.

What the Essay Did Well

This essay does a nice job of covering each aspect of the prompt. We learn why this student wants to study aerospace engineering, what steps they have taken to explore their interest in the subject, and how they will expand on their passion at Princeton. It’s important to make sure you touch on every part of the prompt, so going through each paragraph and finding where you address each question is a nice way to check when you are editing.

Another positive aspect of this essay is the open and conversational tone. It feels like the reader is having a casual discussion with this student about where their love for engineering came from and where they hope to go with it. Using phrases like “ f ast forward a few days, ” “ in fact, ” and “ awesome ” grounds the essay by being more informal. Although you’ve been told in school informality is a bad thing, in college essays it allows you to be more open and comfortable with the admissions officers reading your work and makes you seem more like a person, and less like an application.

Finally, this student did a good job of picking something about Princeton’s engineering program that is unique . Many students reference opportunities at a school that are widely available at other colleges as well, for example an aerospace engineering club. However, this student was very clear about why they are so attracted to Princeton’s program: “ Princeton is unique in that it offers a joint major in mechanical AND aerospace engineering, which is something I haven’t seen at any other school. ” This tells us that finding a joint program is something very important to this student and that they are applying to Princeton for more than the name and recognition—they genuinely value the unique offerings this school has!

What Could Be Improved

One thing this essay could work on is showing, not telling. They tell the reader “ aerospace engineering stole my heart ,” that joining STEM clubs made them a “ better engineer, but also a better person, ” and that they have “ felt a pull towards mechanical engineering and robotics, ” just to name a few.

What we don’t know is what about aerospace engineering stole their heart; was there a particular topic, a movie they watched, or some new revelation they had from studying it? What we don’t know is how they became a better person by joining STEM clubs; did they engineer a useful tool that became implemented in their school or community? What we don’t know is what about mechanical engineering and robotics excites them; was there a specific experience that influenced them or do certain emotions overtake them when they construct a robot.

If the essay used more active language and relied more heavily on placing the reader in stories, rather than recounting their takeaways from 17 years of experience, we would have answers to those questions posed above. It can sometimes feel like you need to summarize your life experiences to make everything fit in a college essay, but we promise that if you take the time to focus on individual anecdotes and the impact they had on you, your reader will take away so much more than if you gave them a rushed summary.

Table of contents

Essay Example #2: Why This Major

Prompt: 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 interests? (Please respond in 250 words or fewer)

The twang of the strings as the delicately strung horsehair bow grazes the steel strings, the enraptured sensation of my hand cramping as I write, and the feeling of connection as my hands dig deep into the damp earth as I nurture my plants. As an academic and most importantly a teen my interests are bilateral. My need for stimulation and innate inquisitive nature are reflected in my academic interests as well.  

As I learned about the intricacies of cell biology and genetics I was enthralled. My love for understanding how the world and humans work from a scientific lens stem from my love for humanity. When I learned about CAS 9 CRISPR and the future of science I felt I had stumbled onto my passion. Furthermore, familiarizing myself with scientific ethicality, I knew this field was for me.  

Princeton recognizes the importance of academics, and the humanities as do I. At Princeton I will take “Scientific Integrity in the Practice of Molecular Biology” where I will explore the conflict between innovation and morality. I can see myself appreciating the wonderful art around Princeton’s campus as I walk to my classes. I look forward to the exchange of knowledge at Princeternship where I will be able to spend time with well-versed individuals to further my knowledge.  

Princeton’s acknowledgment of the arts and humanities align with mine and I am sure yearning for the arts will grow alongside my intellect; gaining enough knowledge to potentially change the world with CRISPR.  

There are three important things that all students should do in their “Why This Major?” Essay : share how their academic interest developed, describe their reasoning and goals, and explain their school choice. While this student’s presentation needs improvement, they at least attempt to meet each of these requirements.

One good thing that this student does (that many students forget) is referencing the specific resources at Princeton — the class “Scientific Integrity in the Practice of Molecular Biology” and the resource of Princeternships. 

What Could Be Improved 

While this student attempts to satisfy the three requirements of a “Why This Major?” Essay , they have room to improve.

The first requirement is sharing how your academic interest developed. This student writes:

As I learned about the intricacies of cell biology and genetics I was enthralled. My love for understanding how the world and humans work from a scientific lens stem from my love for humanity. When I learned about CAS 9 CRISPR and the future of science I felt I had stumbled onto my passion. Furthermore, familiarizing myself with scientific ethicality, I knew this field was for me.

This would be more compelling if it was anchored by a story or anecdote. For example, they could begin with:

“You know how the Sorcerer’s Stone was awesome, but became super dangerous in the wrong hands?” I looked around and everyone was on the edge of their seats. “That’s CRISPR.”

I first learned about the revolutionary genome technology in my AP Biology class, and I must admit, I didn’t get it. Mrs. Gertry said it was powerful, but she didn’t say how. To make matters worse, when I stayed after class to ask how, she said “Honestly kid, I don’t fully get it myself. I just know the experts say that we are on a precipice of DNA advancement, and that’s exciting.”

Since that day, my excitement has steadily developed. It develops as I read The Scientific American blog under the covers each night. It develops as I walk to the UCLA research lab on Friday afternoons. And it will continue to develop until one day I become the expert that Mrs. Gertry told me about. 

Relatedly, the current start to this essay — “The twang of the strings as the delicately strung horsehair bow grazes the steel strings, the enraptured sensation of my hand cramping as I write, and the feeling of connection as my hands dig deep into the damp earth as I nurture my plants” — is confusing, grammatically incorrect, and does not advance the student’s response to the question they are asked. This paragraph should be cut altogether.

The second requirement is describing your reasoning and goals. This student tells us that they want to “change the world with CRISPR.” Though this is more specific than simply changing the world, it is not specific enough. The student should outline more specific, tangible goals like:

• Advancing treatment techniques for neurodegenerative patients
• Improving early identification of viruses like COVID-19
• Creating CRISPR-modified foods that are better for the human body and the environment
• Developing an economically-viable procedure for biodiesel production

The third requirement is explaining your school choice. While this student references a few Princeton-specific resources, they also write “Princeton recognizes the importance of academics, and the humanities as do I” and “I can see myself appreciating the wonderful art around Princeton’s campus as I walk to my classes.” Every college is interested in academics and humanities and every college has art on campus. These superfluous comments take words away from topics that need more exploration.

Finally, this essay could use editing. Grammatical errors interrupt the flow and confuse the reader. For example, the first sentence we read is not actually a sentence, but rather a series of clauses, and there are multiple instances where the student is missing offsetting commas.

To avoid this issue, have friends, family, teachers, and peers read your essays before submitting them to your top schools. Spelling and grammar errors can make a student seem unmotivated, which is the last thing you want in college admissions.

Essay Example #3: Extracurricular Essay

Prompt: Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences that was particularly meaningful to you. (150 words)

Soft melodies float in the air, feathery sounds of consonance and dissonance create a cloud of harmonies I fall into each night. Born into a family of musicians, I began practicing the piano at four years old. Thirteen years later, I still look forward to sitting at the piano day after day, embarking on adventures to transform a monochrome score into a piece of art with color and dimension. 

Although I relish the thrill of piano competitions and performances, the intellectual challenge that accompanies learning a piano piece in its entirety is an unmatchable experience. In light of the multitasking that musicians must master, the piano has first taught me discipline, that creating anything meaningful requires practice, patience, and persistence. But in the end, the many hours, days, and weeks practicing the piano are rewarded when I can share an emotional experience with others not by speaking, but through the movement of hands that make a piece come alive. 

This essay starts on a euphoric high point, placing the student and reader in the midst of music all around them. The use of delicate diction like “ soft melodies ” and “ feathery sounds ” creates a sense of beauty and comfort, conveying this student’s attraction towards the piano without explicitly stating it. The student continues to use their mastery of language to make the essay come alive with phrase, “ transform a monochrome score into a piece of art with color and dimension.”

Another positive aspect of this essay is how the student includes the effect playing piano has on them. Admissions officers aren’t just asking this question to get a longer summary of your extracurriculars than the 100 characters in your activities section; they want to see your personal reflection on the meaning this activity has to you. How have you grown? How has this shaped your personality? What is your emotional response to participating in this activity?

This essay touches upon those ideas to bring more depth and color to their essay. This lends to a nice structural separation of the two ideas. In the first paragraph, we see the physical aspect of playing the piano and understand the sounds of it. The essay shifts from physical to emotional description in the second paragraph by detailing the practice and discipline they have developed through their years of playing. Having this clear contrast makes it easier to focus on each idea on its own, so when the reader finishes the essay, we can appreciate the activity for both of its components.

The second paragraph could use a more emotional backbone. The student tells us about how practicing piano taught them skills like discipline and how they enjoy sharing an “ emotional experience with others ” by playing. Other than that, the rest of the second paragraph doesn’t convey anything new about the student and their emotional relationship to the piano. A more impactful paragraph might look like this:

“ Words get lost on my tongue but my music, the melodic crescendos of those black and white keys, fills the silence. When sitting on that stool, practicing and perfecting for hours on end, I replay the warm smiles, the tear-streaked cheeks, and the shaky breaths I coax from my audience, connecting us in a way no conversation ever has. Those images have instilled more discipline in me than a drill  sergeant’s whistle. Repeating the same three bars, I see my mom’s face as she hears my rendition of Clair de la Lune. Stretching my fingers to reach an octave, I hear my friends’ clapping as I finish Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata. I can’t count the hours I’ve spent alone with my piano. All I know is it’s worth every second when I get to play for others.”

This paragraph reveals the same two central tenets but brings infinitely more emotional impact. One of the ways it is able to do this is by showing, not telling. If this student had shown what it looks like to connect with others and practice endlessly, the essay would have revealed much more about the student and been more engaging to read.

Essay Example #4: Difficult Topic

Prompt: 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? (350 words)

Superhero cinema is an oligopoly consisting of two prominent, towering brands: Marvel and DC. I’m a religious supporter of Marvel, but last year, I discovered my friend, Tom, was a DC fan. After a 20-minute vociferous quarrel about which was better, we decided to allocate one day to assemble coherent arguments and have a professional debate.

One week later, we both brought pages of notes, evidence cards, and I had my Iron-Man bobblehead for moral support. Our moderator – a Disney fan – sat in the middle with a stopwatch – open-policy style. I began the debate by discussing how Marvel accentuated the humanity of the storyline – such as Tony Stark’s transformation from an egotistical billionaire to a compassionate father – which drew in a broader audience because more people resonated with certain aspects of the characters. Tom rebutted this by capitalizing on how Deadpool was a duplicate of Deathstroke, Vision copied Red Tornado, and DC sold more comics than Marvel. 

40 minutes later, we reached an impasse. We were out of cards, and we both made excellent points, so our moderator failed to declare a winner. Difficult conversations aren’t necessarily always the ones that make political headlines. Instead, a difficult discussion involves any topic with which we share an emotional connection. Over the years, I became so emotionally invested in Marvel that my mind erected an impenetrable shield, blocking out all other possibilities. Even today, we haven’t decided which franchise was better, but I realized that I was undermining DC for no reason apart from ignorance. 

The inevitability of diversity suggests that it is our responsibility to understand the other person and what they believe. We may not always experience a change in opinions, but we can grant ourselves the opportunity to expand our global perspective. At Princeton, I will continue this adventure to increase my awareness as a superhero aficionado, activist, and student by engaging in conversations that require me to think beyond what I believe and viewing the world from others’ perspectives. 

And yes, Tom is still my friend. 

Diversity doesn’t always have to be about culture or heritage; diversity exists all around us, even in comics. The genius of this essay lies in the way the student flipped the traditional diversity prompt on its head and instead discussed their diverse perspective on a topic they are passionate about. If you don’t have a cultural connection you are compelled to write about, this is a clever approach to a diversity prompt—if it is handled appropriately.

While this student has a non-traditional topic, they still present it in a way that pays respect to the key aspects of a diversity essay: depicting their perspective and recognizing the importance of diverse views. Just as someone who is writing about a culture that is possibly unfamiliar to the reader, the student describes what makes Marvel and DC unique and important to them and their friend. They also expand on how a lack of diversity in superhero consumption led to them feeling ignorant and now makes them appreciate the need for diversity in all aspects of their life.

This student is unapologetically themselves in this essay which is ultimately why this unorthodox topic is able to work. They committed to their passion for Marvel by sharing analytical takes on characters and demonstrating how the franchise was so important to their identity it momentarily threatened a friendship. The inclusion of humor through their personal voice—referring to the argument as a professional debate and telling us the friendship lived on—contributes to the essay feeling deeply personal.

Choosing a nonconventional topic for a diversity essay requires extra care and attention to ensure you are still addressing the core of the prompt, but if you accomplish it successfully, it makes for an incredibly memorable essay that could easily set you apart!

While this is a great essay as is, the idea of diversity could have been addressed a little bit earlier in the piece to make it absolutely clear the student is writing about their diverse perspective. They position Marvel and DC as two behemoths in the superhero movie industry, but in the event their reader is unfamiliar with these two brands, there is little elaboration on the cultural impact each has on its fans. 

To this student, Marvel is more than just a movie franchise; it’s a crucial part of their identity, just as someone’s race or religion might be. In order for the reader to fully understand the weight of their perspective, there should be further elaboration, towards the beginning, on how important Marvel is to this student. Maybe they found parallels between a struggle they were going through and a character, maybe seeing Marvel movies was a bonding activity with their father, or perhaps the escapism brings them a peace they can’t find anywhere else. Letting the reader in on whatever the reason is would bring more weight to the story.

Essay Example #5: Civic Engagement

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

Many students had no choice but to engage in online learning during the pandemic. However, due to the nature of digital learning, many students have faced a gap in education that may take years to remedy. I am passionate about the importance of education. Everyone should have access to quality education regardless of race, zip code, or socioeconomic status. The cold facts are that while some students have access to resources that might lessen the effects of online learning, many do not. Through no fault of their own, students are held back from achieving their full potential. To help close this learning gap, my peers and I offered free tutoring during the pandemic. I taught math and reading to elementary and middle school students, concentrating on the African American community. From this experience, I was exposed to the deficiencies of the public school system and the consequent impact on its students. Nevertheless, I genuinely enjoyed my experience instructing those children. Their warm spirit, limitless energy, and ready minds are all characteristics that I wish to emulate. Due to my experience, I never take my education for granted and am forever grateful for the future it has helped me build. I hope I can work on the public education system and make it more accessible and profitable for the children it is supposed to serve and further give back to the community. 

Essays with lower word counts require students to be focused in their answers. This student does a great job of choosing a specific issue — education access — and sticking to it. While they reference the intersections of race/education and wealth/education (which are important!) they do not get sidetracked from their overall focus. 

They also provide evidence of their interest in education by mentioning their free tutoring initiative. This is important. Admissions officers read lots of essays where students claim interest in issues but do nothing to improve them. This student puts their money where their mouth is. 

The main issue with this essay is that the writing style and structure are not engaging or personal. 

