Academics

The professors are really good. I’ve also had some inspirational and other not-so-great TAs [teaching assistants] for my review sections, so it’s up to you to shop for not only classes you like, but also for teachers you like. Every single class and section left me totally inspired—it was the most wonderful feeling ever . . . knowing that you are learning about something you really care about.

Athletics

The only thing that seems to get mass support is basketball; lots of people go to the guys’ b-ball games. I’ve actually never been, but I go to the girls’ b-ball games often to cheer on my roommate. And I’ve been to a few hockey games, but only to sing the national anthem, so that shouldn’t really count. A lot of people play IMs, but they tend to be kind of competitive in some colleges. It gets to the point that if you’re not very good, you don’t have that much fun—if you’re even allowed to play at all. I have had a particularly infuriating Ping-Pong experience, so I’ve kind of boycotted IMs since then.

Campus Dining

The food is pretty good in the dining halls, especially with the whole food project and all. I eat at about three different halls, and they’re all good. It definitely beats high school food.

Campus Housing

A mixed bag. Freshman housing, with the exception of Lanman-Wright, is spectacular. And now that many colleges have been renovated, most upperclassmen housing is very nice as well. I think Berkeley has the nicest student rooms, with Branford and Saybrook close behind.

Campus Strictness

Yale really has no big policy against drinking. My college actually had a cookout, and there was a keg and wine. Yalies, for the most part, are responsible, so the school doesn’t really have to worry about anything. There is also a place where you can go if you think you or your friend has had too much to drink—the Department of University Health—and they take care of you, and your parents don’t know. Your parents only find out if you get really sick and have to go to the Yale-New Haven hospital. They have some type of policy on drugs, but to be honest, I really don’t know about it because drugs aren’t really big here. Marijuana is really the biggest drug here, and no one seems to be out of hand with it, so there aren’t any problems.

Computers

There are lots of computer labs available, but they do get very crowded around midterm and finals crunch-time. Bring your own, and I totally recommend laptops, if that’s an option. They’re so convenient—you can write your papers anywhere. I don’t really like to write papers in libraries, so I often go to a classroom at night and write there—all the rooms even have Internet access.

Diversity

Very diverse. I feel about as exotic as white bread, and I’m half Polish, half Puerto Rican! But despite the open vibe and the conspicuous diversity, de facto segregation is still inevitable in some regards. There are definitely cliques of Hispanic kids and of black kids, as well as Jewish cliques, and a couple of others. Maybe it’s human nature to hang out with people who have things in common with you, though. I think that Yale is a pretty amazing place to find a good mix of all different types of people with all different types of interests.

Drug Scene

Some people at Yale use drugs. I’m just guessing here, but I think most Yale students either have never used drugs or have used pot socially a few times. There are some more serious drug-users, of course. But even among those, I think you often find very serious students who do great academic work and contribute to the community here. I think the quality of the experience you have here has very little to do with whether or not you choose to use drugs.

Facilities

Yale is in a constant state of renovation. The university is basically the bread and butter of contractors in the area. All of the residential colleges are scheduled to be renovated within two more years, and buildings, libraries, and classrooms often have custom wood paneling and pretty elaborate detail. Most people don't take the time to realize the care put into facilities here, but everything is about as nice as a public space can be.

Greek Life

Sororities are almost nonexistent; you hardly know anyone in one. As for frats, they are bigger if you want them to be. There are maybe four houses that consistently throw parties, but it tends to be the same crowd at these parties. If it’s your thing, it’s really cool; if not, there is plenty more to do around here.

Guys & Girls

The guys are very nice—chivalrous, too. People hold the door for each other all the time! And when I started doing that in other places, people sort of stared at me. There are many hot guys, but sometimes I have to make sure they’re straight first. The gay/lesbian/bi/trans scene is out there and open. The girls are also very nice. Are girls hot? I wouldn’t really know; my friends who are lesbians are happy here. I think the people here are the friendliest, most amazingly smart and modest people ever. I think we converted a pre-frosh into coming to Yale with just how great and friendly our people are!

