<p>1). Do you want to go to Yale primarily because it is an Ivy League? If so, what makes Yale stand out to you from the other Ivy League schools? If you’re not going to Yale primarily because of its prestige and its Ivy League membership, what makes Yale stand out to you from other schools? </p>
<p>2). What is your intended major at Yale? What is your planned profession? Do you plan to go to grad/professional school?</p>
<p>3). Is the prestige really worth $200k+ of student debt to you? </p>
<p>While many pay full fare at Y, as they do at many other schools, Y has extremely generous need based FA. Both of my kids were offered exceptional FA packages, with no loans. Last year, Y was the cheapest option, including our IS public w/the largest merit scholarship available.</p>
<p>Looking at colleges as a potential art major (& i did finally major in art), I felt Yale had a stronger art program than other excellent schools (other places I considered were Brown, Wesleyan, Cornell) i was also interested in lit and writing. Other friends came to Yale for particular strengths in literature, art history, history, economics, and music. That was years ago–faculty change–but what I’m saying is, i looked specifically at the programs I cared about. Many schools have great lit depts; not so many had great art depts.</p>
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<li><p>The main reason I want to go to Yale is, I’ve heard some amazing things about the people that attend the school. They all reminded me of me – intelligent, thoughtful, enthusiastic to learn – and I want to be surrounded and stimulated by such rich-minded people. I also love that Yale is artsy. </p></li>
<li><p>I’m not sure yet about majors or grad school, but I do know that I would like to pursue a career in the media industry. </p></li>
<li><p>And yes, most definitely. Education is priceless.</p></li>
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<p>1) I agree with npumpkin. I love the artsy, liberal atmosphere of Yale. Students at Yale seem much happier than their counterparts at Harvard and Princeton, which are the colleges that are most similar to Yale in financial aid (the great financial aid is another reason I like Yale). I genuinely like learning, not necessarily for preparation for a career, but for intellectual enrichment. It would be great to be around people like me and have all of these wonderful resources available to me, like classes in some Bantu languages. It seems that a lot of other students at top schools are more focused on their careers than anything else.</p>
<p>2) History of medicine and economics with premed. I wish Yale had a public policy major, but I think history of medicine would be helpful. I want to do something with public healthcare. I would love to work for the WHO.</p>
<p>3) No. It’s only undergrad; I would have a ridiculous amount of debt after medical school. But if I get in, I hope that Yale will be affordable.</p>
Ditto. My son is also attending at a lower cost than our instate flagship AND is loan-free. In addition, the campus job pay scale is very generous and my son makes about $4 more an hour than his sister does at the instate flagship.</p>
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<li><p>My dad went to Yale, so I’ve always had an interest in the school even before I knew it was an Ivy League. The prestige does appeal to me, though. </p></li>
<li><p>Molecular Biochemistry & Biophysics. I either want to go into medicine or scientific research, and I do plan on attending graduate school.</p></li>
<li><p>My family is financially well off, so fortunately for me, the cost isn’t an issue. But even if it was, Yale has good financial aid options, so I would likely still attend [if I were to get in].</p></li>
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<li>Yale’s spoken word poetry groups seem the most supportive and developed of any other college’s. I’ve found a number of blogs on the group, even from students who aren’t poets. It’s surprisingly easy to find their videos and information online, whereas other schools let them slip under the radar until I ask about them.</li>
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<li><p>No idea. I only know I want to focus on my spoken word/writing, which is why 1 is much more important than it might seem.</p></li>
<li><p>Financial aid exists.</p></li>
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<li><p>The selective admissions attracts some of the most remarkable individuals across the country and world each year making the campus buzz with academic brilliance and extra-curricular talent. There is hardly an academic resource not at your finger tips.</p></li>
<li><p>Yes - and unlike entomom and kdog I’m paying sticker price. No one takes on $200K of student debt to attend since a family needing to borrow gets at least some need based financial aid. Some parents without demonstrated financial need will choose to spend their money in other ways and encourage their kids to go for a merit scholarship elsewhere. I happily pay >$50K to Yale each year but could never bring myself to spend $180 on a dress shirt at Nordstrom’s which I could easily afford. To each his own.</p></li>
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<p>My son is a graduating senior and he will graduate with NO debt or loans. Yale gave our son a VERY generous financial package. We would have had to pay quite a bit more to all the other Ivy league Schools to which he was also accepted. If you get accepted to Yale, they will make sure you can afford it. We are truly blessed. GOOOO BULLDOGS!</p>