<p>Hey everyone!
I'm new to the forum.
I applied SCEA to Yale.
You can ask me anything if you want to know more!
So, here are my questions:</p>
<p>1) What does everyone like most about Yale?
(it can be several things -- I know it is for me!)</p>
<p>2) Is there anything you dislike about Yale?
(AS IF haha)</p>
<ol>
<li><p>The Residential College System, Shopping Period, the Campus, the number of extracurricular opportunities, the multitiude of course options, freshman seminars, Master's Teas</p></li>
<li><p>New Haven's reputation, the presumptions about elitism and privilege that most people make when they hear "Yale"</p></li>
</ol>
<p>1)Everything except
2)the way a lot of the students flaunt the reputation and their consumption of alcohol i.e. (we are really smart even though we drink a ton for no real reason other than to show you guys how cool we are)</p>
<p>1- everything (esp Lindseyslujh's list) + the musical oppourtunities for non-music-majors. The political climate.
2- the fact that there will be some legacy kids on campus who got in on their names/money and who really arent the caliber of student that most on campus are. but thats not exclusive to Yale...</p>
<p>As a current first-year student I would say that I love all the positives that lindseylujh mentioned, but I would also include the variety/quality of the social scene and the general amazingness of your classmates.</p>
<p>The downsides: The punishment of science majors that is Science Hill and the fact that the quality of dining halls is disparate throughout the colleges.</p>
<p>Like: Residential colleges, shopping period, proximity to NYC (can easily take a train), Beautiful campus, J Crew and Urban Outfitters (not a TOP priority though), Master's teas, theatrical opportunities - and the abundance of them, liberal reputation, Yale reputation, the fact that the many Yale professors and students are spattered throughout most all of my text books, the size, and probably a bunch of others</p>
<p>Dislikes: Science hill - the walk is sooo far), the food (I went to YSP, maybe its better during the year?), the library (i found it very confusing and unhelpful)</p>
<p>Ivyboy05, which library did you go to? There are quite a few of them. I've only been to Cross-Campus and Sterling.</p>
<p>I love Beinecke Library! Not only do they have an actual Gutenberg Bible, but the library itself is made out of a special marble that is translucent, so light filters in naturally! Apparently, the marble also filters OUT the sun's damaging rays. And the Sterling Memorial Library was awesome to walk into! It's so great how they have a card catalogue system AND a state of the arc online catalogue called Orbis. Haha.</p>
<p>Candi - I found cross campus and sterling very unhelpful. The librarians didn't really answer my questions and the system (orbis) had NOTHING that could help my psychology paper. Everything it found had to be purchased because the library didn't have it in its catalogue. Also, you had to pay like 7 cents for EACH copy in the library. But in general, i'm pretty bad with libraries. Maybe its me. </p>
<p>Candi, at the beggining of freshman year, do they explain how to use the system at all? Because i had no assistance whatsoever</p>
<p>No, no one explains anything to you in truth. You have to figure out things for yourself, unless you know someone that is knowledgeable.</p>
<p>Likes:
-The AMAZING architecture. I feel so... cozy?... I don't know the word but I love the buidlings. It feels like an old english village. I also love the courtyards in each of the residential colleges.
-The great reputation and the doors that reputation can open up for you
-The amazing people... all smart and interesting.<br>
-The top of the line academic experience... great professors and lots of education opportunities
-The residential college system</p>
<p>Dislikes:
-It's next to impossible to get in (although this can also be a good thing since it contributes to its prestige)
-The snobbish reputation that goes along with the name Yale and the Ivy League</p>
<p>I love the libraries! The card catalog library was leet when I visited. I also saw the Science Hill, Urban Outfitters, J Crew, Education Burger, and lots of other stuff. Another plus side (from what the campus tourguide told me) is that the entire campus has wireless internet!:) The only downside I can think of is that it seems to be in the ghettos, if you will. I was stopped on numerous occasions by quite the drunk passerby and asked for spare change. It was wierd. They do have those blue phones though. Supposedly, the cops will come within a minute if you press the button on the phone.</p>
<p>The wireless internet thing is a lie, most common areas have wireless, but the rooms definitely don't have it.</p>
<p>Hahaha...yeah, I know people who put themselves in odd, awkward positions while on their laptop to make sure they don't lose their connections.</p>
<p>Wouldn't it be neat if I joined skull and bones</p>
<p>Just make sure you don't kill me if I go sneaking into the clubhouse with a camera. =)</p>
<p>Haha, that movie was so exaggerated. Come on... didn't you know everyone in Skull & Bones gets a new Ferrari and $30,000 dollars in their bank accounts?</p>
<p>I wonder what the real scoop on the secret societies is.</p>
<p>I rubbed that guy's shoe for good luck :) I forget his name.</p>
<p>Theodore Dwight Woolsey? The statue in Old Campus?</p>