Local Atmosphere

New Haven tends to get a bad rap among high school students considering elite universities, but I think the city has a lot to offer. It has plenty of stores and restaurants to cater to students’ needs. Beyond that, there’s a substantial amount of cultural and other resources in the city for students to take advantage of, if they so choose. Yes, New Haven isn’t as antiseptic and shiny as Princeton, NJ. But, it’s a ‘real’ city with real issues and with real potential for students to get involved in the community in a meaningful way.

Nightlife

There are lots of clubs and places to go if you are old enough or have the proper ID. There’s Toad’s Place, which is right on campus—that is raved about all the time. There are other places that are close by that you hear about, but I don’t go clubbing—there’s enough Yale-sponsored dances, shows, events, or student-thrown parties going on every weekend to have a good time. I like our environment. If it was different, then people would be more inclined to go off campus to have fun. I don’t believe that encourages a cohesive student population—I can’t picture everyone just going their separate ways instead of coming together at different parties on campus. You meet a lot of interesting people that way.

Off-Campus Dining

There are lots of good restaurants around campus. I’ve been to Thai places and one really good Ethiopian and Eritrean place called Caffé Adulis. It was kind of expensive, but the food was really good. The Thai places (Thai Taste and Bangkok Gardens) are very popular with Yalies and the neighborhood people because the food is good, and it’s affordable. I don’t really eat out often, but there are lots of great places to choose from. I also hear that Scoozi, Rainbow Café, and Claire’s are good places.

Off-Campus Housing

A lot of my friends think it is worth it to live off campus, and I love their places—most live in the Chapel Street area or on High Street. It’s not that expensive, and you can get huge apartments, but I wanted to be on campus because I like the college atmosphere and the camaraderie of living with my classmates. Plus, it’s nice to pad down to brunch in pajamas and slippers on the weekends and to have laundry right downstairs. Most of my best friends are also staying in my dorm, so it really has a summer camp vibe! We have our whole lives to be grown-up and live in apartments—why not take advantage of this perfect little bubble tailored exactly to our needs—we’ll never have the chance again.

Overall Experience

I’ve had a great experience at school, both socially and academically. I definitely couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. I think there is a place for everyone at Yale, since the University offers so much and is so diverse. We’re not completely cutthroat, either. It is much more laid-back than some Ivy League schools, but it’s still competitive. There’s a good balance. And the people are great. You’ll meet so many interesting, fun, quirky, and cool people. Everyone loves the student body. You’ll get a great academic experience, but the people you meet and your friends will complete the entire experience.

Parking

Parking sucks and is expensive. If you can find a place to house your vehicle when not using it, then definitely do. Connecticut has some cool stuff to do. It can sometimes get boring, but there are major hubs of activity within reasonable driving distances.

Safety & Security

Yale is immediately downtown. It’s an urban campus, meaning that while there is a Commons and a centralized area with most of the buildings, many of the facilities are interspersed with the city. The downtown seems quite nice and safe, although since many people have cars, I haven’t experienced walking alone late at night. Most of the bars and restaurants close fairly early, around 2 a.m. or so. Also, there is a Yale shuttle bus that can pick you up and take you places if you call them. I’ve never used public transportation in New Haven, though.

Transportation

We have CT Transit. There are lots of buses a block from Old Campus that go everywhere from the Connecticut Post Mall in Milford to local parks. It’s convenient, and it costs a dollar and a quarter. There are also Metro North trains that are five minutes away by taxi—I take them to go home to New York City, and it only takes an hour and a half. There’s also Amtrak if you want to go to Boston, DC, New York City, or any other place.

Weather

I’ve only been at Yale for a year, but here’s my experience. The fall was incredibly warm and humid, and then by mid-October, it started to cool off. We only got snow once or twice, though. Apparently, it was a very mild winter. It really wasn’t that bad at all. It was cold, but nothing unbearable. I’m from Seattle, and it compares. The spring was okay. There was one week in early April that was in the high 80s, but besides that, we got a little rain and it was usually in the 60s or 70s.