Admissions Requirements for Yale College
Yale College's liberal arts education is intended to give students the knowledge and skills they need to pursue future courses of study or work. Rather than simply filling a student's head with knowledge, the college aims to teach students to think creatively and critically. If you meet the admissions requirements, complete your application to Yale College online at the Common Application website.
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Documents
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When you apply to Yale College, you must submit the following pieces of documentation: the Common Application with the Yale supplement, a $75 application fee (or request for waiver), recommendations from two teachers and one counselor, your high school transcript, your test results on the ACT plus writing test or the SAT and two SAT subject-area tests, and a midyear report from your high school stating your senior year's first semester or trimester grades.
Essays and Recommendations
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Yale requires applicants to complete two 500-word essays. Admissions officers recommend you focus more on writing in your own voice than on trying to impress with advanced vocabulary or complex sentences. Choose topics based on things that mean something to you personally, and write from your own perspective. Proofread -- ask your friends, parents or teachers to help catch any errors.
Ask for letters of recommendation from teachers who can speak about your character and intellect rather than just state that you earned high grades. The admissions office would rather read about your work ethic, academic curiosity and strengths than scan a list of adjectives describing your grades.
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Test Scores
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Yale College has no minimum test scores for admission. Students admitted to Yale during the 2010-11 academic year submitted test scores ranging from SAT scores of 700 to 800 on verbal and 700 to 790 on math, or ACT scores between 30 and 34. Yale looks more at school performance than at test results, so if your scores aren't as high as you'd like, a challenging program of college prep courses in high school can make up for it.
Interview
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Yale College does not require an interview, but it encourages speaking with a senior student interviewer or Yale alumnus after submitting your application. The interview does not affect your chances of admission, but it gives you a chance to share information about yourself and learn more about Yale College. Schedule an on-campus interview by visiting Yale's "Interviews for Freshman Applicants" website and clicking "Schedule an On-Campus Interview" (see Resources).
Factors Considered for Admission Decisions
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About 200 to 300 students each year are admitted based on their academic strength alone. Most admissions, though, are based on an accumulation of several factors. Yale College evaluates high school transcripts showing successful completion of varied and challenging courses and good ACT or SAT scores, as well as your essays, recommendations and extracurricular activities in which you assumed leadership when possible, showed commitment, and appreciated and enjoyed the opportunity to experience resources outside the regular classroom (see Resources).
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References
Resources
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