Change is in the air at Yale,
and not just in the shorter days and cooler nights. As my staff and I gaze out
the windows of the admissions office, we see hundreds of workers constructing
the spectacular gothic buildings that will become Yale's two new residential colleges next fall. We also have an early view
of the Yale Class of 2021, which will be the first to enroll 1,550 students - a
15% increase over previous classes. This is one of many exciting changes that
will touch our work this year. We have put together some updates to assist you
and your students throughout the upcoming application process. You will also
find more information on our website and in our fall counselor newsletter.
Three Ways to Apply to Yale
Freshman applicants now have
three application platforms to choose from when applying to Yale. Beginning
this year, we will accept the Common Application, the new Coalition Application, and the QuestBridge National College Match Application without
preference for one over another. Students should submit one - and only one -
application per admissions cycle. We encourage students to select the option
that's right for them. More information about the Coalition Application and
exciting updates to our QuestBridge application process are available
below.
Simplified Process for QuestBridge Finalists
We are happy to announce that
students who are named finalists in the upcoming QuestBridge National College
Match process may share their QuestBridge Application with Yale and will not
need to submit a Common Application or any additional recommendations, essays,
or transcripts to complete their applications. QuestBridge Finalists will only
need to submit official standardized test results and the required financial
aid materials. QuestBridge Finalists may use their QuestBridge Application to
apply to Yale through the National College Match, Yale's Single-Choice Early
Action program, or the Regular Decision process. Detailed instructions are
available on our website.
The New Coalition Application
After many months of
development and much valuable feedback from counselors like you, the Coalition Application went live last month. In addition to
more intuitive and mobile-friendly technology, the Coalition Application has
two significant differences from the Common Application that will be relevant
to your students:
- A streamlined process for requesting fee waivers that are valid at multiple schools,
including Yale.
- A different Yale-specific essay prompt, detailed below.
Students using the Coalition
Application will be prompted to upload a document, image, audio file, or video
they have created in the last four years that holds special meaning for them.
They will be asked to reflect (in 250 words or fewer) on why they chose to
share this piece of work and its relationship to one of two topics: A
community to which you belong and the footprint you have left OR A
time in the last few years when you felt genuine excitement learning about
something.
As you may know, the Coalition
provides a private online space called the Locker, where students can collect
and organize digital material. College admissions officers will not see
what a student stores in the Locker and will not have access to any materials
in a Locker other than those a student includes with his/her college
application. Prospective students should not invite Yale admissions staff
to collaborate on any items uploaded to the Locker, or invite them as a contact
via the Coalition platform. Demonstrated interest is not a factor in Yale’s
decision-making process.
New Questions on the Common Application
Students applying to Yale using
the Common Application will respond to a series of Yale-specific questions,
including two short essays. Applicants will choose two of the following topics
and respond to each in 200 words or fewer:
- What is a community to which you belong? Reflect on the
footprint that you have left.
- Reflect on a time in the last few years when you felt
genuine excitement learning about something.
- Write about something that you love to do.
All of the Yale-specific
questions in both of these applications are available at admissions.yale.edu/essay-topics. We hope that the updated
topics and application options will help to shed new light on applicants’
distinctive strengths and identities. The new questions also echo the vision for Yale College articulated by Dean of Yale College
Jonathan Holloway.
Standardized Testing Policies and Timeline
For the second year, Yale will
not require SAT Subject Tests. Students who have completed any Subject Tests
may share or withhold scores as they like. The SAT or the ACT with Writing is
required of all applicants. For students submitting only results from the
redesigned SAT (taken in March 2016 or later) the additional essay is required.
Students applying for freshman admission this cycle and next may submit either
the old or the new SAT; we will not prefer one test over another. Please note
Yale's policy that applicants should report all scores received on whichever
required test (SAT or ACT) they submit. For our complete testing policies,
visit admissions.yale.edu/standardized-testing.
SATs and SAT Subject Tests
taken in November may arrive in time for consideration in Yale’s Single Choice
Early Action program, but we advise applicants to complete and submit required
standardized testing from previous test dates. For Single-Choice Early Action
applicants who plan to take November SATs or SAT Subject Tests, admissions
officers will begin the evaluation process with the official scores already on
file.
New Yale Award for Juniors
Yale's new Center for the Study of Race, Indigeneity, and Transnational
Migration (RITM) is sponsoring an award for high school juniors: The Yale Bassett Award for Community Engagement. The award will
be given to students who demonstrate a record of creative leadership and public
service, academic distinction, interdisciplinary problem solving, and
experience addressing societal issues that might include, but need not be
limited to, race and racism. To be considered for the Yale Bassett Award,
interested high school students in the class of 2018 should submit an application, which will include the name of a teacher,
mentor, coach, religious leader, community-based non-profit leader, or community
member who will provide a letter of recommendation. The application deadline is
February 1, 2017. Faculty affiliated with the RITM center will select and
notify winners this spring. The Admissions Office does not administer the
award, and applying for the award will not affect a student’s chances of being
admitted to Yale.
Multicultural Open House on October 15
The Admissions Office will host
Yale's annual Multicultural Open House on Saturday October 15. All
prospective students and their families are welcome to join for all or part of
the day. The program features a faculty panel, student life forum, performances
by student groups, opportunities to visit Yale's four cultural centers, and
brunch in the residential college dining halls. Yale's new Center for the Study of Race, Indigeneity, and Transnational
Migration will also be featured. Registration is open now. Unfortunately, we cannot provide
travel assistance or overnight hosting for participants.
As always, thank you for the
important and valuable work you do as educators, and thank you for continuing
to encourage your strongest students from all backgrounds to consider Yale.
