Attention all future applicants

Colleges and Universities A-Z Yale University
1

<p>I didn't get into Yale into, but a person in my class was admitted to Yale EA. Now, I understand that this is only ONE example of a successful applicant so it obviously will not be representative, but considering that this person also received an academic likely from a certain university in Cambridge (that shall not be named?), then future applicants will probably want to pay attention to his story. </p>

<p>Contrary to what many would expect, he/she had not taken all or even most of the AP's in the school, which are little to begin with. To my knowledge, that person did not get perfect scores on his/her SAT and SAT ii's. He/she was an excellent student, for sure, and will probably graduate valedictorian, but I believe truly made him/her stand out was the fact that he/she has participated in a very prestigious debate team ever since middle school and has demonstrated immense commitment. Granted, I guess I should mention that he/she has also worked backstage in plays and has been part of the student council, but the debate team is something that he/she was fully dedicated to since middle school and took full advantage of every opportunity that came with it, from being president of the club to travelling to national competitions and winning first place in them. Probably more if not just as important, was his/her attitude in the classroom. Because this person only took the AP's and classes that interested him/her, he/she was always the top of the class and, perhaps more importantly, demonstrated genuine passion for those subjects in and out of the classroom. This attitude, deservedly so, won over all the teachers and probably resulted in some magnificent letters of recommendation. </p>

<p>So what does it take to get into Yale then? Well, I'm obviously no expert, but based on that anecdote I would say that passion. Passion for your classes and passion for one or two extra curricular activities that you will go the extra mile for. Really, regardless of what college you aim to go to, that should be your general attitude throughout high school. Don't slave through AP Biology just to impress Harvard/Yale/Princeton/etc. if you will not enjoy it and don't be part of the school's orchestra if it will feel like a time consuming chore. Take the rigorous classes in subjects that truly interest you and be part of EC's that you'll enjoy fully and be able to stand out in. </p>

<p>I could be wrong, maybe that person had some sort of hook I'm not aware of, but I think that what I describe above is really the best way to go about in high school in order to both enjoy it and succeed. I mean, the point of high school is to grow as a person and learn new skills, a process that will hopefully continue in whichever college you later attend. Admissions really can be a lottery, so you might as well build a resume that truly reflects YOU and trust that a college that sees itself as a good fit based on that resume will extend its welcome to you. I might not have gotten into Yale, but looking back at my lucky acceptances, I can honestly say that they were to colleges that truly fit me. Cheers!</p>

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<p>ALSO, when it comes to the supplements, try to be a little original but not eccentric funny. I wrote about zombies and pizza, that probably did NOT endear me to the app readers -_-.</p>

3

<p>One of my favorite quotes about college admissions is from a book written by a Dartmouth Admissions Officer: </p>

<p>Acing The College Application by Michele A. Hernandez</p>

<p>“Colleges look for students who show initiative and passion. Those are the two mantras you should repeat to yourself over and over as you fill out your application. Think passion and intellectual depth. If there is one single area that admissions officers are looking for above all others, it is intellectual firepower. Though there are many valedictorians, there are few who show a deep and sincere love of learning. Those are the ones who are accepted most often into the most selective colleges.”</p>

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<p>PMCM18,
I think you have offered excellent advice for anyone who wants to “stand out” when applying for highly selective colleges.</p>

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<p>Thanks, but as a grammar Nazi that usually double checks the sheer number of typos is killing me. How can I edit it?</p>

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<p>It is true about the passion and that is how I got in Yale and all the top schools in the country I got in. You need to start early building your passion. It can be in any subject or anything. I remember a guy who got in Stanford in early decision because he liked to jump rope. He competed in jumping rope and he also started a non profit organization helping kids have that passion.
Good luck to everyone what ever school you choose.</p>

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<p>Thank you for the insight, PMCM18. It certainly cleared the fog that many CCers have inadvertently put up by insisting that perfect ACT/SAT scores were necessary :)</p>

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<p>Hey, excellent post! I too got denied from both Yale and shall-not-be-named school in Cambridge, but somehow managed to land a spot at University of Chicago.
Looking back, I was the kind of person who just joined things for the sake of applying to college and took classes for the sake of applying to college. Perhaps that’s what turned off both Yale and that other school from me (although my essays for Chicago were really good). Thank you for sharing-people often say that you should do what you want, but here you have shown us an example of how that works to our advantage!</p>

9

<p>Great post! Thanks for the insight :)</p>