The Unofficial Freshman Guide to Yale, 2013-2014

Kevin Chen Editor

Hey there, Class of 2017! Welcome to Yale and to the best four years of your life! We're the Peer Liaisons (PLs) of the Asian American Cultural Center (AACC), and we're here to answer any questions you might have. Although we're affiliated with the AACC, we're here to help anyone and everyone—feel free to ask whatever you want! Composed of seven different centers, including the AACC, the PL program is designed to help freshmen transition to their first year at Yale. As upperclassmen, we're here to guide you through the various facets of Yale—academic, extracurricular, social, and more. We were chosen for our academic record, understanding of the campus, civic engagement, and relationships with deans and faculty. Our role is to answer questions about finding academic assistance, acclimating to college social life, getting involved at Yale and in the New Haven community, and anything else you ask! We work closely with your FroCo and college dean to liaise you with various campus resources. As PLs for the Asian American Cultural Center (AACC) at Yale, we can also connect you with the AACC, cultural groups on campus, and Dean Saveena Dhall, Assistant Dean and Director of the AACC. You can think of us as upperclassmen friends who are seasoned at navigating Yale’s academic, social, and extracurricular circles. As PLs, we are here as mentors and confidants who can offer you advice or listen when you need someone to talk to. We recognize that everyone comes from various backgrounds carrying different experiences; we, too, come from a variety of backgrounds, and within our team, we represent a diversity of cultures, majors, and activities. As we approach the start of the fall term, remember that your PLs are at your side to help you find your way through Yale. Rest assured that you will have ample resources and support to overcome any challenges you face! We’re so excited to be meeting many, many of you in the fall, but if you have any questions in the meantime, or you  just want to reach out to a new upperclassman friend, friend , please feel free to email or Fac ebook any of us! (We lo ve hearing from freshmen!) See you soon, Kevin Chen (PC '14), [email protected] Andrew Chun (PC ’15), [email protected] Jenna Cook (DC '14), [email protected] Winnie Huang (BR ’14), [email protected] Ysabel Ilagan (ES '14), [email protected] Lorraine James (TC ’15), [email protected] Kathy Phan (ES ’15), [email protected] Jessica Wang (MC ’15), [email protected]

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About this Guide This guide originated in the summer of 2012 as a simple Q&A document typed up on GoogleDocs and re-posted on Facebook. Freshmen (and anyone else who was curious, frankly) could submit questions anonymously via a Google Form, and the team of AACC PLs (plus several friends they enlisted) would write up the answers for everyone to see. What began as a small project soon became a hefty undertaking as dozens of questions started pouring in each week. The Facebook document was updated almost daily and constantly shuffled and reshuffled around as new categories of questions popped up and previous answers were revised. When the Facebook document grew too long to be easily  navigable, a second one was created… only to be filled with just as many questions in half as much time. By the end of August, the Q&A submission form was officially closed and the hundreds of questions collected over the weeks saved as a text document and tucked away on the Internet. After an academic year of hibernation, the Q&A document has been brought out of its cave and repackaged as a new  (prettier) .pdf file ready for a whole new class of Yale freshmen. I’m proud to bring to you the newly titled (Unofficial) (Unofficial) Freshman Guide to Yale, 2013-2014! This guide is organized in seven major topic areas: #ACADEMICS, #EXTRACURRICULARS, #FOOD, #MOVEIN/MOVE-OUT, #RESIDENTIAL LIFE, #SOCIAL LIFE, and #OTHER. Within each topic area (besides #OTHER), you’ll find several sub-topics as well. A question index has also been compiled that lists all the questions without the answers, so you can quickly browse through what previous freshmen have asked. If you’re really curious about your future dorm room and want to read as much about it as possible, you can jump straight to that section. Alternatively, if you have a really specific question about the feasibility of using a Kindle for your DS books, you can look it up in the question index to see if it’s been asked. (Hint: it has!) Remember that the search function (Ctrl+F on PCs, Command+F on Macs) is your friend! Some disclaimers: most of the questions on the following pages were questions I originally answered in the summer of 2012. Although I’ve done my best to correct all the dates and check the hyperlinks to ensure their accuracy, some errors may still be present. Similarly, course titles and numbers may vary slightly from year to year. When in doubt, check Yale’s official publications for the most accurate information. While I’m fortunate to have been in charge of answering last year’s questions and compiling them for this year (as a PL, I even get paid for this, so it’s such an ideal job!), I’m happy to be passing on the torch to another group of superfriendly, super-knowledgeable AACC PLs who are more than capable of answering all your questions. I'd also like to extend my thanks to the various people who've helped answer so many questions along the way! One last thing: did you read through the document and still have an unanswered question? We'll be posting a new Facebook doc on your class Facebook page where you can submit your questions and have them answered. You’ll be hearing from a whole host of PLs, some returning and some new! At the end of the summer, we’ll compile the questions to make an updated (Unofficial) Freshman Guide to Yale… and continue the cycle again!

Kevin Chen Editor

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Table of Contents (at a glance) This list shows the major topic areas into which we’ve divided the questions. If you want to see a complete list of  the questions (without the answers), check the Question Index immediately after this section.

------------------------#ACADEMICS 1. Freshman Programs ....a. Perspectives on Science and Engineering ....b. Directed Studies ....c. Freshman Seminars 2. Majors 3. Course Credits 4. Distributional Requirements 5. Course Registration 6. Professors 7. Grading 8. Languages 9. Placement ....a. General Questions ....b. Math ....c. Science ....d. Other 10. Shopping Period 11. Pre-Med 12. Other #EXTRACURRICULARS 1. Club Sports 2. IMs 3. Jobs 4. Research 5. A Cappella 6. Music 7. Other #FOOD 1. Yale Dining 2. Outside Options #MOVE-IN/MOVE-OUT 1. Pre-orientation Programs 2. What to Buy/Bring ....a. Laptops ....b. Other Items 3. Other #RESIDENTIAL LIFE 1. Internet 2. Facilities ....a. Dorm Rooms ....b. Other Facilities 3. Dress 4. Roommates and Suitemates

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5. Safety  6. Money  7. Other #SOCIAL LIFE 1. Parties 2. Greek Life 3. Personal Relationships 4. LGBTQ 5. Alcohol and Drugs 6. Other #OTHER

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Question Index  ------------------------#ACADEMICS 1. Freshman Programs ....a. Perspectives on Science and Engineering 

Q: What's Perspectives on Science and Engineering like? Q: Can you apply to both PSE and Directed Studies? Q: When do we find out if we got into PSE? Q: The guidelines say that PSE is intended for science majors. If we decide not to pursue a science major and thus drop PSE, will that hurt our chances to take other seminars? Q: Is PSE Credit/D/F or for a grade? ....b. Directed Studies

Q: What's Directed Studies like? Q: Is DS three classes over three semesters or six classes over two semesters? If it's six classes over two semesters, are we with the same group of people in all six classes? Q: Is it possible to do DS and be pre-med, take math or science classes, or take quantitative reasoning classes? Q: If you're doing DS and pre-med can you take any chemistry class? Q: Are there any pre-med students who did DS and are willing to answer some questions about it? Q: It sounds like DS plus an intensive introductory language (2 credits) would be utterly insane for a first semester. Would DS plus a regular introductory course (1.5 credits) also be insane? Q: How does switching sections/professors at the beginning of the semester work in DS? Q: Is it possible to get into DS only in the spring? Q: I'm considering buying all my books (for DS in particular) on a Kindle. Any thoughts? ....c. Freshman Seminars

Q: When and how do we find out about Freshman Seminars? Are they worth 1 credit? Q: What are the workloads of Freshman Seminars? Q: Can freshmen take the seminar Current Topics in Science (which spans the whole year) and a spring seminar? Can freshmen take 1 seminar in the fall and 1 in the spring? Q: How do I look at the Freshmen Seminars being offered in the fall, and how do I try to register? 2. Majors

Q: What's the Cognitive Science major like? Q: For people interested in biology, what's the difference between MCDB and E&EB? How soon do I have to know  which one to major in? Q: What does it mean for a class to be a prerequisite in the major? Q: How do double majors work at Yale? Q: How many people double major? Q: What are some of the hardest/easiest majors at Yale? Q: Is it possible to pursue a rigorous subject with little previous knowledge on the subject, while also giving myself  time beforehand to explore other things so that I know I'm choosing the right one for me? Q: What are the differences between the MCDB and MB&B majors, and do we need to decide early which major we would like to take?

