Yale.* *A Guide to Yale College, 2009–2010 1 A Guide to Yale College This is Yale. We’re glad you asked. Home Difference p. 100 | p. 112 | Grown. Makers. Lives. How Yale’s Through Freshman p. 10 | sustain ability project Dwight Hall, students Diaries. Yale’s newest is changing the world find their own paths Dispatches students chronicle a p. 84 | one campus at a time. to service and leader- from the World. week in the first year ship in New Haven. Shared and give some advice. Eight Elis define p. 102 | Communities. “global citizen” and Yale’s share their pivotal tradition of Cultural moments abroad. Houses and a∞nity organizations and Apply. The Good centers. p. 118 | News about the Keeping the Cost of Yale. p. 106 | Anatomy of a Faiths. p. 14 | Pursuits. Nurturing Yale’s history-making Residential College. State of the p. 94 | the spiritual journeys financial aid policy Arts. Delving into the From the digital of all faiths. reduces the average layers of Yale’s unique to the classical, Yale’s cost of sending Bulldog! residential college spectacular arts options. p. 108 | a student to Yale Bulldog! Bow, system (12 gorgeous College by over 50%. The Daily Wow, Wow! stand-alone “colleges”). p. 96 | Playing College Show. The p. 52 | A slice of Yale’s for Yale—The Game, p. 119 | Meets University. Particulars. creative life during one the mission, the teams, Studies. An undergraduate road Places. spring weekend. the fans, and, of course, How to apply, what A Liberal p. 34 | map to the intersection Handsome Dan. we look for, and Education, Part I. of Yale College and the visiting campus. Yale’s educational University’s graduate p. 66 | Inspired philosophy, more than and professional by Icons. 75 majors, the meaning schools. of breadth, and some Why Next-Gen startling numbers. p. 54 | architecture Knowledge. ELIterati. For matters. p. 98 | Blue Booking. p. 38 | Yalies, one-of-a-kind Why Elis are just Noah When parties and resources make p. 78 | so darned determined Webster Lived shopping are academic. all the di≠erence. to publish. Here. Plus: shopping lists Bumping and special programs. into history at Yale. Eavesdrop- Nine Squares. p. 42 | p. 80 | ping on Professors. The modern univer - Why being an amazing sity, the cosmopolitan place to teach makes college town. Yale an amazing place Bright A Liberal Elm City p. 24 | to learn. p. 60 | p. 82 | College Years. Education, Part II. Run. On a run Two, Three, In many ways friend- p. 50 | The fruits of a liberal from East Rock to Four, Five Heads ship defines the education’s labor—a Old Campus, one Are Better Than Yale experience. One sampler of innovation student explains One. student sums it up: Synergy from the discovery of why New Haven is “It’s about the people, and study groups. vitamins to the inven- the perfect size. not the prestige.” tion of the artificial heart and the creation of FedEx overnight delivery. 4 5 Lives. Yale is at once a tradition, a company of scholars, a society of friends. Yale: A Short History, by George W. Pierson (Professor, Yale Department of History, 1936–73) 8 lives 9 | Brandon Sharp Preorientation Freshman Programs Counselors The Hometown Several optional Freshman Counselor OH Solon, preorientation programs (a.k.a. Froco) Program Freshman Diaries. Anticipated Major give new students a was established in (Life in the first year) chance to meet each 1938 and has been Political Science and International Studies other prior to the formal an intrinsic and Freshman Orientation. essential component of Yale’s advising From the moment they Cultural Connections system for freshmen arrive, freshmen are (CC) introduces fresh- ever since. Each One thing that surprised me men to Yale’s cultural first-year student is able to dive into all that resources and explores assigned a counselor Yale has to offer. In part was how well Yale handled the the diversity of student who acts as a guide this is because so many experiences on campus, through the transition with emphasis on the to life at Yale. Frocos programs are in place rooming. I certainly didn’t imagine experiences of students are a diverse group specifically to welcome of color and issues of seniors who are and guide first-year my roommate, from Dublin, related to racial identity. friends/mentors/ students— from pre- problem-solvers— Ireland, would become one of Freshman Outdoor but not supervisors orientation to freshman Orientation Trips or disciplinarians. counselors (Yale seniors) my best friends. (FOOT) offer six-day All freshmen except to Freshman Seminars and four-day back- those in Timothy packing trips for all Dwight and Silliman (small classes taught levels in the mountains live together on On preorientation: by some of Yale’s most I had a other key factors, but ultimately and hills of New Old Campus during York, Massachusetts, their