<p>What I mean is: When looking through apps (after making the "qualified" pile), does Yale look for good students in any field flat across the board or do they show some preference to those that fit the criteria of a typical "Yale Student?"</p>
<p>For example, I have the grades and scores to most likely make it into the qualified pile (4.0 UW, taken hardest classes, 2240), but will Yale pay more attention to me if I come off as someone who's avid about music and politics rather than engineering?</p>
<p>From what I know, Yale likes to see diversity in applicants and tries to find students who come off as passionate in one specific area...so just try to show that you are passionate at what you are passionate about. :) I also think your scores and GPA will help your chances. Good Luck!</p>
<p>Honestly they don't try and find kids who are interested in the exact same fields of study. However, TONS of the people I know at Yale and who were recently accepted to Yale are really into the Arts and Politics.</p>
<p>hmmmmm. I do think that adcoms do search for the students that will fit in best with their university in terms of personality though.</p>
<p>Don't hold me on this but I recall an admissions officer from either Y or H saying that the admitted classes were roughly one third special cases (smart but w/additional hooks) athletes, etc. The 2nd group was people w/an extraordinary talent/passion (Siemens). the last group were just all-around good kids w/nothing notable besides consistent excellence. This was also about a third of the numbers. </p>
<p>(I'm sure I fit in the last group when I was admitted)</p>
<p>If anything i think your politics thing puts you at a disadvantage, since there are too many politics peeps vying for Yale! (I'm one of them and i thought i was screwed)</p>
<p>lookingaround: You'd be surprised. If you read The Gatekeepers, there is an applicant to Wesleyan University who wasn't spectacular, but he was interested in physics. Claiming that professors sometimes give them guff for not accepting enough kids for a certain major, the officers admitted him early I believe.</p>
<p>Your major preference can be important. For instance, imagine applying to Harvard and you're interested in majoring in Middle Eastern Languages. How many kids do you think major in that? If they didn't pay attention to majors, it's a possibility that they would fill those majors anyways, but sometimes it can be safer to go with someone who's expressed an interest.</p>