For Current Yale Students Please Rate Your Expereience

Colleges & Universities A-Z Yale University
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<p>I am curious to any of you who are current students on a scale of 1-10 how you would rate the following:</p>

<li>Quality of professors</li>
<li>Class ratio for pros to students</li>
<li>Quality of facilities</li>
<li>Dorms
5.Students-divesity?
6.Things to do in and around campus</li>
<li>Safety of the campus</li>
<li>Overall experience vs. your original expectations.</li>
</ol>

<p>I got in EA and although there is another school that is my first choice, I am open totally to going to Yale, as this would make my dad do backflips:) LITERALLY. I had an interview, visited the campus twice, sat in on 3 classes, met with a professor in my chosen interest and of course know the Yale name itself implies the “ultimate education” as I have heard others refer to it. I am just curious for all of you that are current students if the school has lived up to what you expected it to be or perhaps even better than what you expected? What is their retention rate? I have to think very high except for those that burn out. Any info or opinions you want to share would be appreciated. Thanks!:)</p>

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<p>Grotongirlie,
You visited Yale 3 times. If you are not sure it is a good fit for you, then it may not be. Did you visit other schools where you felt a real connection and sense of belonging? I am not a Yale student but my daughter is and she would answer your survey with all 10s. That does not mean that you would. Please please please don't choose Yale because your dad would do backflips, as entertaining as that may be. If you have visited 3 times and still don't love Yale, then I sincerely think it might not be a good fit.<br>
I don't know what your other visits were like, but if you want one more with a freshman who has no question about her choice of Yale, PM me and I will give you my daughter's contact info. She would be happy to host you.<br>
I did a brief check on your previous posts and it seems that you may have a lot of pressure from your parents toward the prestigious schools. Please please please, respect yourself and your gut feel when making your decision.</p>

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<p>Yomama, not to worry I am making a decision based on MY OWN FEELINGS. Granted I care for my parents very much and do give consideration to their opinions, but by no means will it dictate what I ultimately choose, if I am lucky enough to have a few schools to choose from:) I hardly think because I didn't feel fireworks after my third visit means I wouldn't be happy there, very few kids in this game DON'T have pressure of some sort and I don't think I am much different. I have enough respect for myself that I am really getting seroius now about considering each school fair and square. Of the 4 I really want, I have eliminated 1 for reasons I would rather not go into. I thank you for your offer to be able to speak to your d. and will probably take you up on it as it can't hurt to talk to someone there. Thanks for your well intended advice.:)</p>

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<p>GrotonGirlie,</p>

<p>I would say that your choice should depend on which other schools accept you. The best part of Yale EA is that they give you a choice. If your 1st choice is Harvard and if you are accepted at Harvard through RD round, I am inclined to think that Harvard is better. Not so much because of classes or professors at all. Simply because of its location.</p>

<p>Harvard has MIT, BU, Mass General.........so many educational instituions in a small area. Your learning can be enhanced by your interactions with other intellectuals outside the boundaries of your campus. I think Boston and NY are unique in this respect. One's learning, enthusiasm, and passion for your field of interest is exponentially increased from opportunities outside the boundaries of your campus. You also get a chance to take courses at these other schools through collaborative networks of Ivys.</p>

<p>In my case, I look forward to chances to visit both these cities for work. When I do, I get to attend free lectures often presented by Nobel laureates. Where else can you get that but in Boston and NY?</p>

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<p>Great point! I have considered this and its def weighed in on my decision that if it comes down to H. or Y. I am going for H. there are a variety of reasons but location is very key, I agree. I just know Y. is an awesome school though and I want to be sure I have given it a fair chance that is why I figured anyone who is a current student can give me their input which I would really appreciate. Anyhow, thanks for your perspective.</p>

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<p>Grotongirlie,</p>

<p>Of course! I did not mean that you should rule Y out yet. It's a great school too and also has its share of Nobel laureates and prestige. Also has something slightly different that H does not have, a small college feeling through individually assigned residential colleges.</p>

<p>It's definitely worth meeting up and chatting with a Yalie before deciding.</p>