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3. Course Credits

Q: Can we only take 4 classes? Or can we take five a semester? Q: You recommend taking 4.5 credits per semester, but how does someone take a half-credit course? Is there a list somewhere that shows how many credits each course is worth? Q: How do you recommend getting 36 credits by the time we graduate if we take fewer than 5 credits per semester freshman year? Q: Which classes are worth half a credit? Is there a list somewhere? 4. Distributional Requirements

Q: Could you list all of the requirements for Yale, like what numbers of semesters you must take of what types of  classes, etc.? Q: Can classes required for a major (including prerequisites) be used to fulfill the distributional requirements? Q: Is it possible to change which distributional requirement a course fulfills? 5. Course Registration

Q: When is course registration? Q: Do we preregister for classes? Q: How do you go about preregistering for things like intro chemistry? 6. Professors

Q: Is there some way to know which professors are better than others? Q: Do you seek out a lot of your professors after class? Q: If we have particular concerns/questions about a course of study, would it be all right to contact a department's DUS by email over the summer or should we wait until we get to campus? Q: For classes that have multiple sections with different professors (like calculus), how easy is it to switch sections to get the professor you want? Q: What does it mean when the OCI lists "Staff" as the professor of a section? 7. Grading 

Q: How are classes graded? Are you competing against fellow students or is there a raw score cutoff? Q: I keep hearing different things from different people and don't know what to expect. Is it reasonable to expect a 3.6+ GPA at Yale? What is the grading distribution like? Q: What's that Yale policy where you're allowed to get a "C" in a class but the grade doesn't affect your GPA and you still get credit, but it can only be applied to 4 classes? Q: What are some gut classes/easy As which can be used to balance a hard schedule or used as a 5th class? Q: What are some good Sc guts? 8. Languages

Q: What's considered an intensive language? Q: What if you want to take an entirely new language? Q: Is it possible to take two foreign languages in one semester? If not, can you offer some advice on how to schedule my coursework so that I can learn and keep up with both languages? Q: What's DILS and how do you apply? Q: How many credits are language courses worth? Q: Is it feasible to study a new language for the first two years and then study a different language for the last two years?

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Q: I'd like to ballpark what language level I am at. Is there any way to find out more about a language course? Q: How are the Mandarin and Japanese language programs at Yale? 9. Placement ....a. General Questions

Q: When exactly do you take the placement exams? Q: Where are the placement exams online, when do we take them, and how does that work (results, etc)? Q: How much are we expected to study/review for placement exams? Q: Are there any courses that you would recommend not skipping even if you have the AP test credit? Q: How can I find out which AP scores (assuming 5 scores) can be used to advance past prerequisite classes like Math 115? Q: How can we tell which classes are available to freshmen? Can we only take 100- level intro classes? Or can we take seminars and higher (200-, 300-, 400-) level classes if they don’t specify otherwise? ....b. Math

Q: If you don't register for a math class with your placement test until January, does that mean you can't take math your first semester? Q: If I made a 5 on the BC Calculus exam and my major only requires up to Math 115 as a prerequisite, do I still have to take the math placement test if I don't want to take any math above 115? Q: I have already taken classes corresponding to math 112, 115, and 120. I would like to take a higher level math class my first semester at Yale. Do I have to or would it be a good idea to take the math placement exam? Q: If I got a 5 on the BC exam and want to take MATH 116/118, do I have to take the placement exam? Q: Can incoming freshmen take MATH 112/115/120 during fall semester? Q: Regardless of my AP BC Calculus score, do I have to take a math placement test to place into math classes that will fulfill the 2-credit QR distribution requirement? Q: How is the difficulty of the math placement test compared to the Calc BC exam? Do you have to complete it all in one sitting? Q: How important is multivariable calculus background for MATH 230 as a freshman? Q: Should we prepare for placement exams (I'm referring specifically to the math exam)? Q: Is there a difference between ENAS 151 and MATH 120? Q: The blue book says ENAS 194 requires a knowledge of matrix-based operations (no course number). Does this mean I should take a linear course like MATH 222 or 225? Q: Any general advice on which math classes to take/when to take them? Q: ENAS 151 vs. MATH 120. Which class is better for a person who's generally slower in learning math but took the Calculus BC exam in high school and got a 5? ....c. Science

Q: If I got a 5 in AP Bio, should I skip the introductory bio class? Q: Can you explain the advantages and disadvantages of the different chemistry options for freshmen? Q: Which chemistry class would be recommended for pre-meds who do not have an extensive background in Chemistry? Q: My chemistry program was strong but did not follow the AP curriculum, so I feel like I am well prepared for many concepts in general chemistry, but not very well for others. Would it be better to learn the things I missed over the summer and try to test out of general chemistry, or just retake it? Q: Are PHYS 260 and MATH 230 good course choices for the fall term of freshman year for a science international student? Is it too difficult? Q: If I missed the Biology placement exam, will I have another chance to place out of parts of BIOL 101-104? ....d. Other

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Q: If I meet the test-score requirements to place out of English 114/115, can I take any of the English 120-130 courses in the fall, or must I start with 120? Q: If we feel that we were placed too high from our language placement test, can we move down? Q: I see on Yale's AP credit site that no credit is given for a 5 on AP Psych, but the psych department's site says Psych 110 is "optional" for 5-scorers. What’s the situation here--if we scored a 5, do we have to take 110 or no? Q: If we have the AP credit to do so, is it generally a good idea to skip out of introductory microeconomics? Q: Are there any instructions for filling out the Maths/Physics/Chemistry/Economics survey? I come from a French school and have not taken, per se, any of the courses. Should I detail the French curriculum in the box? 10. Shopping Period

Q: How do I shop multiple classes for the same time slot? Q: How does getting books and course materials work with shopping period? Is it still possible to buy books the cheap way (i.e., Amazon) and keep up in the course until the books arrive? Q: Is it a good idea to arrive on campus with a narrowed down list of classes we want to shop (like 8 or so), or is it okay to arrive with just a preliminary list of like 20+? Will we have some guidance in class selection before shopping? 11. Pre-Med

Q: When should you start studying for your MCATs if you're pre-med, and when is the optimal time to take the test? And do you have to pay for the applications if you're on financial aid? Q: Is it possible/manageable to fulfill pre-med requirements while double majoring in something other than biology/chemistry? Q: I think that I want to major in Economics, but I want to keep my pre-med options open. What science course would be best to take first semester? Q: Is it possible to be an Econ major that is taking DS while on the pre-med track and still maintain a social/extracurricular life? (aka balancing intense academic commitments with everything else) Q: How common is it to study engineering while doing pre-med, and what is the engineering workload like? 12. Other

Q: Is most studying done in the room or the library? Q: Is it possible to take a gap semester to do independent work during my four years at Yale? Q: Does Yale offer physical education classes? Q: Do we have midterms? If our parents come to visit before or after October break will they be getting in the way of  studying for midterms/midterms themselves? Q: How strict is the rule about wearing pants in lab? Is it just for safety purposes/should a long skirt also be okay? Q: What is the best way to organize your materials for courses? Q: I am a bit concerned that my high school has not prepared me for college level writing. What are the writing classes like freshman year and do the professors do actual teaching or just expect you to know? Q: What does it mean if a class is typed in red text (as opposed to black) on the Yale OCI? Q: What's the minimum amount of time we should leave in between classes? Q: How long does it take to walk from Old Campus to the top of Science Hill? Q: How hard is it as a freshman to get into classes, especially popular ones? Are lecture classes often capped? Q: Are residential college seminars only offered once? How hard are they to get into? Q: Will we get a hard copy of the Bluebook and when? Q: What happens if I get sick and can't go to class or do any work? How understanding is Yale/professors/deans of  these sorts of things? Q: When is the latest that you can drop a class and not have it appear on your transcript? Q: Will there be time for us to meet with our advisers on campus in the fall before committing to classes? Q: I don't quite understand acceleration credits. Could you explain what they are?

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#EXTRACURRICULARS 1. Club Sports

Q: What's the difference between intramural sports and club sports? Q: Are most club sports try-out only? What if we want to learn a completely new one? 2. IMs

Q: What are IMs like? Q: Do IM sports supply gear like lacrosse sticks and tennis rackets? 3. Jobs

Q: What do the levels for jobs means? Q: What is the hiring process like for student jobs on campus? How does one qualify for certain jobs? Q: Can undergrads work in the admissions office reviewing applications? Can you be a Yale tour guide freshman year or do you have to wait to apply during freshman year? Q: How can you get a job at the admissions office? When do you apply and how difficult is it to actually get the job? Q: So, rumor has it that Yale has an underground particle accelerator. What's the process like for getting a workstudy job there? Q: What does the 50/50 Split on the student employment calendar mean? Q: When do people start looking for jobs for the fall semester (when are the new jobs posted on the site)? 4. Research

Q: Is it possible to get a campus job such as a (hard science) research assistant or grader in a science subject in your freshman year? Q: I'm an undeclared major with zero experience in research. Is there hope for research in a lab in my freshman year? 5. A Cappella

Q: To join the Whiffenpoofs, do you need to have joined another a cappella group? Q: Can you only audition for a cappella groups your freshman year, or do the groups take sophomores and juniors as well? 6. Music

Q: How difficult is it to get into the Yale Symphony Orchestra? Is it mostly all-state level players, below that, or even higher? Q: Can I audition on more than one instrument for the YSO to increase my chances of getting in? Q: Is there an orchestra for non-music majors and another for music majors, or is there just one (Yale Symphony  Orchestra) that includes both groups? Q: Are non-music majors allowed to take private lessons from Yale's music professors? If so, how? Q: Do the graduate students in the School of Music give lessons only to advanced players, or is it possible to take lessons as a beginner? Q: Is there a music store near campus? Q: Is getting into the Yale Jazz Ensemble difficult? Are there ways of getting involved in jazz other than through that group?

