<p>Hi! I'm a student at a well-known west coast LAC looking to transfer to a university in the Spring of next year. I am heavily involved in an a cappella group and have been enrolled in singing lessons since I was three years old. It is a true passion of mine and my future alma mater must have an excellent, engaging a cappella group. Does anyone know how Yale fairs in this category? I've heard good things and must verify them before I even consider applying.</p>
<p>Here is the list of Yale a cappella groups:</p>
<p>[The</a> Singing Group Council Official Website](<a href=“http://www.yale.edu/sgc/alphalist.html]The”>http://www.yale.edu/sgc/alphalist.html)</p>
<p>Yale has excellent a capella groups. You might want to find out, though, whether it would be difficult getting into one as a transfer. My understanding (which could be wrong) is that most recruiting is among freshmen.</p>
<p>Edited to add: the website linked above indicates that groups do tap upperclassmen.</p>
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<p>Yale arguably fails this test. It has at least a dozen established, excellent, engaging a cappella groups – not just one. Plus in all probability a number of more ephemeral pick-up groups. </p>
<p>If you have a decent voice, and can sight read, and are willing to put in the time, I have no doubt that you can find a group to sing with. If you have experience doing arrangements, that would probably be a big plus, too. Don’t be too cavalier about the time commitment, though. Back in the day, it was very difficult to be a Whiff and to graduate on time, and I gather that it has become well-nigh impossible. Probably none of the other groups has quite as grueling a schedule.</p>
<p>I don’t think there’s any other college where so many people are engaged in a cappella at such a high quality level.</p>
<p>a cappella is huuuuge at yale. some schools have frats, we have a cappella groups. we have groups for every genre from slavic chorus to jazz to soul to christian. shouldn’t be too hard to transfer into a group if you’re good. but you have to be very good because there are tons of very talented singers at yale.</p>
<p>If you don’t know about Yale singling groups, you probably don’t know much about Yale. The Wiffenpoofs are arguably the most well-known (an maybe the oldest) a cappella group in the United States having had as it’s member and composer the brilliant Cole Porter.</p>
<p>Yale is heaven for a student who wants to sing in any way (opera, musical theater, a capella, choral) in college. Lots of great singers. Lots of singing opportunities. </p>
<p>True story: One afternoon when we were visiting the admissions office we saw a bunch of middle aged and older men go into the office of the Dean of admissions and shut the door behind them. For a few minutes we heard some laughter and general sounds of merriment. Then we were treated to some wonderful music- the men were all singing beautifully. </p>
<p>Turns out, the Dean of admissions Jeff Brenzel, was a Whiffenpoof and still gets together to sing with his old friends.</p>