Yale University | Teen Ink

Yale University MAG

February 8, 2010
By Urbs2013 BRONZE, Not Listed, New York
Urbs2013 BRONZE, Not Listed, New York
4 articles 2 photos 62 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The tao that can be told
is not the eternal Tao
The name that can be named
is not the eternal Name.

The unnamable is the eternally real.
Naming is the origin
of all particular things."


New Haven, CT: As a high school freshman with a brother at Yale University, I am in a unique position to speak about the school both from a visitor's perspective as well as from a more personal viewpoint. Yale is at once an institution of the greatest scholarly pursuit and a college of educational intimacy. It is a place of Nobel laureates and exciting, frenetically paced research as well as a campus of deeply devoted, creative-thinking professors. These teachers walk into a classroom concerned with engaging their students in the day's lecture because one or maybe all of them will have a brilliant future in the field, or simply because they believe that every student has the right to a classically enlightened education.

Yale students are world leaders because the campus nurtures independent thought, the creative process, the thrill of building fledgling organizations and catalyzing them to meaningful heights, and that “can do anything” attitude that every Yalie possesses. Students jump into the extraordinary energy of campus life and the academic, service-focused, artistic, and leadership opportunities available because the faculty, deans, and colleges (the houses freshman are assigned to, from which their closest ­allies and future “brothers and sisters” derive) coax, nurture, and challenge them to lead.

Yale students are a spirited bunch, not only ­because the type of freshmen Yale accepts is full of moxie and light, but because the spirit, respect for, and love of college traditions are deeply rooted on this campus, and the excitement of great scholarship and discovery is contagious.

One's freshman classes may be taught by Nobel Prize winners, best-selling authors, world leaders, former White House officials, renowned scientists from Yale Medical School, or career professors who love the energy of reaching out to students in a daily seminar or lecture. Their approach is always fresh. The freshman experience in a Yale classroom is one in which, regardless of the professor's rank and ­persona, the student can be assured of a class taught with dedication and imagination. Professors are ­accessible, and ready to go the extra mile to reach students, regardless of the journal article or book waiting for them to complete back in their office.

Whereas other Ivy League schools often wish their students well and send them off to classes with an ­attitude of “it's up to you now,” Yale nurtures and continues to extend itself to help students rise above the dry, hollow scholarship rolled out each day in other bastions of higher learning; because, in fact, it's not just up to students to know how to make their mark – it's up to the mentors, scholars and soaring minds into whose hands students entrust their futures.

Students do a lot on campus. This is not a campus for eight-hour-a-day library stints. This is a campus of artists who are breaking boundaries, scholars who are active in laboratory research a couple of days a week, writers and journalists, politically minded ­activists, social leaders and entrepreneurs, musicians of the highest order, and future medical whizzes who are smart enough to major in Humanities or Music or Neuropsychology and still complete pre-med track requirements.

The campus is buzzing with events every day – concerts, dramatic performances, speakers who are stars in the realms of politics, science, comedy, film; and every weekend there are informal get-togethers, formal dances, and cocktail parties. With over 300 student groups, there are shows, concerts and presentations every night of the week. In addition to these activities, the college houses at Yale subsidize outings to Boston or Manhattan for theater, concerts, and other special events.

It should be apparent by now that if you are one of the very lucky ones to be accepted to Yale University, you will have the college career of your dreams. Learn more on their website: yale.edu.


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This article has 78 comments.


Ivyedit said...
on Mar. 16 2010 at 12:23 am
Yale students are different from students anywhere else. They are brilliant and outspoken, so most of them have big charisma, but they are also artsier than the usual college collection on an Ivy campus, so this makes them seem very spirited and in touch with things. I agree with this article.

AbigailAdams said...
on Mar. 13 2010 at 2:04 pm
Love this review! Lots of detail, so I feel as though I would know what to ask about when I visit the campus this spring.

TylerW said...
on Mar. 8 2010 at 8:42 pm
I know what this writer is saying about Harvard is true because my cousin goes there and he says there is absolutely no academic support system for freshman. It's sink or swim. Not the way you want to start college.

JoshuaTree said...
on Mar. 8 2010 at 10:49 am
This is nothing short of the best college Review I've ever seen on Teen Ink.

Campbellsoup said...
on Mar. 3 2010 at 11:10 pm
I love that you guys brought this up. The idea that you don't go to college just to study all day. Didn't we just come from doing that in high school? There has to be time at some point for self-discovery. We sure aren't doing that in high school with 6 APs and no sleep.

Ginbear said...
on Mar. 3 2010 at 11:08 pm
Me too! Isn't the school just like the review says? I can't wait to hear in April! Ahhhhh!

Ivyhopes said...
on Mar. 3 2010 at 9:48 pm
I'm ready. Where do I sign up?

Connie11 said...
on Mar. 3 2010 at 12:51 pm
Yes, I've heard the same things from friends of mine at Yale. They are in love with the school. Big difference when you ask kids at Harvard and Princeton how they like their school--they don't become rhapsodic about them.

Kalliecall said...
on Mar. 3 2010 at 9:48 am
I have two brothers at Yale (one was his class' valedictorian and one salutatorian) and I'm hoping I can squeeze in there as well, although I have an A average, not an A+. Everything this article says is true. At my school in Boston, only one student is applying to Harvard, but eight are applying to Yale. There's Yale fever!

on Mar. 3 2010 at 9:45 am
Just fantastic article! I an see why Yale is ahead of Harvard on every senior's wish list. I wish I had the scores to apply. Sounds like heaven!

Justindebate said...
on Mar. 2 2010 at 5:04 pm
I got the pulse of the college from this article; it makes me want to visit and see exactly what the writer is talking about. I'm planning on applying.

on Mar. 2 2010 at 2:21 pm
Yep, this is all true. My sister attends Yale and says it is alive with arts and scholarship and the most amazing people. The students are an incredible group and that's what makes the school the number one Ivy choice.

Charliehorse said...
on Mar. 2 2010 at 1:51 pm
Really well written. Excellent insight into the college.

on Mar. 2 2010 at 9:47 am
What I love about this review is that it tells you that you're wasting your time coming to a school like Yale if you're going to stay in the library all day. The place has such a spirit, and there is creativity everywhere. If you want the library and no life, go to Harvard. No doubt, that's the vibe I got.

nancyblu said...
on Mar. 2 2010 at 9:44 am
I know, I was there in September and the kids were so energetic and spirited and friendly. I felt just what this review says. You have to be so brilliant to get in there though; I'm not sure I have a high enough GPA, but I have so many activities. We'll see what happens.

on Mar. 2 2010 at 9:42 am
These are all the vibes I felt when I went to visit the campus last summer. It's SUCH an amazing school! This review is right on track!

Tammy2010 said...
on Mar. 1 2010 at 4:32 pm
This is so helpful. I love this review! I'm waiting for my answer from Yale!

angelwrite said...
on Mar. 1 2010 at 4:03 pm
Wow! This is the most amazing college profile I ever read. Makes me want to go there!