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7. Other

Q: What volunteer opportunities are available on/around campus, and where/how do we find out about them? Q: How difficult is it to get into an improv group? Q: How difficult is it to fill up every single summer and every vacation/break during your Yale tenure with some sort of internship, research opportunity, or study abroad? Q: How does one become a Peer Liaison or a Freshman Counselor? How rigorous/competitive is it? Q: What's MUNTY like? How competitive is it? How much of a time commitment is it? #FOOD 1. Yale Dining 

Q: What kind of food do they serve in dining halls? Q: Do all the dining halls offer the same food? Q: How easy is it to adhere to a pretty strict and very healthy nutrition plan? Q: How easy is it to access a kitchen for cooking purposes during freshman year? Q: When do we choose a meal plan? Q: What do you do when you have a class that overlaps almost completely with the time dining halls are open for lunch? 2. Outside Food

Q: Where can you buy bubble tea around Yale? Q: Do local restaurants/shops give discounts to Yale students? Q: What in the world is a Wenzel? Q: What do people generally think of the taste or quality of the water? Do many people have water filter pitchers? Q: If you're a big water drinker, do you think it would be more cost efficient and convenient to buy a Brita water pitcher or a Brita water bottle? Q: Where do most people go for late-night cravings? Q: What are some of the “nicer” restaurants around New Haven (for dates, birthday dinners, formal dinners, etc.)? And how much do they cost? Q: How often do people go out to eat, as opposed to just eating in the dining halls? Q: What grocery stores are nearby? #MOVE-IN/MOVE-OUT 1. Pre-orientation Programs

Q: What are some pros and cons for each of the pre-orientation programs? Q: Is there a place to store our stuff during OIS? Q: Will I feel out of the loop at the beginning of the year if I'm not able to attend a pre-orientation program? Q: If you go on FOOT, where do you shower/use the restroom? Q: Where do you change clothes if you go on FOOT? Q: In a 6-week FOOT program, will we be sleeping in tents or will we use just our sleeping bags? Q: I know there are no showers at Harvest, but are there toilets we can use? Q: Is there a cost for Harvest? Q: Can we get financial assistance to purchase the required supplies for Harvest/FOOT (provided that we show  substantial need)? 2. What to Buy/Bring 

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a. Laptops

Q: What kind of laptop is best for Yale life? Q: I'm considering getting a MacBook Air for college, but I'm concerned that it doesn't have an Ethernet port. Does the USB adapter work or is it super slow? Q: Is there a large majority of MacBook Pro users that lean towards the 13" or 15" screen? Is a 15" too cumbersome for college life? Q: Yale doesn't seem to have updated its technology recommendations yet this year. Should I go out and buy a laptop now, or wait for the new version? Q: Is a laptop lock recommended? Q: What is normally done in terms of laptop cases? b. Other Items

Q: Is printing free anywhere on campus? Is it worth it to bring a printer from home? Q: What printer features would you recommend (wireless, laser, color, etc.)? Q: I’ve never experienced snow before! What winter clothes do you recommend that we buy? Q: Is having a bike useful? Q: Does anyone actually buy the "official" linens packs with shower stuff and towels? Q: Do people use the bulk laundry plans? Q: What types of laundry plans does Yale offer? Q: I plan to major in mathematics/a math-related field. Any suggestions on what type of laptop or calculator I should bring? Q: What phones/phone services/phone plans are good for college life at Yale? 3. Other

Q: Which breaks require students to leave campus? Do most students choose to leave, even when not required? Q: Where do we move our crap when the residences close (for international/cross-country students)? Q: Where do international students go when residences close and they can't go home? Q: How do students usually get from Bradley airport in Hartford to Yale? #RESIDENTIAL LIFE 1. Internet

Q: Is there wireless internet in the suites? Q: How fast is internet at Yale? Q: Does Yale block gaming/torrenting connections? 2. Facilities a. Dorm Rooms

Q: What is the layout of the room freshmen are housed in? Q: How high is the bed above the ground? Is there space for storage boxes under the beds? Q: Can you raise your bed up like it's a top bunk but then put your desk underneath it? Q: What are the mattresses like? Q: Are mattress toppers necessary? Q: Do people actually use the landlines that Yale provides in the dorm? Q: Is there any way we can find out about the dimensions of our suites or what furnishings are already there? Q: What things do we need to buy for the suite's common room?

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Q: I don't understand what L-Dub is and why it has a bad reputation. Could you explain? Q: So freshmen don't live in residential college suites--they live in "dorms"? Why don't freshmen live with upperclassmen and such? Q: If my suite doesn't have a common room, should my suitemate(s) and I still share a microwave and fridge? If so, where could we put them so we wouldn't be intruding on each other's privacy every time we need to use them? Q: Are we allowed to nail shelves to the walls in the dorms? Q: Are there screens on the windows of the dorms on Old Campus? b. Other Facilities

Q: Can students stay on campus during the shorter breaks? If so, what facilities remain open? Q: Where can I hand-wash and hang-dry my clothes? What about dry cleaning? Q: Are the small gyms, libraries, and other facilities in the residential colleges open 24/7? Q: What is the nearest weight lifting gym to L-Dub? And how close is Payne Whitney? Q: Is there a rock climbing wall/gym on or near campus? Q: Can non-art majors use the art rooms and supplies (for free or for a low fee)? I'd die if I couldn't. Q: What specific features of each of the residential colleges are exclusive or open to the rest of the colleges (e.g., parties, events, gyms, libraries, etc.)? Q: For doing laundry on Old Campus: if we're living in a building without laundry facilities, how do we get access to the laundry rooms in the Bingham/Farnam basements? Q: What are the bathrooms like? Are they cleaned by the custodial staff? 3. Dress

Q: How big are your wardrobes? Q: What kind of clothes do girls (and guys!) usually wear? (aka Style Advice) Q: Best place to get a cheap haircut? Q: Are there any good hair salons in New Haven where I can chemically straighten my hair? Q: Do most people carry backpacks around campus, or are bags more popular? 4. Roommates and Suitemates

Q: Do you change in front of your roomies? Q: Where do you sleep when you're sexiled? Does it even happen? Q: Is there any way to move out if you have major problems with your roommate? 5. Safety 

Q: How is safety at Yale and in New Haven? Q: What time does it normally get dark up in New England? Q: Does the nighttime shuttle only operate within the Yale campus? 6. Money 

Q: How much money did you spend your freshman year on stuff around campus? Q: Do any students open their own bank accounts with local banks in New Haven in order to have more ready  access to their money and/or avoid ATM surcharges? If so, how does that process generally work? Q: Does it make sense to enroll in the Yale Payment Plan if you're paying very little to go to Yale? Do most people use it? Q: According to Yale's website, we are allowed to use up to $2500 in outside scholarship money for buying a new  laptop. How exactly does this process work? Are we notified of how much our scholarships exceed unmet need/work  study/summer contribution?

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Q: There's a stereotype of Yale as a school for wealthy students, and even though I know there's lots of other students on financial aid, should I be worried about feeling out of place...? 7. Other

Q: What is the policy on overnight guests in the dorms? Q: Are there any mnemonic devices or shortcuts for learning all the building abbreviations (particularly for the 12 residential colleges)? Q: I'm covered by my parents' healthcare coverage, and I'm considering whether to waive Yale's coverage or not. Do plenty of students who already have coverage submit a waiver? Q: Can students of one residential college attend the Master's Tea of another residential college? And how do we get notice that a Master's Tea is going on/taking place at a specific time and date? Q: How easy is it to switch residential colleges? How many students typically do this, and are there any negative social repercussions for doing so? Q: What churches do Christian Yalies typically go to? (Or more generally, what are some places of worship that Yalies go to?) Q: I'm really worried that I'll get super homesick but won't be able to go home very often since I live far away. How  do Yalies typically cope with homesickness? #SOCIAL LIFE 1. Parties

Q: What's the party scene like at Yale? Q: Do people get really dressed up for parties? Q: When is Freshman Screw? 2. Greek Life

Q: What's Greek life like at Yale? Is it necessary to join a fraternity/sorority to enjoy the party scene? Q: What are the reputations of/stereotypes associated with each of the frats/sororities? 3. Personal Relationships

Q: Relationships or random hookups? Q: What do people in a relationship do for Freshman Screw? Q: Any advice for extremely long-distance relationships? Q: Generally speaking, do you think you become closer friends with classmates or suitemates? 4. LGBTQ

Q: What's the LGBTQ scene like at Yale? Q: How easy is it to come out at Yale? Q: Where does one go to meet other gay people? 5. Alcohol and Drugs

Q: How much is drinking part of the social scene? Q: How strict are places such as Toad's and Bar about drinking age? Q: I've heard the Ivies can be really intense with study-drugs, and things like cocaine. Is this true? What about things like marijuana?

