Bright students always seek to attend the best schools. So, your bid to decide between Princeton and Harvard is understood.
Which school do you think is better, Harvard vs Princeton? Well, that’s a rhetorical question, as we’ll help you find the answer in this article.
The Harvard vs Princeton argument has been ongoing for ages. We aren’t surprised this generation has joined this tussle for the best.
Admittedly, the schools have a larger-than-life reputation, reflecting their acceptance rate. Oldest universities in the UK. They are also the oldest and fourth-oldest universities in the United States.
As a result, this article will discuss both schools, their similarities, and which is easier to get into. These will form the basics of this Princeton vs Harvard debate.
Harvard Vs Princeton- Why Study
Why Study at Harvard
When it comes to juxtaposing the best with another best, it becomes a hassle of instincts. You don’t have to make a choice by gut-feeling when there can be exact data to help curb the headache.
So, here’s a little background about Harvard University that may convince you to attend Harvard over Princeton.
Harvard is the oldest university in the United States. It is a private Ivy League research school founded in 1636. The name Harvard is from its first benefactor, John Harvard.
Furthermore, Harvard has 10 academic faculties, including the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study.
The Arts and Sciences faculty offers students programs in both undergraduate and graduate studies while other faculties only offer graduate degrees, especially for professionals.
Study with over 20,000-degree students and join the league of more than 360,000 alumni around the world.
Additionally, Harvard has three main campuses: Cambridge, Boston, and Massachusetts.
Students who wish to learn and research beyond the boundaries of human knowledge should apply to Harvard. These students will experience unparalleled education, plus generous financial support. More than $160 million are awarded to more than 60% of undergraduate students.
Why Study at Princeton University
Princeton University is the fourth-oldest institution in the United States. It is a private Ivy League research university founded in 1746 in Princeton, New Jersey.
Before we on, it is worthy of mention that Princeton has an advantage over Harvard in its number of research citations per faculty member. Harvard comes 9th in this ranking while Princeton comes 5th.
The website describes Princeton University as a vibrant community of scholarships. This is evident in their scholarships, which offer 61% of undergraduate students financial aids.
Princeton provides undergraduate and graduate humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering programs.
Similarly, the university also offers professional degrees through the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, the School of Engineering and Applied Science, the School of Architecture, and the Bendheim Center for Finance.
There is also a Department of Energy’s Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory.
Princeton has six undergraduate residential colleges, each housing approximately 500 students and a few resident advisers.
Again, students of Princeton are groomed to grow as thinkers by learning from the world-best teachers.
Princeton Vs Harvard – Acceptance Rate
Princeton University is a very selective university with an acceptance rate of 5.8%. Also, it has an early acceptance rate of 13.9%
It shows that roughly 6% of those who apply to Princeton are granted admission. It typically has the lowest acceptance rate in New Jersey.
According to the 2020 admission profile, the total number of applicants was 32,835. Only 1,848 were admitted and 1,155 enrolled.
Harvard University on the other hand has an acceptance rate of 4.8%.
Admission at Harvard is extremely competitive. Only 5% of those who apply are granted admission to Harvard.
From the 2020 admissions, 40,248 students tendered an application, and 2,015 were admitted. 34 students out of this were admitted from the waiting list.
Read up: 15 Top PA Schools With High Acceptance Rates In 2024
What is the Tuition at Harvard and Princeton University?
The total 2020-2024 cost of attending Harvard College is $49,653 for tuition fees and $72,391 for tuition, room, board, and fees combined. This is the total tuition without financial aid.
Similarly, Princeton University’s attendance cost for the 2020-21 academic session was $75,210. The tuition fee is $53,890, the board rate is $7,340, and an estimated miscellaneous expense of $3,500.
What are Princeton Vs Harvard Academics?
At Princeton, students don’t apply directly to a program or a department, they apply to the university itself.
After admission, they can choose from the 37 concentrations and 55 interdepartmental certificate programs.
There are two career paths for undergraduate students: Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) and Bachelor of Science in Engineering (B.S.E). Before, moving on to the majors, undergraduates must fulfill general education that includes writing and foreign language.
Some of the popular majors at Princeton include computer science, economics, political science, biology, and many others.
It’s one of few institutions to offer an undergraduate creative writing program.
Alternatively, Harvard College just began the general education requirements in 2019. As a result, students must take courses across four areas: Aesthetics and Culture, Ethics and Civics, Histories, Societies, Individuals, and Science and Technology in Society.
At Harvard, students choose their majors right from their sophomore year although there is still a provision for change of majors. And approximately a third of students end up changing their concentrations.
There are 50 fields of study, and the popular majors include history, computer science, psychology, public health, and economics.
One of the features which make Harvard distinct is the “special concentration” option. This basically creates a degree plan that addresses a uniquely challenging academic goal.
Read Also:
Harvard University Acceptance Rate in 2024 –
Admission Requirements for Princeton University and Harvard University
In this section, we will list the general admission requirements for Harvard University and Princeton University.
This will give you a glimpse of the information required before admission is granted. In the same vein, if you do not meet the requirements, we will advise you not to apply for admission.
These top Ivy League schools accept only the best candidates, therefore, there is no room for B students. If you are an undergraduate, consider re-applying during your postgraduate degree.
Harvard University
The admission requirements at Harvard University include the following:
- Apply through Common Application, the Universal College Application, and the Coalition Application.
- Standardized Test Scores are optional.
