<p>I heard Yale likes artsy students? Does that mean if you're not artsy, you have less of a chance of getting accepted?</p>
<p>What other traits does Yale look for?</p>
<p>From what I’ve heard, Yale looks for students who pick something they really love and pursue it with a passion. I guess you can say that for many other Ivies/top tier schools, but since Yale is included in that list, that is something that makes you stand out for the admissions officers.</p>
<p>You don’t have to be artsy to get into Yale. You should have one or more interests that you pursue at a high level. Those interests don’t have to be in the arts.</p>
<p>I can’t find one thing artsy about my application. You have to be a top notch student and most accepted students are really devoted to their interests.</p>
<p>Sexiness.</p>
<p>10char</p>
<p>On the general college admissions forum, someone asked a similar question</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/962786-what-will-make-your-dream-college-want-you.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/962786-what-will-make-your-dream-college-want-you.html</a></p>
<p>I think that it more that artsy students like Yale. One can make minor quibbles about the generalized differences between enrolled students at each top institution, but the accepted pools are even more similar.</p>
<p>Don’t drive yourself nuts. If you’re “artsy” then fine. If you’re not, don’t worry. I wasn’t “artsy” besides band until 11th grade. I’d say most of my friends weren’t “artsy” either – frankly more jocks than anything else.</p>
<p>My daughter just completed her first year at Yale (she absolutely LOVES it) and although she is fairly artsy, not all her classmates appear to be. I have heard Jeffrey Brenzel, Yale’s Dean of Admissions, speak a number of times and he has more than once indicated that Yale looks for something special and different in their applicants. What exactly is that? That’s the mystery. I have found this Q and A post in the NY Times in December of 2009 to be the most enlightening on what Yale looks for in their applicants. I highly recommend giving it a good read, plus it includes Admissions Directors/Deans from other top schools. Here goes. Q and A: College Admissions</p>
<p>Passion and personality, IMO.</p>
<p>Well, it’s nice that they look for passion, since my life, nearly, revolves around model United Nations; just gotta keep winning those medals. :)</p>
<p>DS once mentioned that a lot of students sing well. (Not him though.) He is artsy in the sense that he often could not put down his instrument and practices to the point that his fingers are almost bleeding. He had many companies like him while he was there.</p>
<p>There may be some truth in the saying: Yale = the artsy ivy. But I think Yale does not look for artsy students in particular. (But it can not compete with some moneyed big state or stanford in recruiting superstar athletes in some major sports like football/basketball.) It just looks for students with any kind of passion. It just happens that way. (Another myth is: a gay ivy 
It is rumored that some talented gays intentioinally apply to Yale.)</p>
<p>Yale is so well known for attracting artistic students that there is something to be said for a contrarian approach: if your strengths run in other areas (science and technology, public leadership, etc.) you might standout a little more. IMO, however, there seems to be an overall high level of “social IQ”, regardless of talent, that they like to admit.</p>
<p>@mcat. Yale is not THE artsy Ivy. You can probably find artsy sects of equal talent at any top schools, just some are more populated than others. I’d argue that Brown could give Yale a good run for its ‘artsy’ money at the undergraduate level. Yale, however, probably has the best art department in terms of graduate school (I think it’s currently ranked at #2 behind RISD).</p>
<p>Also, I’ve heard it called ‘the gay Ivy,’ too. And again, Brown can probably give it another run for its money there.</p>
<p>For the OP, I think it’s a bad idea to try and gauge the kind of student a college is looking for (unless, of course, it’s a specialty school). Don’t mold yourself for the college. Mold yourself for yourself, and the college will mold to you.</p>