History and traditions
Founded in 1746 as the College of New Jersey, it was the fourth college established in British North America.
The college was officially renamed Princeton University in 1896.
For its first 150 years, the university was known as the College of New Jersey.
The famous Cane Spree is an annual fall competition where freshmen and sophomores compete to gain control of a cane.
Princeton’s campus has been the setting for over a dozen films, including A Beautiful Mind, Transformers, and Admission.
The university has ties to the Institute for Advanced Study, where Albert Einstein was a lifelong member.
The university was named for the town of Princeton, which in turn was named Prince-Town in honor of Prince William of Orange and Nassau.
In 1756, the entire college was housed within Nassau Hall, which was the largest academic building in the colonies at the time.
Nassau Hall briefly served as the capital of the United States in 1783, when the Continental Congress met there.
Campus and life
10. The campus spans 500 acres and has been named one of the most beautiful in the U.S. by Travel and Leisure.
11. 98% of undergraduate students live on campus.
12. There are 11 eating clubs on Prospect Avenue, which serve as the social hub for many upperclassmen. Some are selective, while others use a lottery system.
13. The university offers over 400 international internship opportunities.
14. The student-to-faculty ratio is an impressive 5:1.
15. The Princeton University Art Museum holds 72,000 objects in its collection, including Chinese art and photography.
16. The university is located about 50 miles from New York City.
17. The residential college system is a tradition shared with other Ivy League schools like Harvard and Yale.
Notable connections
18. Charles "Pete" Conrad, a 1953 alumnus and NASA astronaut, took a Princeton flag with him to the moon in 1969.
19. Two U.S. presidents, James Madison and Woodrow Wilson, are Princeton alumni. Wilson also served as the university's president.
20. Albert Einstein was a guest lecturer and member of the nearby Institute for Advanced Study.
21. The university has strong ties to the Institute for Advanced Study.
22. The university has 42 doctoral programs and departments.
23. The school's athletes have won 204 national championships.
24. Princeton is the alma mater of numerous famous figures, including F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jeff Bezos, and Michelle Obama.
25. The mascot is the tiger, a tradition that dates back to the mid-19th century.
Trivia
26. The university's official colors are black and orange.
27. The university has a partnership with the Westminster Choir College of Rider University.
28. The university is a popular destination for visitors, who are drawn to its beautiful campus and robust town center.
29. Princeton has a strong alumni network, with active chapters across the globe.
30. The Ivy League boasts an impressive 5:1 student to faculty ratio. 75.177.129.72 (talk) 18:15, 31 October 2025 (UTC)
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