Yale

Colleges and Universities A-Z Yale University
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<p>Hey all,</p>

<p>I ran across this site today, and I was surprised to see how much talk there was about Yale. I'm done with exams until the Harvard-Yale game this weekend, so I thought I'd make myself available for the next few days to answer any questions you all might have. </p>

<p>To let you all know a little bit about myself, I'm a senior majoring in Ethics, Politics, and Economics. I did Directed Studies as a freshman, and I've studied a couple of languages and traveled abroad through Yale. Ask away!</p>

2

<p>Hi thule, </p>

<p>I know this is a semi-silly question, but when you got accepted, was your envelope thick or thin? I'm sort of ashamed asking that question, but I must know.</p>

<p>Also, have fun this weekend! GO BULLDOGS!!!! What is "the Harvard Crimson" anyway... sounds like a disease.</p>

<p>Thanks :-)</p>

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<p>Hey,</p>

<p>I was just wondering for Directed Studies, how do the students get chosen? I'm interested in that program and if you could elaborate further that'd be great. I'm hoping to go into business later on, but I'm really into the humanities etc. Would the two be compatible?</p>

<p>Thanksss.</p>

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<p>Also, how was your experience abroad? I am extremely interested in going abroad to Latin America or Spain.</p>

5

<p>@Fringey - Thick. Though by time it arrived by mail, it was an afterthought. In my year, Yale had a website set up where you could check your status. If you're in, it shows a picture of a Bulldog and "Congratulations!" This year's game is going to be great. Both Harvard and Yale are undefeated.</p>

<p>@Akiiriah - There are two road into DS. One is through admissions. For maybe half of the DS class, you're accepted into Yale and DS at the same time. Often times, it's because you get it if you express interest in it somewhere in the application. </p>

<p>The other way into DS is through an application process. You write a 500ish word essay on why you're interested, and send it in. Don't be discouraged if it doesn't work out at first. There's turn-over at the beginning of the year, so if you make your interest known, you'll often find a way in. The pace can be grueling, but you'll make some of your closest friends with the people who experience it with you. DS kids also channels into Ethics, Politics, and Economics (EP&E), which you might like, since it touches on both econ and the humanities.</p>

<p>Business and the humanities are definitely compatible. Yalies go into business (banking, consulting, hedge funds, etc.) from every major, though the heavily quantitative ones (Math, Physics, CS) have a minor edge.</p>

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<p>Thule --</p>

<p>How does Yale's sense of community compare to that of other Ivy League colleges (or just colleges of the same caliber in general)? </p>

<p>Thanks. :) Have fun at the game! We just had our boarding school rivalry game last weekend as well. It was great.</p>

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<p>thule---</p>

<p>Can you study abroad more than once (I want to go to Paris and Oxford) and still have financial aid transfer both times?</p>

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<p>How do the residential colleges work? My interviewer said that they were random unless you have a family member that has been in one and you really want in on that same college. However, I didn't ask how roommates are chosen or anything of that sort. Do you fill some sheet out with preference or is it completely random?</p>

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<p>QuixoticRick... I know this isn't my thread but my good friend last year filled out a sheet with preferences. I think the point is to try to put you with a roommate with similar hours/study habits, but not to lose the diversity that Yale has as a whole. So they try to make a mini-Yale, but with roommates who aren't polar opposites.</p>

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<p>Thule:
Did you know you were going to major in Ethics, Politics, and Economics when you first applied, or did you switch to it during your time at Yale? That major is one of the biggest reasons why Yale is my first choice. Can you tell me a little more about it? The workload, topics, and what sort of fields people usually get into with this major?</p>

<p>also, I am a bit wary about the workload for DS. Is it really that bad? I remember reading somewhere that people call it "Directed Suicide," but I am guessing you have to be extremely disciplined in your study habits and such.</p>

<p>I probably have more questions but those are the two on my mind right now ! thanks for doing this.</p>

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<p>Hi thule, thanks for your response =)</p>

<p>And I didn't mention DS on my application...where was I meant to? If I haven't mentioned it, should I send an email to my regional admissions officer expressing interest? Or should I wait until after I get accepted (if I'm lucky enough to be). =P</p>

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<p>@Olivia - Sense of community is a broad question. I haven't spent much time at other Ivy League schools, so I can't really speak for how Yale compares, but I can tell you about my experience here Yale.</p>

<p>The core of the Yale community is your residential college. There are twelve, and most are gorgeous, gothic castles (Morse/Stiles the notable exceptions). Dining halls, intramurals, master's teas, and everything start with them. Even though people are randomly assigned into the colleges, each one tends to develop its own culture. The colleges are about 400 people each, and are very tight-knit. There's probably as much variation in residential college cultures at Yale as there is across the Ivy League colleges.</p>

<p>That said, there's a tremendous sense of Yale that unites the colleges. Everyone's happy to be here, relaxed, and down-to-earth, and the ethos is more cooperative and collegial than competitive.</p>

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<p>@Virtuoso - I'm not certain, but I think so. Even if it's not possible, there's an embarrassment of fellowships and grants from old blue alumni. I studied Mandarin in Beijing through one. A man named Richard Light developed the process for making a pill in the '20s. </p>

<p>He became fabulously wealthy, and donated endowed Yale with a fellowship that sends 100 students to East Asia each summer to study languages, covering everything. So, now during the summers, you can go to any bar in Beijing, throw a stone and hit a Yalie in the head. There are tons of other fellowships out there, too.</p>

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<p>@QuixoticRisk - Your interviewer was pretty on the mark. The assignment into residential colleges is random, unless you want to be in (or, be out of) one a family members was in. </p>

<p>The assignments of roommates from there depends on the residential college dean's taste. They collect forms that ask a few questions like, how late you stay up, how studious/social you are, what kind of music you listen to, what interests you have, and any special requests. </p>

<p>I've heard stories of residential college deans with senses of humor. One dean matched together all the students who had colors for last names. They generally try to get a good mix of kids so that the college is cohesive.</p>

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<p>@Akiiriah
There's no harm in mentioning your interest in DS. There's no specific place you're supposed to mention it, so you didn't miss anything. But, if you do plan on mentioning it, it's best to do it early, since admission and DS come at the same time.</p>

<p>@SpiffyStars</p>

<p>EP&E was actually the reason why I chose to come to Yale. What I like most about the major is that it's so broad, and gives you flexibility. The coursework is in the constituent parts, so you'll have to take micro and macro econ, philosophy, and some ethics classes. After that, the major is almost entirely small, close, seminars. My only objection to the major is that because it's so broad, it can be hodge-podge at times, but if you have a clear idea of what you want, you can get a great deal out of it.</p>

<p>The best part is the senior essay. You define a concentration, and can apply any courses in the university towards it. For instance, if you're writing on China, you can count your summer abroad, Spence's course on Modern China, economic analysis, a sociology course on income inequality, and whatever else suits the subject. </p>

<p>Since the major covers a lot of ground, you have a diverse set of people in it. I'd say the typical EP&E student is an erstwhile poli sci major, and tends to go to law school, but EP&E sends good contingents to government, philosophy grad school, and Wall Street.</p>

<p>Directed Studies alumni make up about half of EP&E. The DS workload is extreme, but the advantage is that it's consistent. You have one paper every Thursday night a week, and once you get a hang of the rhythm, it's very rewarding. It's also a community onto itself. We sometimes got together on Friday mornings after our all-nighters and watched the sun rise over old campus from a rooftop.</p>