The Writing Requirement
Undergraduates at Princeton are expected to develop the ability to reason effectively in writing. Toward this end, all students must fulfill the University writing requirement by taking a writing seminar of 12 students in the freshman year.
Writing seminars have a common goal—for students, through practice and guidance, to master essential strategies and techniques of college-level inquiry and argument. In addition to writing frequently and completing four major assignments of increasing complexity, students receive intensive instruction in academic writing, submit drafts for review, and attend one-on-one conferences with the instructor.
While writing seminars focus on the skills necessary for effective critical reading and writing, they differ in the topics and texts assigned. Students select their seminar based on their interests.