Chartered in 1746 as the College of New Jersey -- the name by which it was
known for 150 years -- Princeton University was British North America's fourth
college.Located in Elizabeth for one year and then in Newark
for nine, the College of New Jersey moved to Princeton in 1756. It was housed in
Nassau Hall, which was newly built on land donated by Nathaniel FitzRandolph.
Nassau Hall contained the entire College for nearly half a century.
In 1896 when expanded program offerings brought the
College university status, the College of New Jersey was officially renamed
Princeton University in honor of its host community of Princeton. Four years
later in 1900 the Graduate School was established. (From Reunions 2000 to
Commencement 2001, Princeton celebrates the Centennial
of the Graduate School.)
Fully coeducational since 1969, Princeton during the
academic year 1999-2000 enrolled 6,440 students: 4,556 undergraduates and 1,768
graduate students.
Opportunities to study, work, and conduct research abroad have been available
to Princeton students for many years. Recently the University has
intensified its efforts both to increase access to high-quality overseas
opportunities and to develop department-specific programs that complement the
Princeton curriculum. Study abroad is an important
part of the "Princeton experience" in the new millennium.
