Data

Inside Princeton’s Free Food listserv

There’s nothing college students love more than free food — and a lot of it. We analyzed the Free Food listserv to uncover when, where, and what kind of food Princeton students are giving out.

There’s nothing college students love more than free food — and a lot of it. We analyzed the Free Food listserv to uncover when, where, and what kind of food Princeton students are giving out.

Course selection adapts to larger student body, but some departments remain overenrolled

With the largest first-year class on record, the percentage of occupied course seats remained consistent with past years. However, enrollment in freshman seminars soared and courses offered by the Lewis Center for the Arts remained difficult to get into.

With the largest first-year class on record, the percentage of occupied course seats remained consistent with past years. However, enrollment in freshman seminars soared and courses offered by the Lewis Center for the Arts remained difficult to get into.

The Class of 2026, by the numbers: Our annual frosh survey

Over 20 percent of frosh survey respondents reported cheating at some point in high school; just 8.2 percent intend to study the humanities; and 43.3 percent have had COVID-19. The ‘Prince’ analyzed 136,000 data points and synthesized the story of the class of 2026.

Over 20 percent of frosh survey respondents reported cheating at some point in high school; just 8.2 percent in the humanities; and 43.3 percent have had COVID-19. The ‘Prince’ analyzed 136,000 data points and synthesized the story of the class of 2026.

140 Years of Princeton History

At The Daily Princetonian, we’re used to focusing on the present — reporting on stories that unfold as we write. With this project, we took a step back and immersed ourselves in our print archives in the hope of better understanding the journey the ‘Prince’ and the University have been on over the past 140 years.

At The Daily Princetonian, we’re used to focusing on the present — reporting on stories that unfold as we write. With this project, we took a step back and immersed ourselves in our print archives in the hope of better understanding the journey the ‘Prince’ and the University have been on over the past 140 years.

Which concentrations are on the rise with the Class of 2024? We looked at the numbers.

After the concentration declaration period for A.B. sophomores ended last month, new departmental trends emerged for the Class of 2024. The ‘Prince’ analyzed these trends, which include consistent popularity for computer science and decreasing interest in the humanities and natural sciences. 

After the concentration declaration period for A.B. sophomores ended last month, new departmental trends emerged for the Class of 2024. The ‘Prince’ analyzed these trends, which include consistent popularity for computer science and decreasing interest in the humanities and natural sciences.  

The Class of 2022, by the numbers: Our inaugural senior survey

Thirty six percent of senior survey respondents reported violating the Honor Code at some point in their four years at Princeton; 69.6 percent reported having had sex; and 88.9 percent would again choose to attend Princeton if they could go back in time. The ‘Prince’ analyzed 60,000 data points and synthesized the story of the senior class.

Thirty six percent of senior survey respondents reported violating the Honor Code at some point in their four years at Princeton; 69.6 percent reported having had sex; and 88.9 percent would again choose to attend Princeton if they could go back in time. The ‘Prince’ analyzed 60,000 data points and synthesized the senior class.

Here’s a look at course availability in Princeton’s most popular departments

The Registrar’s office released course offerings for the upcoming fall semester, and the ‘Prince’ data analysis shows that the University will offer 31,852 seats in 953 classes. Our analysis also includes a breakdown of courses by distribution requirement and class size.

The Registrar’s office released course offerings for the upcoming fall semester, and the ‘Prince’ data analysis shows that the University will offer 31,852 seats in 953 classes. Our analysis also includes a breakdown of courses by distribution requirement and class size.

Why do athletes choose social sciences over STEM? We looked at the numbers.

Data analysis indicates that student-athletes are overrepresented in social science programs. 57.8 percent of current upperclass athletes study within the discipline, while only 15.8 percent concentrate in the natural sciences.

Data analysis indicates that student-athletes are overrepresented in social science programs. 57.8 percent of current upperclass athletes study within the discipline, while only 15.8 percent concentrate in the natural sciences.

We analyzed room draw; over 50% of available housing will be next to construction

When considering all locations that are assessed to be “construction adjacent,” 59.2 percent of available rooms and 59.1 percent of available beds will be next to a campus renovation project. This year will be the first under the University’s plan to fully implement a four-year residential college system.

