The Princeton Summer Journalism Program (PSJP) is a free, six-week residential journalism and college prep institute for high achieving high school juniors from low-income (under-resourced, underrepresented) backgrounds. Up to 40 students from across the country explore current events and world affairs through workshops and lectures led by Princeton professors, professional journalists, and alumni on campus. The summer program culminates in the publication of the Princeton Summer Journal, the student-produced newspaper. During their senior year, students are matched with a personal college adviser, who will work with them on their college admissions process.
Location(s)
- Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
Schedule
- Six weeks from late June to early August
Cost/Compensation
- No cost
Eligibility Requirements
- Student must be a junior in high school at the time of application.
- Student must live in the United States and intend to attend college here. Students living and attending school abroad, including U.S. citizens, will not be considered under any circumstances.
- Student must have a minimum unweighted grade point average equivalent to a 3.5 out of 4.0.
- Student must have an interest in journalism.
- Student must meet at least one of the socioeconomic conditions below:
- The combined income of your custodial parent(s)/guardian(s) plus child support payments, if any, must not exceed $60,000.
- You qualify for free or reduced-price lunch in your high school.
- You qualify for an SAT or ACT fee waiver.
- Students who will be first-generation college students are given priority consideration.
Deadline
- November of junior year
Application or Entry Requirements
Round 1 – November to February:
- Students complete an online application, which asks for details about academics and family finances
- Contact information for guidance counselors
- Unofficial high school transcript.
- Two short essay responses and one longer essay
Round 2 – March – April: PSJP will notify semi-finalists of their decisions in late March
- Official high school transcript
- Your parent/guardian's complete federal income-tax return for the calendar year or a signed statement by your parent(s)/guardian(s) saying that they do not file income tax returns, explaining why, and detailing sources and amounts of all income for the two previous years
- A recommendation letter from a teacher in a core academic subject. Only one recommendation is required.
- A high school profile from your guidance or college counselor.
- Samples of your writing from your high school newspaper or other publication (if you have them)
Round 3 – May: A select number of students will be chosen as finalists and invited to interview via video conference for the final round of the application process. More information will be provided to those students at that time.
Notifications of Decisions
- Late May
Financial Aid Details
Other Dates to Keep in Mind
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Princeton University is a globally recognized private Ivy League research university located in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746, it is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the nine colonial colleges chartered before the American Revolution. In addition to its leading undergraduate and graduate programs, Princeton is known for its Bendheim Center for Finance, School of Engineering and Applied Science, School of Architecture, and School of Public and International Affairs. Princeton has educated many prominent alumni, including U.S. Presidents Woodrow Wilson and John F. Kennedy, Michelle Obama, Jeff Bezos, Alan Turing, F. Scott Fitzgerald and numerous Nobel laureates and Rhodes Scholars. Princeton’s 600-acre campus includes landmarks such as the iconic Nassau Hall, which served as the capital of the United States for a brief period during the Revolutionary War.global