For example, while you may not have space for a “hook” or introduction in a shorter response, your first sentences must draw the reader in. This student begins with stilted sentences that tell us nothing about them — neither their life experiences nor their personality. The first personal sentence that the student writes is “I am passionate about the importance of education,” which comes too late and is not written with personality.

Structurally, for a short Political/Global Issues Essay , we recommend that students focus on their personal connection to an issue rather than the issue itself. This student primarily discusses their issue — education access —, and when they do mention their own experiences, they fall into the unfortunate trap of telling instead of showing. 

To remedy this, the student should pick an anecdote that shows their personal connection to education, then use it as an avenue for communicating their values to admissions officers.

This student’s anecdote could be:

• Their experience with online learning during the pandemic
• How they started their free tutoring program
• A specific moment with a specific student while they were tutoring
• Forecasting a moment in the future when they are continuing to prioritize education access

Essay Example #6: Civic Engagement

When I began my internship in my state’s Division of Human Rights, some family members scoffed upon hearing the nature of certain cases I dissected. To them, it was a malapportionment of time to heed race-based workplace discrimination when genocides were ongoing. To them, these government institutions reflected the weakness of modern western culture. Despite this deterrence, I stayed confident that preventing severe human rights violations begins with taking more minor instances seriously.       

Exercising my critical thinking while putting justice into action was fulfilling regardless of a complaint’s validity — I dealt with companies firing employees upon discovering their illness diagnoses. I helped interview a woman claiming language harassment as an English speaker in a majority-Hispanic workplace. I accounted for factors such as respondents having attorneys (unlike complainants) when recommending determinations in the face of contradicting claims. I wasn’t discouraged when the same man called the office for the 10th time that day, shouting his demand that we process his case immediately.       

Bureaucracy can cause waste, yet when I compare human rights protections in the Middle East and the United States, I realize that upholding ethics through the law is necessary for many sectors. The same elements that slow the processing of cases safeguard moral consistency, allowing genuine complaints to be separated from frivolous ones. When “insignificant” discrimination slips through the cracks, more severe violations ensue. At Princeton, I’d extend my work in regional human rights to a global scale, building a safer future for vulnerable populations in the Arab world.

This essay engages a simple yet effective structure. Within 12 words, the prompt has been answered. How has the student shown vivid engagement? Through their internship in their state’s Division of Human Rights.

But they don’t stop there. They humanize their experience accepting the internship by describing the backlash they received from their family. They help us understand the nature of their work by describing the people they interact with. And they forecast what their civic engagement will look like at Princeton. This structure is pulled off beautifully. 

Additionally, the student’s moments of reflection do a great job of showing admissions officers their positive qualities:

• THEY ARE THOUGHTFUL — This is seen as they recognize the importance of cumulative effects over time in the sentence “When “insignificant” discrimination slips through the cracks, more severe violations ensue.”
• THEY ARE STRONG-WILLED — They do not let their family’s opinions shake their values and beliefs. They are invested in the cause of human rights, no matter the consequences in their personal life.
• THEY ARE MATURE — They acknowledge that positives and negatives can exist at the same time, a mature concept. This is specifically seen in the sentence “The same elements that slow the processing of cases safeguard moral consistency, allowing genuine complaints to be separated from frivolous ones.” 
• THEY ARE MOTIVATED — This student has taken on an intense job at a very young age. They are a hard worker, motivated, and willing to go above and beyond.

In a short essay, it is important to cut the fat. Every word should be intentional and any phrases that do not contribute to the essay should be cut. The main issue with this essay is that the student keeps a lot of fat.

For example, the sentence “Exercising my critical thinking while putting justice into action was fulfilling regardless of a complaint’s validity” can become “Exercising my critical thinking was fulfilling, regardless of a complaint’s validity.” The tighter version does not change the meaning of the sentence and helps the essay flow better.

The student also writes “when I compare human rights protections in the Middle East and the United States, I realize that upholding ethics through the law is necessary for many sectors .” The phrase “through the law” is fluff and the lack of precision about “many sectors” detracts from what the student is trying to say. 

Read each sentence you write individually and make sure it makes perfect sense. Make sure it is clear, tight, and does not require extensive mental acrobatics to understand. 

Secondly, while this student makes the wise decision to forecast their future, their forecasting should be more specific. They write “At Princeton, I’d extend my work in regional human rights to a global scale, building a safer future for vulnerable populations in the Arab world.”

Specific examples would make this forecasting more effective. This could look like:

At Princeton, I plan to continue my human rights work through PAJ organizations. As a vocal member of the Princeton Students for Immigration Empowerment, I will use my administrative skills and legal knowledge to help students acquire visas, housing, and support as quickly and easily as possible.

Essay Example #7: Civic Engagement

Since childhood, I have observed the adults of my life giving up their ideals due to financial struggle. My lawyer mother’s dream of justice was disrupted by the corrupt legal system revolving around bribery. My father’s architectural aspiration collapsed after his company’s bankruptcy. They wanted to contribute positively in society: my mother to protect the righteousness and fairness of the laws, and my father to creatively beautify the world surrounding him. Due to the constant pressure of satisfying the basic needs and the appeal of luxuries, they failed. They were not the only ones as illustrated by politicians whose words promise the people security yet their actions submit to corporations’ contributions. Thus, growing up, I chose to pursue money. Though it sounds like a disingenuous excuse for my own greed, I believe that studying finance and economics can exert positive changes on society because these disciplines are interwoven with industries and the well-being of individuals. Interning with a local financial service firm showed me the importance of financial security, which could produce a significant difference in more community involvement, philanthropy, and personal happiness, even among a small community. Whether it is improving financial literacy locally or addressing the wealth gap nationally, an understanding of money and its effects are necessary for meaningful changes to happen. Everyone seeks to solve world hunger, gender inequality, or climate change. Yet to each of these social problems exists an economic perspective that drives its entire operation to which I am committed to target.

One of the most important parts of writing a Political/Global Issues Essay , or a Civic Engagement Essay, is picking an issue close to your life. This student structures their essay around their family history, which helps the essay feel relatable.

The student humanizes themself by approaching their family history with vulnerability. They write about painful subjects — dreams being broken and hopes being let down — honestly, admitting that their parents were motivated by a desire for luxury and by corporate incentives. 

This student’s maturity also transfers to a larger scale. They have identified that capitalism rules the world at a very young age and are committed to working within the system with the ultimate goal of advancing service and philanthropy.

Though this may be a polarizing approach to capitalism, the student addresses it in a non-polarizing way. They position their desire to work in finance as motivated by the greater good. Lots of young people don’t have complex opinions on politics and the economy so, at the very least, this student showed that they have thought about the confines of capitalism and have an opinion.

A few changes could make this essay less confusing.

One simple but important change would be adding a paragraph break to separate the student’s discussion of their family history and their discussion of their life plans. This would help the essay flow better.

The break would occur before “Though it sounds like a disingenuous…” and would turn the preceding sentence — “Thus, growing up, I chose to pursue money” — into a transitional sentence, smoothly carrying us from the student’s childhood to their present life.

Second, as the student discusses their family history, they could more clearly communicate the facts of the story. For example, after reading the sentence “My lawyer mother’s dream of justice was disrupted by the corrupt legal system revolving around bribery,” we can’t tell if the writer’s mother was implicated in a scandal, if someone attempted to bribe her, or if she was disillusioned when she saw the success of a bribe. With tighter writing, we would have fewer questions.

Additionally, if we knew the details of the parents’ stories, the summarizing sentence “Due to the constant pressure of satisfying the basic needs and the appeal of luxuries, they failed” would be more effective. 

Lastly, because the connection between this student’s essay and civic engagement is looser than we’ve seen in other examples, it would benefit them to emphasize “civic engagement” at the end of the essay.

The student writes:

Whether it is improving financial literacy locally or addressing the wealth gap nationally, an understanding of money and its effects are necessary for meaningful changes to happen. Everyone seeks to solve world hunger, gender inequality, or climate change. Yet to each of these social problems exists an economic perspective that drives its entire operation to which I am committed to target. 

Instead, they could write:

While everyone seeks to solve world hunger, gender inequality, and climate change, most people fail to recognize that understanding money must come first. For civic engagement to be effective, it has to be financially informed. 

Essay Example #8: Quotation and Values

Prompt: Using a favorite quotation from an essay or book you have read in the last three years as a starting point, tell us about an event or experience that helped you define one of your values or changed how you approach the world. Please write the quotation, title and author at the beginning of your essay. (250-650 words)

“I will be the gladdest thing under the sun! I will touch a hundred flowers and not pick one.” – Edna St. Vincent Millay, “Afternoon on a Hill” (Renascence and Other Poems, 1917) 

My teenage rebellion started at age twelve. Though not yet technically a teenager, I dedicated myself to the cause: I wore tee shirts with bands on them that made my parents cringe, shopped exclusively at stores with eyebrow- pierced employees, and met every comforting idea the world offered me with hostility. Darkness was in my soul! Happiness was a construct meant for sheep! Optimism was for fools! My cynicism was a product of a world that gave birth to the War in Afghanistan around the same time it gave birth to me , that shot and killed my peers in school, that irreversibly melted ice caps and polluted oceans and destroyed forests. 

I was angry. I fought with my parents, my peers, and strangers. It was me versus the world. 

However, there’s a fundamental flaw in perpetual antagonism: it’s exhausting. My personal relationships suffered as my cynicism turned friends and family into bad guys in my eyes. As I kept up the fight, I found myself always tired, emotionally and physically. The tipping point came one morning standing at the bathroom sink before school. I looked in the mirror and didn’t recognize the tired, sad girl that looked back with pallid skin and purple eye bags. That morning, I found my mother and cried in her arms. I decided that the fight was over. 

I took a break from fighting. I let go of my constant anger about global problems by first focusing on the local ones that I could do something about, and then learning to do things not because they fixed a problem, but for the simple joy of trying. I apologized to friends that I wronged previously, said yes when my mom asked me to go grocery shopping with her, and spent afternoons alone in the park, just reading. I baked brownies in the kitchen because it made me happy. I slept in on weekends when I could, but I also made an effort to get out of bed and move. I made an effort to be nice-optimistic, even-with the people around me, but more importantly, I made an effort to be nice to myself. 

After a period of self-care, the fight in me recharged, but this time I didn’t rush to spend it in anger. Now, it’s a tool I use wisely. I’ve channeled it into tangible causes: I don’t want the feeling of loneliness and anger to fester inside of anybody else, so I work with school administration to create community-building events for my senior class. From being the first to implement a class messaging system to starting a collaborative playlist with all 800 of my peers, I’ve turned my energy into positive change in my community. 

I’ve still got a few more years of teenage angst in me, but the meaning of my rebellion has changed. It’s not about responding to a world that’s wronged me with defiance, anger, and cynicism, but about being kind to myself and finding beauty in the world so that I can stay charged and fight for the real things that matter. 

I’ve realized that the world is my afternoon on a hill, full of sunlight and optimism if only I can see them. Now, I am the gladdest thing under the sun! I can be vulnerable and open, and I can show my passion to the world through love. I will touch a hundred flowers, seize a hundred opportunities, and love a hundred things. I will not pick just one. 

This essay does a really nice job of providing an overview of this student’s personality and how it came to be. The reader sees clear growth in the student as they progress through the essay. They weren’t afraid to be vulnerable, sharing details about feeling exhausted and lonely, which helped build empathy for the journey of self-discovery and reflection they’ve been on. Understanding their past personality allows readers to understand how confronting that personality formed their new, positive outlook on life.

There was a noticeable shift in the tone from the first paragraph to the second that brought the vulnerability with it. The beginning reads as a funny anecdote where the stereotype of a moody teenager is established. What the reader doesn’t expect is the sharp turn towards discussing the emotional impact of being a moody teenager. The tone shift subverts the reader’s expectations by surprising them with deep, personal reflection that makes them read the rest of the essay with more empathy.

This essay really captures the student’s outlook on life in different stages of their development, which provides so much insight to the admissions officers reading it. They reveal so much about themselves by continuously focusing the essay on how their internal feelings dictated their external actions.

One thing this essay could have done better was work the quote into the piece as a whole. The essay had a great story, but it was difficult to piece together how the story was connected to the quote until the student explicitly explained it in the last paragraph. It would’ve been helpful to keep the theme of the quote running through the entire essay so the reader could draw a connection. For example, using metaphors of sunshine and flowers throughout the piece would have called attention back to the quote and reminded the reader of why this quote is so important. 

Essay Example #9: Quotation and Values

“One of the great challenges of our time is that the disparities we face today have more complex causes and point less straightforwardly to solutions.” 

– Omar Wasow, assistant professor of politics, Princeton University.  This quote is taken from Professor Wasow’s January 2014 speech at the Martin Luther King Day celebration at Princeton University . 

The air is crisp and cool, nipping at my ears as I walk under a curtain of darkness that drapes over the sky, starless. It is a Friday night in downtown Corpus Christi, a rare moment of peace in my home city filled with the laughter of strangers and colorful lights of street vendors. But I cannot focus. 

My feet stride quickly down the sidewalk, my hand grasps on to the pepper spray my parents gifted me for my sixteenth birthday. My eyes ignore the surrounding city life, focusing instead on a pair of tall figures walking in my direction. I mentally ask myself if they turned with me on the last street corner. I do not remember, so I pick up the pace again. All the while, my mind runs over stories of young women being assaulted, kidnapped, and raped on the street. I remember my mother’s voice reminding me to keep my chin up, back straight, eyes and ears alert. 

At a young age, I learned that harassment is a part of daily life for women. I fell victim to period-shaming when I was thirteen, received my first catcall when I was fourteen, and was nonconsensually grabbed by a man soliciting on the street when I was fifteen. For women, assault does not just happen to us— its gory details leave an imprint in our lives, infecting the way we perceive the world. And while movements such as the Women’s March and #MeToo have given victims of sexual violence a voice, harassment still manifests itself in the lives of millions of women across the nation. Symbolic gestures are important in spreading awareness but, upon learning that a surprising number of men are oblivious to the frequent harassment that women experience, I now realize that addressing this complex issue requires a deeper level of activism within our local communities. 

Frustrated with incessant cases of harassment against women, I understood at sixteen years old that change necessitates action. During my junior year, I became an intern with a judge whose campaign for office focused on a need for domestic violence reform. This experience enabled me to engage in constructive dialogue with middle and high school students on how to prevent domestic violence. As I listened to young men uneasily admit their ignorance and young women bravely share their experiences in an effort to spread awareness, I learned that breaking down systems of inequity requires changing an entire culture. I once believed that the problem of harassment would dissipate after politicians and celebrities denounce inappropriate behavior to their global audience. But today, I see that effecting large-scale change comes from the “small” lessons we teach at home and in schools. Concerning women’s empowerment, the effects of Hollywood activism do not trickle down enough. Activism must also trickle up and it depends on our willingness to fight complacency. 

