Having witnessed the completion of the Art Museum this fall, we asked the Class of 2026 about their views on construction on campus: 37.3 percent viewed it somewhat unfavorably. A majority of the class voted in the 2024 election, with 83.9 percent of respondents preferring Kamala Harris. The Class of 2026 was generally not in favor of Bicker, with only 23.3 percent of respondents viewing it as somewhat or strongly favourable. Read below to learn more.
Around 75 percent of the Class of 2026 identified as liberal, with almost 15 percent being leftist/socialist and just 10.5 percent identifying as a conservative. Within those groups, 27.9 percent identify as only “slightly liberal,” compared to 3.3 percent who identify as “very conservative.” 73.3 percent of the graduating class voted in the 2024 presidential election, and 6.2 percent of respondents say they would have voted differently in that election knowing what they know now.
The graduating class faced a challenging academic experience at Princeton: 55.4 percent of respondents believe that Princeton should not prioritize academic rigor more heavily, and 61.1 percent of graduating seniors disagree that grade inflation is a significant issue. The Class of 2026 believed that sociology, anthropology, and economics were the top three easiest majors, at 22.7 percent, 19.6 percent, and 10.4 percent of respondents, respectively. Having seen the rise of AI throughout their college experience, 32.8 percent of respondents believed the University should not be stricter with AI policies.
The Class of 2026 generally look back favorably on their time at Princeton, with 76.7 percent of respondents either agreeing or strongly agreeing that they have been happy at Princeton. 75.2 percent of respondents either agree or strongly agree that they would recommend that their kids go to Princeton, and over 18 percent of respondents plan on attending Reunions every year. Despite this, 34.4 percent of respondents disagreed or strongly disagreed that Princeton has adequate mental health services.
After four years at Princeton, 54.8 percent of students reported that their life goals have changed significantly. When reflecting on those years, 43.7 percent of students viewed on-campus housing somewhat favorably, in contrast to 22.8 percent of students who viewed it somewhat unfavorably. Construction was generally unpopular on campus, with 37.3 percent of students viewing it somewhat unfavorably and 32.5 percent viewing it strongly unfavorably. Having witnessed the ban on e-scooters (data was collected prior to the announcement that e-bikes would also be banned), 29.7 percent of the Class of 2026 had a strongly favorable view on restrictions on personal electric vehicles.