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Q: How lenient (or strict) is Yale when it comes to underage drinking? Does campus security actively seek to bust students for drinking? 6. Other

Q: Is it true there are almost no fat people at Yale? Q: How does the Harvard rivalry play out? Q: What are some of Yale's most notable traditions? Q: What sorts of things do Yale students do for fun off campus around New Haven? Q: Do you ever find it necessary to travel to a big nearby city like Boston or New York once in a while to do something different? Q: Can you tell us more about secret societies? Q: Do most incoming freshman fill out the optional form to request a peer liaison? What's the difference between being paired with a PL and not--will you still be able to have access to them/request one once you get on campus? Q: Do most people get fake IDs? Q: Could you explain what Sex Week, naked parties, and Freshmen Screw are? Q: Along with Sex Week and Freshmen Screw, etc., what other Yale-sanctioned events/celebrations are held annually  or biannually? Q: When the annual Harvard-Yale football game is at Harvard, what do Yalies who want to attend do? Q: What are the major social events at Yale and what are they like? Does Exotic Erotic still exist? Q: Are Yalies promiscuous? #OTHER

Q: I noticed on the SIS that we can choose to opt out of the Student Activities Fee. Are there any repercussions for doing so? Q: What is the easiest way to get from Yale to Cornell (my boyfriend goes to school there)? Q: Why are the tiles in the plaza surrounding the Beinecke Library whiter in the center than around the edges? Q: Is there a campus-wide used-goods sale before the school year starts? Q: Is it normal to feel overwhelmed/anxious at all the things we have to think about for college?

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#ACADEMICS 1. Freshman Programs a. Perspectives on Science and Engineering  Q: What's Perspectives on Science and Engineering like?

A: To begin, you can learn more about the program at the following two links: http://science.yalecollege.yale.edu/perspectives-home http://yalecollege.yale.edu/content/perspectives-science-and-engineering-pse As the links say, perspectives on science and engineering (PSE) is a half-credit-per-semester class, meaning that you get as much credit as a standard laboratory class at Yale, but only half of full-credit courses (which are the majority  of classes at Yale). The course meets on Friday afternoons, alternating between small group-led discussions and lectures. From my  experience in PSE, the majority of the classes tended to be bio-related classes, though there were a few physical science related lectures scattered here and there. It's best for people who are completely open about the type of  science they want to do, and are interested in getting a wide range of perspectives from a variety of science-related fields. The quality of the lecture varies widely from my experience. Though this may vary from person to person depending on his or her familiarity with various fields of science as well as personal interests, I found that some of the lectures were absolutely fascinating, while others were less accessible, and, as a result, more dull. An added bonus is that upon completion of the course in the spring semester, you are guaranteed a stipend to do research at Yale over the summer of your freshman year. Most PSE students take up this opportunity, finding labs and conducting research over the summer under the supervision of distinguished faculty at Yale. In terms of the workload, the majority of the two semesters has very little work, with problem sets due only in the group-led discussions. That means one problem set every two weeks, which is very manageable. You are required to turn in a exploration paper at the end of the spring semester. It is an ~20 page paper surveying a topic of your choice, and, if you decide to do research over the summer, covering the basic outlines of the research you will be conducting. In terms of the course itself, as I mentioned earlier, I found that the quality of the lectures varied greatly. Because each lecture is taught by a different faculty member from different fields, you may find some lectures more interesting and accessible that others. But that's kind of the point - it gives you a better feel for what kind of science you might like. For example, I found a large portion of the bio-related lectures rather dull. (As a side note, I'm a Chemistry major) With regards to the small group-led discussions, the quality of these also depends on the composition of your group as well as who's leading the discussion for that week. Each week, a pair of students in your group is assigned to lead the discussion regarding the previous week's lecture. It's up to those students to make the discussion interesting. When it's your turn to lead the discussion, you can spice it up with things like demos, games, and so on - some lectures have even featured skits related to the lecture! Overall, I would rate it as a good experience. Also rather importantly, you also get to know many of the most active science students at Yale - the same students whom you'll see in many of your science classes. Personally, I've made a lot of friends through PSE, and so it's a lot of fun being friends with other fellow science nerds :)

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Hope that helps! Q: Can you apply to both PSE and Directed Studies?

A: No, they are mutually exclusive; you can only apply to one. If you are accepted to either PSE or Directed Studies and choose to attend, you also are ineligible for any Freshman Seminars. Q: When do we find out if we got into PSE?

A: Usually around the first week of July. If you’re concerned about whether it’ll overlap with another class you want to take because you’re bluebooking right now, just know that the class is on Fridays from 1:30-3:00 p.m! Q: The guidelines say that PSE is intended for science majors. If we decide not to pursue a science major and thus drop PSE, will that hurt our chances to take other seminars?

A: First of all, you can still take PSE without being a science major; it’s intended for science majors because of the breadth of topics it covers, but if all of that stuff really interests you, despite deciding to be a non-science major, you’re still welcome to stick with it. You’re not eligible for Freshman Seminars if you take PSE, but you can take PSE and a seminar class (by that, I mean a class of usually fewer than 18 students); seminars, in that latter sense, don’t care whether or not you take or have taken PSE. If you drop PSE before the selection process for Freshman Seminars is over, you should be eligible to enter the lottery for a Freshman Seminar and I doubt your chances of admission would be affected. Note that if you drop PSE (even after a semester), you won’t receive credit for the course. Q: Is PSE Credit/D/F or for a grade?

A: For a grade.

b. Directed Studies Q: What's Directed Studies like?

A: Here's Yale's official word on Directed Studies: http://directedstudies.yale.edu/ http://yalecollege.yale.edu/content/directed-studies-ds Here's my two cents: It is what it is: you try to read the entire Western Canon in one year. It's not for everyone, but if it's something you want to push yourself through and you put in all you've got, you will come out with an idea of how the tradition is formed from the beginning and how it continues to shape today's thoughts. Having said that, most people in DS would have chosen DS-related courses to begin with, so make sure it's the right choice for you before you begin. Go with your gut instinct. Most people find out during shopping week whether it's right or not for them (you'll have your first paper during shopping period, if that's anything of an indicator) and make sure you listen to that, or else you'll end up having a miserable DS experience.

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Some people that would use those credits to explore academics OUTSIDE of the great books may regret "spending" 6 credits on things that don't help you decide your major. This is really up to every individual. I had no idea going in to DS and welcomed the extra time to figure out what really got my interest within the humanities, reading things I would have liked to eventually read anyway. I've heard others say that they wish they hadn't done DS and instead tried other courses to see what they want to major in (outside of the humanities.) **Pre-meds who are interested in DS: there are those who've done it. It's tough but if there's a will, there's a way. Get in touch with those pre-med DSers who've survived it and loved it and get their take on it. DS is great for requirements - you get pretty much all of your So, Hu out of the way, so you don't have to worry  about those. If you end up making the choice that it's right for you--or like a portion of DSers, you feel like you missed out on a "great books" course through high school and want a foundation for college--you'll get a LOT out of it. It's probably  the most immersive intellectual experience I've had yet. If you're interested in discussing big ideas and tracing it through the entire tradition, you'll find 124 other self-selecting students who want to do the same. For me personally, I've read maybe half of the books that DS introduced to me so I really appreciated the year-long run-down on all the books I've ever wanted to explore but never had the chance to in school. However, one common concern with DS that I share is that 1) you read a lot of dead white men and 2) you get a whole lot of breadth with very little depth because of the speed you go through the books. And that's a given for the program. It's designed to be a "road map" to figure out what you're interested in, in order for you to take more time later to delve into specific thinkers you're passionate about. It's really useful in that sense. You come out a much faster reader, a better reader, and you have a better idea of the "tradition." If you choose to commit to it fully, it can be intense, but it will definitely be worth it. P.S. Sections really determine what your experience is like. Find a section prof that you feel comfortable around or a section that you feel "right" with. The section prof trading game at the beginning of the year is really hectic but you can survive it! If you have any problems, talk to Prof. Levin, the director of DS - she's extremely friendly and helpful and will help sort anything out. Q: Is DS three classes over three semesters or six classes over two semesters? If it's six classes over two semesters, are we with the same group of people in all six classes?

A: DS is three classes per semester, for two semesters (your entire freshman year). Yes, you're with the same group of  people - that's why you'll become really close with many of your peers in the DS program! There are 125-150 people in the program. You will have lecture with all of those people. Sections are broken up into groups of 10-15 people. Sections are randomly assigned so you may have section with the same people both semesters but you may not. Q: Is it possible to do DS and be pre-med, take math or science classes, or take quantitative reasoning classes?

A: A full year of DS fulfills all of your distributional requirements for writing, social studies, and humanities. Freshman year you must fulfill distributional requirements in two out of the three categories: writing, language, and/ or quantitative reasoning. If you choose to do pre-med and DS (which a good number of people do) you will take the three DS classes, organic chemistry (and an orgo lab). This will fulfill your freshman year requirements. Orgo does not fulfill either the writing or QR distributional requirement, however, DS and Orgo is an exception to the rule and is allowed. It is a lot of work, but it manageable. Students interested in engineering, applied math, or physics also can take DS. I would not recommend taking both a math and a physics class with DS. But taking DS with a math class or taking DS with a physics class is doable. Some students choose to take DS with comp sci, statistics, logic, or econ. All of these courses count as a Quantitative Reasoning credit, so by taking DS and comp sci, stat, logic, or econ you can fulfill your distributional requirements for freshman year.

