any advice on Yale?

[old macdonald]

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I have an interview @ Yale this week, and if the flu doesn't end up killing me, I'm very excited about it. Anyone who has already interviewed or is a current student have any thoughts about the interview day? Of course I've checked the feedback on SDN, but wanted to get some additional feedback from the masses.

I'm amazed that I even received an interview since it's so late in the process. I hope that the "non-rolling admissions" disclaimer is true!

Best of luck to all!

 

[GuyLaroche]

I have an interview @ Yale this week, and if the flu doesn't end up killing me, I'm very excited about it. Anyone who has already interviewed or is a current student have any thoughts about the interview day? Of course I've checked the feedback on SDN, but wanted to get some additional feedback from the masses.

I'm amazed that I even received an interview since it's so late in the process. I hope that the "non-rolling admissions" disclaimer is true!

Best of luck to all!

It is absolutely true that Yale is a non-rolling school. In fact, while there, I was told the reason why they ask for photographs. It is to remind the committee members that interview you of who you are. My interviewer lamented about how the photographs never look like the actual students and so he is always left scratching his head sometimes. So, it is a very good thing that you're interviewing late.

The interview date consists of a meet and greet with the admissions director, a tour conducted by the students, a lunch and then two interviews. The interviews are typically laid back. The whole day is very chill. I enjoyed it a lot.

Good luck.

 

[bidster]

I have an interview @ Yale this week, and if the flu doesn't end up killing me, I'm very excited about it. Anyone who has already interviewed or is a current student have any thoughts about the interview day?

You heart the Yale System....you want to hug the Yale System.... 😉

hehe...it's an overall laidback day and everyone is really nice. I can't think of anything that unnerved me or that I would be wary of if I were to go again, except I was caught a bit off-guard when Dean Silverman brought up some snippets from our applications, but it wasn't a big deal (i.e. "Oh, so you went abroad to _____....and this other person liked this about Yale..."). I don't even know if that's something that happens in every interview group, so it may not be anything to think about.

If the weather is decent and you have time, try to walk around Yale's campus (assuming you're not from there!)--very beautiful. Oh, and be prepared to say something when the tour guides make you stand on the seal in the medical library rotunda...you'll see when you go on the tour 😉

 

[CarleneM]

I think that happens at every interview group. dean silverman had a list of us with little notes next to each name he'd written down from the application and he'd bring up something about each person. its not a big deal but it is unusual. The day itself was very chill. good luck!

You heart the Yale System....you want to hug the Yale System.... 😉

hehe...it's an overall laidback day and everyone is really nice. I can't think of anything that unnerved me or that I would be wary of if I were to go again, except I was caught a bit off-guard when Dean Silverman brought up some snippets from our applications, but it wasn't a big deal (i.e. "Oh, so you went abroad to _____....and this other person liked this about Yale..."). I don't even know if that's something that happens in every interview group, so it may not be anything to think about.

If the weather is decent and you have time, try to walk around Yale's campus (assuming you're not from there!)--very beautiful. Oh, and be prepared to say something when the tour guides make you stand on the seal in the medical library rotunda...you'll see when you go on the tour 😉

 

[old macdonald]

I think that happens at every interview group. dean silverman had a list of us with little notes next to each name he'd written down from the application and he'd bring up something about each person. its not a big deal but it is unusual. The day itself was very chill. good luck!

Thanks for the feedback! The Yale System was the main reason I applied to the school, besides the fact that "Yale" looks nice on a sweatshirt. Do any current Yale students have input?

 

[beep]

just for another perspective... my interviews at yale were not chill, and i wish i'd gone in with more of my "game face" on.

 

[leaft]

I think that I had a similar experience to RunMimi's. I went to the interview with very high hopes for the school. And I had one interviewer that was great. But my other interviewer was kind of aggressive and made me debate several topics with him. At the end of the interview he said that it was a pleasure to meet me, and that he liked to play devil's advocate sometimes, but that I handled it well. I just got the "you will be lucky if we pick you" vibe more than the "you should choose us" vibe. It is a great program tho....

 

[blump]

I think that I had a similar experience to RunMimi's. I went to the interview with very high hopes for the school. And I had one interviewer that was great. But my other interviewer was kind of aggressive and made me debate several topics with him. At the end of the interview he said that it was a pleasure to meet me, and that he liked to play devil's advocate sometimes, but that I handled it well. I just got the "you will be lucky if we pick you" vibe more than the "you should choose us" vibe. It is a great program tho....

sounds like yale sucks

 

[turkeymou]

But my other interviewer was kind of aggressive and made me debate several topics with him. At the end of the interview he said that it was a pleasure to meet me, and that he liked to play devil's advocate sometimes, but that I handled it well.

yeah, my two interviewers did the good cop/bad cop routine too. i guess some version of the 'stress interview' is alive and well at yale. one of my interviewers really gave me a hard time for the first half an hour and then spent the second half an hour being very friendly. i left feeling very confused....

so if you get an interview like that, don't panic. it's not necessarily a bad sign. just politely stand up for yourself and don't get defensive (if possible) ....

but overall i liked yale a lot and enjoyed the day and people i met, even the guy who grilled me...

 

[AnnieShiro]

Same thing happend to me. One interviewer was very harsh and the other one was exceedingly nice. But all the students I met that day seemed chill.