- Transcripts
- GPA of 3.0
Princeton University
The admission requirements at Princeton University include the following:
- A Completed Application. You must submit your application online through either the Coalition Application or Common Application.
- Submit the Princeton Supplement
- Two (2) Teacher Recommendations
- No standardized test for the 2024-22 application cycle.
- Mid-year School Report.
- Transcript.
Notable Alumni of Princeton University vs Harvard University
Harvard University
As of 2020, the alumni of Harvard University comprise 161 Nobel Prizes, 18 Fields Medals. This number is cannot be rivaled by any other university in the world.
They also have more alumni who have been members of the U.S. Congress, MacArthur Fellows, 375 Rhodes Scholars, and 255 Marshall Scholars than any other university in the United States.
Among the alumni network are eight U.S. presidents, 188 living billionaires, 14 Turing Award laureates who have been Harvard affiliates.
Lastly, students and alumni have also won 10 Academy Awards, 48 Pulitzer Prizes, and 108 Olympic medals (46 gold), and many have found notable companies.
Princeton University
The alumni club of Princeton University as of October 2020 comprises 69 Nobel laureates, 15 Fields Medalists, and 14 Turing Award laureates.
In addition, there are 21 National Medal of Science winners, 5 Abel Prize winners, 5 National Humanities Medal recipients, 215 Rhodes Scholars, 139 Gates Cambridge Scholars, and 137 Marshall Scholars.
Two U.S. Presidents, twelve U.S. Supreme Court Justice and numerous living billionaires, and foreign heads of state are part of Princeton’s alumni body.
Princeton has also graduated many prominent members of the U.S. Congress and the U.S. Cabinet This includes eight Secretaries of State, three Secretaries of Defense, and the current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Princeton Vs Harvard – Course Outlook and Salary
Both Princeton and Harvard have an average starting salary of about $70,000.
After some years of employment, the median salary increases to $113,900 for Princeton and $136,700 for Harvard graduates.
Most of the students of both schools tend to choose a career path in business, finance, and banking. A whole lot also become entrepreneurs.
About 60% of Harvard graduates get a job within one year of graduation. 70% continue their education to graduate programs and 7% have accepted fellowship opportunities.
Which is Easier to Get into Between Princeton Vs Harvard?
Top on the list of Ivy League schools is Harvard and Princeton Universities. Harvard has consistently proved to be the toughest to get into, followed by Princeton.
When we make a comparison on their acceptance rates, Princeton University has a rate of 5.8% while Harvard has a rate of 5.8%. Harvard medical school has a more competitive acceptance rate.
Although Harvard is a bit larger than Princeton, the student-to-faculty ratio is 6:1, and around 72% of classes have fewer than 20 students.
Similarly, at Princeton, the student-to-faculty ratio is 5:1, and about 74% of classes have fewer than 20 students.
Conclusively, Princeton is easier to get into than Harvard.
Read:
Princeton University: Admission, Tuition, Scholarships …
Financial Aid in Harvard vs. Princeton
The total tuition of Harvard College for 2020-2024 is $72,391, showing that Harvard doesn’t come cheap. Although this is the case, Harvard is committed to meeting 100% of demonstrated financial needs for all four years. Twenty percent of students pay nothing, and more than 50% receive financial aid.
Princeton University also doesn’t come cheap at $71,960 total fees. However, approximately 61% of students receive financial aid. Princeton’s website notes that the average grant for the Class of 2024 was $56,500, covering the entire cost of tuition.
Moreover, 100% of families earning below $180,000 were entitled to financial aid for the Class of 2024.
Both schools are known for their extremely generous financial aid policies. They are no-loan, need-blind, and meet full financial needs. This means that students don’t have to repay their financial aid awards.
Also, even students’ ability to pay for tuition does not impact admissions decisions. Lastly, financial aid covers 100% of the difference between your family contribution and the cost of attendance.
It is important to note that neither Princeton nor Harvard awards merit scholarships. Their awards are for need-based students.
Also, any scholarship you receive from other organizations will be factored in and may lower the need-based aid you receive from your college.
Read this for the full Harvard Scholarships List for International & African students.
How to Decide Between Princeton and Harvard
Harvard and Princeton are considered the cream of the crop regarding colleges. They also have outstanding reputations.
You cannot choose a school to spend four years of your life by prestige alone. There are other factors to determine this.
If you’re admitted to both Princeton and Harvard, congratulations! After this, you’ll need to decide on the school to attend.
If you prefer a larger campus and urban environment, Harvard is the better option. On the other hand, if you’d rather have a less busy feel, Princeton is your choice.
When it comes to majors and career paths, creative-minded people may appreciate Princeton’s creative writing program, while Harvard’s strong business and pre-med tracks will likely appeal to students who intended to pursue careers in these fields.
For earning potential, both schools offer high earning power.
FAQS on Harvard vs Princeton University
The best Ivy League school in 2024 is Harvard, followed by Princeton and Yale based on this ranking method. The most notable change in rankings compared to last year is Columbia dropping below Princeton, U Penn, and Yale.
Princeton, which is consistently ranked among the world’s top 10 universities, is renowned for its campus’ park-like beauty as well as some of its landmark buildings, designed by some of America’s most well-known architects.
Conclusion
Harvard University and Princeton University are the two top Ivy League Universities. There has been a constant debate as regards the better school between Harvard and Princeton.
This article has been written to clear up this debate and give students some footing when deciding the school to attend among them.
We have outlined some of the reasons to put an end to this Harvard vs Princeton debate.
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