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Students who wish to apply for the Global Affairs Major and the Ethics, Politics, and Economics major often consider taking econ classes (prerequisites for the major) during their freshman and sophomore years. For those students who wish to take an econ class and DS, your fourth class first semester semester can be intro micro (the first econ class you can take at Yale). You fourth class second semester can be intro macro. So pursuing econ with DS is totally do-able. If you are interested in pursuing a double major in the sciences and in the humanities (ex. poli-sci and chem major)—that is possible. I have a few friends in the pre-med track who are taking DS and organic chemistry this year. If you are considering pursuing a double major in two sciences or science/ econ/ math, I would speak with your academic advisor and dean at the beginning of the year to plan out your route. That being said, I know people who did DS who are now math majors, econ majors, physics majors, and Physics and Philosophy majors (an interdisciplinary major at Yale). Again, here is the distributional requirement breakdown. - One semester of DS Lit fulfills either 1 distributional requirement in either Humanities (Hu) or Writing (Wr) - One semester of DS History & Politics fulfills 1 distributional requirement in Social Studies (So) - One semester of DS Philosophy fulfills either 1 distributional requirement in either Humanities (Hu) or Writing (Wr) After taking a full year of DS (two semesters of each of the three courses), you will have fulfilled your distributional requirements for Writing, Humanities, and Social Studies. By the end of your freshman year, you must take one class in two out of the following three distributional requirement areas: Quantitative Reasoning (Qr), Writing (Wr), and/or Language (L). So that means with DS you must take either a QR or L course as your fourth course during one of your two semesters freshman year. The only  exception is taking DS and organic chemistry. You can take DS and orgo and not take a QR or L credit class freshman year (because of all the work you will have for orgo and DS). Q: If you're doing DS and pre-med can you take any chemistry class?

A: I think I've heard of people being allowed to take freshman organic chemistry and DS together. It's also been addressed in previous questions. Please ask Noam Shapiro (who's answered a lot of questions about DS on this document) for more details! Q: Are there any pre-med students who did DS and are willing to answer some questions about it?

A: It’s doable but hard, to say the least, since it would require you to take all the premed requirements in three years. You could try to take freshman organic chemistry with DS to get working on some of the premed requirements, but that’s like adding on a death sentence to what some have already called “directed suicide.” Off the top of my head, I can’t think of any pre-med DSers, if that serves to prove a point. Q: It sounds like DS plus an intensive introductory language (2 credits) would be utterly insane for a first semester. Would DS plus a regular introductory course (1.5 credits) also be insane?

A: To the first option, yes, definitely. Please don't do it. To the second, that's more manageable (and certainly has been done), but will still be challenging. In essence, you will have daily readings and language practice (which often entails more reading), and you might find the workload to be too text-heavy at times. Some of my DS friends recommend taking a QR as your other course besides DS; that way you'll be able to break up the monotony of  reading and exercise a different part of your brain. You certainly don't need to take a language first semester freshman year if you're not sure, so don't feel pressured to.

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Q: How does switching sections/professors at the beginning of the semester work in DS?

A: At the beginning of every semester during shopping period, you email out to the panlist with the sections you're placed in and the section/times you want/need (in order for your schedule to work out.) It's sort of like trading baseball cards, only with professors/section times. If someone is interested, he or she will email you proposing the switch, and once you agree, you will both email the secretary, who will then acknowledge the section switch. This will all be re-explained at the beginning of the semester. It does get a little bit tiring when you end up with what seems like 20 emails/day about section switches and they're often repeats. Note: in order for this to happen, you NEED to be on the panlist the secretary sets up. Make sure you let her know if  you're not getting emails. If you have any questions, you can talk to Professor Levin (or whoever is the current director)--he's super helpful and if you have a genuine scheduling concern, he will help you out. Q: Is it possible to get into DS only in the spring?

A: Unless regulations have changed in the past two years, it’s not possible to apply to DS for only the spring semester (or to apply for the whole year but choose to enroll only in the spring). However, in the past, several students have dropped DS after fall semester, so interested students could apply to DS during fall term for the spring term (and many of them would then get in). It’s probably best to email Jane Levin (DUS) if you have questions. Q: I'm considering buying all my books (for DS in particular) on a Kindle. Any thoughts?

A: That’s a bad idea. You’ll want to have physical books to scribble in, mark up, flip through quickly, etc. Plus, you might want to sell your books to incoming freshman when you’re done with DS, which isn’t as easily done with a Kindle, to say the least.

c. Seminars Q: When and how do we find out about Freshman Seminars? Are they worth 1 credit?

A: Freshman Seminars are designed to offer freshmen the opportunity to participate in seminars of roughly 15 or 18 students with faculty from various departments. They can be a good way to meet and establish a relationship with a professor early on. Freshman Seminars do not presuppose any sort of experience in the field, so feel free to sign up for a seminar in a discipline you've never explored before! Unless otherwise specified, Freshman Seminars are worth 1 credit. Note that you are ineligible for any seminars if  you participate in Directed Studies or Perspectives on Science and Engineering. The list of Freshman Seminars changes from year to year. You can see what was offered in 2012-2013 here: http://yalecollege.yale.edu/content/freshman-seminars-1. The list of seminars to be offered in 2013-2014 will be uploaded by late July, around the same time the Blue Books are released. Applications for Freshman Seminars open just before the term begins (both fall and spring). Students are chosen on a lottery system. More information will be released closer to the start of the term, as the list of Freshman Seminars is finalized. Q: What are the workloads of Freshman Seminars?

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A: In my experience, most seminars (and not just Freshman Seminars) are run as discussion classes; you're assigned some reading and expected to talk about it next class. Homework can consist of weekly short reading responses as well as lengthier final papers and other assignments. Freshman Seminars in particular tend to attract an assortment of student types (since there are no prerequisites and many freshmen want to try something new), so discussions can be engaging and unexpected every class, depending on what background knowledge your classmates call upon that day. The atmosphere, like the homework, tends to be pretty laid back. Q: Can freshmen take the seminar Current Topics in Science (which spans the whole year) and a spring  seminar? Can freshmen take 1 seminar in the fall and 1 in the spring?

A: Yes, definitely, and it’s done by many, especially with English seminars! Q: How do I look at the Freshmen Seminars being offered in the fall, and how do I try to register?

A: The seminars (with links to descriptions) are listed here: http://yalecollege.yale.edu/content/freshman-seminars-1. Registration occurs at the end of August; you’ll receive an email with a link that allows you to rank Freshman Seminars by preference, and you’ll be entered into a lottery for a spot in the class. You can rank up to five seminars, but the number of seminars you rank shouldn’t affect whether or not you get in. Be wary, though, of signing up for seminars you’re not that invested in because if you’re given a spot in one but choose to drop the class, it may affect your chances come spring.

2. Majors Q: What's the Cognitive Science major like?

A: I (Kevin Chen) am actually a CogSci major, so feel free to message me if you have more specific questions. CogSci is generally defined as "the study of the mind," which sounds incredibly vague but in practice is a lot more focused, since you define a course plan for yourself that revolves around a central theme. It's one of the few majors at Yale that have selective admissions (you apply at the end of first semester sophomore year), but the pool of  applicants is self-selecting, and if you're able to articulate a central theme pretty well, you shouldn't have a problem getting in. The central theme can be anything from memory to visual perception to mind-body duality--really, anything that has to do with the mind. My theme used to be neuroscience and language, but I know others who are studying music cognition, autism, and the cognitive science of poker, to name a few. The only restraint is that the theme has to be interdisciplinary; the point of the major is to integrate classes from various departments (e.g., MCDB, Linguistics, Psychology) into a cohesive, multi-perspective study. The benefit of the major is that you're able to pick and choose the classes you want to take without having to go through unwanted classes that are requirements of other majors. One of the drawbacks is that it can be difficult getting into upper-level seminars that belong in other departments. CogSci majors are also notorious for changing their themes on a whim (most people switch several times before they  graduate), and that's a reflection of the range of classes and seminars that are offered each year, as well as the changing interests of the students. The selection changes annually, and sometimes a seminar that really piques your interest will pop up, so you'll find a way to work it into your course plan. There’s some flexibility in the major that

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allows you to take a moderately broad range of courses, but you have to be able to tweak your theme accordingly and you have to be able to convince the DUS that all your classes are CogSci-related and relate to an overall theme (which isn’t necessarily straightforward). You can find the department's pretty comprehensive description of the major here: http://www.yale.edu/perception/cogsci/. Sample themes are listed here: http://www.yale.edu/cogsci/alumni.htm. If you want some more real talk (the good, the bad, and the ugly—unfiltered), shoot me an email ([email protected]) or message me on Facebook! Q: For people interested in biology, what's the difference between MCDB and E&EB? How soon do I have to know which one to major in?

A: MCDB (Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology) deals a lot with biology on a smaller scale: biochemistry, molecular biology, neurobiology, and biotechnology for example. E&EB (Ecology and Evolutionary Biology) deals more with animals and biology on a larger scale including organismal biology, evolution, systematics, and ecology. The good thing is that, as a freshman, there are classes like chemistry, physics, and math that will count towards your major. Even if you start off taking courses in one biology major and find you want to major in the other, your courses in the "wrong" biology can often count as electives. There's no rush to decide which biology you want to major in—browse/shop/take biology classes that interest you and see where the dice fall! Q: What does it mean for a class to be a prerequisite in the major?

