<p>Yale Alum
I have been reading with earnest the many postings associated with Eli Whitney threads. There is as can be expected a lot of misinformation and much conjecture. </p>
<p>As a recent graduate of Yale College who entered through the EW program, I can definitely attend to some of the various issues/queries prospective students have. </p>
<p>Back when I was accepted, the EW Program was at a transitional and pivotal point. I am glad to have been part of the transformative process that made it a much stronger feature of Yale College proper. The negative there is that the EW program has gotten harder and harder to get into; when I was accepted in 2004 the AR was about 20-25%. I believe I was one of eight out of 40 or so accepted students. In the last three years, the AR has been as low as 6%. For 2009 Yale accepted 8 EW students out of almost 120 applications. Yet this precipitous decline is part of a much wider trend in education. Case in point, for Yale’s (entire) class of 2000, the AR was nearly 20%. This year it was 7.5% Things have just gotten that much more competitive. I don’t think its a good thing but that’s our world today where more people have access to a college degree yet where more space isn’t being made nor resources alloted at the higher tier school level.</p>
<p>That aside, a competitive EW application has 4 attributes:</p>
<p>A strong academic record, glowing recommendations, potential and demonstrated leadership ability, and a compelling reason for attending Yale</p>
<p>The first two are givens. The latter two are not but probably the most important. In fact, your ‘compelling’ reason for wanting to attend Yale is by far the most crucial feature of your entire application. Please do not underestimate this!</p>
<p>Yale is a school that, in comparison to other top schools, is especially interested in cultivating leadership within its student body. It is very important. EW applicants should note well that Yale will be looking closely at civic/community engagement or evidence that you have risen to the occasion and served with distinction.</p>
<p>Yale’s EW program is perhaps the best, most integrated nontraditional program in the Ivy League. As is the case with Yale transfer students, the committee will look very closely at your personal essay and if you have the right intentions. They want to see that you indeed have a very good reason for wanting to go to Yale, especially now in your life. A ‘compelling’ reason needs to demonstrate that you were put into an adverse situation and made the best out of it or that you had some very important reasons for pursuing a non-academic path after high school. </p>
<p>Going back to your academic record, please do not be fooled into thinking that nontraditional means experience over scholarship. Yes, your experiences are important and they should be brought forth in a well-polished resume and in appropriate places within your essay. But a strong academic record is more important. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to transfer from Harvard or Amherst. It means taking challenging upper-level or graduate courses and excelling in them. It also means taking a broad course load from social sciences to humanities to natural sciences.</p>
<p>Take the opportunity to shine at low-tier, no-name schools or community colleges. Since most of the students there are more interested in credits than genuine learning, take some upper-level seminars, do all the reading, give some well-read and very well argued class discussion participation, and make an lasting impression on your professor. You want recommendations that basically say out of all the students you were a rare gem, someone who only comes around every few years.</p>
<p>Here were my stats when I applied:</p>
<p>9 classes at a third-tier state school, GPA: 3.82</p>
<p>Classes: physics, botany, urban studies, polisci, socio, and two graduate classes. With the exception of 3 classes, these were all either grad level or 300+</p>
<p>Extremely strong recs that made it clear I had an appetite for scholarship, was at the top of my class, and that I was ideal for Yale</p>
<p>SAT: can’t remember exactly but barely in the 1200’s. Never submitted them.</p>
<p>Leadership: 3 summers Orphanage work in Asia, 4 years management experience through my job</p>
<p>Compelling reason: Took care of my family out of high school after we suffered a painful bankruptcy. Worked to support them and studied/read/wrote/traveled while working hard and excelling at my job. Later enrolled in local college.
I submitted a large writing portfolio with my application to show the extent of my international scholarship.</p>