Princeton University

Responses from the Student Interview

From a student  who identifies as Major: Molecular Biology – On the pre-medical track
Minor: None
Student Self Identifies as: Biracial: Indian & White Gay Male

Summary

I [have a leadership position] in my acapella group, and I do research with a couple of professors. I also volunteer at the local hospital.

Background

Gender Identity: Male
Race/Ethnicity: Biracial: Indian & White
Sexual Orientation: Gay

High School Experience: Private school in Scottsdale, AZ with a graduating class of about 200 students. There was a culture of going to college.
First-Generation College Student: No
Major: Molecular Biology – On the pre-medical track
Minor: None

Extracurricular Activities: I [have a leadership position] in my acapella group, and I do research with a couple of professors. I also volunteer at the local hospital.
Did any of your extracurricular activities have a particularly big impact on your experience?
The acapella group is a huge thing. We go on tour twice a year, once domestically and once internationally. We get paid gigs, so we’re self-funded by that and alumni donations.
How easy was it to get involved in your research?
It was simple to get involved. I walked into my freshman year biology professor’s office and said I wanted to do research on transgender stress among teens and how that affects their biology. They didn’t have any opportunities for that topic, but he was a well-connected guy who got me in touch with people that could help. Princeton has a lot of administrative offices that have been helping me.

Academic Experience

Can you describe your weekly coursework for your major?
Last semester I had varying coursework. I was in an African-American studies class, a screenwriting class, and I had organic chemistry and evolutionary biology class. Each class will have a problem set per week. We also have a midterm and a final in each class.
Is there anything you feel your major’s department has done especially well or poorly academically?
I choose this department based on the professors in it and the administrators associated with the department. A lot of the professors I’ve had are all MDs (Doctors of Medicine) who did post-doctorate work and are good at research. They can speak to a career in medicine and speak to clinical applications. For weaknesses, maybe diversity. It’s kind of White. [44% of the population of Princeton is White.]
How would you describe the learning environment? Do you think it’s particularly competitive or collaborative?
With my friends, there’s no competition at all which is great, but amongst the other pre-med students there’s a lot of competition that can get a little toxic. But, it’s pretty easy to make a conscious effort to not subscribe to the mentality of trying to be the busiest student.
How accessible are your professors?
Very accessible. I go to office hours a lot. If the TAs or precepts are available, I’ll go to them first. I think it’s super beneficial to have a close relationship with your TAs. If it’s a seminar or I’m trying to get deeper questions answered, I’ll go to the professor.
Why did you choose your major? Are you happy with your choice?
I knew I wanted to be pre-medical coming into Princeton. Coming in, I wanted to do something cool like neuroscience or anthropology, but when I got acquainted with the classes I realized the department and the professors in the Molecular Biology department were exactly what I wanted.

Reasons to Attend

1) The resources they give to you. You can take advantage of them easily and it’s incomparable.
2) You’re constantly surrounded by people who’re super fun to hang out with and have interesting backgrounds. I’ve learned just as much from the students around me in everyday life as I have from professors and classrooms. I’m constantly learning.

Reasons Not to Attend

1) It’s pretty White and being at a prestigious university with so much affirmative action there can be issues. I’ve had a couple of girls say people come up and ask them if they go here.

Around Campus

Where have you lived on and around campus?
Freshman: The Inn at Forbes College with one roommate
Sophomore: Forbes College Annex in a single
How was transitioning from your hometown in Scottsdale, Arizona to Princeton, NJ in terms of location?
The transition wasn’t really hard. The hardest part is still being super close to friends back home. Weather-wise, I prefer the cold to the heat. It also only snows once or twice a year so it’s not that bad.
Can you describe the level of safety you’ve experienced on and around campus?
It’s very safe. I leave my laptop wherever in the library if I want to go get coffee. We also have university safety officers who are always around to make sure we’re okay.

Social Opportunities

What kind of weekend activities or nightlife do you like to participate in?
I like going to The Street where all of the eating clubs are, which is basically our version of Greek row. I just bickered the eating club I want to be in, which is exactly like rushing a fraternity. They throw the parties, and if you’re a member you eat all of your meals there. I also hang out with my friends in common rooms and lounges where you can watch movies and do normal college things.
There are three types of parties: PUID, Pass, or List. One is where you just show your student ID and you get in if it’s an open night. Most of the bigger clubs will either be pass or list. If it’s pass, each member gets two cards they can give to underclassmen for the party that night. If it’s a list, you have to have your name on the list to get in.
How has identifying as LGBT influenced your nightlife experience? Are there any LGBT nightlife options that you like to go to?
There’s a specific eating club that has a lot of Queer people. They fly a rainbow flag, but it’s nothing defined. It’s just word of mouth. Identifying as gay affected me way more at home than here. It really doesn’t matter here. The gay community at Princeton is really small, so the dating pool can get weird.
What’s an alternative to going to a party or a bar that you like for a night out?
There are a ton. The university holds a lot of alcohol-free nights. If you don’t want to go to a party you can just hang out with friends. The local movie theater will have free movie nights sometimes for students. I’ve gone to a couple of open mic nights the residence halls put on and I’ve gone to a dance show.
How happy are you with the weekend options at Princeton? Is there anything you would change about them if you could?
I’m pretty happy with them. I don’t go out as much and I’ve gotten a little tired of it. The experience of going to The Street is pretty standard, and you pretty much have the same experience every night. I wish people would chill a little more. It’s less common to just hang out and watch a movie.

Campus Culture

How did you meet your closest friends?
I had a really tight group of friends in my residence college during my freshman year. Princeton also sends us on orientation retreats before schools start, so you meet friends there. There are lots of Princeton-generated friendships.
How would you describe the overall social scene at Princeton?
It’s fine and there are people for everyone. It’s just small, so the chance of finding a super cool group of people is lower. I’ve never found anyone who is completely lost socially. Also, the people Princeton accepts are just super interesting.
To what extent do people of different races and sexual orientations mix socially?
Our friend group is pretty diverse, I’d say. I think people mix, but don’t consider race or sexual orientation as much when making friends. Affinity groups are a huge thing on campus. There are organized groups of people like the Black Student Union and some demographics self-separate. [The undergraduate population is 44% White, 12% Hispanic, 9% Black, 25% Asian, and 5% multiracial.]
How would you describe the LGBTQ community on campus? How strong is it?
It’s great compared to where I came from. Coming here and meeting other gay or transgender people has been super great. Everyone is super positive and I’ve never felt uncomfortable about expressing the way I am here. It can get a little toxic with such a small community who are all trying to date each other, but overall, it’s very positive.
How do you like the size of Princeton in terms of undergraduate enrollment? How has it impacted your experience? [There are about 5,300 students at Princeton.]
I think it’s the perfect sized school for me. I feel like I see a friendly face every time I walk to class, which is really nice. I love the proportion of undergraduate to graduate students. There are so many undergraduates with few graduate students, so when you get older and need money for research or resources for a club, it’s accessible.

Careers

Has the alumni network helped you find internships or jobs?
I’ve reached out to a lot of alumni for research opportunities and they’re all responsive. I think the alumni connections are one of the most important things about a Princeton degree. In my acapella group, alumni are also super helpful when finding gigs.
Have you learned any computer programs or computer languages that will be helpful professionally?
I’ve become a lot better at Excel. I did a research project and we used Python a little bit.

Financial Aid

Have you used financial aid? If so, how accommodating was the office to your needs?
We’ve dealt with them a little, but they’re super responsive.