<p>I was wondering if anyone knew the acceptance rates for DS (for RD '11 applicants still awaiting their envelopes in April).</p>
<p>Also, was anything we had to fill out to declare interest in DS? I wasn't aware of the program until a few weeks ago, after I submitted my application... I hope I didn't miss that chance! =X</p>
<p>Bump - come on, lurkers, I know someone has an answer on this. :-P</p>
<p>Directed Studies doesn't get talked about for a while. You didn't miss anything though. Some people get in a bit earlier based off of SAT scores and whatnot, but anyone has a chance to apply, and if you REALLY want to do, according to some Yalies, you probably can. Here is a quote from the SCEA-admits site: </p>
<p>Some students based on their academic interests/grade transcripts/something in their application will get pre-admitted to DS in early April. Some people who get pre-admitted totally want to be in DS, others who get admitted don't even know that such a program exists! Most people take up there pre-admission spots, but some don't.</p>
<p>Then there is a general DS application made in early June by writing a candidacy statement and an essay or two. Check out <a href="http://www.yale.edu/yalecollege/2010/special/ds/%5B/url%5D">www.yale.edu/yalecollege/2010/special/ds/</a> for more info."</p>
<p>Hope this helps.</p>
<p>Thanks! That does help a lot. I wonder if mentioning my interest in DS to my interviewer will help... <em>puzzles</em>... I know it's early to worry about it, but I'm preparing for an interview tomorrow =)</p>
<p>just to ask, where are you in pa? i have an interview tomorrow too.....</p>
<p>Hey, I'm in DS - don't worry too much about it, lackadaisy. If you don't get preadmitted or even admitted regularly, if you're really committed to the program, you'll get in. DS has a brutal reputation, and so those who didn't know what they were getting into or applied to get into a selective program will drop out after hearing the horror stories. They definitely make use of the waitlist, and if you go out of your way to show Jane Levin (the director of the program) you're really committed to the program, she'll put you at the top of that list.</p>
<p>Best,
DMW</p>
<p>P.S. By way of the horror stories - DS, if you did all the work, would kill your social and your extracurricular life (and you). For most everyone in the program, it's about striking a balance between doing the reading, writing the weekly essays, and finding time to have a life. It has been the best academic experience of my life, but it's tough insofar as you are always missing some of your reading, and you find yourself working at like, 4 am to finish your paper. But if you're into the Western Canon and you're not going to St. John's, I'm convinced there isn't a better program out there.</p>
<p>dmw, regarding the DS workload, would it be possible to take several other classes on top of that? Specifically, I'd like to take two language courses (starting Italian or French from scratch and continuing Spanish). I know the intro language classes meet 5 days a week.. but in your opinion, would it be possible to balance such a workload? Or should I only take one other class on top of DS? (I was admitted SCEA and am hoping to get into DS as well.)</p>
<p>Thanks, dmw - I have my fingers crossed for April now - no extracurriculars would be unfortunate, because I also would want to write for the Yale Daily News... haha... but it's pretty cool that you mentioned St. John's because I almost applied there (am I terrible for admitting that ambition got in the way? ;)).</p>
<p>I want to do either the EPE major (which I love) or a BA/MA in Economics (I have enough APs for 2 semesters acceleration, I'm sure of it)... would it be possible to do that as well as DS? Finally, is DS something that "looks good" to employers or Yale administrators when choosing students for EPE?</p>
<p>Thanks again for all your help!</p>
<p>DS is reputed to feed into EP&E. I'm told that generally DSers do well after DS - they get into seminars because the profs know they're generally bright and can handle most of the work thrown at them. That being said, don't expect to do exceptionally well in DS, it's supposed to be harder than most classes (hard to do badly, but very hard to do well). I don't know if most employers know about the rigor of Directed Studies - I'm told most Ivy League grad programs do, though.</p>
<p>I wouldn't take 2 language courses on top of DS - I think that would be near crazy. That being said, wait till you get here and decide. There are decided benefits to shopping period.</p>
<p>I'm considering the EP&E major myself. You have to apply though, it's one of the few competitive majors here. You'd be surprised though, you don't hear as amazing things as you'd like to. You have to be really suited for the program, not just someone who goes "Ethics, Politics, and Economics?? Gee whiz, I like ethics and politics and economics! That sounds awesome!" There are a lot of core requirements that eat up a lot of your freedom (which bites extra hard given you've given up a lot of your freedom already with DS). That being said, it certainly would look good on a resume, I'd imagine, and it certainly is right for some folks.</p>
<p>All the best,
DMW</p>
<p>When you say "hard to do badly but very hard to do well", do you mean most students end up with B's? Are A's much more difficult to get?
I know grades aren't as important in college, but I'm still curious :)</p>
<p>An A in DS is a real accomplishment. I hear in my English section that no one did.</p>
<p>A's aren't that easy to come by at Yale generally, but even more so in DS. An A- is very good, and a B+ is quite good too. Nothing wrong with a B, but if you did a B- or worse in DS (though I suppose it depends on the section), I think you'd be struggling.</p>
<p>Definitely don't expect your college report card to look like your HS report card did - everyone you're going to school with now has the same high school report card you did.</p>
<p>Hahaha, it's ok Jegan. Grades are still important in college, and the overachievers in all of us want to get straight As everywhere we go in life. But that's likely not going to happen (unless you deliberately chase "easy" courses, which is lame and cheap), so you make do with your best effort and the grade that goes with it.</p>
<p>Best,
DMW</p>
<p>I love it when DMW tries to be modest :)</p>
<p>Getting into DS is not the hardest thing, it's doing the work. I'm not in it, my roomate is, though the bastard got straight A's in it. </p>
<p>I personally got into DS, but like many, I turned it down for more course freedom (did I regret that first semester...a graduate seminar, no class under level 300...I did 2x the work DS'ers did)</p>
<p>Also, DS does have a good reputation for getting you into harder seminar, especially those that get lucky and have professors such as Charles Hill, who can prove immensely useful. :)</p>
<p>Wow, Ferny, who's your roommate and what does he do on weekends? I haven't heard of that happening in our class (though that's no big surprise, I guess... not many talk about grades). Man, you're going to have to tell me about that fellow - kudos to him!</p>
<p>So my knowledge of the DS acceptance rate is a little spotty. I hear only half those who apply get in, but it seems like many who were pre-admitted (or even just regularly admitted) shortly drop out. The waitlist is employed every year, I think, though I don't always know how extensively. I guess the only thing I'm pretty sure about is that if you really want to take DS and make that known consistently, you'll likely end up in the program.</p>
<p>All the best,
DMW</p>