Princeton Debate Panel

Home
United States
Princeton, NJ
Princeton Debate Panel

Directions Website Contact the university

Debating in the nation's service since 1765. Princeton’s historical success has been unrivaled since APDA’s founding in 1983. Timeline created by Andrew Min '15.

The Princeton Debate Panel, also known as the PDP, is one of the premiere collegiate debating societies in the country. Throughout the year, the PDP competes in weekly tournaments across the country sanctioned by the American Parliamentary Debate Association (APDA), of which Princeton was a founding member. A Princeton team, composed of two individuals, has won the Team of the Year (TOTY) award a record eight times and the Speaker of the Year Award (SOTY) a record nine times. The PDP is also one of the world’s premier international debating squads, with teams consistently reaching late elimination rounds. Many of PDP’s debaters have also gone onto outstanding post-graduation success. Post-debate careers have ranged from for-profit positions at McKinsey & Co., Goldman Sachs, J.P. Morgan, and Morgan Stanley to non-profit positions such as clerkships for the Supreme Court and membership in the United States Senate. Post-debate graduate school destinations have included Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, the University of Pennsylvania Law School, Cornell Law, MIT, Oxford, and Cambridge. Alumni have also won prestigious awards, including the Rhodes Scholarship, the Marshall Scholarship, and the Fulbright Scholarship. Most notably, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito ’72 was president of the PDP during his time as an undergraduate. Other famous Princetonians connected to the PDP include Jason Goldman ’99 (influential executive at Google and Twitter), Senator Ted Cruz ’92 (the top debater in the nation during his tenure on APDA, Judge Andrew Napolitano ’72 (an influential political analyst), Joseph S. Nye ’58 (one of the most prominent international relations scholars in the United States), John Foster Dulles ’08 (arguably the most influential diplomats of the century), and Woodrow Wilson ‘1879 (who coached the team while on faculty). The PDP also hosts two debate tournaments during the year. Each December, the Princeton Classic offers Lincoln-Douglas and Public Forum Debate as well as Student Congress and Individual Events for high school competitors in the National Forensic League. In the spring, the PDP hosts the Adlai E. Stevenson Memorial Debate Tournament, one of the largest and most prestigious collegiate parliamentary debate tournaments in the nation. For more on the history of PDP, check out our timeline. Prospective members or others looking for information should contact the PDP at [email protected] and visit our Membership page.

10/15/2026

PDP at SwatNov!!! Huge congratulations to all the Novs that competed, and shoutout to our two breaking teams and debaters who received speaking awards!! We are so proud of everyone☺️🫶

08/28/2026

The Princeton Debate Panel, Princeton’s only competitive intercollegiate debate team, is so excited to welcome new debaters this fall! Check out our recruitment timeline so you can stay updated on upcoming events.

If you’re interested in improving your public speaking skills and learning how to construct effective arguments, being part of a tight-knit community that hosts tons of social events, and traveling around the country and the world for free, PDP is for you!

No previous experience is necessary. Make sure you sign up to try out using the link in our bio and attend our upcoming events to learn more about the team!

JOIN PDP.

08/24/2026

🌟 Meet our 2026-2027 Board! 🌟 Stay tuned to see what PDP has planned for the upcoming year 👀

08/24/2026

🌟 Meet our 2026-2027 Equity Officers! 🌟 Stay tuned to see what PDP has planned for the upcoming year 👀

08/24/2026

🌟 Meet our 2026-2027 Social Media Managers! 🌟 Stay tuned to see what PDP has planned for the upcoming year 👀

08/24/2026

🌟 Meet our 2026-2027 Social Chairs! 🌟 Stay tuned to see what PDP has planned for the upcoming year 👀

08/24/2026

🌟Meet our 2026-2027 Tour Directors! 🌟Stay tuned to see what PDP has planned for the upcoming year 👀

05/18/2026

Here for Reunions? Join the Princeton Debate Panel for food, fun, and reconnection with your fellow debate alumni and former teammates!

What: PDP Reunion Event!
When: Fri, May 22, 2026 from 11:00 AM to 1 PM
Where: Whig Hall, 1st floor Lounge

04/22/2026

It was an INSANE run for PDP @ NAUDC 2025! A big shoutout to our team for a great performance, we love you all!

Congratulations to the Open Semi-Finalists Rahul and Sheryar, Open Quarter-Finalists Kaustubh and Caitlin, and finally our Novice Finalists Teresa and Connie! Also congratulations to Rahul, Sheryar, and Kaustubh for their speaker awards!

In light of this great achievement and as a gesture of farewell to our lovely seniors, enjoy the recap with the beautiful edits!

Love,
PDP 🧡🖤

03/28/2026

PDP at Cornell Novice Nationals!!! Had a good ol’ time at Big Red 😄🫶🙏

Address

1 Whig Hall
Princeton, NJ
08542

Website

http://debate.princeton.edu/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Princeton Debate Panel posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.