Finding the solution to the long-lasting problem of violence against women is a work-in-progress, but it is a process that is persistently moving. In my life, for every uncomfortable conversation that I bridge, I make the world a bit more sensitive to the unspoken struggle that it is to be a woman. I am no longer passively waiting for others to let me live in a world where I can stand alone under the expanse of darkness on a city street, utterly alone and at peace. I, too, deserve the night sky.

There are many positives to this essay. To begin with, launching into the essay with multi sensory imagery in the anecdote was really effective at drawing the reader in. The audiovisual context (laughter, street vendors) keeps the scene alive and fully immerses the reader, while the internal narration illustrates how this student looks at the world. The contrast between the imagery of the external scene and the internal thoughts and feelings fully immerses the reader in the essay and alludes to the overarching theme of things being more complicated than they seem on the outside.

Another good thing this essay did was provide a personal account of this student’s experiences with harassment. This established their authority to speak on the topic and underscores their essay with authenticity. They then “zoom out” to provide relevant background information that supplies additional context for readers who might not be that familiar with the extent of the issue at hand. By relating their personal stories to the large-scale issue at hand, they simultaneously develop a personal connection while demonstrating an understanding of a serious global issue.

What really could’ve made or broken this essay was the quote the student chose. Allowing you to choose any quote, this is an extremely open-ended prompt which gives students the opportunity to write about whatever they choose. This student did an excellent job of picking a quote that isn’t well-known or significant, but fit perfectly into the narrative they were trying to express in this essay. The approach the student likely took with this prompt is figuring out what experience they wanted to discuss and finding a quote that fit, rather than picking a quote first. This approach made for an essay that existed independently from the quote and didn’t rely on it as a crutch.

All together, the essay feels cohesive with every part relating back to the overarching theme of diving deeper than the surface level of things. The student’s vulnerability and personal reflection throughout the essay helps carry the theme through each paragraph. Even the conclusion does a great job of circling back to the anecdote at the beginning, bringing the societal problem the student addressed back down to the personal level to remind the reader the student’s personal stake in the issue.

One potential criticism of this essay could stem from the ratio of background to active work. The author spends a lot of time setting up their personal connection and the global context of the issue; however, their essay could stand to gain from more content centered on their actual actions towards fighting harassment against women. They could discuss another small-scale discussion or project they led or elaborate more on their current inclusion. Dedicating two paragraphs to this rather than one gives admissions officers a better idea of their leadership skills and active role in fighting harassment.

Essay Example #10: Quotation and Values

“If any man stopped and asked himself whether he’s ever held a truly personal desire, he’d find the answer. He’d see that all his wishes, his efforts, his dreams, his ambitions are motivated by other men . . . A stamp of approval, not his own. He can find no joy in the struggle and no joy when he has succeeded.”

Essay/Book: The Fountainhead Author: Ayn Rand —

The US Open.

My parents had asked me if I wanted to come along, and I agreed. We got there; we took pictures next to a giant tennis ball, bought some tennis rackets, and finally headed over to our seats. It was absolutely freezing–and as the match continued, the world around me got darker and darker. An open stadium, I could see the stars in the sky just as clearly as I could feel the cold seeping through my coat. Trying to forget about my discomfort, I gazed up at the stars and listened to the vaguely muffled sounds of grunts and balls hitting the court.

A million things ran through my head.

The persistent cold that I was trying to forget. The beauty of the twinkling lights in the sky. The vast emptiness of the world around me.

And, even as I pulled closer to my mom and dad, an abject feeling of loneliness settled over me, my isolation from the excitement of the crowd making itself apparent as I felt none of the frustration, disappointment, or adrenaline-fueled excitement that the crowd and the players were feeling–a million miles away from my surroundings, insignificant in this moment.

And, it dawned on me, I am. I am insignificant–we all are. Even the tennis players whom we so eagerly watch are only really significant for the few hours of their game–and, is that insignificance necessarily a bad thing? Why should I pursue significance–and essentially, recognition–throughout my life? Why do I feel the need to be recognized? Should I not just want to aid in world progress–whether that be dancing to promote emotional expression, or engineering to promote prosperity and scientific advancement?

I began to understand the futility of ambition revolving solely around world recognition. Why should the entire world know my name? Shouldn’t success be just knowing that I created something, something that helped someone or something somewhere, something that advanced the face of knowledge or innovation, regardless of whether I gained actual ‘credit’ for it?

Having changed my definition of success, I no longer search for significance. My absolute insignificance has never been clearer, clearing the way for me to discover myself in my passions, rather than discovering passions in the hope of gaining relevance. My success is no longer defined by the approval or recognition of anyone but myself, making my successes sweeter and my hard work more gratifying.

This leaves no bar on my dreams, no curb on my goals. I’m an aspiring engineer because I love how math and physics and purpose click together as you design and invent and innovate, how the electricity of passion sparks through my fingertips as I stay up late working on my model rockets and deriving simple harmonic equations. I’m a dancer because I love how the music and movements feel in my muscles and bones, how fiery adrenaline rushes through my veins when I am in the middle of a performance. I’m a hopeful social entrepreneur because I want to give purpose to my innovations; I’m a singer because I like to feel the vibrations of songs collecting in my throat; I’m a programmer because I like to ‘logic’ my way through problems. None of its for money, or for a prize, or for world recognition–because even that significance doesn’t last long. I’m insignificant, and whether or not I remain so–as long as I fulfill my own purpose and achieve my own goals–it makes no difference to me.

This essay has a strong opening that does an excellent job of setting the scene for the perspective shift this student is about to have. There is clearly a sense of the student’s indifference to attending through explaining the match was their parents’ idea, their focus on the freezing cold weather, and explaining how their mind drifted to think about anything but the match. Establishing how removed they were in the moment is a nice segway to their feeling of insignificance. Because we know how they weren’t able to appreciate a moment everyone around them hyped up and cherished, we better understand how they came to the conclusion they are insignificant. 

Even once the student delves into philosophical questions about our purpose—a topic that it is easy to lose your readers on—we stay engaged because of their continued use of rhetorical questions. Especially when discussing more abstract topics in your essay, asking questions is a great tactic to help the reader see things from your perspective and break complex ideas down into more manageable chunks.

This essay concludes by telling us a lot about the student and their passions. The repetition of the phrase “ I’m a… ” creates a sense of continuity throughout their multiple identities and builds momentum for what’s to come. Not only do they reveal they are an engineer, a dancer, a singer, a programmer, and a social entrepreneur, but they also explain their reasoning and purpose for pursuing each of these passions. Sharing all of this student’s facets is a nice way to demonstrate to admissions officers that although they have a unique perspective on success, they are still an engaged and active member of their community.

There are a few ways this essay could be tightened up. The first would be to better incorporate the anecdote of the US Open throughout the rest of the essay. While there is nice set-up, the student basically abandons their story after they shift to talking about insignificance. Yes, the prompt asks for an experience that changed how you approached the world, but that experience should have more of an impact on you than just the location of your life-altering perspective shift. It would have been nice to see them grapple with how they differ from the US Open crowd who idolizes significance or even simply utilizing tennis metaphors to keep the theme going.

Another thing this essay needs to work on is being less vague. Take this sentence for example: “ Shouldn’t success be just knowing that I created something, something that helped someone or something somewhere, something that advanced the face of knowledge or innovation, regardless of whether I gained actual ‘credit’ for it?”  That is wordy and reveals nothing about the student. They use a word containing “some” six times in a singular sentence—lazy writing! Although this is a particularly vague sentence, much of the essay focuses on the abstract idea of embracing insignificance without relating it personally to the student. Bringing in more concrete ideas and tangible thoughts or actions this student has to demonstrate their insignificance would leave a much stronger impression on the reader.

It’s also important to make sure your quote fits in perfectly with your essay. Since it’s the first thing your reader will see, it creates an immediate impression going into the story, but if it doesn’t obviously tie into your essay it will be forgotten by the time your reader finishes. This essay unfortunately lost the quote by the end because it wasn’t clearly connected to the essay. It possibly would have been better had they picked a quote about being insignificant, or even about staring up into the night sky and feeling alone, seeing as that was the moment that their perspective changed. Your quote doesn’t need to be moving and inspirational, it just needs to effortlessly align with your essay.

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!

Other Princeton Essay Resources

• Princeton Essay Guide
• How to Answer Princeton’s “More About You” Questions
• How to Write the Princeton Civic Engagement Essay
• How to Write the Princeton Diversity Essay
• 4 Example Hooks for Princeton’s Meaningful Activity Essay
• How to Write the Meaningful Activity Essay for Princeton

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

The Common App is Open! Get your application done over a weekend with the College Application Booster​®.

Command Education Guide

How to write the princeton university essays, updated for 2024-2025, your voice 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 or fewer)*

Explanation:

At a length of 500 words, this essay is almost a new personal statement in and of itself, which admissions officers will use to understand where you come from, how you view your identity, and what you will bring to campus. Keep in mind that Princeton is seeking to build a diverse community, full of people who come from varied backgrounds and contribute their different perspectives. Your task is not just to communicate what important experiences and lessons you have accumulated over the years—you also need to convey that you have the capability to articulate the ways in which your experiences influence your beliefs about the world and the ideas that you will discuss with faculty and peers once in college. In essence, admissions officers want to see you do some heavy-lifting with introspection and self-awareness!

In order to show the depth and maturity that Princeton admissions officers want to see, it may help to mentally reframe their prompt slightly. Instead of asking yourself, “What lessons have I learned in life so far?” ask yourself: “What lessons have I learned from identifying with a particular geographic location, religion, race and ethnicity, cultural heritage, class, gender, sexual orientation, or other specific and niche community?” Then, consider questions such as: How has being a part of this group been formative to my belief system and identity? What ideas about and within this group have I been exposed to, and which ideas do I feel committed to? Have I disagreed or felt tension within this group? Has my thinking about this group and my membership within it evolved over time? If so, how, when, and why?

If you’ve experienced a particular conflict related to your identity—for example, a struggle to reconcile religion with a love of science, or holding convictions about reproductive rights while living in a conservative community—you might use these events to frame your narrative. If you feel that you don’t have a unique, compelling story to write about that relates to traditional identity markers, instead consider what other communities and events have shaped the way you think. A complicated family situation that involves strong personalities, a debate club where you’ve had deep discussions of ethical issues, or any other interpersonal setting where you’ve learned to challenge your own or others’ ideas can be just as good of a starting point for this essay as other aspects of identity that you might associate with a typical “diversity” essay.

Don’t forget to address the component of the prompt that asks about the viewpoints you’ll share in the classroom and with your future peers at Princeton. For instance, what kinds of ideas you’d bring to a seminar in religious studies, politics, history, sociology, or any other discipline. Because of the length of this essay and the complexity of the prompt, assume that admissions readers are looking for a response that discusses intellectual ideas and demonstrates the quality of your character—traits such as courage, compassion, open-mindedness, diplomacy, intellectual maturity, and others.

In my Independent Study, I research how the western imagination creates caricatures of Asians and Asian Americans in the context of science fiction and other speculative media. At the same time, I feel the implications of stereotyping in my daily life. I am a multi-ethnic, third-generation Asian American, raised in a predominantly white, upper-class, conservative suburb. I’m one of two Asian Americans in my class of one hundred and twenty-four people. Since middle school, I’ve fielded questions about tiger mothers and Carnegie Hall, offhand jokes about pre-med and being good at math, and hurtful remarks, from comments about being “whitewashed” to racist catcalling. I’ve felt like an outsider in my own community, and in western society at large.

But in seventh grade, I discovered Latin (and in the summer after, Ancient Greek). The experience of studying classics has transformed the way that I approach the world and define myself within it. Initially, I fell in love with Latin because I could apply pattern and logic to language and creative expression. I was also fascinated by the stories, myths, and authors I’d found. Understanding classical allusions made literature and pop culture become even more vibrant and alive. Classics is exciting because it’s a discipline that I’ve chosen not for its practicality but for the sake of learning for the joy of it. It’s an opportunity for challenging, self-directed work. I’ve also met some brilliant teachers and peers through learning Latin and Ancient Greek, whom I would not have known otherwise.

In an even broader sense, I’ve come to realize that my interest in classics is not just purely academic; it’s also deeply personal. My study of classics is at least in some part a reaction to the stereotyping I’ve faced, a way to reject expectations of who I am and what I should be. For me, studying classics is an ironic rebellion. It allows me to claim an intellectual connection to western culture while discarding the identity that the west has constructed for me. In antiquity, there’s so much of what poet and translator Anne Carson terms “otherness.” I am excited to continue talking with professors and classmates about the value of finding, debating, and analyzing what constitutes otherness, historical and contemporary alike.

To me, Classics is more than dead languages, regimented grammar, and fascinating myths. Through my study of ancient languages, I’ve been able to move between my disparate worlds and find meaning, connection, and belonging. In college, I hope to keep exploring the classical texts of ancient Greece and Rome. I also can’t wait to hear from classmates about the personal experiences that inspired them to delve into a field as impractical and “useless” as classics, and to discuss the relevance of classical literature, history, politics, and philosophy in our world today.

Your Voice 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? (Please respond in 250 words or fewer.)

Princeton’s informal motto is “Princeton in the nation’s service and the service of humanity,” and like many colleges, the university’s goal is to educate the next generations of leaders who will use their knowledge and careers to serve others and improve the world. As such, Princeton’s service essay is not just asking you about how you engaged in community service during the past three years of high school. Rather, this essay is looking for thoughtful reflection about your perspective on service (as formed through your life experiences) and where you see service fitting into your vocational goals and your life in college and beyond.

In this essay, you should avoid cliches like describing a desire to “give back” to others and instead discuss how you have employed your unique talents and ideas to better your community. This essay should also not just be about doing , but about learning , thinking , valuing , and questioning . As an example, an essay about doing basic tasks at a food pantry and becoming aware of an issue of food insecurity in your community is not particularly nuanced or remarkable. A much stronger topic and response would discuss an advocacy project a student conducted at his school to improve nutrition and food options at the cafeteria for students with special dietary needs. A topic like this would not only showcase a student’s critical thinking, compassion, and skills as an activist, but also could tie into a career goal of becoming a superintendent who fights for educational equity in his local school district.

Overall, keep in mind that a cookie-cutter essay about gratitude and simple volunteer positions will not add much to your application. More importantly, you must reflect upon how your activities, ideas, and aspirations align with Princeton’s central mission and motto.

After each shift at the local free clinic where I volunteered for two years, a physician would lead a discussion with the interns about how the night went, what we’d learned, and a topic of interest.

One night, our head physician distributed copies of Dr. Sayantani DasGupta’s essay “Narrative Humility” as a preface to a short talk about international medical NGOs. In reaction to medical cultural competency training that implicitly aims for “cultural mastery of the marginalized,” DasGupta offers the concept of narrative humility—an acknowledgement that patients’ stories are not objects to be mastered, but “dynamic entities we can engage with, [while] remaining open to their ambiguity and contradiction.” She writes that the listener must self-evaluate and self-critique her expectations and identifications with the narrative and its speaker.

