Princeton

Not much is known about this site as of yet. It started in 2006 for students going into 10th to 12th grade as a bridge between CTY and college.

More people will slowly show up over the years as more hear of it. ~Yulia

Princeton Courses:

Advanced Cryptology

In today’s environment, data transmission and data security play an ever critical role in the global marketplace and national security. This course focuses on code making and code breaking. By examining vulnerabilities of encryption systems and writing their own code, students learn the complexity of topics ranging from securely transmitting personal information during online business transactions to decoding secret communiqués that threaten our collective welfare.

Prerequisite: CTY’s Cryptology course or at least a “B” in Algebra II.

Epidemiology, Re-emerging Infectious Diseases, and Pandemics

Students in this course investigate the science and politics of disease. From examining the role that epidemiologists play in unlocking the points of origin of pandemics to dissecting the behavior of policymakers as they address AIDS or the avian flu, students gain insight into the cause and spread of global diseases, the role of scientists in identifying, controlling, and/or preventing diseases, and the political and ethical implications therein. This course focuses throughout on the tools scientists use—from statistical analysis to computer modeling to biomedical research—as they combat diseases in the present and prepare for diseases in the future.

Prerequisite: CTY’s Fast-Paced High School Biology or at least a “B” in first-year high school biology.

Global Politics: Human Rights and Justice

This course examines the roles and responsibilities of nations and international organizations (governmental and non-governmental) in areas of human rights and justice. Focusing on recent cases ranging from Rwanda to Yugoslavia to China to Iraq, students ask questions including how much independence individual nations should have in defining human rights standards, when a nation’s economic stability should outweigh other global responsibilities, and how nations can heal themselves in the aftermath of atrocities.

Human Nature and Technology

This philosophy course explores the question of human nature in light of the extraordinary technological advancements of the 20 th century. Students examine how new modes of communication (e.g., the Internet), developments in biotechnology, developments in artificial intelligence and cybernetics, and modern devices of warfare (e.g., nuclear weapons), among others have affected and perhaps changed what it means to be human.

Memoirs of War

From aerial bombing, torture, and mass detentions, to genocide and famine, war and its aftermath expose society to violence and trauma. Focusing on recent conflicts in countries such as Rwanda and Iraq, memoirs of war recount the personal, and sometimes collective, experience of conflict from the point of view of doctors, soldiers, diplomats, and families entangled in the events. Through rigorFrom aerial bombing, torture, and mass detentions, to genocide and famine, war and its aftermath expose society to violence and trauma. Focusing on recent conflicts in countries such as Rwanda and Iraq, memoirs of war recount the personal, and sometimes collective, experience of conflict from the point of view of doctors, soldiers, diplomats, and families entangled in the events. Through rigorous discussion and critical essays, students consider the intent and truthfulness of these accounts; debate the impact of the political, environmental, religious, racial, and historical factors leading to war; and examine how one's role in war—combatant or commander, nurse or refugee—affects one's perception of the complex interplay of identity, power, and guilt.

Politics and Film

This course examines films from different cultures and traditions that explore some of the most pressing global political issues of our time. Students begin by learning the language of contemporary film criticism, including technical terms for film techniques and then progress to developing in-depth critical analyses of specific films. They then analyze key works of world cinema within the complex historical and political contexts in which they were produced.

Any CTY-Princeton people who have anything to share please post it as we are very interested on how good/bad it is. Thank you!

People's Comments

I took these comments of of CTY therapy (it's a livejournal here [1]) (For those too lazy to read, it sounds as if the campus itself isn't that amazing and they staff is fumbling around to figure out what's going on. Otherwise it sounds that the people are amazing there and it's worth it to go.)

"I went!

And I'm so sad it's over.

I think the best part about it was that it was only older kids. Also, it was a really small campus, which was nice. There were only 120 kids. Only one kid (that I know of) didn't go to any other CTY program.

The dorms weren't air conditioned (which was unbearable a couple of days) and there was a LOT of walking from each of our buildings.

