Welcome to the Freshman Seminar Program!
During your four years at Princeton you will discover new ideas, new fields of knowledge, and the adventure of learning. There is perhaps no better way to begin your journey at Princeton than by taking a freshman seminar. Open only to members of the first-year class, the program is designed to provide students an early opportunity to experience the excitement of working closely with an instructor and a small group of fellow students on a topic of special interest. As you will see in our roster of seminar offerings, the variety of topics and faculty members involved in this program is truly extraordinary. Indeed, many of our students subsequently identify their freshman seminar as one of their most enjoyable and meaningful academic experiences at Princeton — one that enabled them to discover new intellectual passions and form enduring relationships with faculty members and fellow students.
Using our application portal, list and submit those choices before the period ends. You may revisit the application portal in order to change your preferences as many times as necessary until the deadline. Please note: Freshman seminars applications are NOT processed on a first-come first-served basis. All applications are processed after the deadline.
Students at P-rade on a motorcycle that they built in FRS 106 taught by Michael Littman, Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
FRS 138 Science, Society and Dinner. Students with Chef Craig Shelton.
Professor Robert Socolow with his FRS 151 students and Physics Nobel Prize winner Syukuro Manabe
FRS 149 Ethics in Finance. Students with Professor JC de Swaan in NYC
Student Testimonials
Professor Littman is absolutely amazing! He brought together a group of participants from various concentrations, many of which were not BSE, and helped them to understand basic principles of engineering, motorcycle design, and the philosophy behind both. He encouraged student participation through the use of roles such as scribe, photographer, and hands–on assembly and disassembly groups.
*****
Professor Anderson's kindness and willingness to challenge us really made a difference in this course, helping me grow as a reader and discuss topics important to me. I was able to digest difficult texts and draw concepts about life out of them.
*****
Professor Edward's seminar is a phenomenal class, and it truly shifted how I approach choosing and engaging in classes. It is probably the most influential class I have taken at Princeton.
*****
Professor Fellbaum did a great job in covering a topic that is so complex in such a clear and organized manner.Looking back, I realize just how in–depth and how much content we covered, and how much more I know about this field.
*****
Professor Gmachl is so passionate about what she does. She is thoughtful, patient, and kind. Though some of the presentations were quite technical, the professor answered questions without judgment and sought to make everything as clear as possible. I now can talk about quantum entanglement, the Manhattan project, and even quantum gates without sounding like a moron (no small feat coming from a humanities student!)!
****
Faculty Testimonials
It was a wonderful semester, with the students engaged from the very first through to the very end.
*****
I enjoyed leading this freshman seminar in seeing how these fifteen first-year students gained confidence over the semester in their class discussions, presentation, and writings. It was also rewarding to witness their transition from high school to college learning in Princeton.
*****
I could not be happier with how this seminar turned out! Throughout the semester, we were able to get out and make observations locally in Prospect Gardens, were visited by Peter and Rosemary Grant, generated museum-quality insect collections, and visited the lions and tigers of Six Flags Safari.
*****