2015-2016 Yale University Application Thread

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How bad is it to not use all the space allotted in the secondaries? Like if I were to submit a 300 word essay and the max is 500 words, would it look like I wasn't trying hard enough?
 
HawksWin said:
How bad is it to not use all the space allotted in the secondaries? Like if I were to submit a 300 word essay and the max is 500 words, would it look like I wasn't trying hard enough?
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yes
 
HawksWin said:
How bad is it to not use all the space allotted in the secondaries? Like if I were to submit a 300 word essay and the max is 500 words, would it look like I wasn't trying hard enough?
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My 2 cents as a fellow applicant working on the secondary right now:
Instead of just saying what you like about Yale, you may consider tying it back to personal reflection/experiences highlighting your experience with something similar or explaining why that particular feature of Yale is important to you and/or in general.

For example, if you claim to like the self-directed learning of the Yale system, you may include a brief anecdote showing that you have experience with self-directed learning and have thrived in such an environment (which would substantiate your claim).

Of course, you may have already done this and still have 300 words, in which case you can ignore me 😛
 
HawksWin said:
How bad is it to not use all the space allotted in the secondaries? Like if I were to submit a 300 word essay and the max is 500 words, would it look like I wasn't trying hard enough?
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No
 
Hey,
For the Activities/Awards section on the secondary, how did you guys indicate activities that are ongoing and you plan to continue into the indefinite future?
 
So excited for all of you interviewees!!! And to everyone still waiting, no worries, Yale is non-rolling. Just a quick plug for Yale- I have only been here a couple weeks and am constantly impressed by everything here. The administrative staff is genuinely caring and involved, my fellow classmates are the most interesting and compassionate people I've ever met (seriously, I didn't know people like this existed lol) and the new curriculum seems very well planned and thoughtful. You guys will love it here! If you get an interview, its definitely worth the trip up to see for yourself.

ps. The food trucks that line cedar street (med campus) have every type of food you can imagine and are really good and cheap too. (Like any man, the way to my heart is through my stomach 😉)
 
II!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Complete 7/28. Variety of dates offered from mid-September till early November.
*Splash power intensifies*

On a serious note, do you guys think there's still an advantage to interviewing early since its supposedly non-rolling? Or should I wait till I have a couple of interviews at less-intense places and possibly choose to volunteer mid-October?
 
NotAnotherPreMed said:
II!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Complete 7/28. Variety of dates offered from mid-September till early November.
*Splash power intensifies*

On a serious note, do you guys think there's still an advantage to interviewing early since its supposedly non-rolling? Or should I wait till I have a couple of interviews at less-intense places and possibly choose to volunteer mid-October?
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This is my completely unsubstantiated opinion (coming from one pre-med to another), but I think that the non-rolling schools are the exception to the early interview advantage. I think that at schools like these, the most crucial factor is getting the interview itself (i.e. submitting early is still beneficial) But at this point, once you've already received the II, you really want to be able to interview to the best of your abilities and if that means going through some less stressful ones first and scheduling this one for later, that may be a good idea.

Just my 2 cents.
 
Hey everyone! I wanted to get some insight on how well I might do as an applicant to Yale (3.6 UGPA and 515 MCAT which is 93rd percentile), I will be attending a one-year master's program this year to enhance my record on the GPA side. I have 3+ years of research experience (with publications), have worked as a CNA for over a year, and as a medical scribe for almost a year. Also was involved in multiple mentoring programs at my undergrad Univ, as well as extracurricular clubs, and traveled abroad for shadowing/community service projects, and have shadowed in the U.S. as well. Thoughts on my chances here? I know my UGPA is a bit low but will the rest of my experiences make up for that a bit? Thanks in advance for your thoughts!!
 