Um...the classes seemed to be really interesting. I took epidemiology which had the potential to be really amazing, but it seemed like the teacher didn't really know where he was going because it was the first year of the class. At least our teacher was amazing. We got Dr. Ted who taught History of Disease I believe.

The activities were pretty lame and the dances weren't all that great (mainly becasue we didn't have a consistent place to have them and they decided to play a LOT of rap). Forced fun on the weekends was also pretty bad.

One really good thing, however, was that we were actually allowed to go off campus this year. For one of our activity periods per week we were allowed to sign out to go through the tow of Princeton for 2 hours. That was pretty sweet.

The RAs were cool, especially my RA (Alice). They were more laid back at the beginning, but as the session progressed, they got to be more strict. It seemed like Princeton was trying to find any reason to not invite us back next year. So by the end of the session, the RAs were paranoid about following the rules. But...hopefully they do have it again...becasue it was really fun.

To be honest, I have a feeling that CTY Princeton had its first and last year this year. The campuse was really crowded with other camps and Princeton kept getting mad at us for the stupidest little things. I I don't think they liked us very much." Omega17

"The program was amazing for being CTYish, but I agree with Sarah on the paranoia thing. I think that will improve in other years if we get invited back, because this year we really had to tiptoe around everyone else. Hopefully, they will take student suggestions and have less mandatory fun on weekends and less rap at the dances (even the major hip-hop people were ticked off that Stairway didn't get played). We had traditions like American Pie and Passionfruit, and otherwise just had fun. For example, my hall+a few others had an emo Wednesday, and several of us got together a Rocky Horror cast for 2nd Saturday's dance. It was totally worth it, but not for everybody. Also, my class, Advanced Crypto B, was taught by an NSA guy. He had to be declassified to teach us, and there was a lot he couldn't tell us, which was annoying but intriguing. It was up there as one of my favorite CTY courses." Bohorseok

"Okay, so I confess: I was not a CTY Princeton student, but I spent a ridiculous amount of time there anyway. I crashed Meet Market, snuck into dances, and hung out with CTY Princeton friends during dinner.

This might tell you something about the laxity of CTY Princeton RAs." Anonymous

The above commenter, if I know who she is, is a 2005 nomore of the Carlisle variety like myself who lives in princeton. Although her presence was perhaps a large part of what made my Princeton(tm) experience so enjoyable, she hits the nail on the head about the general environment there. Strict rules aside, the place was a party. The classes, if untested and fresh, were up to the CTY standard, but the rest of the environment was anarchy by compared to carlisle. Students regularly snuck off of campus for dinner, visited with other campus groups, skipped activities (I walked out of the mandatory viewing of the world cup mandatory fun for 2 hours), held wrestling competitions and illegal sleepovers after dark and more or less acted with impunity. I enjoyed myself. -Yoda, CAR 2002.1-2005.1; PRN 2006.1

"I went, and it was just as awesome as any other CTY I've attended. Well, not quite. The standards must have been lower or something, because the kids there weren't all cream of the crop. Lots of them were very very immature and unpleasant, and we had a huge hip-hop crowd who didn't want any canon at all to be played. Not to mention that the campus was horrible. One of our classrooms was a mile from our dorms, and we had to walk there and back every day, and getting to the dining hall was quite a trek. Princeton had terrible weather, and the dorms weren't air conditioned, which absolutely killed in 80 degree weather, with perhaps 90% humidity. I may be exaggerating, but that's what it felt like. It was literally the armpit of the world. But some people were awesome, and my class was fantastic. All in all I'm SO SO SO glad I went." Anonymous

Does anyone know about the differences between CTY Princeton Advanced Cryptology and regular CTY Cryptology? I've been looking at classes for this year and was considering crypto, but I don't want to take something that's pretty much the same as a class I've already taken. - Steve

Advanced Crypto A, the in 2006, was taught by a Princeton math professor, so it was a lot of math. Lots of proofs and work with modulo. The first week was spent as a review of cyphers and basic theory. The second week got into RSA and modern cryptosystms, and the third week was crazy: we split into two teams prepared scavenger hunts for the other team while still doing some learning. It's really good to have someone in your class who can program his/her calculator. - Alex R/&y2