DasGupta’s essay reframed my approach to medicine. The traits she highlighted have grounded me when it comes to service in all contexts: listening to others receptively, embracing unfamiliarity and ambiguity, and observing one’s own thoughts and reactions. Her essay helped me see connections between not only service and medicine, but my own role in the world as someone who wants to use writing as a form of service.

As a writer, I want to challenge the view of people and environments as props or foreign “others.” I’m interested in learning, hands-on, how to cultivate stories, connect with the stories of others, and serve global causes. I hope to refigure traditional, reductive portrayals, and create pieces that embrace complexities, both systemic and personal.

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?

2. What brings you joy?

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

When answering Princeton’s short questions, you can show off your light-hearted side—which can either reinforce aspects of your application narrative (e.g. intellectual passions or professional goals) or reveal new parts of your multifaceted personality and interests. It’s important to give authentic and specific answers to these questions. However, there are two crucial points to bear in mind. The first is to maximize your allotted word count. You have 50 words, which allows you a few sentences to express yourself fully and show your personality, creativity, and sense of humor. An answer that is just one word or a few words long is a missed opportunity! Additionally, before you lock in your concepts for these three responses, ask yourself: Am I giving an answer that many other applicants might give? Am I expressing myself in a way that distinguishes me from other applicants? For instance, writing about the joy you get from hanging out with your family or friends may feel true to you, but it will not necessarily help give your admissions reader unique insight into who you are. Be specific, use an authentic and conversational voice, and think carefully about the final impressions you want to make on your reader!

Sample: What is a new skill you would like to learn in college?

I’d love to learn ceramics. It seems like the grown-up version of getting to play in the mud, and I would hope to make some functional mugs, bowls, and plates. The Princeton Ceramics Studio seems like a wonderful place I’d frequent, trying both hand-building and throwing pottery on the wheel.

Sample: What brings you joy?

I’m pretty much renowned (or I should be) for my after-school snacks. From “lazy macaroni and cheese” to “sandwiched Saag Paneer” I devote my 4 o’clock meal to experimentation, mixing and matching flavor, texture and method to concoct the most unique meals that fuel my afternoon endeavors.

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

“Memory” a jazz piano duet my friend taught me late one night at summer camp. The bittersweet song evokes ephemerality, reminding me to cherish every moment of quality time with friends as our senior year flies by.

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 .

Read and follow the instructions carefully! Select your best paper that fits the requirements and demonstrates the quality of your thinking and writing. Princeton admissions officers look for students who are skilled writers and communicators, so even if you are a STEM major, it is critical to show that you can express your ideas well in academic essays. If you are unsure of whether your paper meets the caliber of academic skill that Princeton is looking for, discuss with a teacher in your intended discipline—they may have advice regarding how to level up the paper for admissions officers. Finally, remember that this paper, like every part of your Princeton application, should reflect your genuine, consistent, and enthusiastic voice!

For A.B. Degree Applicants or Those Who Are 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.)

The main quality that Princeton looks for in this essay and across their writing supplement—and across your entire application—is intellectual vitality. Admissions officers are seeking evidence that you’re passionate about ideas and that you are ready to create original knowledge and make dynamic contributions to the field. A simple answer that includes basic information about why you like your intended major and cursory references to Princeton’s programs will not stand out among thousands of essays. Instead, your response must demonstrate maturity and self-reflection, keen knowledge about Princeton’s unique offerings, and interdisciplinary curiosity.

Admissions officers may unfortunately overlook the application of a prospective English major who writes about how she “has always loved to read” and names a few literature courses at Princeton that interest her. Instead, they may be more drawn to the application of a student who has read far beyond the required curriculum in high school classes, is especially intrigued by climate fiction, and writes enthusiastically about her desire to compare and contrast themes of environmental politics and nature in the literature of different countries. This particular student could then write about Princeton’s Comparative Literature program, Environmental Studies minor, and other resources for aspiring environmental humanists at Princeton. Think outside of the box as you showcase your curiosity, how you want to evolve your existing knowledge, and what you really love within your field of interest. If possible, reflect upon the ways your multiple intellectual passions interact with each other, describe how that intersection will make your course of study unique and how it will make you a better thinker and student overall.

Admissions officers want to make sure you are familiar with what makes Princeton different from other Ivy League and top-tier schools. Princeton’s emphasis on academic rigor, its focus on liberal arts as opposed to pre-professional programs, and its expectation that all students engage in graduate-level writing and research, usually through junior papers and the famous senior theses, are distinguishing aspects of a Princeton education. You should also be able to articulate what distinguishes Princeton’s programs from those at other schools and describe why Princeton’s resources are an ideal fit for your interests and goals. Perhaps as a multidisciplinary artist, you can’t wait to contribute to Atelier courses at the Lewis Center for the Arts, or because you want to read beyond the Western canon of literature, you’re excited about the unique intensive East Asian Humanities Sequence offered by the Department of East Asian Studies. Find what Princeton offers that truly excites you, and connect those offerings to your own intended course of study and professional goals.

It came in a box, an accordion of pages with photographs, rough sketches cyrillic characters, and handwritten texts. Anne Carson’s Nox transformed the way I saw translation and poetry. As I read through every intimate page in which Carson mapped her grief onto the process of translating Catullus 101, I discovered the power of poetry to convey the human experiences across continents and centuries. I now dream of becoming a poet and translator whose words can have as profound an impact on others as Carson’s have had on me.

When I envision studying Languages and Literatures at Princeton, I see myself blending my earnest study of the Classics under distinguished professors such as Brooke Holmes with my interest in English poetry. Rather than translating in stuffy, stilted prose, I would embrace my literary side and create contemporary poetry from ancient texts. I’d attend workshops at the Lewis Center for the Arts and opt for a creative senior thesis, taking advantage of the English major’s Creative Writing track. I’d hope to work with Professors Meredith Martin and Joshua Kotin, and contribute to research for the Princeton Prosody Archive. I’d edit for the Nassau Literary Review and dabble in slam poetry with Ellipsis. I’m excited by the potential of a deep immersion in the world of verse, translation, and literary history in the next four years, while, through general distribution requirements and cross-listed courses for the English major, still bringing balance into my path of study.

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.)

The same advice as above applies here: describe your academic interests in a mature and nuanced way and highlight specific combinations of unique resources offered by Princeton that will support your continued journey exploring your passions. This prompt also explicitly asks for you to discuss your experiences with engineering. Admissions officers are looking for students who are deeply passionate about their STEM interests and have taken extra initiative to get hands-on experience in the field. Thus, you should describe the specific ideas, problems, and questions you’ve encountered while studying engineering in the classroom or through your extracurriculars and discuss how these experiences have inspired you to pursue engineering in college. If you’ve participated in a research project, independent study, or internship, highlight what you’ve gained from these experiences and how you hope to build on them. If you haven’t had access to these opportunities, be creative about showing how prepared yourself for the rigors of studying engineering in college–do you create YouTube video essays on aerospace engineering and the aviation industry? Have you signed up for free courses online on materials science? Have you tried DIY projects at home or taught yourself skills like coding? Demonstrate your knowledge and include the ideas that you’re drawn to in your supplemental essay. Most importantly, challenge yourself to write essays that are stronger than boilerplate responses about LEGOS, Minecraft, and robotics.

In this essay, you should avoid cliches like describing a desire to “give back” to others and instead discuss how you have employed your unique talents and ideas to better your community. This essay should also not just be about doing , but about learning, thinking, valuing, and questioning . As an example, an essay about doing basic tasks at a food pantry and becoming aware of an issue of food insecurity in your community is not particularly nuanced or remarkable. A much stronger topic and response would discuss an advocacy project a student conducted at his school to improve nutrition and food options at the cafeteria for students with special dietary needs. A topic like this would not only showcase a student’s critical thinking, compassion, and skills as an activist, but also could tie into a career goal of becoming a superintendent who fights for educational equity in his local school district.

After each shift at the local free clinic where I volunteered for two years, a physician would lead a discussion with the interns about how the night went, what we’d learned, and a topic of interest. One night, our head physician distributed copies of Dr. Sayantani DasGupta’s essay “Narrative Humility” as a preface to a short talk about international medical NGOs. In reaction to medical cultural competency training that implicitly aims for “cultural mastery of the marginalized,” DasGupta offers the concept of narrative humility—an acknowledgement that patients’ stories are not objects to be mastered, but “dynamic entities we can engage with, [while] remaining open to their ambiguity and contradiction.” She writes that the listener must self-evaluate and self-critique her expectations and identifications with the narrative and its speaker.

• Privacy Overview
• Strictly Necessary Cookies

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognizing you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

International Students

Princeton welcomes applications from students around the world. We review all applications in the same manner, regardless of citizenship or country of residence.

Similar to applicants from the United States, we evaluate applicants outside the United States with their immediate context and opportunities in mind, including the education systems of different national and international systems. Please note that there is no preference or advantage to a particular system or country.

We also are familiar with the education systems of most countries, although you are, of course, welcome to provide additional information about the schools you have attended.

Before you begin preparing your application, we encourage you to review our  application checklist , standardized testing requirements  and  financial aid program . 

Financial Aid 

The full need of all admitted international students is met the same as it is for students from the United States. Princeton admission is need-blind — there is no disadvantage in the admission process for financial aid applicants. Students who qualify for financial aid will receive a grant, rather than a loan that has to be repaid.

Our financial aid program is entirely based on need. Princeton does not offer academic or athletic merit scholarships. Financial aid awards cover the difference between Princeton’s costs and the amount your family is expected to contribute to your education. The parental contribution is based on our evaluation of your financial aid application.

Transcript (Academic Record)

Your transcript (or your academic record) is evaluated within the context of your educational system and school curriculum. Your academic record should include any available internal grades from classes, achieved marks from external exams (for example: IGCSE, British A-Level, International Baccalaureate, national leaving exams such as Std X/Std XII in India) or a combination of both. If leaving exams are a part of the graduation requirements, please ask your school official to submit predicted or achieved results as they become available. If your school or national education system does not provide internal grades, you are not required to report them. We also do not expect you or your school to provide a conversion or grade-point average (GPA) if this is not a standard practice provided by your school or education system.

Graded Written Paper

The graded written paper must be submitted in English and can come from O- or A-level coursework, so long as this student-written essay meets all of the other requirements listed. The graded written paper and teacher comments should not be translated from another language into English, they must be written in English. If you are also submitting a rubric, that must also be in English. Please refer to general requirements for the graded written paper . 

English Proficiency

If English is not your native language and you are attending a school where English is not the language of instruction, you must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language  (TOEFL) , the International English Language Testing System Academic  (IELTS Academic)  or the Pearson Test of English Academic  (PTE Academic) . You are not required to take the TOEFL, IELTS or PTE Academic if English is your native language or if you have spent at least three years at a secondary school where English is the primary language of instruction.  

Standardized Testing

We extended our test optional policy for first-year and transfer applicants for the next three admission cycles (that is, for applications due in the falls of 2023, 2024, and 2025). Students who opt to apply to Princeton without an ACT or SAT score will not be at a disadvantage in our process. Those who still wish to sit for  standardized testing  should do so by the December test date, if possible. In our experience, scores from the December test date for test takers outside the United States will reach us in time. 

As with previous years, we do not require the submission of SAT Subject Tests. If you chose to sit for a Subject Test (prior to January/June 2021) and wish to submit the score, you may do so. Please note: The College Board eliminated SAT Subject Tests in January 2021 for domestic students and in June 2021 for international students. Please know that standardized testing is but one element of our comprehensive and holistic application review process. We employ no minimum test scores for admission; rather, the entirety of a student’s background is considered in context. Additionally, we do not require applicants to submit the optional writing section of the SAT or ACT (the SAT Essay or ACT Writing Test).

For those who choose to submit testing, we allow applicants to use the score choice feature of the SAT and accept only the highest composite score of the ACT, but we encourage the submission of all test scores.

Note on additional testing:

• If you sat for an AP or IB test, we recommend that you self-report all of your AP or IB scores on your application. For those who do submit standardized test scores, you must submit your SAT and/or ACT scores to Princeton directly from the testing firms.  

School Reports and Recommendations  

• School Report . If your school does not have a counselor for students applying to university, please ask a school official — such as a principal, vice principal or dean — to complete your School Report available on the application.
• Midyear Report. This includes new internal or predicted grades after the first semester or trimester of your final year. If your school does not provide midyear grades or predictions, or if you have already graduated, your counselor or school official does not need to submit a Midyear Report.
• Final Report. We require all students who are admitted and intending to enroll to have their school submit the Final Report, which includes internal grades (if available) and external marks from your final year. We understand that results from external exams may come in after our Final Report deadline. As such, we ask your school to submit them as they become available.

If the person you ask to complete a teacher recommendation or School Report is not comfortable writing in English, he or she may complete the forms in another language. However, you will need to have the forms officially translated before they are submitted to the Admission Office. Translations can be provided by an official in your school, or a third party, but paid translations are not required.

- Hadley Kim

Financial Aid

Princeton has the same financial aid policy for all students regardless of citizenship, citizenship status and their ability to pay the cost of attendance.

The graded written paper will help the Office of Admission assess the student’s written expression in an academic setting.

Standardized testing is but one element of our comprehensive and holistic application review process.

From the Blog

Blog: “far from home”.

Blogger Gil Joseph, an undergraduate from Haiti, reflects on spending his winter break on campus.

BLOG: “What You Have to Gain is Wonderful”

Blogger Kate Macakanja shares some thoughts on her Bridge Year Experience. Admitted students have the opportunity to take part in our Novogratz Bridge Year program, which is a Princeton-sponsored, service-oriented gap year.

BLOG: “Making Connections Through the Davis International Center”

Blogger Seyi Jung explains how the Davis International Center helped her acclimate to campus and made Princeton a ‘home away from home.’

BLOG: “Coming to Princeton from Kenya”

Blogger Yujin Angolio reflects on her transition to college coming to the US from Kenya.

BLOG: “An International Student's Guide for Arrival”

Blogger Roberto Hasbun answers many of your burning questions about arriving to campus as an international student.

BLOG: “Studying in the U.S.”

A group of students from around the world reflect on their Princeton journeys.

FAQs for International Students

Graduate School

Personal Essay

Applicants will be required to upload a personal essay with the admission application in the space provided. Prior to submitting, please review file upload requirements .

Requirements

Princeton is strongly committed to welcoming students from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Applicants are required to submit a statement with their application briefly describing how their academic interests and life experiences would help them contribute to Princeton's scholarly community.

The Graduate School does not have specific formatting requirements, however the essay must be written in English and should not exceed 500 words.

Please be sure to review the personal essay before uploading and submitting the admission application. If you submitted an application and need to revise the essay, you may upload the corrected version through the checklist if it is before the deadline. After the deadline, no revised personal essay will be accepted.

49 Princeton Essay Samples

Updated for the 2024-2025 admissions cycle.

