<p>So one of my friends got a STEM likely letter from Yale today (Intel STS semifinalist, prospective BME or CS major I believe), and she seems convinced that I'll get one too. </p>
<p>But here's the thing: I'm a Siemens/Intel STS semifinalist, have made semis in USABO and USAPhO, and was an alternate to the International Linguistics Olympiad, but science isn't my main focus in my extracurriculars/life and I put down Global Affairs as my first-choice major on the Yale application (I really want to study global health policy), and only put down a STEM-related area of study as a second-choice major. Therefore, I'm pretty sure I'm not even eligible to receive a STEM likely letter. I know that the possibility of me receiving one this week is really slim either way since very few people receive them, and I'm not obsessing over it, I was just wondering if someone could confirm this. :)</p>
<p>Probably not possible…but you still might receive a non-STEM likely letter.</p>
<p>Would like to remind everyone that being a Siemens/Intel STS Semifinalist is NOT a prerequisite or guarantee for getting a STEM likely letter from Yale (I was neither, but I still received one). </p>
<p>^ Yes, it’s definitely not a prerequisite - and certainly not a guarantee - for a likely letter! And thank you so much for responding, I was just making sure it wasn’t possible :)</p>
<p>@rowerruns STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math. While Yale is quite strong in those areas, the school wants to recruit kids away from more strictly STEM based places like Stanford and MIT.</p>
<p>In order to do that, they will try to find applicants who they believe other STEM schools will admit, and then send these applicants likely letters to recruit them away. </p>
<p>Someone who gets a non STEM likely would be an applicant that identified the humanities as their main focus. I would say these are more unlikely to get, since Yale is so strong in the humanities and doesn’t feel like they need to steal away kids from other schools as much.</p>
<p>Either way, likely letters are extremely rare and not necessarily indicative of an applicant getting in everywhere else they apply. A close friend got a STEM likely to a columbia and then was rejected to every other ivy, mit and stanford. Not getting a likely letter means pretty much nothing when you consider the reasons kids will get them in the first place.</p>
<p>@thebanshee Does the STEM likely letter actually say something to signify that the person is getting a likely letter because they indicated an interest in STEM? Do any places give non STEM likely letters? </p>
<p>Of course I heard of STEM. I just didn’t know there were different likely letters depending on STEM and non-STEM. </p>
<p>Prospective major really matters that much at a place like Yale, Harvard, or Princeton? I say that in contrast to a place like UPenn or Columbia that have distinct programs like Engineering Colleges.</p>
<p>It’s not actually a different letter – it’s just whom Yale admissions targets with them. Like banshee said, a group of particularly strong STEM applicants is usually a focus in Jan/Feb each season. Yale devotes extra effort to attracting this cohort. But I’ve met people who were not STEM majors or athletes who rec’d a Yale LL.</p>
<p>The letter is different because Yale has their YES-W (Yale Sciences and Engineering Weekend) for the recipients of the likely letters. Basically it says “Come visit campus and see all of our science-y and engineer-y stuff so that you will want to come here next year.” I don’t know what a non-STEM Yale likely looks like, but I’m going to assume it doesn’t involve a science-y visit to campus.</p>
<p>@T26E4 By Jan/Feb, you mean in the regular admissions cycle or the early cycle? Is this exemplified just by what’s listed as the prospective major? Or is it because someone activities like AMC/AIME/USAMO or Intel? Is this just a situation with Yale? </p>
<p>@Bulldog2017 I had no idea about YES-W. I am entering the Intel competition with a project in public health/economics. I suppose in that sense I’m like the original poster. Intel is STEM, but my project is not quote the S or E of STEM or YES-W. Not sure how to indicate I’m actually a math/stats person who just likes to apply it to the social sciences. Is this just a situation with Yale?</p>
<p>I’m pretty sure they base it on what your intended major is. That being said, if you are in intended mathematics or statistics major, great, put it down, but if you aren’t don’t say that you are. This is more directed at the whole CC community rather than just you. I know a girl who put down Astrophysics as her major and suddenly had a change of heart to Global Affairs right after she was accepted. That’s not cool because Yale may have been looking for an astro major (and thus not gotten one) or there may have been a more qualified Global Affairs applicant who wasn’t accepted because she essentially lied on her app. If you legitimately change your mind, that’s fine, but don’t write something down on an application because you think it boosts your chances of getting in.</p>
<p>I think any project in Intel is a pretty good indication that you are a scientifically inclined, especially if you supplement it with an essay about how much you like applying the statistics you know to the socially sciences. Idk though.</p>
<p>And the likely letters are for RD applicants. I got mine just over three weeks after I applied. The idea is to recruit kids who otherwise wouldn’t choose Yale and EAers have demonstrated that Yale is their first choice by applying early (presumably).</p>
<p>@Bulldog2017 Thank you for all of the clarification. Yes, I’m definitely interested in math/stats (in addition to economics/history). Do you know if any other school also makes a concerted effort to recruit for STEM like Yale does? </p>
<p>Just thought I would weigh in here…my son got a STEM LL two years ago and is a rising Junior at Yale now. I don’t believe Yale sends likely letters based on a declared major (at least not alone). They would be looking for YEARS of in-depth study/accomplishments in 1 or more STEM fields to be considered a strong LL candidate. Simply declaring CS or biology as your intended major without the resume to back it up wouldn’t do it, imho.</p>
<p>I feel like all the Ivies do to some extent seeing as Stanford and MIT are such STEM powerhouses. I also got likelies form Harvard and Dartmouth (the only other Ivies I applied to), but they didn’t mention anything about science or engineering.</p>
<p>@robotmom1414 </p>
<p>I totally agree. I was just suggesting that to be eligible for a YES-W invite you must have put down something science-y. The letters go out three weeks after applications are due, and I’m guessing Yale prioritizes reading all the ones that declare STEM fields for majors and then reads the rest after they’ve decided on the YES-W kids. I just doubt that they have time to read all of the 30,000 applications in three weeks and read between the lines to see who’s really interested in STEM even though they put “Undeclared” or something.</p>
<p>That being said, it’s pretty obvious when someone declares a major but has no ECs to back it up. All the kids that I met at YES-W were phenomenally accomplished in their fields and had won national/international awards.</p>
<p>my daughter got it 3 years ago; she had clear STEM accomplishment, with the cherry on top being a Siemens Awardee for Advanced Placement in our state. </p>