<p>I just got back from visiting Duke and I've met like four current students who chose Duke over Yale. They keep telling me it's because at Duke, professors "actually teach their own classes" and that Yale's science department is really crappy and just developing.</p>
<p>(Of course most of these kids are like full-ride scholarship recipients too, which they generally fail to mention...)</p>
<p>but what they say worries me, just a little. Do Yale's sciences really suck? Are undergrads really ignored or pushed aside in favor of focusing on graduate students? Do faculty rarely teach classes?</p>
<p>somehow i really doubt Yale would have such an amazing reputation as an undergrad college if this were true. but can someone please shed some light on yale for me? I've never been there but i plan to visit in a few weeks. are these duke kids just really biased? or is there some truth to what they say?</p>
<p>I have taken science classes at Yale, Stanford and I’ve had plenty of excellent science high school teachers (e.g. my hs eng. teacher had a PhD from Caltech and my Chem had 1 from Pton) so I had high expectations. I have not been let down at Yale, and plan to major in a pure science.</p>
<p>Yale sciences DO NOT suck! They actually r VERY STRONG! There is nearly a 1:1 student to faculty ratio; professors are top notch; med school acceptance rates are extremely high; there are tons of research opportunities; etc.</p>
<p>The entire focus of the university has shifted toward sciences in terms of money and attention over past few years. For instance, President Levin recently bought “West Campus,” a large fromer Bayer Healthcare drug research headquarters to provide additional labs. Moreover, Yale has created many new groups/research labs/etc in the sciences and a new engineering school; they’ve spent over $1 billion boosting sciences.</p>
<p>To answer your questions:
-Yale is an undergrad university first and foremost. You can find research opportunities very easily at the undergrad level, and profs are very willing to have undergrads over to speak w/ them one-on-one, discuss their research, etc.
-Full Professors always teach science classes, not graduate students. Grad students likely run “discussion sections” to go over hw and review some material etc, but the lectures, office hours, etc are done by full faculty.
-If you are really interested in engineering, I’d say that engineering remains Yale’s weakest program in the sciences (but by NO means is it weak).</p>
<p>I think the Duke kids may just be jealous. I really don’t like students who try to convince ppl to attend by putting down another university. Attend Yale b/c I know that it is ammmaaazzzinnggg; I can’t speak for Duke because I don’t go there.</p>
<p>booyaksha:</p>
<p>Reading your posting is very encouraging. S is interested in Bio-Med engineering and economics. When you say engineering is its weakest point, I do not know how to evaluate it with Duke. We also are trying to narrow down between Duke and Yale and are facing similar dilemma. I hope some other current science students will also provide some insights.</p>
<p>Yale professors are REQUIRED to teach undergraduate classes every year. They can’t hide away with their grad students and do research. This means you get professors who WANT to teach undergrads. Yale College is the heart of Yale University. The idea that Yale professors don’t teach their own classes is uninformed or a defensive reaction.</p>
<p>If you want to read about engineering at Yale, there are plenty posts you can find with the search function. Bottom line: While Yale is not best know for engineering, it is a good program with a 1:1 faculty/student ratio. Students in Yale’s engineering programs get into the top Phd programs and because of the small size of the engineering departments have wonderful opportunities for research, including publishing papers and presenting at conferences with their professors. Yale has put a ton of money into science and engineering in the past 10 years and its reputation may not have caught up yet.</p>
<p>If you’re a science person, I’d go with the best campus fit. It’s not like you’re doing yourself a huge disservice by going to Yale. Yale is the happiest place on earth and your/your child’s happiness is worth a lot.</p>
<p>the professors always teach their classes, then you usually split into smaller sections for discussion and help with TAs…all professors are required to teach undergrads here, I don’t know what the Blue Devils were saying, but they’re head and shoulders below the Bulldogs</p>