A: Completing a prerequisite class is often a requirement for enrollment in more advanced courses in a major. These prerequisites can sometimes be satisfied by a score of 5 on an appropriate AP test; the details are listed for each major. In some instances, a prerequisite may not be required for enrollment in any particular class in the major but is necessary to complete before graduation. In most cases, it's best to finish the prerequisites as early as possible, since that allows for more freedom in exploring electives later on. Q: How do double majors work at Yale?

A: The official description can be found here: http://yalecollege.yale.edu/content/two-majors To double major, you must meet or exceed the minimum requirements of two distinct majors, with at most two classes overlapping (the exception being prerequisite classes). This means, for example, that you cannot take several classes cross-listed in two majors and expect to use them for both majors. You must also complete two separate senior requirements, unless a single senior project is of such breadth that it equals the work of two separate projects (this is rare). Combined majors (e.g., Economics and Mathematics) cannot be doubled with one of their constituent majors, nor can majors with a concentration in another major (e.g., Sociology with Psychology). Note that you will only receive one degree upon graduation and that only one major will be displayed on your diploma. Q: How many people double major?

A: Usually around 13-15% of undergraduates double major. Q: What are some of the hardest/easiest majors at Yale?

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A: I think one of the hardest might be Chemical Engineering, because it has among the greatest number of  requirements for the major, and because the requirements include some of the most difficult classes at Yale. As for easiest, there are always easy classes in almost any department, so my guess would be that for any major in which there’s lots of leeway to choose courses, you could “construct” an easy major if you wanted to by taking only easy  classes. Q: Is it possible to pursue a rigorous subject with little previous knowledge on the subject, while also giving  myself time beforehand to explore other things so that I know I'm choosing the right one for me?

A: That's going to depend on how little experience you have, how much the major demands of you, and how much you want to explore. If you have a tentative major in mind, it's wise to take at least one or two relevant courses your freshman year so that you can make sure that the subject interests you and start preparing for advanced courses. For prospective science majors especially, you should plan on taking a couple science classes early on, since many science majors rely on more or less the same core set of classes and the knowledge builds up. Majors are designed to be appropriate for all students, regardless of previous experience, but you may find yourself  taking more prerequisite courses than your classmates if you're less well prepared. It's unfortunate, but it is what it is, and if you're determined to pursue the major, you'll do just fine. I really do think that freshman year is intended for exploration, since there are so many classes and subjects to explore that you couldn't possibly have taken in high school, so feel free to take a variety of courses if you want. Just be prepared to buckle down sophomore year and beyond once you have a clearer idea of what major you'd like to pursue. Q: What are the differences between the MCDB and MB&B majors, and do we need to decide early which major we would like to take?

A: For the most thorough breakdown of the differences, check the departmental descriptions in the Bluebook: www.yale.edu/printer/bulletin/pdffiles/ycps.pdf. Briefly, the prerequisites for both majors are similar, but the more advanced classes start to diverge (for MCDB, you’ll be taking classes like Genetics and Cell Bio, whereas for MB&B, you’ll be taking the two-semester Biochem sequence and Biophysics). There is still a fair amount of overlap between the two majors (as an example, several courses are cross-listed), so certainly for freshman year, when you’ll likely be taking courses in biology or chemistry that satisfy the prerequisites for both major, there’s no need to decide at all.

3. Course Credits Q: When is the latest that you can drop a class and not have it appear on your transcript?

A: The last day to withdraw from a class without having it appear on your transcript is during the week of the first midterms, which is a little less than halfway through the semester. Afterwards, you’re still allowed to drop a class (up until the week of finals), but it will show up on your transcript as “W” (withdrawn). If you’re worried about not knowing which classes to take, definitely take advantage of Shopping Period during the first two weeks of class. They’re a good way to get a little taste of what a class will be like without committing yourself  to anything; shop as many classes as you want, and at the end of Shopping Period, just sign up for the classes you want to take for the rest of the semester. Q: Can we only take 4 classes? Or can we take five a semester?

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A: Yes, most people take 4, 4.5, 5, or 5.5 credits a semester. A schedule with as few as 3 or 3.5 credit hours, or as many as 6 or 6.5 credits is acceptable, but requires the approval of your Dean. The intensity of your schedule will depend not only on the number of credits that you take, but also the intensity of  the classes. Be aware of some classes that appear to be half-credit classes, but are a lot of work (e.g. lab classes - "half  the credit, twice the work" is a mantra that you will commonly hear). That said, however, as your Dean, FroCos, and we will tell you, we strongly recommend that you take no more than 4.5 credits both semesters. This is for your own benefit - you don't want to be so bogged down by classes that you neglect your social life or other aspects of Yale as you adjust. As a PL last year, I commonly saw freshmen who took 5 credits during the fall semester, and, not having done as well as they had hoped, took 5 credits again during the spring semester to try to make up. Don't! This is a mistake - it hardly ever works, and most likely, you won't do any better. It's better if you take fewer courses and do better in those. Q: You recommend taking 4.5 credits per semester, but how does someone take a half-credit course? Is there a list somewhere that shows how many credits each course is worth?

A: Half-credit courses include classes such as Perspective on Science and Engineering and many labs. Be careful though! The mantra about labs is that they’re “half the credit, twice the work”. While this may be an exaggeration, I would certainly say that labs (though half credit) have as much work as a full-credit class – not to mention that they  take up a large chunk of the afternoon for one day in the week. Lab repots can also take up a significant amount of  time! On the Yale College Program of Studies, if nothing is noted, the class is worth one credit. Variations are noted. Q: How do you recommend getting 36 credits by the time we graduate if we take fewer than 5 credits per semester freshman year?

A: If you take 4.5 credits both semesters (the .5 can come from a lab or a language class that meets daily), you'll end up with 9 credits total, which is more than you need to advance to sophomore year standing (you only need 8 credits total, so even 4 and 4 credits would be fine). By the time you're a junior (or even as a sophomore), you'll have a better grasp of what workload you're able to handle and can likely take on more classes. Juniors and seniors also take more specialized, higher-level seminars and small lectures, which often meet fewer times a week, so they're able to take more classes at a time. To clarify, while we recommend limiting yourself to 4.5 credits per semester, in the end, that's only a recommendation, and if you are especially confident in your skills, 5 (or even 5.5) credits is possible. Experience has shown, though, that lots of freshmen bite off more than they can chew, so really evaluate your abilities before committing yourself to more than you can handle. Q: Which classes are worth half a credit? Is there a list somewhere?

A: Most classes are only worth a credit. Half-credit courses mainly consist of labs and L1-L4 language courses. There are exceptional cases where certain classes offer a half credit per semester; these are generally year-long classes in which one credit is granted upon completion of the entire year. I don't think there's a list of half-credit courses out there, since most half-credit courses fall into one of the categories I mentioned above. In any case, you shouldn't concern yourself with actively seeking half-credit courses; just take them if you're interested in them or if they're required for your major/pre-professional program.

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Q: Will there be time for us to meet with our advisers on campus in the fall before committing to classes?

A: Yes; you are in fact required to have the approval of your freshman faculty adviser as well as your FroCo before you can finalize your schedule. If you want to meet with a career/professional school counselor (pre-med, pre-law, graduate school, etc.), you should be aware that sign-up slots for appointments fill up very quickly.

4. Distributional Requirements Q: Could you list all of the requirements for Yale, like what numbers of semesters you must take of what types of  classes, etc.?

A: All the distributional requirements are presented in a nicely formatted chart on page 2 of the Freshman Handbook: http://yalecollege.yale.edu/sites/default/files/FrHbk2013.pdf  Q: Can classes required for a major (including prerequisites) be used to fulfill the distributional requirements?

A: Unless explicitly stated otherwise, yes. Q: Is it possible to change which distributional requirement a course fulfills?

A: Yes, that should be fine. I’m pretty sure that distributional requirements are just totaled up at the end of the semester/year (for the sake of advancement to sophomore year and the like), so if you use a QR/Sc class as a QR  credit initially, you can use it as an Sc class later if you need to.

5. Course Registration Q: When is course registration?

A: I don't think the schedule has been published yet, but the deadline for submitting schedules occurs about a week  and a half after classes start. During that time frame, you're able to add and drop courses at will until you finalize your decision, at which point you acquire a couple signatures from advisers and submit your schedule for approval. Q: Do we preregister for classes?

A: Most classes don't require preregistration, although a certain few do. English, math, and Freshman Seminar classes are the most likely ones you'll run into that require preregistration (all of it should be online now), but certain classes that are capped (small seminars or labs, for example) may require preregistration, too. Check the Blue Book  description for classes you're interested in to be safe, and if you're positive you want to take the class, email the professor as soon as possible to reserve your spot. Q: How do you go about preregistering for things like intro chemistry?

A: Preregistration information should be updated pretty regularly here: http://yalecollege.yale.edu/content/class2017. According to the website, preregistration for chemistry will open in August.

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6. Professors Q: Is there some way to know which professors are better than others?

A: All classes that have been taught before have evaluations posted on the Online Course Selection page, so you'll be able to read through those and find out what past students have said about the professor and about the class. Q: Do you seek out a lot of your professors after class?

A: In large lecture classes, there are usually a handful of students who stay after class to ask questions. I would say the majority of students who seek out their professors do so during their office hours. Not everyone does, but it's never a bad idea to try to meet some professors early on. Q: If we have particular concerns/questions about a course of study, would it be all right to contact a department's DUS by email over the summer or should we wait until we get to campus?

