# For Counselors

**Source**: https://admission.princeton.edu/apply/counselors
**Parent**: https://admission.princeton.edu/

For first-year and transfer applicants seeking to enroll in fall 2026 or fall 2027, Princeton remains test optional. Students who opt to apply to Princeton in the 2025-26 and 2026-27 cycles without an ACT or SAT score will not be at a disadvantage in our process. Princeton will return to requiring standardized testing for undergraduate admission beginning with the 2027-28 admission cycle. First-year and transfer applicants seeking to enroll in fall 2028 will need to submit either SAT or ACT scores.

[Statement on Testing Policy](https://admission.princeton.edu/apply/standardized-testing)

This important work gets done because of our partnership with you. You play a critical role in the development and decision-making process for your students. With your help, we can identify students who can thrive in and contribute to the Princeton community in a myriad of ways. 

- Karen Richardson '93, Dean of Admission and Financial Aid

## Experience Princeton

### What Sets Us Apart

### Our Mission

### Access and Inclusion

### Helping Your Students Apply to Princeton

#### Application Materials

Counselors will need to submit the following materials on behalf of students applying to Princeton:

1. Transcript. An official transcript must be sent by a school counselor or school official.
2. School Report (SR). The SR form is available Common Application website. Students should ask their school counselor or other school official to complete and submit the SR form.
3. Counselor Recommendation. Please note that the SR and the Counselor Recommendation are separate items. Students should “invite” their school counselor or academic adviser to complete both items. *We understand that not all schools send counselor letters along with the secondary school report. As such, we do not penalize applicants for school policy in the event a counselor recommendation is not submitted.*
4. Midyear School Report. Students should ask their school counselor or other school official to complete and submit this form when their midyear grades are available.

#### Information on Advanced Placement

We consider it a promising sign when students challenge themselves with advanced courses in high school. We understand that not all secondary schools offer the same range of advanced courses, but our strongest candidates have taken full advantage of the academic opportunities available to them in their high schools.

If your student is taking advanced or college-level courses in high school, they might be able to take advantage of Princeton's [Advanced Placement policy](https://advising.princeton.edu/placement/advanced-placement).

- Through this policy, your students may receive recognition for their previous advanced or college-level work.
- Advanced placement can be earned through both outside exams and internal placement tests.
- The policy allows your students to be placed in courses that match their level of preparation and, in some cases, may allow them to skip introductory courses and proceed to upper-division coursework.

|  |  |
| --- | --- |
| Helpful Links | |
| [Advanced Standing](https://odoc.princeton.edu/advancedplacement "Advanced Standing") | [Admission Statistics](https://admission.princeton.edu/how-apply/admission-statistics) |
| [Application Checklist](https://admission.princeton.edu/how-apply/application-checklist) | [Application Process](https://admission.princeton.edu/apply "Apply") |
| [Dates & Deadlines](https://admission.princeton.edu/apply/first-year-application-dates-deadlines "Application Dates & Deadlines") | [Graded Written Paper](https://admission.princeton.edu/apply/graded-written-paper "Graded Written Paper") |
| [International Applicants](https://admission.princeton.edu/how-apply/international-students) | [QuestBridge Applicants](https://admission.princeton.edu/apply/questbridge "QuestBridge") |
| [Transfer Applicants](https://admission.princeton.edu/how-apply/transfer-students) | [U.S. Military Applicants](https://admission.princeton.edu/how-apply/us-military-applicants) |

#### In the News

Explore the research, student life, and community milestones shaping Princeton University and the world.

- "[Princeton puts quantum computing on the fast track with new qubit](https://www.princeton.edu/news/2025/11/05/princeton-puts-quantum-computing-fast-track-new-qubit)"
- "[AI and the humanities: Across the Princeton campus, an era of collaboration is underway](https://www.princeton.edu/news/2026/02/23/ai-and-humanities-across-princeton-campus-era-collaboration-underway)"
- "[Seven faculty members win Sloan Research Fellowships for early-career researchers](https://www.princeton.edu/news/2026/02/17/seven-faculty-members-win-sloan-research-fellowships-early-career-researchers)"
- "[Princeton senior Brian Mhando awarded Gates Cambridge Scholarship](https://www.princeton.edu/news/2026/02/13/princeton-senior-brian-mhando-awarded-gates-cambridge-scholarship)"
- "[Two Princeton seniors and one Oxford student named Sachs Scholars](https://www.princeton.edu/news/2026/01/29/two-princeton-seniors-and-one-oxford-student-named-sachs-scholars)"
- "[Princeton paleontologist: Yes, tiny tyrannosaurs lived alongside T. rex](https://www.princeton.edu/news/2026/01/09/princeton-paleontologist-yes-tiny-tyrannosaurs-lived-alongside-t-rex)"
- "[Princeton University president and his take on free speech on campuses](https://www.audacy.com/stations/kcbsradio?action=AUTOPLAY_FULL&actionContentId=201-d69ddfa6-faec-4fe7-8c4f-8f34a89ae84c)" [KCBS Radio]

