The invention provides methods of obtaining a peptide that include steps of synthesizing a peptide intermediate having one or more side chain protecting groups; providing a solvent to the peptide intermediate to form a peptide intermediate composition; and providing a precipitating agent in an amount sufficient to precipitate the peptide intermediate from the peptide intermediate composition, wherein the precipitating agent is an alcohol having three or more carbon atoms. Also provided are methods for precipitating peptides, methods for concentration peptides, and methods for filtering peptides.