HarlemLive visited Princeton University in Princeton N.J. earlier this spring. We were accompanied by some students from Central Park East Secondary School (C.P.E.S.S.), and students from Timothy Christian school in New Jersey. The trip was enjoyed by all. Some students were so pleased by the presentations, they decided to apply to Princeton in the fall. Two of the attendees responded to the trip:

The trip to Princeton University was really good. I enjoyed myself as well as learned the way the college was and the things it can offer to an incoming student. The campus is really quiet and nice. I would consider applying to Princeton because it seems like a nice environment. There are a lot of trees around and it's like a small town, which makes it easy to work well. I really enjoyed the tour and the talk with the students from the school.

The only thing that I really didn't like were the classes. They were not interesting, which made it hard for me to concentrate and understand what the teacher was talking about. Most of the teachers just talked and talked. The students just sat in their seats and took notes on what the teacher was talking about, without any discussion.

Overall, I really enjoyed the tour and talking with college students. Next time I would like to stay over night in a dorm room at Princeton. I have already stayed in a dorm at another college, so I would like to compare the two. I really liked the trip and I would recommend that other students take time and visit a college or university. It is important that students understand you can learn a lot from just one visit. Visiting a college gives one a chance to see what college life is like and to see the kinds of things available for college students on that campus. They would also see that college is different from high school and they would see the ways it was different. If there was another college trip I would go because the Princeton University excursion motivated me to look closely at colleges and what they have to offer me. I think I made the right decision to go on the Princeton University trip.

From the eating clubs that line Prospect Ave, to the tangy pizza we ate at the Third World Center, I was in love with Princeton University. As we walked through the campus with it's perfectly manicured lawns and old world architecture, I saw myself among the busy mass of students.

The tour we got from our student hosts-who were mostly African American-helped to extinguish my earlier thought that going to a predominantly white school would diminish my connection to my culture. These blacks made P.U. seem more attainable. One host was from my neighborhood. Seeing her interact with other students who stereotypically represent the Ivy League was the best part of my visit.

Other highlights from the trip were seeing Toni Morrison's window and standing in the arch where Einstein walked to his classes. The later was a privilege for me, especially, as I have always admired Einstein and his genius. The most significant part of my visit however, was conversating with my student host at night. She gave me an inside perspective on the work, learning environment, and college life in general. Another high point was when my host took me to her acapella group's rehearsal. It was at least 11:00 p.m., and as we walked, the campus very quiet; it seemed that everyone had gone to bed. Yet when we got to the dormitory, where the rehearsal was held, I could see that no one was winding down or turning in for the night. There was a group of young men, all with TI 83's (calculators) having a heated discussion. I heard a band playing in the basement. Other students were talking in a corner area designing fliers for a national event and there were more than acapella groups meeting that night. Basically, I saw that everyone was very busy-definetly a change from high school.

Overall, my visit was exciting and successful. I plan to apply next Fall.