A: Absolutely! That's the job of the DUS, after all. Most are very happy to answer your questions, although some may  be busy/behind on emails, so you may not get an immediate reply. If you don't hear back within a week, you can always try emailing again. Q: For classes that have multiple sections with different professors (like calculus), how easy is it to switch sections to get the professor you want?

A: It can be difficult depending on how popular the professor is, but it really depends on the lass. Your best bet is to wait until the end of shopping period to see if anyone moves out of the section, or email the professor. Q: What does it mean when the OCI lists "Staff" as the professor of a section?

A: It usually means that various professors teach the same section.

7. Grading  Q: How are classes graded? Are you competing against fellow students or is there a raw score cutoff?

A: It varies from class to class, but you should never think of it as "competing" against your peers. Some classes are graded on a raw score cutoff (e.g., 90% and above is an A), and yes, some classes are curved so that a certain percentage receive A's, A-'s, etc., but even then, curves are usually pretty generous (a lot of them average A-/B+). In any case, most people at Yale are really collaborative and open to working together, so make friends with people in your class, and you'll all do well! Q: Is it reasonable to expect a 3.6+ GPA at Yale? What is the grading distribution like?

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A: Like the answer above states, it varies on a number of factors, including your schedule. You could definitely fill up your schedule with purported easy ("gut") classes. Some majors are also said to be more difficult than others particularly engineering classes and the sciences. I'm a chemistry major, so I'll speak somewhat of my experiences in chemistry, other science, and math classes. From personal experience, I feel like in the majority of classes, if you diligently do all the work assigned and study well that is, not try to study only the night before, go to section, etc. - you can get at least an A- (3.67). There are a myriad of resources out there (peer tutors, science and QR tutors, your TAs, office hours, etc.), and I don't know of many  cases in which someone has tried to utilize all those resources and still done very poorly. The upshot, I suppose, is that it isn't impossible to do well if you put in the time and effort. From what I've seen, the people who do the best in terms of grades at Yale are not necessarily the most brilliant and naturally talented people, but simply those who have the most self-control. With regards to the grade distribution, it depends on the class. I've had times where I walked out of a class thinking a failed a final, but was pleasantly surprised when the grades came in. Some professors state their grade distributions on their syllabuses; others don't. Generally, I also don't know of any classes that curve downward (deflate) grades either. Q: What's that Yale policy where you're allowed to get a "C" in a class but the grade doesn't affect your GPA and  you still get credit, but it can only be applied to 4 classes?

A: Credit/D/Fail or, colloquially, Pass/Fail. The specifications are here: http://yalecollege.yale.edu/content/grades#crdf. Q: What are some gut classes/easy As which can be used to balance a hard schedule or used as a 5th class?

A: It’d be difficult to point them out specifically, but some introductory courses are fairly straightforward and are easy to do well in if you put in the work. Another good resource to check is the evaluations on OCI! They should tell you how challenging the course is. Q: What are some good Sc guts?

A: Some Sc classes are labeled as “intended for non-science majors”; those may be more approachable for students without a science background, although (for a variety of other reasons) they may not necessarily be easier. Introductory classes might also be something to look into if you’re looking for a laidback Sc credit.

8. Languages Q: What's considered an intensive language?

A: An intensive language course fits two semesters' worth of foreign language study into one semester and is worth two credits (a previous post indicated that intensive language courses were worth 1.5 credits--sorry! that's been fixed). Q: What if you want to take an entirely new language?

A: Do it! Plenty of students choose to take a new language, especially since Yale offers a whole range of languages that probably weren't offered in your high school. Be aware, though, that introductory language courses at Yale are

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particularly intense; you will have to put in extra effort, especially since classes meet five times a week, but you can learn an immense amount in a year. If you're interested in studying a language that isn't offered under the normal course offerings, you can also apply to the Directed Independent Language Study program. It won't give you credit, but it will allow you to study a language under a structured curriculum with a native speaker. I'm taking Taiwanese through DILS, and I know of people who have taken languages as diverse as American Sign Language, Navajo, and Swedish. The program offers you quite a bit of flexibility to study at a level appropriate to you, and all for free; you likely won't have such an opportunity later on in your life, so take advantage of it if you can! Q: Is it possible to take two foreign languages in one semester? If not, can you offer some advice on how to schedule my coursework so that I can learn and keep up with both languages?

A: It's possible but not recommended, especially if you're just starting out in both languages. Foreign language study  at Yale tends to be particularly intense, and taking two L1-L4 classes will automatically take up 3 of your 4-5.5 credits per semester, leaving you almost no room to fulfill your other requirements and take other classes that interest you. If you have a strong command of two foreign languages (L5 level), you could theoretically take classes in both and have 2 to 3 credits left over, but it will be rather difficult and time-consuming. Spreading out foreign language study over your four years at Yale is certainly an option if you want to learn a new  language. Lots of students spend the summer abroad studying a language, and oftentimes living in a foreign country  for a few weeks will help your proficiency improve much more than it would if you studied in the US. In terms of maintaining languages you've already studied, you can try attending the weekly drop-in tutoring sessions offered for Chinese, French, and Spanish (see here: http://cls.yale.edu/foreign-language-tutoring). These are informal, first-come, first-serve meetings, so they will not be as consistent or structured as a formal class, but it can help if you just want to practice speaking and listening to the language. Certain student groups also meet somewhat regularly to practice language use (I know of ones for Japanese and Polish), so you can look into whether those options exist as well. And of course, if language is one of your life's passions, you can consider majoring in Linguistics or one of the foreign language departments, which will allow you to take foreign language classes both to satisfy your interest and to satisfy the requirements of the major, giving you a little more freedom to take more language classes if you desire. Q: What's DILS and how do you apply?

A: The website for Directed Independent Language Study (DILS) is here: http://cls.yale.edu/dils. Applications are released about halfway through each semester (check the website for exact dates). Briefly, DILS allows you to study a language that is not offered through any of Yale's regular courses for up to three semesters. It is a competitive application process, but you are more likely to be accepted to the program if there is someone else applying to study the same language. If you are accepted, the DILS Coordinator will find a native speaker of the language who lives in the area to serve as your tutor; since it is sometimes difficult to find speakers of  rarer languages, you may be accepted to DILS but not be able to start lessons right away. You will arrange with your DILS tutor to hold lessons regularly, generally twice a week. Textbooks will be furnished by the DILS program, but your tutor may also bring in external materials (newspaper articles, Youtube clips, etc.). Your course of study is determined by your ability level and your interests; you may, for example, focus on learning basic conversational skills if you are a beginner, or you may study technical jargon or idiomatic expressions if you are advanced in the language. At the end of the program, you will be evaluated on your language proficiency via a telephone interview and you will be able to receive feedback on your current ability level.

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Q: How many credits are language courses worth?

A: Lower-level language classes (generally L1-3) are 1.5 credits, as they meet every day Monday through Freiday. Higher-level language classes (L4-5) are 1 credit, and meet on regular MWF or TTh schedules. Q: Is it feasible to study a new language for the first two years and then study a different language for the last two years?

A: So long as you meet Yale’s minimum language requirements, it can be done, although you’ll find that introductory foreign language classes, with their 1.5 credits, will take up a sizable chunk of your schedule. If you’re seriously interested in language (as a Linguistics major or as a major in one of the languages, for example), you can certainly go for it, but if you only want to dabble a little, it may be wise to consider sticking with one language and leaving yourself more room to explore other classes. Q: I'd like to ballpark what language level I am at. Is there any way to find out more about a language course?

A: If you scored a 5 on AP French, German, or Spanish, or a 4 or 5 on AP Latin, you’re at L5 level in that language. For every other language, you should just wait to take the placement exam during Orientation; it’s the most effective way to gauge your level, and you’ll need to do it anyway if you’re planning on taking the language. Q: How are the Mandarin and Japanese language programs at Yale?

A: East Asian Languages (including Mandarin and Japanese) are some of Yale’s strongest departments. Mandarin especially tends to be very intense for beginning learners, so don’t expect to take it as an easy class. Yale students also benefit from the incredible Light Fellowship Program (http://www.yale.edu/iefp/light/), which covers all expenses for a summer, semester, or year studying in China, Taiwan, Japan, or South Korea studying Mandarin, Japanese, or Korean; it can be competitive to get the fellowship, but the experience of studying abroad is unparalleled.

9. Placement a. General Questions Q: When exactly do you take the placement exams?

A: Most placement exams (most foreign languages, chemistry, and music theory) occur during Camp Yale, but certain ones (math, Chinese, and Japanese) should be completed online during the summer. Keep in mind that for several foreign languages, a 5 on the corresponding AP test will exempt you from taking a placement test and you'll be able to enroll in an L5 class automatically. One note: with the exception of foreign language, placement exams are just recommendations, though highly  recommended; you can take a class at a level higher or lower than what's suggested. If you're considering taking a class other than what is recommended for you, it's best to discuss with a faculty member in the department first. Q: Where are the placement exams online, when do we take them, and how does that work (results, etc)?

