Short answers, pulled from the story.
Princeton University was founded in 1746 by four Presbyterian ministers who had been expelled from the Synod of Philadelphia. These founders included Aaron Burr Sr. and Jonathan Dickinson, who gathered in Elizabeth, New Jersey, to establish the institution known initially as the College of New Jersey.
During the American Revolution, Nassau Hall served as the seat of the Continental Congress and the de facto capital of the United States for four months in 1783. The building also witnessed the Battle of Princeton in 1777 when British soldiers briefly occupied it before surrendering to General George Washington's forces.
Princeton University began admitting women in 1969 after trustees voted 24 to 8 in favor of coeducation. The first female students were housed in Pyne Hall, a fairly isolated dormitory, and a security system was added to the building before women deliberately broke it within a day.
As of October 2025, 81 Nobel laureates have been affiliated with Princeton University as alumni, faculty members, or researchers. The university also hosts 16 Fields Medalists and 17 Turing Award laureates among its affiliated individuals.
The Collegiate Gothic style is the architectural standard for Princeton University implemented at the end of the 19th century by the Cope and Stewardson firm. This style remained the standard for all new buildings on the Princeton campus until 1960 under the supervision of architects like Ralph Adams Cram.
Princeton University became the first university to eliminate the use of student loans in financial aid in 2001, replacing them with grants. The university now covers all costs for families earning $100,000 a year or less and meets 100% of demonstrated financial need for all admitted students.