Yale University Top Questions

The stereotype is of students that like to use umbrellas when it rains. I never do but then again, I'm not very popular. People seem to like to make animal noises at the end of lecture and that is true of most students here. I think Yale attracts people who like to recite poetry in the shower, as well.

Most people think that all Yalies are preppy, prim, and proper. In reality, those people could not be further from the truth. Yale is full of diverse people from all backgrounds. We have Jocks, Frat kids, and all the rest of the stereotypical student groups. What is amazing about Yale, though, is that every body gets along and there are no cliques. My suite includes members of the Yale Precision Marching Band, the Liberal Party, the Party of the Right, the rock climbing team, and more. This sounds very cheesy, but people at Yale love each other and generally get along very well. To quote Yale historian George W. Pierson, “Yale is at once a tradition, a company of scholars, a society of friends."

Yale has a bunch of stereotypes, but I think the most accurate and best one is that among the big three (Yale, Harvard, Princeton), Yale is the chillist with the best people and best social life. This couldn't be more true. I've never felt pressured by the people here, everyone is unhesitantly helpful and wants to see you succeed, and people are virtually all happy. There are of course exceptions, but they are definitely in the minority. Frankly, I was pleasantly surprised to discover this during my time at Yale. I didn't expect it.

Like most Ivy League schools, the stereotype of a Yale student is probably a wealthy snooty preppy brat more than anything.That's the stereotype I had before I visited. In reality, you see almost none of that in reality at Yale. Yale students, faculty and staff (especially in the Divinity School) are actually incredibly friendly, helpful and accessible. I was shocked to see how middle class the average student is too.

Yale kids are often seen as rich snobby kids who got in with their parents money. Is it true? Not at all- all the people I met here are humble, interesting, and extremely varied. Kids here range from all backgrounds but share a certain bright and enthusiastic vibe.

Most people probably think of Yalies as the nerdy kids who live for schoolwork and never leave their rooms. While we do take our classes seriously, we put in just as much time and energy - and passion - into our extracurriculars and social lives. We probably pull a few more all nighters than your average college student, but on any given night of the week we can also be found rehearsing for shows, writing articles for publications, going to the gym, blowing off work to hang out with friends, or out partying. "Busy" is probably the only word that could describe ALL Yale students.

The main stereotype about Yale students is that we are all preppy rich college students with large trust funds. This stereotype, although true in some cases, is not what the average Yale student is really like. Yalies come from completely different socioeconomic, ethnic, and just general life experience backgrounds. Having every single person you meet at Yale be completely different from the next is what makes Yale so great. Everyone here is an expert in some field from drama to chemistry, and it's amazing how much you are able to learn from your peers. Most Yalies are not students going through college in order to inherent their parents empire, Yalies are people that come from everywhere and every walk of life.

NO! Unlike some other similar schools, Yale students work together. There are never any cases of taking out all the books on a subject so your classmates can't. Students hear create study groups, call each other for help on problem sets, and read/edit each other's essays. The academic atmosphere here is very comfortable; it's not cutthroat at all.

Status: Yale has been stereotyped to have a student population of "preppy, pretentious rich kids." This is absolutely not the case - though there are many affluent students who attend, there is an even greater number of students who are here because they were the hard-working leaders and creative thinkers of their high schools, regardless of financial status. However, the local stores do mostly cater to the prep-style of dress, as some of these stores are established university merchandise sellers. Identity: Out of the "Big Three" Ivy League universities, I've often heard Yale to be the "most liberal", as well as "most gay". With big events like "Sex Week" and an acapella life that is generally more popular than Greek life, this liberal label simply means that Yale allows its students to express themselves and explore their sexual identities in a safe environment. Though the gay pride at Yale is definitely strong, it is not made an issue to make others feel uncomfortable or question their own sexuality. Yale is a place of acceptance, where students can explore and share opinions on all walks of life. Though the system isn't perfect, it's definitely a wonderful place to grow in both knowledge and experience. Academics: There's this myth that only kids who get straight A's in high school get into Yale. Again, this is totally wrong. Though there are certainly a great number of bookworms and excellent test-takers here, there are also students who bring incredible talents to campus - like musicians who've performed in amazing venues, and leaders who helped create non-profit organizations. The true stereotype of Yalies (if there is one) is the same at any competitive college - "dedicated and motivated." Since each student brings their own amazing strengths to the population, every person is pushed to excel in his or her own field.