Yale University - PROS

Academics

• Has committed $500 million to promote its basic science, engineering, and biomedical research programs
• Malone Engineering Center - offers state-of-the-art facilities for undergrad research
• Tradition
• Biological science department - excellent (interests range from biomedical engineering research to preparation for medical school)
• No specific classes required for graduation, but 2 classes in humanities and arts, social sciences, and natural sciences and math, along with two courses that emphasize writing and another two that emphasize quantitative reasoning
• Study abroad - Junior Term/Year Abroad program (100 juniors each year)
• Yale World Fellowships - burgeoning world leaders spend a semester in a new global leadership program
• Some of the most popular courses seem more like performances
• Focus on undergrads - all professors required to teach at least 1 undergrad class each year
• Shopping period - opportunity to test out classes
• Pre-meds: direct exposure to Yale-New Haven hospital
• Best career/job placement services
• Student-faculty ratio - 6:1
• 80% of classes have fewer than 20 students

Student Life

• Popular student publications
• Residential college system - fosters close-knit community, each college has a library, dining hall, and special facilities such as photography darkrooms or tree swings
• Most freshmen live together in the Old Campus before moving into their colleges as sophomores
• Sophomores and juniors live in suites of singe and double rooms, many seniors get singles
• Dorms great for study sessions
• Dining halls serve great food, one has a completely organic menu
• Relatively carefree
• Huge variety of fun activities
• Most traditions unique to Yale-all-male singing groups like the Whiffenpoofs-have female counterparts, like Whim 'n Rhythm, if they haven't gone co-ed
• Whim 'n Rhythm: 6 week world tour following senior year
• A capella singing groups
• Secret societies have their own mausoleum like clubhouses and issue invitations to those with the right qualifications
• Palace Theatre and Schubert Performing Arts Center host touring Broadway musicals, dance companies, musicians, and popular singers
• Yale Repertory Theatre - Tony Award-winning
• New Haven - amazing restaurants
• Harvard-Yale football game
• More than half the student body takes part in intramural competition
• Big dorms
• Everybody loves it!
• Ranked #19 - school runs like butter
• Ranked #11 - happiest students
• Ranked #1 - best college newspaper
• Ranked #1 - best college theatre
• Every residential college room has a piano
• Each residential college library open 24 hours a day
• Each residential college has its own gym
• Not too far from New York and Boston
• 88% of students live on campus