.css-1l736oi{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;gap:var(--chakra-space-4);font-family:var(--chakra-fonts-heading);} .css-1dkm51f{border-radius:var(--chakra-radii-full);border:1px solid black;} .css-1wp7s2d{margin:var(--chakra-space-3);position:relative;width:1em;height:1em;} .css-cfkose{display:inline;width:1em;height:1em;} About Princeton .css-17xejub{-webkit-flex:1;-ms-flex:1;flex:1;justify-self:stretch;-webkit-align-self:stretch;-ms-flex-item-align:stretch;align-self:stretch;}

Founded in 1746, Princeton University is one of the oldest colleges in America, and it’s steeped in a rich history. Known for its wide range of interdisciplinary offerings, this New Jersey-based school has approximately 40 undergraduate concentrations. Princetonians benefit from smaller class sizes, specialized teacher attention, and an abundance of research possibilities. The school is known for its heavy focus on undergraduates. It’s thus no surprise that so many successful alumni have come out of Princeton, including three Supreme Court justices!

Unique traditions at Princeton

1. Bicker - Bicker is an intensive selection process organized by Princeton's independent eating clubs that decide which students can join the eating clubs and what privileges they will have once they do join. 2. Nude Olympics - An annual campus event in the 1970s that occurred during Reunions week and originally began as a way to welcome incoming freshmen. 3. Cannon Wars - A campus-wide event held annually in the spring that pits freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors against each other as they try to capture a certain number of opponent's cannons. 4. Lawnparties - An outdoor event held annually in the spring that features live music, food, and all-day activities on the University's front lawn. 5. Tiger Portrait Ceremony - A symbolic event held each year in which freshmen paint their hands and add their handprints to the Tiger mural in the Princeton University Chapel.

Programs at Princeton

1. Princeton Outdoor Action (POA): This student-run organization offers weekly trips and expeditions that take members rock climbing, skiing, biking, and hiking across the northeastern United States. 2. Bridge Club: This club gives students multiple avenues to learn and engage with the bridge card game. 3. Program in Teacher Preparation: This program provides pre-professional grounds for students wanting to pursue a career as an educator. 4. Princeton Economics Association: This club offers students a variety of events, workshops, and roundtable discussions to learn more about the field of economics. 5. Science Olympiad Club: This student-led organization allows members to learn and compete in science related events to strengthen their scientific knowledge and problem-solving skills.

At a glance…

Acceptance Rate

Average Cost

Average SAT

Average ACT

Princeton, NJ

Real Essays from Princeton Admits

Prompt: princeton has a longstanding commitment to service and civic engagement. tell us how your story intersects (or will intersect) with these ideals..

The leaves crunched beneath my boots as I ascended the stone steps. Above me, squirrels zipped through the trees. I was hiking through Bach Ma National Park with my World Wildlife Federation group in search for traps and snares. The park was protected land, but illegal poaching was rampant. Wire traps were strung along the forest bed, ready to capture wild animals to be sold on the black market. It was just another threat to an animal population already endangered by expanding agriculture and infrastructure developments.

As we stopped for a break, our mentor told stories of how she used to roam the forests, waiting until sundown to see if the elusive saolas would come out. Her eyes lit up as she talked of their unicorn-like horns and striking white streaks. It seemed downright magical to me that such an animal was only discovered 30 years ago, and equally tragic that it had already reached critically endangered status in that time. 

Over a year has passed since this hike, yet I still think about it all the time. Our work inspired me to build an adaptive animal sound recognition system — one that could gather real-time data about fauna populations in a non-invasive manner. For me, the key to conservation lies at the nexus of innovation and policy. I'm eager to harness the power of technology to protect natural habitats. But I'm also excited to advocate for government initiatives that ensure these spaces remain sustainable for generations to come.

Essay by Rosie

Statistics & Data Science + Ethics, Politics & Economics (and Musician?) @ Yale :D

Prompt: 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?

What would a tenth grader do if asked to lead a discussion on a topic of their choice, and they chose to discuss contraception? And not just contraception as a general topic, but as a means of population control?

That was me, in my sophomore English class. I entered class confident that I knew the answer to the question of “reproduction with respect to poverty and climate change.” The previous year, I had studied the causes of global poverty through statistics. My analysis convinced me that high birth rate is a primary cause of poverty. The solution was clear: birth control policies are needed to prevent overpopulation and climate disaster. I was eager to share this revelation with my peers.

As I sat in a circle with my 24 classmates, I presented my case, confident my argument would be as logical to each of them as it was to me. In a country where the average number of children per family is 1.9, I assumed my peers would have no qualms about restricting family size, especially in the face of climate change. Contrary to my expectations, objections erupted immediately. “What if contraception is against my religion?” “Haven’t people resorted to sex-selective abortion when forced to limit family size?” “Don’t you care about freedom of choice too?”

As I grew more uncomfortable with the challenging questions, I realized that the perspectives of each of my classmates had been influenced by their individual backgrounds, religious beliefs, and ethical codes. The greatest impression on me was from a student who remained silent but was obviously uncomfortable. That afternoon, I was informed that she had six siblings and came from a deeply religious family.

I learned that complex global problems can be solved only by considering diverse perspectives and respecting other people’s beliefs. While statistics may serve as the groundwork for solutions, people are much more than numbers. As a future scientist, I will examine problems from all angles, seek collaboration, and utilize multiple approaches to find optimal solutions. Data may seem straightforward, but solutions can be nuanced.

Essay by Z.L.

Dancing, crafting, and studying Computer Science at Stanford!

Prompt: Briefly elaborate on an activity, organization work experience, or hobby that has been particularly meaningful to you.

As someone who finds joy in helping others, I value community service as an immeasurably rewarding experience to give back while gaining interpersonal skills. Despite these benefits, many of my peers do not have the time or resources to volunteer. As a part of Passion Impact’s Volunteer Event Program, I make community service accessible to every student by organizing monthly volunteer opportunities. We’ve facilitated 24+ service and civic engagement events over the past 1.5 years, immensely increasing community engagement within our student population. Recent events include writing letters to seniors, fundraising for Make-A-Wish, and packaging free period products. Particularly in 2020, I led online programming for students to connect and volunteer virtually during social isolation. By encouraging youth to become active volunteers, I strive to instill leadership, self-awareness, and community accountability within the next generation of changemakers. Moreover, my responsibilities within Passion Impact– planning events, speaking at fundraisers, leading nonprofit-wide meetings– have helped me build foundational leadership and career skills like public speaking and professional collaboration that I carry over to my other community work. Most importantly, I’ve gained a deeper appreciation for the external and internal impacts of volunteerism that ultimately strengthens us as an individual, community, and world.

Essay by JenniferT

Yale + CS + Environmentalism!

.css-310tx6{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;text-align:center;gap:var(--chakra-space-4);} Find an essay from your twin at Princeton .css-1dkm51f{border-radius:var(--chakra-radii-full);border:1px solid black;} .css-1wp7s2d{margin:var(--chakra-space-3);position:relative;width:1em;height:1em;} .css-cfkose{display:inline;width:1em;height:1em;}

Someone with the same interests, stats, and background as you

Imagining America

Professor/instructor.

An introduction to the cross-cultural study of American literatures, with special attention to the multiple points of connection, conflict, dialogue, and exchange that characterize American writings. Texts may be drawn from a broad range of periods, regions, and cultures. One lecture, two classes.

Rewriting the World: Literatures in English, 1350-1850

An introduction to English literary history. Centered on four great writers--Chaucer, Spenser, Milton, and Pope. Two lectures, one 50-minute preceptorial.

This course introduces students to the range of the essay form as it has developed from the early modern period to our own. The class will be organized, for the most part, chronologically, beginning with the likes of Bacon and Hobbes, and ending with some contemporary examples of and reflections on the form. It will consider how writers as various as Sidney, Hume, Johnson, Emerson, Woolf, C.L.R. James, and Stephen Jay Gould have defined and revised The Essay. Two lectures, one 50-minute preceptorial.

Public Speaking

Emphasis upon the preparation and delivery of expository and persuasive speeches before audiences composed of the speaker's fellow students. Consultations with the instructor, readings in textbooks, and written analyses of speeches supplement frequent practice in speaking. One 90-minute lecture, two classes.

Studies in the Classical Tradition

A classical genre or literary theme will be studied as it was handed down and transformed in later ages, for example, the European epic; ancient prose fiction and the picaresque tradition; the didactic poem. Two 90-minute seminars.

Origins and Nature of English Vocabulary

The origins and nature of English vocabulary, from proto-Indo-European prehistory to current slang. Emphasis on the Greek and Latin component of English vocabulary, including technical terminology (medical/scientific, legal, and humanistic). Related topics: the alphabet and English spelling, slang and jargon, social and regional variation, vocabulary changes in progress, the "national language'' debate. Two lectures, one preceptorial.

Film and Media Studies

This course offers a survey of the varieties of animation across the twentieth and twenty-first centuries as well as their critical reception. Animation is a ubiquitous form, present across media and in advertising. Many viewers take its components and effects for granted. But the archive of animation fundamentally complicates any easy assumptions about "realism" in the twentieth century; animation, moreover, challenges assumptions about bodies and their functions, exaggerating their features and functions, promoting alternatives to more mundane notions of life and liveliness, and relatedly, to ideas of time, contingency, and experience.

Contemporary Theories of Gender and Sexuality

We will take as our primary text the new translation of Simone deBeauvoir"s landmark volume The Second Sex, one of the most significant origin points of current understandings of gender. In our sustained consideration of The Second Sex, we will explore Beauvoir's ideas about the influence of sex and gender on childhood, the family, sexuality, relationships, aging, work, the social order, and the philosophical imaginary. We will also consider contemporary writing alongside that text, taking Beauvoir as our tour guide as we encounter and interpret contemporary representations of gender.

Topics in African American Culture & Life

In this seminar, students encounter the theoretical canon and keywords, which shape the contemporary discipline of African American Studies. Accessing a range of interdisciplinary areas, situated primarily in the United States, students will learn to take a critical posture in examining the patterns and prat order and transform Black subjects and Black life.

Junior Seminar in Critical Writing

Students learn to write clear and persuasive criticism in a workshop setting while becoming familiar with a variety of critical practices and research methods. The course culminates in the writing of a junior paper. Each section will pursue its own topic; students are assigned according to choices made during sophomore sign-ins. Required of all English majors. One three-hour seminar.

Comparative History of Literary Theory

A historical introduction to literary theory from Plato to the present. By reading philosophers, critics, and creative writers, students consider issues such as mimesis, imagination, religion, sexuality, and ethics, noting how each casts light on our understanding of literature and its cultural roles. Past terms and current problems are related to an inquiry into the nature--and the power--of literature through the ages. Students will read critical works from Plato and Aristotle, through Nietzsche, Beauvoir, Benjamin, Derrida, and Achebe, as well as poetry and plays by Sophocles, Shakespeare, Eliot, and Brecht. One three-hour seminar.

The Gothic Tradition

An exploration of the cultural meanings of the Gothic mode through a study of its characteristic elements, its origins in 18th-century English and German culture and thought, its development across Western national traditions, and its persistence in contemporary culture, including film, electronic media, clothing, social behavior, and belief systems, as well as literature. Films, artifacts, websites, and electronic publications will supplement readings. One three-hour seminar.

Children's Literature

A close examination of fairy tales and fantasies written for children but also addressed to adults. Questions to be considered will be literary, cultural, and psychological: the role of fantasy in an age of repression, didacticism versus amorality, male versus female writers, and the conventions of the Victorian fairy tale. Two lectures, one preceptorial.

Contemporary Literary Theory

Fundamental questions about the nature, function, and value of literary theory. A small number of strategically selected theoretical topics, including exemplary literary works as reference points for discussion. One three-hour seminar.

History of Criticism

A study of particular developments in criticism and theory, from Aristotle to Nietzsche. The course will also consider the relation of contemporary criticism to movements and issues such as deconstruction, feminism, psychoanalysis, and cultural materialism. One three-hour seminar.

The Old English Period

An intensive introduction to the English language spoken and written in the British Isles approximately 500 to 1100 C.E., leading to a critical survey of the literature. Attention is paid both to linguistic questions and to the cultural context of such poems as Beowulf and the Dream of the Rood . Two 90-minute seminars.

The Medieval Period

A study of the Middle English texts that span the period from the Norman Conquest to the Tudor Renaissance, with attention paid to Middle English as a language. Readings will be chosen from verse romance, drama, political and religious writings, romance and/or lyric. One three-hour seminar.

A study of Chaucer's art with reference to the intellectual, social, and literary conventions of the Middle Ages. The course introduces the student by this means to the characteristically medieval aspects of Chaucer's poetry. Two 90-minute seminars.

Shakespeare: Toward Hamlet

A study of Shakespeare's plays, covering the first half of his career. Emphasis will be on each play as a work of art and on Shakespeare's development as a poet and dramatist. Two lectures, one preceptorial.

Shakespeare: Hamlet and After

A study of Shakespeare's plays, covering the second half of his career. Emphasis will be on each play as a work of art and on Shakespeare's development as a poet and dramatist. Two lectures, one preceptorial.

A study of Milton's poetry and prose, with particular attention to Milton's poetic style and development and his indebtedness to various classical traditions. Emphasis will also be given to Milton as thinker and to the place he holds in 17th-century thought. Two lectures, one preceptorial.

English Literature of the 18th Century

A study of major figures from the Augustan Age through the Age of Johnson: Swift, Pope, Fielding, Boswell, Johnson, Sterne, and Blake. Selections include a wide range of literary types from Gulliver's Travels and Joseph Andrews to Boswell's London Journal and Blake's Marriage of Heaven and Hell. Two lectures, one preceptorial.

The Later Romantics

A study of the young writers who defined English literary culture, especially the Romantic movement, in Regency and late Georgian England. Course material will include poetry, prose, and fiction, with emphasis on close reading as well as cultural contexts. Among the major figures to be studied are the Shelleys, Byron, and Keats. Two 90-minute seminars.

Literatures of the American Renaissance, 1820-1865

A study of the major forms and traditions of American literature during the earlier 19th century, with main emphasis on such writers as Poe, Hawthorne, Melville, Emerson, Thoreau, Dickinson, and Whitman. The artistic achievement of these writers will be studied in relation to developing literary conventions and cultural patterns in pre-Civil War America. Two 90-minute seminars.

Topics in 18th-Century Literature

This course will at different times deal with particular currents of literature and thought in the 18th century, or with individual authors. Two lectures, one preceptorial.

Thursday, September 5

Previous issues, submit a tip.

Princeton is more than prestige and aesthetics. The pre-frosh experience must reflect that.

Admitted students and families at Princeton Preview Spring 2024.

Ammaar alam / the daily princetonian.

Based on the pre-frosh experience alone, Princeton would get Regina George on any Buzzfeed “Mean Girls” personality quiz. We are the ultimate ice queen: beautiful, popular — #1 on U.S. News for 13 years, in case you forgot — and can sometimes feel less than friendly. We have the cold part down, with a curt and succinct acceptance letter and a short and an arguably trivial admitted students day. Choosing Princeton is like choosing Regina as your best friend. You’re drawn toward undeniable prestige, unattainability, and lore, and you probably also have a masochistic streak.

