After his year-long escape from formal education, Poole moved to Princeton, New Jersey to attend Princeton University, where he attended courses in political science taught by Woodrow Wilson. There he continued to demonstrate an interest in journalism and fiction writing, working on the staff of the school's daily newspaper, "The Prince" — before finding straight journalism tedious. He moved from nuts-and-bolts journalism to the arts, contributing material to the campus literary magazine, "The Lit," and penning two librettos for the illustrious Princeton Triangle Club, although both were rejected.