<p>Take information and advice from all angles but follow your own heart and passion.</p>

<p>Good luck! I am sure you will shine in either school.</p>

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<p>grotongirlie, what a nice decision to make though: harvard or yale. good luck with your choice, i'm sure though that you will honestly be happy at either place.</p>

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<p>Congratulations on getting into Yale!</p>

<p>As a fellow EA admit, I want to suggest that if you are accepted into Harvard, you should at least attend the admitted students weekend at both universities. Yale's is called Bulldog Days, as I'm sure you know, and Harvard has a similar program. I think that's the best way to get a feel of the university and the student body. The best part is that you can not only meet your future classmates, but you can experience Yale and Harvard for a couple of days without the heavy workload.</p>

<p>While Harvard may have a molecule more prestige than Yale, I don't think it's a secret that Yale students are happier and more social. When I say that Harvard College has many depressed and disillusioned students, I mean it sincerely and objectively. It's no wonder why Yale has been named the best place to get an undergraduate education.</p>

<p>I think the only area of the eight you asked about in which Yale pales in comparison to Harvard is number 6 ("things to do in and around campus"), although there is a lot to do on the campus and Chapel Street has transformed into a charming restaurant-lined extension of the university. In the defense of New Haven, it does not get quite as cold as coastal Massachusetts, and the Yale campus is true gem (and better maintained).</p>

<p>The residential college system is probably the best aspect of student life at Yale. Yale's dorms are fantastic: new, spacious and each college has its own facilities for everything you need, and most of them have recently been renovated. Yale's campus is actually safer than Harvard's, and the professors are much more accessible (and every professor teaches an undergrad course). Culture is abundant on campus, too: museums and historical libraries abound, and Yale's drama and music students are incredibly apt performers...Harvard's a capella is horrible when compared to groups like the Duke's Men and the Whiffenpoofs (among others). I feel that the categories I haven't addressed here are roughly the same at both institutions.</p>

<p>Obviously, as a Yalie, I favor Yale. However, I've visited both Yale and Harvard and I knew immediately which one was right for me. Above all, you should do what makes you happy. I hope you make the decision that is right for you.</p>

<p>Sincerely,</p>

<p>John</p>

9

<p>Come to Yale instead of Harvard and celebrate in Harvard's stadium with us again in two years! Cambridge is a bit flashier, but everything closes by midnight, and Harvard's parties are pathetic (they hired a fun tzar, and I still couldn't find one with more than a dozen people). If you want fun, Yale won't disappoint. The area right around Yale is actually comparable to the area around Harvard. Boston's nice and the Charles adds a nice aesthetic touch, but New York is just a short train ride away from New Haven (you'll be riding the T in Boston anyway).</p>

10

<p>Oh and I forgot to mention, Yale's campus wins hands down. After a semester, I still walk around campus sometimes just taking in the sight. The dorms are unbelievable as well. I stayed with a highschool friend at Harvard, and the bedrooms were closests compared to the palatial rooms lucky freshman get at Yale.</p>

<p>Another curious difference I noticed: For some strange reason, nobody I met at Harvard had a TV. I guess they don't offer cable service because it distracts from learning or something. Everyone here has a TV in their suite.</p>

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<p>hahvahd sucks</p>

<p>end of story</p>

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<p>Like johnkeen, I'm an alum too. I was a RD applicant and didn't visit the Ivies until February of my senior year -- e.g application season was already over. It really was the students that sold me. I left there thinking "what are they putting in the water here?" Everyone was literally bouncing off the wall with enthusiasm -- it was raw and sincere.</p>

<p>I remember riding the train back to NYC to fly home. Although I was impressed at every one of the schools I visited, I knew Yale would be my 1st choice if they accepted me. </p>

<p>They did, I went and I've never regretted that choice.</p>

<p>I once chatted with a member of the Yale President's staff. He had gone to Harvard for undergrad and Yale for grad and later, as staff. I asked him what his perception was of the "difference" btn the two. He said that after graduating Harvard, he said: "I felt that there ws nothing he couldn't handle. " Quite the complement! However of New Haven he said: "But I LOVED Yale"</p>