But from the acceptance letter to Princeton Preview, perhaps Princeton is too removed in the way it treats its pre-frosh and too reliant on visuals and prestige during the period after Ivy Day. Princeton should prioritize efforts to connect with prospective students in written communication and work on making Princeton Preview more socially and intellectually engaging.

The first part of any pre-frosh journey is the acceptance letter. I opened my Princeton acceptance letter on a plane some 35,000 feet above ground, and I was thrilled. The tiger was static but incredible, yet the letter, coming in at 177 words, was short and dry. For reference, Yale sends out a 310-word letter and Dartmouth a 365-word letter. 

But Princeton misses something Sabrina Carpenter understands: If it’s short, I expect it to be sweet. This was the kindest line in Princeton’s letter: “We truly enjoyed learning about you through your application, and we hope to see you on campus for one of the Preview programs AND as a member of the Great Class of 2028.” Other colleges brought the sugar. For instance, take a look at the Yale letter : “The Yale experience is shaped by the people who make up its community. It is a place of belonging, respect, and friendship, where diversity and fellowship reinforce each other. I know who your fellow students will be, and I am confident you will not find in one place a more compelling, talented, and aspiring company of peers.”

The next step for accepted students are admitted student days. When it comes to Princeton Preview, Princeton relies on its “pretty privilege.” Princeton is gorgeous, to a point where no other college can compete with its golden glow and its stunning architecture.  When The Daily Princetonian  wrote about Princeton Preview, the title was “Preview students drawn to Princeton by aesthetics and camaraderie,” and the emphasis of the piece was on the aesthetics, with at least double the mentions compared to camaraderie. Pre-frosh in the article mention the beauty of the architecture, flooring, and the campus itself. 

Maybe in the 15th century, when intellectuals and artists were obsessed with Neoplatonic thought — the idea that beauty can facilitate a transcendental and harmonious connection with God — Princeton’s aesthetic approach would work. But we’re living in the 21st century. Princeton needs to move beyond the visual and use concrete language and events to inspire students. 

My issue with Princeton Preview was not the fact that I had to take four modes of transportation to get there nor even our highly visible drawstrings, but rather that it was not set up to incorporate sufficient socialization or give us a true feeling of campus life. It was only one day, and that day was replete with endless panels. Everything was structured. Even our after-lunch break, when we were instructed to drink sodas outside of Forbes, left us with little independence. Someone remarked to me that it was so boring they would rather “find their mom.”

Are other Ivies doing it better? Yes. Yale and Harvard have overnight admitted student days where pre-frosh stay in dorms with current students.  Not only is this much more equitable, as parents don’t have to take days off (you can’t legally reserve a hotel if you’re under 18 in N.J.), this brings a natural social element and allows pre-frosh to go by themselves. Additionally, at other Ivies, students take sample classes and have evening events geared for conversation and genuine interaction. These activities give a glimpse of how it is to be a student and a person at one of these universities in a more laid-back environment. Princeton, stop distracting us with M&M’s (yes, they have Princeton emblems) and give the people what they want: Let prospective students stay the night in the Orange Bubble!

Princeton can no longer be Regina George. Administration can’t predict how people will feel about new construction, or whether there will be an encampment on Cannon Green, or if, God forbid, U.S. News gets it wrong. We can’t rely exclusively on our good looks, popularity, and historical charm. Princeton needs to approach pre-frosh less clinically and improve outreach between the time of acceptance and the decision deadline. This is the time to woo potential students with a genuine and sweet approach that highlights Princeton’s community, values, intellectual nature, and good spirit. The drawstring backpack worked on me, but it may not be enough to satisfy admitted students in years to come.

Sasha Malena Johnson is a first-year writer for the ‘Prince.’ She intends to study Politics or Philosophy and is from Southern California. She can be reached at sasha.johnson[at]princeton.edu.

By erasing Hamas and the Oct. 7 attacks, PIAD’s proposal is unproductive and deeply unsettling

“But the PIAD proposal gives no indication as to how boycotting or divesting from Israel will lead to a better future for Palestinians, because it never addresses what that future will actually look like.”

Princeton, turn construction efforts to our education

“It’s too easy to leave Princeton without the transcendent liberal arts education that the University extols when the only intellectual guidance comes in the form of general platitudes and an inconstant and inadequate advising system.”

"It’s too easy to leave Princeton without the transcendent liberal arts education that the University extols when the only intellectual guidance comes in the form of general platitudes and an inconstant and inadequate advising system."

In the service of gentrification: How my summer housing worsened racial displacement in NYC

Undergraduate service interns, their host organizations, and the University need to construct summer opportunities that do not disenfranchise vulnerable communities, especially those to whom their service internship is targeted.

Most Popular

Admin. tightens protest regulations as students return to campus, string of lewdness incidents on campus disrupt orientation week, pro-palestine organizers mark return to campus with protest, eisgruber responds to attacks on the liberal arts in opening exercises remarks, club recruitment fails to reach ncw students amid communication breakdown.

Mapping St. Petersburg

• Julie A. Buckler

Before you purchase audiobooks and ebooks

Please note that audiobooks and ebooks purchased from this site must be accessed on the Princeton University Press app. After you make your purchase, you will receive an email with instructions on how to download the app. Learn more about audio and ebooks .

Support your local independent bookstore.

• United States
• United Kingdom

Mapping St. Petersburg: Imperial Text and Cityshape

• Download Cover

Pushkin’s palaces or Dostoevsky’s slums? Many a modern-day visitor to St. Petersburg has one or, more likely, both of these images in mind when setting foot in this stage set-like setting for some of the world’s most treasured literary masterpieces. What they overlook is the vast uncharted territory in between. In Mapping St. Petersburg , Julie Buckler traces the evolution of Russia’s onetime capital from a “conceptual hierarchy” to a living cultural system—a topography expressed not only by the city’s physical structures but also by the literary texts that have helped create it. By favoring noncanonical works and “underdescribed spaces,” Buckler seeks to revise the literary monumentalization of St. Petersburg—with Pushkin and Dostoevsky representing two traditional albeit opposing perspectives—to offer an off-center view of a richer, less familiar urban landscape. She views this grand city, the product of Peter the Great’s ambitious vision, not only as a geographical entity but also as a network of genres that carries historical and cultural meaning. We discover the busy, messy “middle ground” of this hybrid city through an intricate web of descriptions in literary works; nonfiction writings such as sketches, feuilletons, memoirs, letters, essays, criticism; and urban legends, lore, songs, and social practices—all of which add character and depth to this refurbished imperial city.

Awards and Recognition

• Winner of the 2005-06 Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione Prize for Studies in Slavic Languages and Literatures

"[Mapping St. Petersburg] challenges the enduring myth of the city's uniqueness by exploring its ordinariness, as depicted in "middlebrow" fiction and non-fictional sources, uncovering a rich body of material that in itself should prove invaluable to researchers in a number of disciplines."—Lindsey Hughes, Times Literary Supplement

"[Buckler] conveys very effectively what many writers have felt about the city—its elusively cerebral characters, its insubstantiality verging on evanescence."—Catriona Kelly, Russian Review

"[Buckler] offers a useful, thematically organized synthesis of interesting writing on St. Petersburg, many of them otherwise inaccessible to anglophone readers."—Stephen Lovell, American Historical Review

"[A] brilliant and intriguing exercise in urban textology. . . . [Buckler] conveys the sense of complexity and mystery that defines, and always has defined, Saint Petersburg."—Cynthia Hyla Whittaker, Bookforum

"In Mapping St. Petersburg , Julie Buckler rewrites the exclusionary ideology of classicism that has dominated pictorial and verbal discourses on Petersburg from Pushkin's 'Bronze Horseman' to the Petersburg Tricentenary of 2003. Meticulously researched and illustrated, deftly theorized, and vividly written, the book presents an exhilaratingly concrete study of Petersburg urban design and architectural history, focusing on the many 'eclectic' rental buildings, markets, cemeteries, and places of amusement that constitute a physical testimony to the aesthetic tastes and mixed social experience inscribed in them. Buckler explores the rich array of lowbrow and middlebrow writing on Petersburg that furnishes the forgotten matrix of urban folklore on which the Russian realist novel drew. Her intellectual mission: to restore to visibility the elided 'middle' of Russian society and taste that has been so carefully expunged from the cultural record and has only recently become a focus of interest for Russian imperial historians and students of cityscape as embodied myth."—Monika Greenleaf, Stanford University

"This is a fascinating book. It is beautifully written and contains countless original details, insights, and observations. The rich array of materials offers a great deal of new information about and analysis of the cultural history of St. Petersburg. Buckler's approach represents a major contribution not only to Russian studies and comparative literature but also to cultural geography, history, and urban anthropology."—Alexei Yurchak, University of California, Berkeley

"This strong, timely book celebrates the three-hundredth anniversary of St. Petersburg in a manner that is genuinely—not just rhetorically—interdisciplinary. In this exotic ex-centric city, with its autoreferential literary legacy and its 'anti-Moscow' mystique, the spatial and verbal arts came together concretely in a monolithic myth of violent beginnings and apocalyptic ends. So monolithic was this myth that it cultivated its own areas of blindness. Buckler brings these blind spots back into the light."—Caryl Emerson, Princeton University

Stay connected for new books and special offers. Subscribe to receive a welcome discount for your next order. 

Buy a gift card for the book lover in your life and let them choose their next great read.

• ebook & Audiobook Cart

• Quick Facts
• Sights & Attractions
• Tsarskoe Selo
• Oranienbaum
• Foreign St. Petersburg
• Restaurants & Bars
• Accommodation Guide
• St. Petersburg Hotels
• Serviced Apartments
• Bed and Breakfasts
• Private & Group Transfers
• Airport Transfers
• Concierge Service
• Russian Visa Guide
• Request Visa Support
• Walking Tours
• River Entertainment
• Public Transportation
• Travel Cards
• Essential Shopping Selection
• Business Directory
• Photo Gallery
• Video Gallery
• 360° Panoramas
• Moscow Hotels
• Moscow.Info
• Embankments

Angliyskaya Naberezhnaya (English Embankment)

The English Embankment has long been the front gate of St. Petersburg. For foreigners who come to the city by the sea, one of the most magnificent views is of this embankment, dressed in granite and adorned with magnificent mansions. These were once exclusively the residences of Petersburg aristocrats and wealthy foreigners: the Vorontsov-Dashkovs, the Dolgorukovs, the Rumyantsevs, the Barons von Stieglitz, and the grand dukes of the House of Romanov. Today, it is still possible to see some of these houses from the street.

At the beginning of the 18th century, the promenade led from the city center to the galley shipyard and so for a time was even called the Galley Quay. Because of its proximity to the Admiralty shipyards mostly workers and naval officers settled here. By the end of the 1730s, however, waterfront mansions belonging to foreigners started to appear here. Soon there was a whole English community busy constructing the English Church and the English Theater, where actors and musicians came from London to perform. In the second half of the 18th century, this area boasted the English Club, whose members were mainly Russian aristocrats. By the end of 18th century, the embankment naturally received the name "English."

In the middle of the 19th century, the English Embankment was completely built up with mansions and converted into a fashionable district of St. Petersburg. Among the buildings of note: the Baron Stieglitz Mansion; the Rumyantsev Mansion with its twelve magnificent porticos (now belonging to the Museum of the History of St. Petersburg); the Countess of Laval Mansion; the Tenishev Mansion; and the Art Nouveau Palace of Grand Duke Mikhail Alexandrovich. House No. 32 was constructed in classical forms by the architect Giacomo Quarenghi, and it was originally home to the Board (Ministry) of Foreign Affairs, where famous Russian writers including Alexander Pushkin, Alexander Griboyedov, Willhelm Kuchelbecker and Fyodor Tyutchev did their bureaucratic service. Today, the Palace of Grand Duke Andrey Vladimirovich houses the Palace of Marriage, quite possibly the most beautiful registry office in Russia. The Naryshkin Mansion (No. 10) hosted a ball that was attended by Alexander Pushkin and officer Georges d'Anthes only a few days before their fatal duel. Envoy Otto von Bismark, the future Prussian Chancellor, lived in house No. 50 from 1859 to 1862.

On October 25, 1917, the Cruiser Aurora docked in front of the English Embankment and fired the famous shot which served as a signal for the storming of the Winter Palace by revolutionaries. In Soviet times, the English Embankment was renamed in honor of the sailors of the Baltic Fleet and the waterfront was called the Red Fleet (Krasny Flot) Embankment. In 1994, to honor the visit of the British Queen Elizabeth II to St. Petersburg, its original name was restored. Today, the English Embankment is a must-see for visitors of St. Petersburg. During the White Nights it turns into one of the most popular walks for both St. Petersburg's residents and visitors.

Accommodation near the English Embankment

History hotel on english embankment, low-cost accommodation on st. petersburg's beautiful english embankment, happy pushkin hotel, quirky low-cost hotel in beautiful historic premises near major sights, boutique hotel balzac, superior accommodation on beautiful galernaya ulitsa, near major sights, hostel novaya gollandiya, cozy small hostel with great accommodation for families and small groups, soul kitchen hostel, highly rated hostel with very stylish interiors and great central location, apartments on isaakievskaya, selection of basic, low-cost apartments with superb downtown location, dining near the english embankment, stroganoff steak house, atmospheric, upmarket steak restaurant with a great central location, russkaya ryumochnaya no. 1, extremely popular traditional russian restaurant with reliably high standards, cozy, low-cost whisky bar and café with a prime location for sightseers.

We can help you make the right choice from hundreds of St. Petersburg hotels and hostels.

Live like a local in self-catering apartments at convenient locations in St. Petersburg.

Comprehensive solutions for those who relocate to St. Petersburg to live, work or study.

Maximize your time in St. Petersburg with tours expertly tailored to your interests.

Get around in comfort with a chauffeured car or van to suit your budget and requirements.

Book a comfortable, well-maintained bus or a van with professional driver for your group.

Navigate St. Petersburg’s dining scene and find restaurants to remember.

Need tickets for the Mariinsky, the Hermitage, a football game or any event? We can help.

Get our help and advice choosing services and options to plan a prefect train journey.

Let our meeting and events experts help you organize a superb event in St. Petersburg.

We can find you a suitable interpreter for your negotiations, research or other needs.

Get translations for all purposes from recommended professional translators.

This site uses various technologies, as described in our Privacy Policy, for personalization, measuring website use/performance, and targeted advertising, which may include storing and sharing information about your site visit with third parties. By continuing to use this website you consent to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use .

We are experiencing sporadically slow performance in our online tools, which you may notice when working in your dashboard. Our team is fully engaged and actively working to improve your online experience. If you are experiencing a connectivity issue, we recommend you try again in 10-15 minutes. We will update this space when the issue is resolved.

The Best 390 Colleges

• Buy the Book
• Press Release
• Ranking Methodology
• Surveying Students: How We Do It

Learn more about our book The Best 390 Colleges: 2025 Edition and our college rankings here .  PLEASE NOTE: The Princeton Review does not rank schools overall 1-390. This list appears in alphabetical order. Schools marked "featured" have paid for that designation but not for their inclusion in The Best 390 Colleges.