When considering all locations that are assessed to be “construction adjacent,” 59.2 percent of available rooms and 59.1 percent of available beds will be next to a campus renovation project. This year will be the first under the University’s plan to fully implement a four-year residential college system, allowing upperclass students to live in residential college housing without purchasing a University meal plan. 

1 in 4 Princeton undergraduates tested positive for COVID-19 in 2022. Here’s a look at the numbers.

The caseload for undergraduates — as reported by Princeton’s COVID-19 Dashboard — has reached staggering figures after multiple sharp outbreaks, while the cases from other campus communities have increased slowly.  

The caseload for undergraduates — as reported by Princeton’s COVID-19 Dashboard — has reached staggering figures after multiple sharp outbreaks, while the cases from other campus communities have increased slowly. 

We looked at trends in financial aid across the Ivy League. Here’s what we found.

While the total cost of attending college has increased across the Ivy League, financial aid packages have grown even more quickly. In 2020, 66 percent of Princeton undergraduates applied for financial aid, and the University’s average aid grant covered 86 percent of total costs.

While the total cost of attending college has increased across the Ivy League, financial aid packages have grown even more quickly. In 2020, 66 percent of Princeton undergraduates applied for financial aid, and the University’s average aid grant covered 86 percent of total costs.

After a year of low enrollment, Princeton sees a spike in competition for seats in classes

After an academic year with unusually low undergraduate enrollment at Princeton amid the COVID-19 pandemic, students faced a course registration cycle starkly more competitive than the previous year. The heightened academic selectivity brought an array of challenges for students, especially for those concentrating in or pursuing certificates in popular departments and programs.

After an academic year with unusually low undergraduate enrollment at Princeton amid the COVID-19 pandemic, students faced a course registration cycle starkly more competitive than the previous year. The heightened academic selectivity brought an array of challenges for students, especially for those concentrating in or pursuing certificates in popular departments and programs.

We looked at waitlist acceptance rates for Princeton and seven highly selective schools. Here’s what we found.

Waitlist acceptance rates have varied greatly at the University and many of its peer institutions in recent years. In the last five years alone, Princeton has admitted as many as 101 students from their waitlist and as few as zero.

Waitlist acceptance rates have varied greatly at the University and many of its peer institutions in recent years. In the last five years alone, Princeton has admitted as many as 101 students from their waitlist and as few as zero.

We surveyed the Class of 2025: Here’s what we found

56.3 percent of respondents don’t drink coffee regularly, but 4.4 percent have tried psychedelics.

Inside Princeton’s vaccine clinics: The data on shots administered, and who received them

In a total of 21 vaccine clinics held between April 29 and July 7, 2021, the University administered 7,930 doses of the Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

In a total of 21 vaccine clinics held between April 29 and July 7, 2021, the University administered 7,930 doses of the Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

We asked the Class of 2024 about sex, politics, and income. Here’s what we found.


737 students. 140 charts. 70,000 pieces of data. Dive into our first-ever Princeton Frosh Survey.

ACLU attorney speaks on NSA: 'The Fourth Amendment in the Era of Mass Dataveillance'

The government’s mass call tracking program violates fundamental civil liberties and rights to privacy, Catherine Crump, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union’s Speech, Privacy and Technology Project argued in a lecture on Thursday. Crump began the lecture with a simple question: “How many of you have cell phones?” Virtually every hand in the room shot up. “It used to be practically impossible for the government to track you without expending tremendous resources,” Crump added.

Data department targets voters, helped communicate Obama's 2012 campaign message

Data processing played a pivotal role in the Obama campaign’s ability to target and persuade potential voters in the 2012 election, former campaign data director Ethan Roeder argued in a lecture on Thursday evening. Roeder, who served as data director for both the 2008 and 2012 Obama presidential campaigns, explained that his department pioneered the use of vast data collection operations to aggregate open-source information about voters’ preferences so that they could be approached and persuaded by volunteers. Using polling data, consumer data and open voter files the data department created models to predict how likely voters were to vote for Obama or be persuaded to support or volunteer for the campaign. “It’s stunning to me how relatively simple data can give us such an edge in predicting where people are at in terms of voting,” he said. Open voter files in the United States contain simple information like voters’ names, addresses, ages, genders, voting histories, party affiliations, and racial backgrounds.