Opinion

For more socioeconomic diversity at Princeton, going test-optional is the wrong place to start

"Removing the SAT and ACT requirement is not the answer to increase socioeconomic diversity at Princeton. Standardized testing scores are the one objective admissions metric that is least biased towards wealthy students and is most helpful in identifying students who did not have the opportunity to take advanced coursework, participate in expensive activities, or enhance their application through attendance at prestigious high schools."

An image of Nassau Hall, Princeton's administrative center.

Why mandated majors at Princeton don't work

“Concentrations are far from necessary for a comprehensive academic experience at the University. From personal experience, despite enjoying many department courses as a Politics major, the majority of my most formative academic experiences came from classes in multiple other departments: Sociology, African American Studies, Computer Science, Journalism, and more.”

“Concentrations are far from necessary for a comprehensive academic experience at the University. From personal experience, despite enjoying many department courses as a Politics major, the majority of my most formative academic experiences came from classes in multiple other departments: Sociology, African American Studies, Computer Science, Journalism, and more.”

Success is more than whether you become a famous name

“The entire purpose of a Princeton education is to broaden and deepen your understanding of the world.”

Princeton should display more local art on campus

“This art isn’t mere decoration. It’s part of a conversation that unfolds across space and time, people and places — whether we’re aware of it or not.”

Princeton’s mindless pursuit of academic rigor undermines student flourishing

“We must embrace a paradigm shift in how we think about rigor at Princeton: how can we eliminate all hard things that provide low value for students so that they can instead push themselves in areas — academic or extracurricular — that matter most?”

“We must embrace a paradigm shift in how we think about rigor at Princeton: how can we eliminate all hard things that provide low value for students so that they can instead push themselves in areas — academic or extracurricular — that matter most?”

Introduction to Gender and Sexuality Studies should be a mandatory class

“GSS 201 not only taught me a lot about how to interact with people from different backgrounds and communities, but it also taught me how to reflect on newfound knowledge at the end of a course, which I have since translated into all of my courses at Princeton.”

“GSS 201 not only taught me a lot about how to interact with people from different backgrounds and communities, but it also taught me how to reflect on newfound knowledge at the end of a course, which I have since translated into all of my courses at Princeton.”

Israel and international law: Correcting the record

Thanks to Hamas, many of Gaza’s innocent will perish. This is a tragedy of the highest possible order. But the blame rests with Hamas — both as a matter of common sense and as a matter of “international law.”

Thanks to Hamas, many of Gaza’s innocent will perish. This is a tragedy of the highest possible order. But the blame rests with Hamas — both as a matter of common sense and as a matter of “international law.”

Letter to the Editor: I am the man who stood wrapped in an Israeli flag, and this is why

“This is the nature of the freedom of speech — the ability to talk, to protest — even if it is uncomfortable to some people. This is a sacred right, and for this reason it should have limits.”

"This is the nature of the freedom of speech, the ability to talk, to protest, even if it is uncomfortable to some people. This is a sacred right, and for this reason it should have limits."

In a time of war, don’t post what you won’t perpetrate

“War is not simple, nor is it something most of us are ever going to participate in. We must not simplify it whilst we sit in privileged safety.”

Letter to the Editor: Don’t moo-ve on from beef

There exists a false dichotomy between protecting the climate and eating meat. This, beyond being untrue, misdirects our concern to what we are eating as opposed to what matters: how it is produced.

A group of cows graze in a green field under a blue sky.

Jewish students at Princeton: your life is resistance

Throughout Princeton’s history, Jewish students and their allies have encountered and will continue to face challenges similar to those of this week. It is essential to remain steadfast in your beliefs and well-deserved presence in the world, just as I and so many others have before you.

Throughout Princeton’s history, Jewish students and their allies have encountered and will continue to face challenges similar to those of this week. It is essential to remain steadfast in your beliefs and well-deserved presence in the world, just as I and so many others have before you.

The class council candidates are anonymous. Make them debate.

"Despite numerous posters around campus and various social media posts promoting the candidates, a randomly selected first-year would be unlikely to know the candidates’ names."

Despite numerous posters around campus and various social media posts promoting the candidates, a randomly selected first-year would be unlikely to know the candidates’ names.

Princeton’s statement on Hamas stands in stark contrast with Ivy League peers’

Princeton’s proactive, morally unambiguous response focused on compassion and education in the service of humanity, a stark contrast to those of peer institutions. 

Princeton’s proactive, morally unambiguous response, focused on compassion and education in the service of humanity, constituted a stark contrast to those of peer institutions. 

Applying early to Princeton shouldn’t be a risk. Ditch restrictive early action.

Applying to Princeton early has become a privileged pathway, rewarding those with enough resources to take an application risk and shutting out those who want or need the security that Princeton’s ultra-competitive process can’t offer.

Applying to Princeton early has become a privileged pathway, rewarding those with enough resources to take an application risk and shutting out those who want or need the security that Princeton’s ultra-competitive process can’t offer.

PGSU: ORFE students’ experiences demonstrate need for a union

“We do not need to wait for a change of heart from our departments or the Graduate School to create better research conditions for graduate students. We and many other graduate students are seeking legal protection and representation by forming a union.”

"We do not need to wait for a change of heart from our departments or the Graduate School to create better research conditions for graduate students. We and many other graduate students are seeking legal protection and representation by forming a union."

Princeton and the massacre in Palestine: the danger of selective empathy

“I urge the wider campus community to acknowledge the Israeli government’s extermination of Palestinians as a reprehensible violation of human rights and hold the administration accountable for failing to do so.”

"I urge the wider campus community to acknowledge the Israeli government’s extermination of Palestinians as a reprehensible violation of human rights and hold the administration accountable for failing to do so."

Beauty in bureaucracy: the argument for an expanded administration

“There are more people to hear our complaints and suggestions, and a greater number of pathways for student voices to travel all the way up to the desks of the people who can address our concerns”

"There are more people to hear our complaints and suggestions, and a greater number of pathways for student voices to travel all the way up to the desks of the people who can address our concerns"

Statement of support for Dean Amaney Jamal from SPIA students and alumni

As current and former students from SPIA, we will not entertain the baseless and Islamophobic accusations leveled against Dean Amaney Jamal which deliberately ignore her clear, expressed stance on this issue. Dean Jamal has our full support as a professor and administrator, and her humanity is not up for debate. 

As current and former students from SPIA, we will not entertain the baseless and Islamophobic accusations leveled against Dean Amaney Jamal which deliberately ignore her clear, expressed stance on this issue. Dean Jamal has our full support as a professor and administrator, and her humanity is not up for debate. 

Letter to the Editor: Equality of ends is not a worthy goal

But even the project of trying to make Princeton students more “humble” insinuates an agenda of equal ends, which under the most charitable reading, is an outlandish impossibility. At worst, it is poisonous.

But even the project of trying to make Princeton students more “humble” insinuates an agenda of equal ends, which under the most charitable reading, is an outlandish impossibility. At worst, it is poisonous.

The law limits Israel’s response to Hamas

"There may be no situation anywhere that elicits more discord and debate on the Princeton campus than the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Finding a political solution has proven extraordinarily difficult. But we should all be able to agree on the importance of both sides respecting IHL."

There may be no situation anywhere that elicits more discord and debate on the Princeton campus than the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Finding a political solution has proven extraordinarily difficult. But we should all be able to agree on the importance of both sides respecting IHL.