1. Angel, Hollard, Toonna (Group 3)
2. A good study practice is studying in smaller increments of time as it improves long-term memory and retention.
3. To successfully master a subject, you should:
   1. Make time to study. You don’t want to start studying and be abruptly interrupted, so allot at most an hour of time to give yourself room for any mishaps/preparation.
   2. Find a suitable atmosphere to study—a nice quiet place to study such as your bedroom or a library.
   3. Separate yourself from all possible distractions. If you know you tend to look at your phone (or anything else) constantly, be sure to set it aside, so it doesn’t distract you.
   4. Gather everything you’ll need to be successful. This includes notes, homework, or even a small snack to keep you focused on your study session.
   5. Once you’re settled, set up a timer for 45 minutes and begin your study session. Be sure to take your time and not rush. Studying in smaller increments of time is more beneficial to your long-term memory than cramming information.
   6. Repeat this process once or twice a day until you master the subject. Avoid doing this process within 4 hours of your last study session, over the same subject. Feel free to study another subject utilizing the same process to reduce repetitiveness.

Summary

     Princeton University is one of the eight original Ivy League schools in the United States, which means it is one of the country’s most “sought-after” and prestigious institutions. To keep up this image, Princeton admires students who value their academic future and typically accept those with a grade point average of 3.9 or higher. Princeton makes it clear that ambitious students who are seeking top-of-the-line teaching should go here as they openly take pride in hiring the best of the best when it comes to professors.

Analysis

     When it comes to convincing students to attend their campus, Princeton University makes an effort to emphasize how dominant their teaching faculty is. In fact, if one were to visit the homepage of Princeton University’s website, they’d notice it says very little about the students’ achievements but, instead, highlights its reputable staff members. They accomplish this by utilizing an admirable yet comforting tone. For instance, as of March 2022, the top story on Princeton’s website is about a “full-time therapy dog” named Coach. According to the home page, Coach’s job is to make people feel better by allowing them to do things such as pet her, rub her belly or even shake her paw (Princeton University, 2022, Home Page). This warming synopsis serves a bigger purpose, however. By clicking on this story while you may learn a little more about Coach, it catches your attention enough to slyly allow Princeton University to then praise their University Health Services Department. They do so by claiming that they are “committed to continue caring for your healthcare needs” (Princeton University, 2022, University Health Services). This subconsciously makes an impression on the aspiring student that they ‘care’ and that the staff is highly invested in their student’s mental health.

        Although Princeton does not blatantly describe or say what type of students they are trying to attract, their commendable tone when it comes to promoting staff members is a deliberate attempt to attract their target audience. Another story that is being promoted heavily on Princeton’s home page is about two of their professors receiving the BBVA Frontiers of Knowledge Award. This award is handed out annually to professors who exemplify “fundamental contributions of scientific knowledge, technology, humanities, and artistic creation,” on a national level (OFA, 1). Princeton uses this achievement as a humblebrag that simultaneously praises the professors and shows off its high level of teaching compared to other universities. This leaves the aspiring student with the implication that they should go here if they’re seeking to learn from some of the “best professors in the nation,” as those are the only people who receive such awards (OFA, 1).

      However, if a student expects to get into Princeton University with any GPA, they’re mistaken. Princeton doesn’t openly report on one’s chances of getting into the university because it’d run away most students from even applying.  While the actual website does not say much about its academic requirements, one must keep in mind Princeton is an Ivy League school meaning it is incredibly competitive. In fact, Princeton is reported to have an acceptance rate of 5.6%, and any students who would like to go here are required to have a GPA as low as 3.89 (CollegeSimply). Therefore, while Princeton flaunts its professors and staff members religiously, it is such a notoriously prestigious school. Students usually do not look towards applying here unless they know they may have a chance. Their ideal student is painted out to be very studious and serious about their academic success, so they feel it is necessary to highlight their professors because this is what they’d want. This type of student would only enjoy the best for themselves by learning from the best.

Response

     If nothing was preventing me from doing so, I feel like I’d enjoy attending Princeton University. The amount of dedication they put into hiring the best of the best professors in all subjects really highlights how much they care about their students’ success. Furthermore, Princeton holds one of the highest graduation rates of Ivy League schools, with 97.3% of its students graduating as of 2021 (College Scorecard). I feel like most of the students here tend to graduate because they feel like they belong. Belonging, for me, is a big part of me being successful. Sometimes, when you’re around a group of people you can’t relate to, you may feel outcasted or uncomfortable, but that’d be difficult at Princeton. Considering Princeton takes tons of pride in its students when it comes to selecting them, I feel like there are such strict criteria which they’re looking for that it’d be hard not to fit in with others in some form or fashion. If I am surrounded by people who put in as much effort as me when it comes to school, I’d be comfortable doing what I’d have to get done outside of school before I partake in any other activities. Although I do not give in to peer pressure, even the tension of being pressured is enough for me to be uncomfortable with what I’m trying to achieve.

Works Cited

College Scorecard | Princeton University, College Scorecard, https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?186131-Princeton-University.

CollegeSimply. “Princeton University – Admission Requirements, SAT, ACT, GPA and Chance of Acceptance.” CollegeSimply, 2022, https://www.collegesimply.com/colleges/new-jersey/princeton-university/admission/.

OFA. “BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Awards 2022 for Scientific Research and Cultural Creation (400,000 Euros Prize).” Opportunities For Africans, 6 Jan. 2022, https://www.opportunitiesforafricans.com/bbva-foundation-frontiers-of-knowledge-awards-2022/#:~:text=By,2%20of%20these%20call%20conditions.

Princeton University, The Trustees of Princeton University, https://www.princeton.edu/.