Showing 1 - 25 of 390 results

• Sort by name
• Sort by popularity
• Sort by size
• Sort by location

Agnes Scott College

• Decatur, GA
• 911 Full-Time Enrollment

Albion College

• 1,354 Full-Time Enrollment

Alfred University

• 1,463 Full-Time Enrollment

Allegheny College

• Meadville, PA
• 1,233 Full-Time Enrollment

American University

• Washington, DC
• 7,817 Full-Time Enrollment

Amherst College

• Amherst, MA
• 1,745 Full-Time Enrollment

Angelo State University

• San Angelo, TX
• 9,046 Full-Time Enrollment

Appalachian State University

• 19,405 Full-Time Enrollment

Arizona State University

• 65,174 Full-Time Enrollment

Assumption University

• Worcester, MA
• 1,999 Full-Time Enrollment

Auburn University

• 24,931 Full-Time Enrollment

Austin College

• Sherman, TX
• 1,130 Full-Time Enrollment

Babson College

• Babson Park, MA
• 2,457 Full-Time Enrollment

Bard College

• Annandale-on-Hudson, NY
• 1,893 Full-Time Enrollment

Barnard College

• New York, NY
• 3,353 Full-Time Enrollment

Bates College

• Lewiston, ME
• 1,753 Full-Time Enrollment

Baylor University

• 15,155 Full-Time Enrollment

Bellarmine University

• Louisville, KY
• 2,351 Full-Time Enrollment

Beloit College

• 948 Full-Time Enrollment

Bennington College

• Bennington, VT
• 782 Full-Time Enrollment

Bentley University

• Waltham, MA
• 4,350 Full-Time Enrollment

Berea College

• 1,487 Full-Time Enrollment

Berry College

• Mount Berry, GA
• 2,226 Full-Time Enrollment

Boston College

• Chestnut Hill, MA
• 9,575 Full-Time Enrollment

Boston University

• 18,656 Full-Time Enrollment

Enrollment Advisor

1-800-2REVIEW (800-273-8439) ext. 1

1-877-LEARN-30

Mon-Fri 9AM-10PM ET

Sat-Sun 9AM-8PM ET

Student Support

1-800-2REVIEW (800-273-8439) ext. 2

Mon-Fri 9AM-9PM ET

Sat-Sun 8:30AM-5PM ET

Partnerships

• Teach or Tutor for Us

College Readiness

International

Advertising

Affiliate/Other

• Enrollment Terms & Conditions
• Accessibility
• Cigna Medical Transparency in Coverage

Register Book

Local Offices: Mon-Fri 9AM-6PM

• SAT Subject Tests

Academic Subjects

• Social Studies

Find the Right College

• College Rankings
• College Advice
• Applying to College
• Financial Aid

School & District Partnerships

• Professional Development
• Advice Articles
• Private Tutoring
• Mobile Apps
• International Offices
• Work for Us
• Affiliate Program
• Partner with Us
• Advertise with Us
• International Partnerships
• Our Guarantees
• Accessibility – Canada

Privacy Policy | CA Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information | Your Opt-Out Rights | Terms of Use | Site Map

©2024 TPR Education IP Holdings, LLC. All Rights Reserved. The Princeton Review is not affiliated with Princeton University

TPR Education, LLC (doing business as “The Princeton Review”) is controlled by Primavera Holdings Limited, a firm owned by Chinese nationals with a principal place of business in Hong Kong, China.

Yale, Cambridge Grad with Years of Application Writing Experience Ryan S.

275 hours tutoring, yale, cambridge grad with years of application writing experience yale, cambridge grad with years of application writing experience ryan s..

Featured Review: See all reviews Attentive and thorough career development tutor! Zoe, 5 lessons with Ryan Working with Ryan on my personal statement for medical school was game-changing. His genius, aptitude, and talent made all the difference for the most central document for my application. After only one brainstorming session he was able to help transform my story into an absolute masterpiece. He was attentive, diligent, and thorough to the most fundamental elements of my narrative. He took notes, asked questions, and probed me to excavate my most important storylines. Additionally, he... Working with Ryan on my personal statement for medical school was game-changing. His genius, aptitude, and talent made all the difference for the most central document for my application. After only one brainstorming session he was able to help transform my story into an absolute masterpiece. He was attentive, diligent, and thorough to the most fundamental elements of my narrative. He took notes, asked questions, and probed me to excavate my most important storylines. Additionally, he completed his own research to provide the statement with contextual information to better connect the hook to my academic interests. Overall, I am more than pleased with Ryan’s attention to detail and care. I would highly recommend him to family, friends, and classmates. Read more

As a Fulbright Scholar, a published author, a graduate of Emory University and Yale University (and recipient of the Dean's Prize for Outstanding Thesis), and as a current MPhil candidate enrolled at the University Cambridge, I have myself written countless application essays for university admissions and submitted dozens of applications for prestigious fellowships and scholarships.

I have a strong track record of writing and editing work. I most recently served as a Graduate Writing...

I have a strong track record of writing and editing work. I most recently served as a Graduate Writing Tutor at Yale's prestigious Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning, and presently work for a highly sought after college admissions consulting firm that has a proven history of maximizing applicants' chances of gaining admission to their top-choice schools.

As a college admissions consultant/application editor, I have helped students gain admission to top-tier universities like Yale, Columbia, MIT, Princeton, and Brown, and have served as an admissions reader for my alma maters. I look forward to working with you to make your application essays/assignments the best they can be!

I will help you plan, strategize, and revise your college admission application/fellowship/scholarship essays!

I also offer help with: - Personal statements - Cover letters - Transfer application essays - Graduate School application essays - Scholarship/Fellowship application essays - Academic essays - Theses/research essays - Personal essays (creative nonfiction writing)

For college admissions counseling: If you decide to work with me, our first meeting will establish your goals and brainstorm topics to help us craft the main essay for the Common App (your personal statement). I will also disseminate two presentations I have developed—tips compiled after one-on-one meetings with hundreds of students—entitled "Tackling the Admissions Process" and "The Successful Scholarship Hunter” to you, presentations that have proven helpful to my former students in making the admissions process more manageable.

In subsequent meetings, we w

• Hourly Rate: $150
• Lesson cancellation: 24 hours notice required

No background check

• Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee

Approved Subjects

Career development, public speaking, corporate training, most popular, college counseling, test preparation, questions contact ryan before you book., still have questions, ratings and reviews.

Attentive and thorough career development tutor! Working with Ryan on my personal statement for medical school was game-changing. His genius, aptitude, and talent made all the difference for the most central document for my application. After only one brainstorming session he was able to help transform my story into an absolute masterpiece. He was attentive, diligent, and thorough to the most fundamental elements of my narrative. He took notes, asked questions, and probed me to excavate my most important storylines. Additionally, he completed his own research to provide the statement with contextual information to better connect the hook to my academic interests. Overall, I am more than pleased with Ryan’s attention to detail and care. I would highly recommend him to family, friends, and classmates. Zoe, 5 lessons with Ryan

College Essay Editing Ryan was incredible and made really good edits to my daughter's Common App Essay. We had tried several people, but his were by far the most useful and well crafted edits. Definitely worth the price, no comparison to anyone else! Kerri, 4 lessons with Ryan

Knowledgeable and Professional Tutor I always love my sessions with Ryan. Thus far, he has helped me with my research studies to scholarship essays. He is always thorough and reliable to help me meet my goals! Chanel, 6 lessons with Ryan

Exceptional! Ryan did an amazing job editing my essays. I recommend him with no reservations. Ryan is thorough, easy to work with, and accommodating to schedules. His editing is both substantive and stylistic, and he is able to show one's self-awareness without sounding either self-deprecating or arrogant—perfectly balanced, sensitive without pandering. The work I did with Ryan helped me take my essays to the next level, but more than that, I believe that working with him will also pay off in my ability to respond effectively in upcoming admissions interviews. He is highly professional and has a lot of knowledge about the college admissions process. I recommend him. J, 3 lessons with Ryan

Knowledgeable and enthusiastic We've only connected once so far, but I really enjoyed my time with Ryan. He is attentive, understanding but isn't afraid to highlight ways to improve an existing personal statement. I'm thankful for his expertise. Natalie, 3 lessons with Ryan

Great Teacher Mr. Ryan was extremely helpful and explained all the different ways I could improve my personal statement very clearly. I am very satisfied with this session. Trinh, 5 lessons with Ryan

Extremely knowledgeable and helpful Great tutor. In an hour he set me up perfectly for writing my personal statement. It was clear he knew exactly what he was talking about. Highly recommend hiring him for any help you need. Thomas, 2 lessons with Ryan

Really helpful! I was having difficulty coming up with ideas for my PA School supplemental essay and Ryan helped me a lot. After writing the essay, Ryan went over it with me and helped me clean up any grammatical errors and polish the wording as well. Overall really helpful and highly recommended if you are having trouble with applications because he definitely knows what he’s talking about. Lauren, 2 lessons with Ryan

Stanford University

Introducing Our 2024-25 Pre and Postdoctoral Fellows

• Nora Sulots

Stanford University’s Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law (CDDRL) is proud to announce the incoming fellows who will be joining us in the 2024-2025 academic year to develop their research, engage with faculty, and tap into our diverse scholarly community.

The pre- and postdoctoral program will provide fellows the time to focus on research and data analysis as they work to finalize and publish their dissertation research while connecting with resident faculty and research staff at CDDRL.

Fellows will present their research during our  weekly research seminar series and an array of scholarly events and conferences.

Meet the Fellows

Julieta casas.

Hometown: Buenos Aires, Argentina Academic Institution: Johns Hopkins University Discipline and degree conferral date (or expected): PhD Candidate in Political Science, expected summer 2024

Research Interests: State capacity, bureaucratic politics, democratization, comparative historical analysis, American political development, and Latin American politics.

Dissertation Title: Building Bureaucratic Capacity: The Political Origins of Civil Service Reforms

What attracted you to the CDDRL Pre/ Postdoctoral program? I was drawn to CDDRL’s vibrant intellectual community and their concern with addressing the crucial questions of our time from an interdisciplinary and methodologically plural perspective. I was also attracted to the opportunities the Center offers to learn from scholars working on governance and democracy in different regions around the world.

What do you hope to accomplish during your nine-month residency at CDDRL? I look forward to working on my book project during my residency at CDDRL. Based on my dissertation, the book concerns effective representative governance and the paths countries can take to achieve it. The study highlights the importance that varieties of patronage have for bureaucratic reform in democratic contexts — some types of patronage are more likely to create favorable conditions for reform than others due to the incentives that their personnel management practices create.

Fun fact: My first job was in the Argentine bureaucracy, which I now study!

Jasmine English

Hometown: Belfast, Northern Ireland Academic Institution: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Discipline and degree conferral date (or expected): PhD Candidate in Political Science, expected June 2024

Research Interests: Identity politics, interracial solidarity, political discussion, political violence, the carceral state, and American politics.

Dissertation Title: Essays on the Content and Consequences of Political Discussion

What attracted you to the CDDRL Pre/ Postdoctoral program? I was drawn to CDDRL’s interdisciplinary approach to the study of democracy. I am particularly excited to engage with scholars working on identity politics, deliberation, and political violence. 

What do you hope to accomplish during your nine-month residency at CDDRL? During my time at the Center, I’m hoping to complete several articles on political discussion, interracial solidarity, and the carceral state. I’d also like to start some new projects on related topics with collaborators at CDDRL. 

Fun fact: I’m a big fan of cold water swimming and am trying to complete 50 swims this year.

Alex Mierke-Zatwarnicki

Hometown: Vancouver, BC, Canada Academic Institution: Harvard University (PhD) / European University Institute (Max Weber Fellow) Discipline and degree conferral date (or expected): PhD in Government, November 2023 

Research Interests: Political parties, party organization, group identity, cleavages, civil society, and political communication.

Dissertation Title: Identity politics, old and new: Party-building in the long twentieth century

What attracted you to the CDDRL Pre/ Postdoctoral program? I really love how CDDRL brings together scholars working across regions and topics, truly embodying the spirit and method of ‘comparative politics.’ My work focuses on Western Europe but takes a lot of influence from scholarship on party politics elsewhere in the world. Moving forward, I want to become more embedded in broader comparative debates about democracy and political development, and I think CDDRL will be a great place to start joining those conversations. 

What do you hope to accomplish during your nine-month residency at CDDRL? I’m currently in the early stages of expanding my dissertation into a book, which requires adding a bunch of new cases and additional data. I’m hoping to make substantial progress on this while at CDDRL and to also start thinking more seriously about which questions and ideas I want to pursue for my next big project. 

Fun fact: During the pandemic, I got back into reading fiction, and I really love it! Last year, I read over a hundred novels and am on track to hit that milestone again in 2024.

Ivetta Sergeeva

Hometown: Saint Petersburg, Russia Academic Institution: European University Institute Discipline and degree conferral date (or expected): PhD in Political and Social Sciences, expected October 2024

Research Interests: Migration and citizenship, political behavior, and civil society.

Dissertation Title: Three Essays on Russian Political Migration Following the 2022 Full-Scale Invasion of Ukraine

What attracted you to the CDDRL Pre/ Postdoctoral program? I'm drawn to CDDRL for its interdisciplinary focus and emphasis on the practical impacts of research, which aligns with my previous experience as a practitioner and my goals as a social scientist.

What do you hope to accomplish during your nine-month residency at CDDRL? I want to develop a book project about politically-induced migration. I also plan to continue serving as the co-principal investigator in my research project OutRush, a panel survey of Russian migrants that I co-lead with Emil Kamalov.

Fun fact: I wrote most of my PhD dissertation while listening to the electronic musician Christian Löffler.

Gillian Slee

Hometown: Laguna Beach, California Academic Institution: Princeton University Discipline and degree conferral date (or expected): PhD Candidate in Sociology and Social Policy, expected July 2024

Research Interests: Inequality, poverty, democratic governance, law and society, justice and reentry, work and organizations, and social policy.

Dissertation Title: Humanizing Institutions: Inequality, Dysfunction, and Reform in the Parole Process

What attracted you to the CDDRL Pre/ Postdoctoral program? CDDRL’s commitment to scholarship on key challenges associated with democratic governance and the rule of law and its sustained investment in producing research that will work to promote equity and justice in contemporary society aligns deeply with my scholarly orientation. 

What do you hope to accomplish during your nine-month residency at CDDRL? I aim to publish academic articles and work on a book manuscript documenting persons’ grounded experiences serving parole in the United States. While doing so, I will advance my broader intellectual project — to identify how state processes may better serve involved parties and ameliorate inequality. I look forward to engaging with CDDRL scholars committed to bridging the divide between scholarship and practice and, most importantly, to asking critical questions about the work and health of democratic governance. 

Fun fact: I’m a firm believer in spending ample time outdoors (surfing, hiking, and more!), tripling the garlic in recipes, and indulging in well-placed, dumb jokes. 