<p>Subtle difference -- but very real and proven true in my experience and those of my close classmates.</p>

<p>Go Bulldogs!</p>

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<p>I'm a Yale freshman, and I finally created an account to answer this question. I had many reservations about going to Yale over other schools (I had many attractive options, somehow, luckily, or not so luckily in the end), but since I arrived in New Haven this summer, I have been absolutely certain that I made the right choice. This school is amazing. It will blow your mind every day how happy you are, how impressive your classmates are and how true the friendships you make will be. The one thing that I can say about Yale is that every Yalie absolutely wants to convince a prospective applicant that this is the place to go. Sometimes we get derided for "bashing" other colleges (which, of course, is not always good), but I think the underlying motive is that we GENUINELY, ABSOLUTELY believe that our school is the best (obviously this is subjective), better than any other school, and we can't see how anyone else could disagree.
I know a few other schools (all good, all in the same tier), in which apathy is seen as cool. School spirit is considered to be embarassing and for desperate people. If this is how you think, then don't come to Yale. We ooze school spirit. Yeah, we love this school.
Now, to answer your question...
1. My freshman seminar professor was amazing. He spends half the year off campus going to international conferences and collecting material/information for whatever latest book he's working on. Needless to say, he is an absolute authority on the subject. My current seminar prof is similarly impressive; we read texts that quote my professor's work. It may be impressive to read a book written by your professor, it's even more impressive to read a book in which the author reads your professor. :)
2. This year I've been in six courses that have less than 25 people. The other three all had discussion sections and probably hovered around 75-125 people.
3. This should be obvious. Yale is gorgeous, there are gyms in every college plus Payne Whitney, 12+ libraries, and tons and tons of money to update everything. Facilities should be the least of your worries.
4. Ah, dorms. Before I got to Yale I would pray not to live in Ldub or Morse/Stiles. Actually though, every dorm has its ups and downs. I'm lucky enough to live in a dorm without any drawbacks, but my friends in Ldub love it. It's a lot more socially cohesive than other dorms and there's always something going on. Plus, chances are if you come to Yale, you'll live in a castle.
5. There is a lot of statistical diversity at Yale, but more interesting than that is the diversity of interests. Truly, Yale can be whatever you want it to be. There are people who live down the entryway from me who live completely different lives; there are jocks, drama kids, acappella kids, artists, comedians, everyone.
6. EAT. There are amaaaaazing restaurants here. Cafe Adullis, Miso, Roomba, Pacifico, Barcelona, Thai Taste, Bulldog Burrito... the list goes on. There's also a movie theater, clothing stores, hair salons, pretty much anything a college kid would desire.
7. Yale is safe if you're careful. I'm accustomed to urban areas so I know how to behave in a city, but really if you're out off campus late at night, don't walk alone. Problem solved. You won't feel unsafe here -- that's probably the source of a lot of the incidents.
8. As you can probably tell, my experience has been unparalleled. This is THE school. That was the only way I could describe it to my mother. Yale is the ultimate school, and I love it. I hope you love it too.</p>

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<p>fingerpainted: reading your post made me smile -- how was the first Old Campus snowball fight for you? One of my favorite memories there.</p>

<p>One thing you have in store for you are the long-lasting relationships. My friends and I formed an extremely tight nucleus in our college with many other circles of friends. We did practically everything together for about 3.5 years there at Yale. Several of us married withing our circle of friends too. Our group of about 15 was remarkably diverse in terms of interest, background and now, profession. Lawyers, ministers, professors, writers, business, etc.</p>

<p>When I got married 6 yrs after graduation, thirteen of them were at my wedding. I've been to all of their weddings too, save one. Whenever we've been together, our non-Yale spouses just marvel at the cohesion of this bunch. Bright College Years really comes true. I have it framed in my office along with a picture of Old Campus (I lived there 3 yrs).</p>