#### Fee Waivers

We want to make sure that Princeton is accessible to all candidates, regardless of their individual family’s financial situation. If your student is from a lower-income background, or if the application fee is a hardship for their family, and they are applying for financial aid, Princeton will waive their application fee. Additionally, we will waive the application fee for all candidates who are serving or have served in the U.S. military. Students may submit a fee waiver one of two ways:

1. Your student will select the fee waiver option the Common Application. You must approve your student's fee waiver request online or submit their fee waiver form by mail or fax.
2. Your student will select one of the following fee waiver options on the application: Princeton-specific, ACT, College Board, NACAC. All lower-income students are eligible for the Princeton-specific fee waiver. In addition, all applicants who are serving or have served in the U.S. military are eligible for the Princeton-specific fee waiver. If they use the Princeton-specific fee waiver, they do not need to get approval from you as their college counselor. Students named QuestBridge Finalists should select the QuestBridge fee waiver.

Upon submission of their application with the Princeton-specific Questions, the checklist in their Princeton Applicant Portal will reflect that their fee waiver has been granted. Please note that applying for a fee waiver will not disadvantage their application in any way.

#### Financial Aid

Princeton's [financial aid policy](https://admission.princeton.edu/cost-aid) is one of the most generous in the country. For lower- and middle-income students, Princeton is often more affordable than a state university. Most families with incomes up to $150,000 a year will now pay nothing for their student to attend Princeton, receiving aid to cover the total cost of attendance, including tuition, housing, food, books and personal expenses. Most undergraduate families with incomes up to $250,000 will pay no tuition. The average aid package for an undergraduate in 2025-26 is more than $80,000 and about two-thirds of students qualify for aid. Plus, every aid package relies on grants, which do not have to be repaid, rather than loans. Thanks to this no-loan policy, about 89% of recent seniors graduated without debt.

## Counselor Newsletters

### Fall 2025

### Spring 2024

### Fall 2023

## Connect With Us

If you would like a Princeton admission representative to attend a college fair, panel, workshop or other events, email fairs@princeton.edu to let us know.

[Sign Up For Our Counselor Newsletter](https://apply.princeton.edu/register/?id=09dffe3d-1415-4bf3-9683-96f2f249e892)
[Virtual Visit](https://admission.princeton.edu/visit-us)
[Meet the Admission Team](https://admission.princeton.edu/apply/counselors/meet-admission-team)
[@apply.princeton](https://www.instagram.com/accounts/login/?next=/apply.princeton/)
[Princeton Near You](https://admission.princeton.edu/visit-us/princeton-near-you)

### Connect With Us

If you would like a Princeton admission representative to attend a college fair, panel, workshop or other events, email fairs@princeton.edu to let us know.

[Sign Up For Our Counselor Newsletter](https://apply.princeton.edu/register/?id=09dffe3d-1415-4bf3-9683-96f2f249e892)
[Virtual Visit](https://admission.princeton.edu/visit-us)
[Meet the Admission Team](https://admission.princeton.edu/apply/counselors/meet-admission-team)
[@apply.princeton](https://www.instagram.com/accounts/login/?next=/apply.princeton/)
[Princeton Near You](https://admission.princeton.edu/visit-us/princeton-near-you)

## Academic Preparation

We offer a suggested course of study to help students prepare for Princeton. This is not a list of admission requirements. We understand that not all secondary schools offer the same academic opportunities, and we give full consideration to students who don’t have access to all of these courses.

[Recommended Course of Study](https://admission.princeton.edu/apply/before-you-apply)

### Academic Preparation

We offer a suggested course of study to help students prepare for Princeton. This is not a list of admission requirements. We understand that not all secondary schools offer the same academic opportunities, and we give full consideration to students who don’t have access to all of these courses.

[Recommended Course of Study](https://admission.princeton.edu/apply/before-you-apply)

### Faculty Profiles

Princeton's approximately 950 full-time faculty members are leaders in their fields who conduct disciplinary and interdisciplinary research that pushes back the frontiers of knowledge.

[Explore](https://admission.princeton.edu/academics/faculty-profiles)

### Request Info

For students interested in learning more about Princeton, we recommend they join our mailing list to receive emails and notifications about Princeton and admission-related information.

[Sign Up](https://apply.princeton.edu/register/inquire)

### Advanced Standing

Through Princeton’s AP policy, students may receive recognition for previous advanced or college-level work and, in some cases, may allow them to skip introductory courses.

[Review](https://odoc.princeton.edu/advancedplacement)