FutureMed1993 said:
Hey everyone! I wanted to get some insight on how well I might do as an applicant to Yale (3.6 UGPA and 515 MCAT which is 93rd percentile), I will be attending a one-year master's program this year to enhance my record on the GPA side. I have 3+ years of research experience (with publications), have worked as a CNA for over a year, and as a medical scribe for almost a year. Also was involved in multiple mentoring programs at my undergrad Univ, as well as extracurricular clubs, and traveled abroad for shadowing/community service projects, and have shadowed in the U.S. as well. Thoughts on my chances here? I know my UGPA is a bit low but will the rest of my experiences make up for that a bit? Thanks in advance for your thoughts!!
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definitely worth applying! you won't know unless you throw your hat in the ring.
 
I think you're already a competitive applicant. I do want to say that I do not think you're coursework next year will have an impact on your current application in terms of GPA. They are assessing you on current GPA and there is no way to definitively know how you will do next year for classes. I am assuming you are asking bout applying this year. If you're applying next year, then you're masters program will be beneficial.
 
carpediem22 said:
Congrats! But dude, I just looked at your MDapps. 25+ schools with those stats?!? I'm exhausted looking at it! Haha
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Thanks man!
Yeah, I definitely should've applied to less, but I was lagging in submitting my secondaries. So I added a few after I applied to my original ones haha. Insecurities definitely get the best of me in emotionally exhausted state... 🙁
But I hope it's worth it! 🙂
 
current students: what's the best way to get into new haven? flights directly there make me want to cry because they are so expensive and at terrible times =/
 
Not a current student but most students either fly into Hartford (Bradley International Airport) and take a taxi/car service to Yale, or fly into NYC (Laguardia, JFK) and take the train to New Haven. There is a Yale shuttle that picks up at the train station. The New Haven airport is tiny and, as you said, expensive 😛
 
^Yeah I'm from the DC area and I'm thinking of taking a Bolt Bus to the NYC then take the Metro North from Grand Central to New Haven. Anyone have any experience with this? This would total like 70 bucks round trip. Whereas Amtrak would be 130-160 (but obviously more convenient)
 
NotAnotherPreMed said:
^Yeah I'm from the DC area and I'm thinking of taking a Bolt Bus to the NYC then take the Metro North from Grand Central to New Haven. Anyone have any experience with this? This would total like 70 bucks round trip. Whereas Amtrak would be 130-160 (but obviously more convenient)
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I don't have experience with the bolt bus, but the metro north is super easy. It's ~2 hours each way. Just don't try to walk to Yale from the train station, the area around the station isn't the best. Wait for the shuttle. You can download a Yale shuttle app onto your phone and it will tell you when the next one arrives. Or, pay $7 and take a cab.
 
carpediem22 said:
I don't have experience with the bolt bus, but the metro north is super easy. It's ~2 hours each way. Just don't try to walk to Yale from the train station, the area around the station isn't the best. Wait for the shuttle. You can download a Yale shuttle app onto your phone and it will tell you when the next one arrives. Or, pay $7 and take a cab.
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Omg do not get started with the overhyped "New Haven is dangerous" BS. You will not die walking from the train station to the med school. It is a <10 min walk and within 2 blocks you will see lots of parking lots and local stores. The area is not a holy gentrified haven, but you will be safe.
 
avgn said:
Omg do not get started with the overhyped "New Haven is dangerous" BS. You will not die walking from the train station to the med school. It is a <10 min walk and within 2 blocks you will see lots of parking lots and local stores. The area is not a holy gentrified haven, but you will be safe.
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This unless it's after dark, in which case, shuttle, uber or taxi. 6-8 bucks for the later two only. After dark, the route is still safe for the most part, but you might make wrong turns or get lost to more concerning area.
 