Department of English

Anne A. Cheng. Photo by Sameer A. Khan / Fotobuddy

Anne A. Cheng's Ordinary Disasters book release and events

Anne A. Cheng's first book of personal essays, Ordinary Disasters: How I Stopped Being a Model Minority , will be released on Sept. 10, 2024, and beginning soon after, Cheng will make appearances at book stores and other locations including the Museum of Modern Art and Princeton.

With Labyrinth Books, the Department of English is cosponsoring Cheng's Nov. 13 Princeton event .

The events place Cheng in conversation with figures whose work and experience variously relate to the lenses both intimate and political that Cheng brings in Ordinary Disasters to what it means to be an Asian American woman living in America today.

Ordinary Disasters Princeton and New York City schedule

Sept. 2024 through feb. 2025 in-person events.

Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History Essays

Saint petersburg.

Ewer and basin (lavabo set)

Probably made at Chisinau Court Workshop

Andrei Nikiforovich Voronikhin

Alexander Danilovich Menshikov (1673–1729)

Unknown Artist, Swiss, Austrian, or German, active Russia ca. 1703–4

Samuel Margas Jr.

The Empress Elizabeth of Russia (1709–1762) on Horseback, Attended by a Page

Attributed to Georg Christoph Grooth

Table snuffbox

Niello scenes after a print entitled Naufrage (Shipwreck) by Jacques de Lajoüe , published in Paris 1736

Voltaire (François-Marie Arouet) (1694–1778)

Jean Antoine Houdon

Imperial Porcelain Manufactory, St. Petersburg

Cup with cover and saucer

Two bottle coolers

Zacharias Deichman the Elder

Catherine II The Great, Empress of Russia

Jean-Baptiste Nini

Coffee service

Johan Henrik Blom

Tureen with cover

Tureen with cover and stand

Jacques-Nicolas Roettiers

Possibly by Pierre-François-Mathis de Beaulieu (for Jean Georges)

Pair of scallop-shell dishes

Sugar bowl (from a tea service)

Workshop of David Roentgen

Beaker and saucer

David Roentgen and Company in Saint Petersburg

Johann Friedrich Anthing

Drop-front desk (secrétaire à abattant or secrétaire en cabinet)

Attributed to Martin Carlin

Pair of Flintlock Pistols of Empress Catherine the Great (1729–1796)

Johan Adolph Grecke

Gardner Manufactory

Center table

Imperial Armory, Tula (south of Moscow), Russia

Female Shaman

Pair of vases

Nikolai Stepanovich Vereshchagin

Jugate busts of Czarevitch Paul and Maria Feodorovna of Russia

James Tassie

Wolfram Koeppe Department of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts, The Metropolitan Museum of Art

October 2003

The Birth of Saint Petersburg Russia, or “Muscovy” as it was often called, had rarely been considered a part of Europe before the reign of Czar Peter I (Piotr Alexeievich), known as Peter the Great (r. 1682–1725). His supremacy marked the beginning of the country’s “Westernization,” whereby the political, economic, and cultural norms of the western European monarchies would become the basis for “civilizing” Russia. A radical transformation was needed to launch Russia into the modern world, a transformation later called the Petrine Revolution. The young czar, feeling oppressed by the medieval traditions and ecclesiastical patriarchy of seventeenth-century Moscow, wanted to Westernize Russia in a hurry, defying the sluggish pace of history.

Saint Petersburg was born on May 16, 1703 (May 5 by the old Julian Russian calendar). On that day, on a small island on the north bank of the Neva River, Peter cut two pieces of turf and placed them cross-wise. The setting was inauspicious. The area was a swamp that remained frozen from early November to March, with an annual average of 104 days of rain and 74 days of snow. The army, under the command of Alexander Menshikov ( 1996.7 ), had conquered the region shortly before. To show his gratitude, the czar later appointed Menshikov the first governor-general of Saint Petersburg. The fortification of the territory kept the Swedish enemy at bay and secured for Russia permanent access to the Baltic Sea. The partially ice-free harbor would be crucial to further economic development. All buildings on the site were erected on wooden poles driven into the marshy, unstable ground. Stones were a rare commodity in Russia, and about as valuable as precious metals.

The Dutch name “Piterburkh” (later changed to the German version, “Petersburg”) embodied the czar’s fascination with Holland and its small-scale urban architecture. He disliked patriarchal court ceremony and felt at ease in the bourgeois domestic life that he experienced during his travels throughout Europe on “the Great Embassy” (1697–98). However, the primary purpose of this voyage was to acquire firsthand knowledge of shipbuilding—his personal passion—and to learn about progressive techniques and Western ideas.

The victory over the Swedish army at Poltava in June 1709 elevated Russia to the rank of a European power, no longer to be ignored. Peter triumphed: “Now with God’s help the final stone in the foundation of Saint Petersburg has been laid.” By 1717, the city’s population of about 8,000 had tripled, and grew to around 40,000 by the time of Peter’s death in 1725. Saint Petersburg had become the commercial, industrial, administrative, and residential “metropolis” of Russia. By the 1790s, it had surpassed Moscow as the empire’s largest urban vicinity and was hailed as the “Venice of the North,” an allusion to the waterway system around the local “Grand Canal,” the Neva River.

Peter the Great’s Successors The short reign of Peter’s second wife, Empress Catherine I (r. 1725–27), who depended on her long-time favorite Menshikov, saw the reinstatement of the luxurious habits of the former imperial household. The archaic and ostentatious court display in the Byzantine tradition  that Peter had so despised was now to be restored under the pretext of glorifying his legacy. Enormous sums of money were lavished on foreign luxury items, demonstrating the court’s new international status and its observance of western European manners ( 68.141.133 ).

During the reigns of Empress Anna Ioannovna (r. 1730–40), niece of Peter I ( 1982.60.330a,b ), and her successor Elizabeth (Elizaveta Petrovna, r. 1741–62; 1978.554.2 ), Peter’s daughter, Saint Petersburg was transformed into a Baroque extravaganza through the talents of architect Bartolomeo Francesco Rastrelli (1700–1771) and other Western and Russian artisans. Foreign powers began to recognize Russia’s importance and competed for closer diplomatic relations. Foreign immigrants increased much faster than the local population, as scholars, craftsmen, artisans, and specialists of all kinds flocked to the country, and especially to Saint Petersburg ( 65.47 ; 1982.60.172,.173 ; 1995.327 ).

Catherine the Great (r. 1762–96) In a coup d’état assisted by the five Orloff brothers ( 33.165.2a–c ; 48.187.386,.387 ), Catherine II overthrew her husband, the ill-fated Peter III (r. 1762) and became empress. Catherine saw herself as the political heir of Peter the Great. A German-born princess of Anhalt-Zerbst who, after her marriage, became more Russian than any native, Catherine aimed at completing Peter’s legacy ( 52.189.11 ; 48.73.1 ). Having lived in isolation in the shadow of Elizabeth I since her marriage to the grand duke in 1745, the time had come to satisfy her thirst for life and her insatiable quest for culture and international recognition. An admirer of the Enlightenment and devoted aficionada of Voltaire’s writings, Catherine stimulated his cult in Russia ( 1972.61 ). In response, the French philosopher dedicated a poem to the czarina; her reply, dated October 15, 1763, initiated a correspondence that influenced the empress on many matters until Voltaire’s death in 1778. The hothouse cultural climate of Saint Petersburg during Catherine’s reign can be compared to the artistic and intellectual ferment in New York City in the second half of the twentieth century.

Catherine’s desire to enhance her fame and her claim to the throne was immortalized by her own witty play on words in Latin: “Petro Primo / Catharina Secunda” (To Peter the First / from Catherine the Second). This she had inscribed on the vast lump of granite in the form of a wave supporting the Bronze Horseman on the banks of the Neva in front of Saint Isaac’s Cathedral in Saint Petersburg. This triple-lifesize equestrian figure of Peter the Great took the French sculptor Falconet twelve years to complete, until it was finally cast—after three attempts—in 1782.

Catherine had military expansion plans for Russia and a cultural vision for its capital Saint Petersburg. Above all, she knew how to attract devoted supporters. Only nine days after the overthrow of her husband, Catherine wrote to Denis Diderot, offering to print his famous Encyclopédie , which had been banned in France. Catherine recognized the power of art to demonstrate political and social maturity. She acquired entire collections of painting ( Watteau , for example), sculpture, and objects. The empress avoided anything that could be called mediocre or small. With the help of sophisticated advisors, such as Prince Dmitrii Golitsyn, her ambassador in Paris, Denis Diderot, Falconet, and the illustrious Baron Friedrich Melchior von Grimm, the empress assembled the core of today’s State Hermitage Museum. Catherine favored luxury goods from all over Europe ( 33.165.2a–c ; 48.187.386,.387 ; 17.190.1158 ). She commissioned Sèvres porcelain and Wedgwood pottery as well as hundreds of pieces of ingeniously conceived furniture from the German manufactory of David Roentgen in Neuwied ( 48.73.1 ). Furthermore, she encouraged and supported Russian enterprises and craftsmen, like local silversmiths ( 47.51.1–.5 ; 1981.367.1,.2 ) and the Imperial Porcelain Manufactory ( 1982.60.171 ; 1982.60.177,.178 ; 1982.60.175 ), as well as privately owned manufactories ( 1982.60.158 ). Catherine especially liked the sparkling decorative products of the Tula armory steel workshop ( 2002.115 ), genuine Russian art forms with a fairy-tale-like appearance, and in 1775 merged her large collection of Tula objects with the imperial crown jewels in a newly constructed gallery at the Winter Palace in Saint Petersburg.

Catherine’s son and successor Paul I (Pavel Petrovich, r. 1796–1801) disliked his mother and her aesthetic sensibility ( 1998.13.1,.2 ). As grand duke, he had spent most of his time with his second wife Maria Feodorovna ( 1999.525 ) outside of Saint Petersburg, in Gatchina Palace and Pavlovsk Palace. These they transformed into the finest Neoclassical architectural gems in Europe ( 1976.155.110 ; 2002.115 ).

Koeppe, Wolfram. “Saint Petersburg.” In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History . New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/stpt/hd_stpt.htm (October 2003)

Further Reading

Cracraft, James. The Petrine Revolution in Russian Imagery . Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1997.

Koeppe, Wolfram, and Marina Nudel. "An Unsuspected Bust of Alexander Menshikov." Metropolitan Museum Journal 35 (2000), pp. 161–77.

Shvidkovsky, Dmitri, and Alexander Orloff. St. Petersburg: Architecture of the Tsars . New York: Abbeville, 1995.

Additional Essays by Wolfram Koeppe

• Koeppe, Wolfram. “ Abraham and David Roentgen .” (June 2013)
• Koeppe, Wolfram. “ Hungarian Silver .” (February 2016)
• Koeppe, Wolfram. “ Collecting for the Kunstkammer .” (October 2002)

Related Essays

• Byzantium (ca. 330–1453)
• Sèvres Porcelain in the Nineteenth Century
• Abraham and David Roentgen
• Antoine Watteau (1684–1721)
• The Decoration of Arms and Armor
• East and West: Chinese Export Porcelain
• Edward Lycett (1833–1910)
• Empire Style, 1800–1815
• European Tapestry Production and Patronage, 1600–1800
• French Porcelain in the Eighteenth Century
• French Silver in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries
• From Italy to France: Gardens in the Court of Louis XIV and After
• German and Austrian Porcelain in the Eighteenth Century
• James McNeill Whistler (1834–1903)
• James McNeill Whistler (1834–1903) as Etcher
• The Neoclassical Temple
• Neoclassicism
• Northwest Coast Indians Musical Instruments
• Venice in the Eighteenth Century

List of Rulers

• List of Rulers of Europe
• Central Europe (including Germany), 1600–1800 A.D.
• Eastern Europe and Scandinavia, 1600–1800 A.D.
• France, 1600–1800 A.D.
• Iran, 1600–1800 A.D.
• Low Countries, 1600–1800 A.D.
• 17th Century A.D.
• 18th Century A.D.
• Architecture
• Baroque Art
• Eastern Europe
• French Literature / Poetry
• Gilt Silver
• Scandinavia

Artist or Maker

• Anthing, Johann Friedrich
• Beaulieu, Pierre-François-Mathis de
• Blom, Johan Henrik
• Bouillat, Edme François, I
• Carlin, Martin
• Chisinau Court Workshop
• Deichman, Zacharias, the Elder
• Feodorovna, Maria
• Gardner Factory
• Grecke, Johan Adolph
• Grooth, Georg Christoph
• Houdon, Jean Antoine
• Imperial Armory, Tula
• Imperial Porcelain Manufactory
• Lajoüe, Jacques de
• Margas, Samuel, Jr.
• Nini, Jean-Baptiste
• Prudhomme, Elie
• Roentgen, David
• Roettiers, Jacques-Nicolas
• Rotari, Pietro
• Sèvres Manufactory
• Tassie, James
• Vereshchagin, Nikolai Stepanovich
• Voronikhin, Andrei N.
• Watteau, Antoine

Online Features

• 82nd & Fifth: “Curls” by Wolfram Koeppe

Love Them or Hate Them, This Couple Reign in Russian Literature

For Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky, translating together extended naturally from their relationship as husband and wife. Now, it is their life’s work.

Larissa Volokhonsky and Richard Pevear publish an average of one volume per year — work for which they have received both adulation and full-throated condemnation. Credit... Clara Watt for The New York Times

Supported by

• Share full article

By Joshua Barone

Reporting from Paris

• Published Aug. 26, 2024 Updated Aug. 29, 2024

The first time Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky translated a Russian novel together, it felt as though another man had joined their marriage: Dostoyevsky.

“It was a mariage à trois ,” Volokhonsky said over coffee at her and Pevear’s rambling apartment in the 15th arrondissement of Paris. “Dostoyevsky was always in our mind. We just lived with him.”

They were, Pevear recalled, pouring themselves into “The Brothers Karamazov,” Dostoyevsky’s immense final novel. “Well,” Volokhonsky said, “at least we like each other.”

Their translation of “The Brothers Karamazov,” published in 1990, was so well received that a full-page review in The New York Times Book Review declared, “The truth is out at last.” Their edition of the novel, it continued, “finally gets the musical whole of Dostoyevsky’s original.”

Since then, Pevear and Volokhonsky, he now 81 and she 78, have become reigning translators of Russian literature, publishing an average of one volume per year, including classics by Tolstoy and Chekhov, as well as lesser-known books and works by contemporary writers like the Nobel laureate Svetlana Alexievich. In their reach, the couple are the Constance Garnett of our time, making vast swaths of Russia’s written word available to the West, for which they have received both adulation and full-throated condemnation.

Their latest project is a translation of Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin’s “Foolsburg: The History of a Town,” published earlier this month by Vintage. To Anglophone readers, to whom the book is largely unknown, it will be a corrective to the only previous translation available still in print, from 1980, as well as an argument for the book’s Swiftian wit and its relevance to Russia and the United States today. There is even a character in it named Trump.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .

Advertisement