Yes everyone does the pre-orientation program starting with this next cycle. And yes Pepe’s Pizza all the way!!!
1 Like
Agree, you were a great sport during the thread, allowing us to express our opinions even if it was for other colleges, good luck at Yale!
2 Likes
Congrats on the decision – I think you will thrive there!
1 Like
Thank you! I’m very excited
3 Likes
So, first semester almost done. How are you feeling about your choice?
1 Like
Great question.
The answer is that I truly believe that I made the RIGHT choice to attend Yale.
I love so many things about the university.
I have already made so many incredible friends, I love my residential college and its strong community, my suite is quite roomy and spacious even though my room is a bit small, my professors are phenomenal and have been very helpful and attentive to my needs, and most of all I feel like it is the happy medium for everything that I wanted.
In terms of location, Yale is definitely a bubble and the residential colleges are a gated community and you constantly feel you are on a college campus BUT it is right in the middle of an urban environment that is hugely underrated. I have come to love New Haven despite its so called “grittiness”. New Haven is real. Living among so many people from different socio-economic backgrounds is eye-opening and pushes me to seek to better the city. Besides, it is so nice to live just outside nyc that I can go whenever I want (the 2 hour commute is super easy), but also live in a city where I have plenty of shopping, dining, and entertainment options.
In terms of student life, there is an opportunity to do so so many things. One of the drawbacks of Yale is how competitive clubs and extracurriculars can be and how it can push people away from trying new things. However, it is very possible to still get involved in so many different fields and everyone eventually finds their place. I am already in a bunch of groups that make me very happy. I’m very excited for the spring semester that starts soon and for the rest of my time at Yale! I hope i will Continue to try new things despite the fear of rejection that is a constant happenstance. Moreover, school spirit is much higher than I anticipated. Sure, athletic games are not widely attended (save for Harvard-Yale which was AWESOME and we won this year!!), but overall most students really love the school and will talk positively about it (especially when trying to trash talk other ivies, ahem perhaps a certain one near Boston, in a very friendly way).
By the way, at least so far, I have not experienced any academic competitiveness at Yale among students. It seems that for the most part that is one aspect about the school where students really have each other’s backs and the environment is highly collaborative. Students have had no problem sharing notes and discussing ideas with me. Study groups are incredibly common and it feels like everyone wants everyone to succeed. It’s incredible.
Overall, I can’t imagine picking a better place to go to college.
12 Likes
Our sense when exploring colleges was that Yale had a very strong community reinforced by the residential college system. It works, as your testimony confirms. We, like you, think New Haven is underrated. But the big question is, how do you rank the apizza trinity of Sally’s, Modern and Pepe’s?
1 Like
I don’t think there is anyway of anticipating the bulldog spirit! 
Thank you for updating us! I am so happy to hear you feel that Yale (and New Haven) were the right choice—enjoy!
1 Like