<p>The reason I'm looking towards Yale engineering is the fact that I'm not 100% sure that I want to do engineering. I also have strong interests in history, literature, and politics. Yale is a very strong liberal arts school. If I decied to apply to engineering, and I get in, am I bound to study engineering? Also, is admission rates different for engineering?</p>
<p>i thought it was as a whole. But i've never heard anyone proclaim themselves as a "yale engineer." Kind of hard to imagine for me.</p>
<p>I thought you don't apply to Yale's engineering department...</p>
<p>You just apply to Yale College don't you?</p>
<p>Anyway, I put down my major as Applied Physics. </p>
<p>I sort of feel like I don't deserve to get into Yale. I think one of the reasons why I got in was because of my major and the research I've done to support my interest in Yale's condensed matter physics program.</p>
<p>1) You don't apply to any specific program, and you don't even have to declare a concentration until 2nd year. Once you get in you can study whatever you want.</p>
<p>2) Yale's engineering dept. isn't bad, but don't go there expecting to get a 1st rate engineering degree. That said, undergrad is about more than just academics, so don't let that be a deciding factor either.</p>
<p>3) masamune--don't worry. I don't have any statistics or anything,but my suspicion is that a good number of people here "got in" for their interests and/or accomplishments in fields other than those they choose to pursue as a concentration. Everything you do before college is basically just to prep your mind for higher learning, not necessarily to develop a skill-set, you know?</p>
<p>that's exactly how I feel. I felt weird that a lot of people with better SATs, class ranks, etc. didn't get in and I did. I think its all the extra stuff, ya know? No offense, but you've got to be a bit, um, un-interesting (PC will kill ya, eh?) to get a perfect SAT but no ECs.</p>
<p>i got in with engineering down as my interest (specifically EECS) but I am more interested in the holistic experience that yale will offer me.</p>
<p>HardBoiled - you sound a little like me; I'm a hardcore science geek, but I turned down MIT & other very strong engineering/science schools to go to Yale because I was just too attracted to the history & poli sci departments :-) The thing about science/math/engineering at Yale is that while the programs might not be <em>absolutely</em> top-notch, it doesn't really make much difference at the undergraduate level, and they're all still extremely good compared to what you'd get at most schools. If you have a strong interest in history or literature or poli sci or whatever, you can get here, take classes in each of those departments as well as engineering, and <em>then</em> decide what you want to major in. If you decide on one of the humanities or social sciences, more power to you; if you decide to stick with engineering, you'll graduate with a very respectable engineering degree, and you should still to satisfy your interests in everything else on the side. sound good? did to me at least :)</p>
<p>ditto athena. i am totally into physics/engineering. for me it wasn't about going to the #1 engineering program in the world, cuz that's not yale. but i like the fact that the department is small so i would get more individual attention in those departments. also, you have to consider the fact that the top 25 schools are ALL great academically. here's the kicker: what is the environment like? will you be happy OUTSIDE of the classroom. Don't forget, you will live here as well.</p>