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.


flighty said...
on May. 13 2010 at 12:56 am
goddess, you'd love Yale if you've had a nurturing experience during high school. The kids are all amazing, multi-dimensional, doers. It's just an incredible place to go to school. I hope you get the chance.

on May. 3 2010 at 9:14 pm
This is the best review up! I learned so much. Thanks for writing it.

Lovinit said...
on May. 3 2010 at 2:58 pm
I felt the same way. Love this review! This is the kind of thing that makes it easier to feel comfortable about going away to school.

on May. 2 2010 at 8:37 pm
goddess_of_the_moon_123 SILVER, Beaverdam, Virginia
5 articles 0 photos 70 comments

Favorite Quote:
'To unpath'd waters, undream'd shores' ~ William Shakespeare, A Winter's Tale

I loved how informative this article was-- it had everything I wanted to know about the school; and it sounds like my kind of place! I come from a very unique and supportive high school, so it's nice to know that there are colleges out there who really try to continue fostering more than just the academic sides of their students. Great article!

LilaW PLATINUM said...
on Apr. 30 2010 at 9:04 pm
LilaW PLATINUM, Brampton, ON, Other
21 articles 0 photos 43 comments

Favorite Quote:
Live. Laugh. Love. Fight. Flight. Get it right.<3

great review! :)

on Apr. 25 2010 at 12:49 am
Ditto, Rebecca. It sounds so exciting on campus. With all those speakers and shows, it amazes me that so many intellectual pursuits can happen as well. Awesome!

RebeccaH said...
on Apr. 25 2010 at 12:46 am
Love this review. Yale is on my short list for next year and your review made me so excited about the entire experience.

on Apr. 21 2010 at 9:22 pm
Awesome review! I'm sending my friends who are making their decisions now on college to this article. It says exactly what a senior needs to ehar.

CameronC said...
on Apr. 21 2010 at 10:41 am
Now this is what I call a fantastic review! I went to visit this month and I heard similar points from the students. This writer is a talented reviewer.

Breezie11 said...
on Apr. 4 2010 at 12:25 am
This is the first review that has made me take notice. I can't wait to apply next year! Yale sounds like my dream school.

AubreyD said...
on Apr. 4 2010 at 12:24 am
Wow! Phenomenal review. People pay good money to have counselors tell them this stuff.

runnergrl said...
on Apr. 1 2010 at 4:08 pm
runnergrl, Dexter, Michigan
0 articles 0 photos 18 comments
Great review!  I loved how you told how Yale is different from other Ivy League schools.

beenthruit said...
on Mar. 29 2010 at 12:06 pm
I agree. Publish this so juniors can have a more personal idea of the school before they deal with admissions offices and cookie cutter books.

on Mar. 23 2010 at 8:44 am
ClaraZornado GOLD, Danielson, Connecticut
10 articles 11 photos 11 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Your life is your art." Keri Smith

This article is truly the paragon of the college-related articles on this website. Congratulations. It is brilliant.

Rich09 said...
on Mar. 22 2010 at 1:36 pm
It's true about the professors at Yale. They really try to go the extra mile for you and love when you show interest after class.

collegebound said...
on Mar. 22 2010 at 1:35 pm
This is a great review. Very well written and captures the spirit of Yale.

hopeful2010 said...
on Mar. 19 2010 at 12:12 am
Love hearing that professors are so accessible at Yale.

CallieS said...
on Mar. 17 2010 at 8:01 am
The kids in the library 8 hrs. a day are, unfortunately, our pre-meds, and schools make it so impossible for them to succeed that they have to be in the library all that time, whether they're at Harvard, Yale, Princeton or anywhere. It is a shame, though.

AveryBegrad said...
on Mar. 17 2010 at 12:20 am
Yes, really nice job here. Beautifully written. You should let Yale know that you're such a fan.

CarlosS10 said...
on Mar. 17 2010 at 12:19 am
Just fantastic review. Not that there is anyone at the top of my graduating class who doesn't want to go to Yale, but if they weren't sure before, they would be after reading your review.