Chartered in 1746, Princeton is the country's fourth-oldest university. In 1756 the college relocated to Nassau Hall, which housed the entire college for nearly half a century. One of the largest buildings in the colonies, Nassau Hall played an important part in America's early history, surviving bombardment and occupation by the British during the American Revolution and serving as the home of the Continental Congress in 1783. Coeducational since 1969 (women comprised 47 percent or more of the incoming freshman class in recent years), Princeton enrolls about 6,342 students (4,524 undergraduates and 1,818 graduate students). Coming from all 50 states and from more than 70 foreign countries, Princeton students are an unusually talented and diverse group that represents many economic, ethnic, social, cultural and religious backgrounds. Minority students make up about 32% of the freshman class.
Students are apt to choose Princeton for the strength of its academic program, its relatively small size combined with the resources of a major research university and personal attention its undergraduates enjoy. Men and women who seek a quality education in the liberal arts, architecture, engineering or public and international affairs will discover that Princeton has much to offer. Princeton provides an abundance of extraordinary resources, including a library system that holds almost five million books and almost 35,000 current journals and periodicals -- nearly all on accessible open-stack shelving; and art museum that exhibits works from its own and other outstanding collections, complementing courses in art and archaeology; a natural history museum; a computing center and clusters of microcomputers throughout campus; and outstanding recreational and athletic facilities.
Beyond the University's historic campus is the town of Princeton, a community of 30,000 people and the home of the Institute for Advanced Study (where Einstein spent the last 22 years of his life), the Princeton Theological Seminary and Westminster Choir College.
The outstanding teachers and scholars on Princeton's faculty have a profound effect on the quality of undergraduate education. They include men and women who are renowned throughout the world for their scholarship and accomplishments, and they are uncommonly accessible to undergraduates. Princeton's faculty members are as diverse as its students. They include architects, poets, engineers, theologians, historians, artists, astronomers, biologists, and writers, all of whom share an eagerness to help students learn. It is almost impossible to graduate from Princeton without forming a close working relationship with at least one faculty member.
There are 70,790 living Princeton alumni, including approximately 11,000 women and 17,500 Graduate School alumni. Princeton graduates live in all 50 states and more than 115 foreign countries. In a typical year, some 6,000 to 8,000 volunteers work for Princeton in class and regional association activities, fund raising, programs in local schools, a job placement network and internship program and community service -- many in advisory and leadership roles, some as members of Princeton's board of trustees. Today, there are 150 Princeton alumni clubs and organizations throughout the world. The Alumni Association, to which all alumni belong, was established in 1826. It meets twice each year: Alumni Day and Reunions in June.
Two U.S. Presidents were Princetonians -- James Madison 1771 and Woodrow Wilson 1879.