<p>Just wait and see...</p>

<p>One item for Grotongirlie: I find the Student to Professor Ratio to be statistical garbage. Here's why. I doesn't matter if it's a 1:1 ratio if the student is too intimidated, shy, self-focused to ENGAGE the professors. That being said, most Yalies have a good sense to actually derive intellectual challenge, mentoring, and friendship from the faculty. The ratio is irrelevant if YOU are willing to talk to the professors. If you went to a college with a 500:1 student: professor ratio, you could still be the one who speaks to the prof.</p>

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<p>From a current junior: The one thing that bothers me the most about Yale is its location. When I think New Haven, I draw a blank. I would like to go to a college that has numerous opportunities (like internships, jobs, etc) OUTSIDE of campus. In a place like Boston, this seems plausible, but in a place like New Haven...I don't really see that happening. Don't get me wrong though, I've visited Yale and have fallen in love with the campus. What I'm worried about is the area outside of campus. I wish the location was more...Idk, "opportunity friendly," for lack of better terms.</p>

<p>Can a current student give me your thoughts on this?</p>

16

<p>
[quote]
From a current junior: The one thing that bothers me the most about Yale is its location. When I think New Haven, I draw a blank. I would like to go to a college that has numerous opportunities (like internships, jobs, etc) OUTSIDE of campus. In a place like Boston, this seems plausible, but in a place like New Haven...I don't really see that happening. Don't get me wrong though, I've visited Yale and have fallen in love with the campus. What I'm worried about is the area outside of campus. I wish the location was more...Idk, "opportunity friendly," for lack of better terms.</p>

<p>Can a current student give me your thoughts on this?

[/quote]
</p>

<p>If you are looking for a job during the school year to make some extra money, there are plenty of on-campus jobs that pay fairly well (Yale minimum wage is over $10/hour).
As far as internships go, it's true that if you want one during the academic year, there may be slim pickings in New Haven. You would probably be fine if you were looking for a political type internship (there are quite a few opportunities for working in the offices of various local politicians). If you want a business-type internship, however, I don't think that there's too much available in New Haven, though I do have a friend who got an internship working in the Yale investments office (be warned, this is very highly competitive since it means working with David Swensen, one of the most highly regarded institutional investors in the world). On the other hand, there is nothing to limit you from getting an internship elsewhere during the summer, and you may find that a serious internship would add too much to your workload if you tried to manage it during term.</p>

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<p>Current Yalers and Yale Grads,</p>

<p>It would be extremely helpful to have some input from PreMeds who are currently at Yale. Any chance one of you could nudge your PreMed friends to chat here about opportunities for medical research at Yale during the school year or in the Summer?</p>

<p>How do Yale's Med/PreMed courses compare with Brown's course offerings or with Harvards's? Are there any industry or hospital affiliations that help students get research assistantships?</p>

<p>How supportive are the Profs in PreMed area? How good is the mentoring for PreMeds who have sights set on pursuing MD/PhD programs in the future?</p>

<p>Many thanks!</p>

18

<p>Premed at Yale, as with any other college, is very difficult. </p>

<p>General Chemistry Lab is probably more demanding than most of the classes that you will be taking--I find it harder than all my courses put together because of the amount of work. </p>

<p>The Premed experience depends greatly on TAs. My TA for Chem lab is absolutely too meticulous to the point of absurdity. The same goes for my biology lab, although the course itself is much easier than chem lab.</p>

<p>I hate to say it, but international TAs and tremendously much harder than American TAs. I hate to offer sweeping generalizations, but it is true. Either take the challenge or run--I HAD to take the challenge, and my courses are very intense. </p>

<p>There are jobs for clinical experience/ lab assistant
Minimum wage is 10.90 (for ALL jobs)</p>

<p>The Yale-New Haven hospital is where many clinical experience is done. It is within walking distance as opposed to Harvard's very distanced medical school from the central campus. </p>

<p>Premed profs are supportive. Always be respectful and try to connect because you never know who they know, or what other activities they do. They just may be the Dean of a residential college or even an adcom for graduate school</p>

<p>Finally, it is unrealistic to ask us to compare programs at other schools.
Judge the information you see here and then ask the same question in the Brown/Harvard board. Make your class then</p>

<p>good luck</p>

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<p>" Make your CHOICE then..."</p>