<p>I feel as if anyone who's gotten into Yale or an Ivy is genius-like, number one in his/her class, some olympiad winner, sports super star, etc, etc. Anyone who is isn't a "genius" or without amazing credentials get in?</p>
<p>Plenty...there's plenty</p>
<p>george w bush.</p>
<p>OMG. Good one!! George W. Bush! LMAO.</p>
<p>George W Bush!? har har! that's so original!
keep in mind he's a 3rd generation legacy at the University so it isn't like he had to work hard to get into Yale. he didn't have to be a genius, he was a blue blood. a spot was practically saved for him.
the Bushes are pretty powerful.
Dubya's lack of academic prowess has been pulled out way too many times for a laugh, especially when it has to do with Yale.</p>
<p>Look at half of the legacy admits. Yale is faithful to its alums so legacy helps a lot and unfortunately that means a lot of people who don't derserve to get in do. NOTE: I'm not saying all legacies are stupid. I'm saying most of the one's I've met are not the brightest people or even close.</p>
<p>I believe I saw a thread similar to this one a while back...try searching for it.</p>
<p>I can assure you there are many of these "ordinary" people. There aren't enough crazy genius students around to fill yale.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that most of the stats you see here are either embellished by the poster, degraded by competitive commenters, or skewed as *most<a href="but%20naturally,%20not%20all">/i</a> of the people on this board are literally obsessed with the admissions process and have been training themselves since the 9th grade.</p>
<p>If George W. Bush isn't original enough for you, what about Pat Robertson? He's also considered one of the enlightened few. Go Crimson!</p>
<p>In response to the OP's question, I think the answer is yes. Pretty regular people without any super-exceptional gifts really do get in. It's a bit of a long-shot, sometimes, but if you're interested in Yale (or anywhere else) and finances aren't a problem, why not just fire off an app? Yale, as well as most of the other Ivies, I think, are on the common app - you might as well (a logic that I'm sure Yale was hoping you'd follow when it decided to switch to the Common App).</p>
<p>And hahahaha, Miriam, let's not get into the illustrious alumni who've attended each of our respective institutions. Yale has really had its fair share of duds. But then again, can anyone say "Unabomber?"</p>
<p>Warmly,
DMW</p>
<p>I like you, dmw123. I'm sure that every school has their share of "duds". It's just that threads like this tend to invite or provoke smartass replies more than others. It just so happens that I'm in a mischievous mood (LOL). As penance for my bad behavior, I shall sing aloud Yale's "Wiffenpoof Song". I also like Yale's "Down the Field". Speaking of football, why did you guys accept Gerald Ford into your law school after he was struck in the head with a football at Michigan? (LOL). Just joking. Luv ya!</p>
<p>Ha! thanks for the compliment, Miriam. And I like you back! I will also totally agree with you, Miriam, that it is altogether too easy to lay into Yale or just about anywhere else when someone starry-eyed comes along thinking everyone needs to be a eleven-fingered black Nobel-prize winner to be considered for admission. I mean, I'm pretty sure I'm one of a kind ;)</p>
<p>To be honest, I'm pretty snide about Yale too, sometimes. I'm really interested in politics, and while my mother is very fond of rattling off to me the many presidents Yale has produced, it just makes me think "If you want to be President, go to Yale or Harvard. If you want to be a crappy President, go to Yale."</p>
<p>I mean really - Taft, Ford, HW, Clinton, and Bush (though Harvard has it's share of blame there too). I liked Clinton, sure, and HW was pretty okay. But what a study in mediocrity!</p>
<p>All the best,
DMW</p>
<p>To be fair, George W. Bush was an amazing choice on behalf of the admissions department. You can say all you want about the man's lack of academic distinction (or his political policies), but legacy or not, how many admits go on and become president? If you judge a person on what they wind up doing, then it's clear that Bush was far more of a "superstar" than your average, however academically credentialed, Yalie.</p>
<p>Oh of course. He is the most powerful man in the US, possibly the world (though people might like to argue for Bernanke, I guess. Or at least did like to argue for Greenspan.).</p>
<p>He just doesn't do much credit to Yale's reputation as an academic powerhouse. However, he, along with the likes of Lieberman, Kerry, Dean, Negroponte, the Clintons, etc do help lend credibility to Yale's reputation as a school that breeds leaders.</p>
<p>Best,
DMW</p>
<p>Couldn't find the past thread you mentioned, Sinewave =/
Anyways, apart from legacy, anyone personally know of "ordinary" people getting in?</p>
<p>Yale does have its fair share of politicians, but all the prestigious colleges do...</p>
<p>Harvard has Ted Kennedy... I mean, he's a drunk, a murderer, and a cheater.</p>
<p>Yale has far more than its share of famous politicians and government types, even relative to the other Ivies. At one point recently, I believe the ambassadors to the U.N., France, China, Russia and Britain were all Yalies. Plus, there are the whole "4 of the past 6 Presidents" and "a candidate for the White House in every election since 1972" things.</p>