By 1901 the Graduate School was formally organized as a division of the University, and by 1913 it was ready to dedicate the first residential graduate college in America, the fruit of the University1s efforts to create an institution with outstanding facilities for graduate work. The Graduate College today houses many single graduate students and is within easy walking distance of other University buildings. In addition to the University, there is the Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton Theological Seminary, Westminster Choir College of Rider University, and the Educational Testing Service. A number of major corporations maintain their central research laboratories in Princeton. The community supports ballet, chamber music, a resident repertory theater, and several orchestras and choral groups.
Cultural activities approach the number and variety ordinarily found only in large cities.
Although the community is small, many spouses of graduate students find employment in the area's institutions and businesses. The University and Princeton communities create an intimate and concentrated scientific and cultural environment, and the picturesque surrounding countryside provides many opportunities for the pursuit of leisure activities. Further options for both work and play are available in New York City and Philadelphia, each about an hour away and accessible by excellent public transportation.