The outstanding teachers and scholars on Princeton's faculty obviously have a profound effect on the quality of undergraduate education. Professors, many of them leading authorities in their fields, are uncommonly accessible to undergraduates. It is almost impossible to graduate from Princeton without forming a close working relationship with at least one faculty member. Because Princeton has three times as many undergraduates as graduate students, and because the same faculty teaches both undergraduates and graduate students, it is not unusual for students to come in contact with Nobel laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners, MacArthur fellows, or scholars of national and international reputation. Nor is it unusual for undergraduates to engage in research projects sponsored by the faculty.
Faculty members are advisers as well as teachers.
Those associated with each of the five residential colleges help freshmen and sophomores plan their academic programs. Those in upperclass student areas of concentration help them plan their courses and carry out their independent work. In any given semester, it is possible to take one or more optional courses in addition to the standard course load. A great deal of freedom in course selection and the availability of special options provide flexibility in putting together one's academic program. A.B. candidates Freshman and sophomores in the A.B. program complete four courses each term and 16 courses by the beginning of the junior year.