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.
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