first year, and prominent professors) lot of help from upperclassmen the most important part of choos- to parties. We caught up and Connecticut, led Frocos live among friends in terms of getting adjusted ing a school was being comfortable by upperclassmen. them. (Freshmen with three freshmen in and choosing classes, but I also with the people you will be around Trip leaders have are grouped in Old between their first and did Cultural Connections, which for the next four years of your life. extensive training in Campus residences second semesters. Here keeping FOOTies safe by college affiliation, I thought was a great experience As for the classes, perhaps I got and healthy in the which allows all they share advice on not just for people of color, but for lucky, but I thoroughly enjoyed back country and are freshmen no matter money, independence, everyone. I think it is the right way my classes first semester. The experienced counselors their college affilia- who offer a wealth of tion to get to know and schedules; reflect First Year’s Classes to be introduced to all that is Yale. professors I had were brilliant yet on their own freshman support, advice, and each other.) A Monday > Introduction to Political approachable and presented mater- friendship. expectations; and record Philosophy On Freshman Seminars: in the life of > International Ideas and ial in a challenging and interest- a day in their lives 10:45 am Harvest begins at the Wake up and shower. Institutions: Contemporary I would recommend applying to ing manner. I have found that in during the first year. the Seminars for the fall. From Yale Farm, and then 11:35 Challenges this short semester I have grown groups of freshmen Political Philosophy (One > Elementary Modern Standard what I hear, they are amazing. led by upperclassmen of my favorites in which we significantly intellectually. Arabic (both semesters) head off to spend discuss great works by authors On extracurriculars: > Introduction to the Elements five days on family- such as Aristotle, Hobbes, Unlike of Music (intro music theory) owned organic farms and Tocqueville.) high school, you really can’t do > Africa Since 1800 in Connecticut. 12:35 pm > Intensive Elementary everything, so narrowing down Lunch with some friends from Portuguese Pierson College who take early on what you want to do FreshPerson > Calculus of Functions of Political Philosophy with me. in terms of extracurriculars is a Conference (FPC), One Variable II described as “summer 1:30 WLH good idea. Arabic and then run to > Elementary Studies in Analysis camp for big kids,” is and Composition I (music) (William L. Harkness Hall) On expectations: organized by under- for Music Theory because we Activities Many factors graduate students and get out a little late. takes place at a nearby > Shades A coed a cappella singing went into my decision to come 2:30 camp in Connecticut. Music Theory. group that focuses on African- to Yale, but the most important American music; started in 1988 4:00 were the people and the culture. Orientation for Back to my room, talk to Matt, by a small group of Yale freshmen International Students my roommate. First, I wanted a place that had a at the Cultural Connections (OIS) is a program 6:00 preorientation program. strong black community because Matt and I go to dinner at designed to ease > Yale Black Men’s Union that was something I was missing the transition of inter- Trumbull. > Club Squash in high school. Second, I saw an national students to 7:00 > Black Student Alliance at Yale Black Men’s Union meeting the United States, > Battell Chapel Choir Conducted underlying sense of humility in the where we have a guest speaker. and to acquaint them by graduate choral conducting culture of Yale that is uncommon with academic life 8:30 Club Squash practice. students; the choir sings for Sunday at schools of its caliber. The well- and culture at Yale. University Church services in 10:30 established music community and Back to the room for reading Battell. and sleep. International Studies major were 10 lives 11 | Zuzana Culakova Oscar Pocasangre A Friday A Thursday Hometown Hometown NY, Rochester, by way of Slovakia in the life of San Salvador, El Salvador in the life of 9:15 am 9:00 am Anticipated Major Wake up, check email, get Anticipated Major Comparative Latin American ready for classes. Politics: Get ready to take a lot Chemistry (although I may change to Economics, Political Science 9:40 of notes! Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry Walk to Commons, eat 10:15 or Chemical Engineering) breakfast, skim notes for chem. Breakfast. At Berkeley College, 10:30 I usually get a bagel, mu∞ns, First Year’s Classes Freshman Organic Chemistry, wa±e, or fruit and yogurt, and with Professor McBride, > Freshman Organic Chemistry orange juice.