FriendlyFH said:
This unless it's after dark, in which case, shuttle, uber or taxi. 6-8 bucks for the later two only. After dark, the route is still safe for the most part, but you might make wrong turns or get lost to more concerning area.
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Just keep walking north and west, nothing is scary in that direction
 
avgn said:
Omg do not get started with the overhyped "New Haven is dangerous" BS. You will not die walking from the train station to the med school. It is a <10 min walk and within 2 blocks you will see lots of parking lots and local stores. The area is not a holy gentrified haven, but you will be safe.
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@avgn Chill, I wasn't saying anything bad about New Haven. I love New Haven and don't think it's any more dangerous than any other city. But fact is that it IS a city, the area around the train station isn't great, and common street smarts = don't walk around a shifty area with a ton of luggage at off times if you can avoid it. In broad daylight you're probably fine but at night it's just not the best (near the highway, not a ton of pedestrians, dark, etc.). I wouldn't walk around a dark area of NYC alone with a suitcase by myself at night either.

The area around Yale is completely fine. I went to Yale for undergrad, so either take my advice or leave it. Plus, I don't see why you would risk it at night if there is a shuttle that runs every 15 minutes...
 
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catchmoresun said:
current students: what's the best way to get into new haven? flights directly there make me want to cry because they are so expensive and at terrible times =/
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I would fly into hartford, if you have to check bags then CT limo (49 bucks i think) is probably the best way to go. If you're just bringing a carry-on (which I'm assuming is the case) you can take the train which is only around 11 dollars or so.
 
LOL soo...if Yale sent me a "hurry up and get your secondary in" email on July 23 and I still haven't...is that an application killer? :shy: Burnout is real but now that I have a little more time...hehe. Thought I might as well? Applying as MSTP if that makes a difference but probably not hahah


Edit: finally got around to submitting this secondary yay
 
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Willy38 said:
I would fly into hartford, if you have to check bags then CT limo (49 bucks i think) is probably the best way to go. If you're just bringing a carry-on (which I'm assuming is the case) you can take the train which is only around 11 dollars or so.
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CT Limo is never the best way to go. I've heard so many horror stories lol.

There's also a $5 shuttle from Hartford's Union Station to New Haven's Union Station. Here's the schedule: http://www.cttransit.com/Uploads_Schedules/950NH_HART_2_sched.pdf There's a local bus called the Bradley Flyer that takes folks from the airport to Hartford's Union Station.

Getting to Yale is such a pain.
 
carpediem22 said:
@avgn Chill, I wasn't saying anything bad about New Haven. I love New Haven and don't think it's any more dangerous than any other city. But fact is that it IS a city, the area around the train station isn't great, and common street smarts = don't walk around a shifty area with a ton of luggage at off times if you can avoid it. In broad daylight you're probably fine but at night it's just not the best (near the highway, not a ton of pedestrians, dark, etc.). I wouldn't walk around a dark area of NYC alone with a suitcase by myself at night either.

The area around Yale is completely fine. I went to Yale for undergrad, so either take my advice or leave it. Plus, I don't see why you would risk it at night if there is a shuttle that runs every 15 minutes...
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I know the area quite well (not from undergrad). I have never been so much as looked at while walking at night from the station with luggage.

But you're right, if you're a typical American suburban kid with little to no street smarts, then any city at night will have big bad wolves lurking for you.

15 min for the night shuttle? Lol try 30-50 min as soon as it's after 8 pm. It's all luck based on when the MNR arrives
 
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Has anyone tried uploading a document on the portal? If so, were you able to click on the title and see the document after you did?

EDIT: I ask because I can't click on mine or see it at all and pre-med neuroticism is telling me that maybe I didn't upload a document in the first place. 😱 Lol!
 
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starfun21 said:
Has anyone tried uploading a document on the portal? If so, were you able to click on the title and see the document after you did?

EDIT: I ask because I can't click on mine or see it at all and pre-med neuroticism is telling me that maybe I didn't upload a document in the first place. 😱 Lol!
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If you upload a document successfully, you should see a section right below the upload button that gives the name of the document and the date uploaded. You can't click and see the document, though. If it's not there, upload it again.
 
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