The first thing that you will notice about the two undergraduate degrees offered by Princeton is that one, the A.B., is titled in Latin, standing for Artium Baccalaureus, or Bachelor of Arts. When founded in 1746, Princeton adopted the degrees used in British universities. The term “bachelor” comes from medieval Latin meaning a rustic person who was pretty low in the feudal hierarchy. Since applicants were required to demonstrate proficiency in Latin until 1930, it seemed reasonable to keep the name of their degree in its medieval form. Nonetheless, Latin had ceased to be used in everyday conversation at Princeton, so the Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree was titled in English when it was introduced in 1921.

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Welcome to Princeton and to the exciting intellectual possibilities that await you. With 36 concentrations (or majors), courses offered in nearly 100 subjects, and numerous ways to compliment your studies through interdepartmental certificates, international study, and special academic programs, navigating Princeton’s academic offerings can seem a little daunting at first. You may be asking...

Everybody needs advice sometime during college. In our “advising community” model, you will find several kinds of advisers—faculty, peer, and professional staff— ready to help out with everything from planning your courses to managing the inevitable periods of stress.

Your residential college dean and director of studies oversee your academic progress during all four years here. Don’t be shy about getting to know us: talk with us about your intellectual passions, ask us questions about coursework, and let us help you find appropriate...