A: The timing and method of taking the placement exam varies depending on the subject. For math, it seems like the placement exam will be online July 4th:

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http://math.yale.edu/undergrad/placement-exam Regarding Chemistry and language exams, those take place once Yale starts. You should receive an opening days schedule in the mail some time over the summer, which will detail the time and location of those exams. The results for these will generally be posted within a few days online. (Note, though, that Chinese, at least, has an online component to be completed at least a day before the oral exams on August 25.) Q: How much are we expected to study/review for placement exams?!

A: It might help to refresh yourself on material that you haven’t seen in a while, but the purpose of the placement exams is to test what you already know and have a strong grasp of, so you shouldn’t be doing any sort of intense cramming or preparation. You’ll find that at Yale, placement is often a matter of self-evaluation (with foreign language as one notable exception), so if you’re adamant about taking a course, you usually won’t have too much trouble getting in, regardless of your performance on the placement exams. Don’t stress too much about it! Q: Are there any courses that you would recommend not skipping even if you have the AP test credit?

A: If you’re confident in the material you learned and would not enjoy learning similar (though somewhat different) material again, then skip the introductory class. Otherwise, definitely consider taking the introductory class, as what you learn in college can vary dramatically from what you learned in high school. Q: How can I find out which AP scores (assuming 5 scores) can be used to advance past prerequisite classes like Math 115?

A: That will depend on the major (since each has different prerequisites), so read the departmental descriptions in the Bluebook. Note that if you’re planning on taking Math 120 (or Math 112 or Math 115), you’ll need to take the placement exam regardless of your AP score. Q: How can we tell which classes are available to freshmen? Can we only take 100- level intro classes? Or can we take seminars and higher (200-, 300-, 400-) level classes if they don’t specify otherwise?

A: All students – including freshmen – can take any level class as long as the prerequisites (or equivalent coursework) have been satisfied. The other exception if the class is reserved for Yalies in certain years (such as Junior Seminars). Especially in the humanities, the numbers sometimes don’t mean much in terms of introductory or advanced classes, so a freshman might take 200 or 300 level classes. In the sciences where classes are more sequential however, people generally take 100 level courses before 200 and 300 level courses, which means freshmen generally  take 100 level courses.

b. Math Q: If you don't register for a math class with your placement test until January, does that mean you can't take math your first semester?

A: I'm not quite sure I understand your question. The placement test is intended to gauge your ability in math and is used as a placement tool for both fall and spring semesters, so you should take it regardless of whether or not you intend to take math first semester. The math department is rather flexible in terms of it placement test, though, so how well you do isn't a final answer on what class you're allowed to take. If you don't register for a math class at all first semester, you naturally won't be able to take math first semester. There are certain math classes outside of the calculus sequence that you can take first semester without needing a placement test (Fractals, for example).

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Hope that helps, but if not, feel free to submit another question! Q: If I made a 5 on the BC Calculus exam and my major only requires up to Math 115 as a prerequisite, do I still have to take the math placement test if I don't want to take any math above 115?

A: First, check to see if your major requires you to take Math 115 or above or if it only requires you to have the equivalent of a Math 115 background. In the latter case, you may not be required to take a math class at all if BC Calculus credit is accepted (if it's not explicitly stated, you may want to check with the DUS of your major). If you are required to take at least Math 115, you will still need to take the math placement test, regardless of your BC Calculus score. Q: I have already taken classes corresponding to math 112, 115, and 120. I would like to take a higher level math class my first semester at Yale. Do I have to or would it be a good idea to take the math placement exam?

A: I believe you don’t have to take the placement exam if you intend on taking a higher-level math class, but it doesn’t hurt to take the math placement exam! The test (at least the one I took 2 years ago) only covered up to Calculus BC material, so it’s not too hard! Q: If I got a 5 on the BC exam and want to take MATH 116/118, do I have to take the placement exam?

A: No. Q: Can incoming freshmen take MATH 112/115/120 during fall semester?

A: Yes! The page was likely updated last semester, and probably hasn't been updated since. Course selection / advising happens every semester. You'll find out the exact timing when you get the Calendar of Opening Days in the mail soon. Q: Regardless of my AP BC Calculus score, do I have to take a math placement test to place into math classes that will fulfill the 2-credit QR distribution requirement?

A: You only need to take the math placement test if you're interested in enrolling in Math 112, 115, or 120. No other math class (or non-math QR class) will require the placement test, though you may be highly encouraged to have a certain level of math background before you enroll. Q: How is the difficulty of the math placement test compared to the Calc BC exam? Do you have to complete it all in one sitting?

A: The difficulty is probably comparable to the Calc BC exam but much shorter, so you should be able to complete it in one sitting. I’m not sure if the test is saved for you if you really can’t do it all at once, but since it’s selfadministered, you can always write down the answers on a sheet of paper and come back to the test whenever you have time. Q: How important is multivariable calculus background for MATH 230 as a freshman?

A: It’s not needed, but it would definitely help, as Math 230 also covers topics of Math 120 though. What I recommend is that you shop the two classes, or ask a Math Department advisor. Q: Should we prepare for placement exams (I'm referring specifically to the math exam)?

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A: The math placement exam only goes up to Calculus BC topics (including topics about series not covered in AB), so you should study AP Calculus BC topics, and you should be okay  Q: Is there a difference between ENAS 151 and MATH 120?

A: ENAS 151 goes into more physics and applications of multivariable calculus. I've also heard that MATH 120 doesn't teach the Jacobian, which is incredibly important for the sciences, whereas ENAS 151 does. That part is a rumor though. However, I have heard consistently that ENAS 151 is the better course. Q: The blue book says ENAS 194 requires a knowledge of matrix-based operations (no course number). Does this mean I should take a linear course like MATH 222 or 225?

A: No, I don't think so. I think it means an Algebra II level knowledge of matrices. I'm familiar with differential equations, but I can't imagine it requiring previous knowledge of linear algebra. More likely, they'll just teach usage of eigenvalues / eigenvectors, which require manipulation of matrices (again, Algebra II level though). Q: Any general advice on which math classes to take/when to take them?

A: That's too vague a question - it depends on a lot of factors, such as what major, previous knowledge, etc. Q: ENAS 151 vs. MATH 120. Which class is better for a person who's generally slower in learning math but took  the Calculus BC exam in high school and got a 5?

A: Probably ENAS 151.

c. Science Q: If I got a 5 in AP Bio, should I skip the introductory bio class?

A: In the past, students with a 5 in AP Bio have had the option to go directly into Genetics or Cell Biology (skipping both Principles of MCDB and Molecular Biology). Beware: historically speaking, Genetics has not been a student favorite, and Cell Biology has been one of the most challenging courses in the entire MCDB department (some claim that it is THE most challenging class). With changes to the MCDB major expected to happen this coming year, those courses will change, and so it's probably best to discuss with a faculty member first. You'll likely still want to skip Principles of MCDB (or whatever the intro course ends up being) and go directly into a higher level course. Q: Can you explain the advantages and disadvantages of the different chemistry options for freshmen?

A1: To begin with a caveat: I took Freshman Organic Chemistry three years ago, when Professor McBride still taught the course. It has since been taken over by Professor Ellman. That said, to answer the question: There are a couple advantages of taking Freshman Organic Chemistry. The biggest advantage is that you get to skip General Chemistry, which is a prerequisite for some biology majors and the Chemistry major. That means that you'll be ahead in the major, which may give you more freedom to choose courses in later years. If you're premed, however, there's the disadvantage that you can't take general chemistry to satisfy your required year of non-organic chemistry if you start off with Freshman Organic Chemistry. Since premed requirements must be taken in college (and can't be placed out of), that means that you'll have to find some other way to satisfy the year

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of non-organic chemistry requirement through a higher-level chemistry course. Some premed students who take Freshman Organic Chemistry do so by taking Inorganic Chemistry or Biochemistry, or, for Chemistry major premed students, Physical Chemistry. Your placement will depend primarily on how you do on the placement test, which is held during the Opening Days of Yale. Generally however, those who have received a 5 on the AP Chemistry test and have a reasonably strong chem background are able to place in Freshman Organic Chemistry. I would venture to say that the material that you learn in general chemistry is approximately equivalent to the material you learned in AP Chemistry. From personal experience, I skipped general chemistry having taken only AP Chemistry, but did well in Freshman Organic Chemistry and have been continuing to do so in other higher-level Chem classes such as physical chemistry, so I imagine that I didn't miss out on too much by not taking General Chemistry. Likewise, I think that your experience should be similar should you decide to place out of General Chemistry. A2: For those without a strong AP Chem background but interested in taking chemistry, a year of General Chemistry is a good idea; for pre-meds and bio majors without an AP Chem background, it's a necessity. Either the 112 or 114 sequence should be fine, although if you've had any chemistry background at all, you may find the 112 sequence to be a little slow. If in doubt, check the syllabi for both and plan on shopping one or two classes of each. 116L and 117L are the accompanying labs for the 112 and 114 sequences. While not obligatory, you should plan on taking them currently with your lecture classes since the overlap between the classes is helpful. Q: Which chemistry class would be recommended for pre-meds who do not have an extensive background in Chemistry?

A: I would recommend Chemistry 114 and 115 with their lab counterparts, or Chem 118 with its lab counterpart. 114/115 is a full year sequence, while 118 is an accelerated semester course. Both give you a background that covers the MCAT general chemistry topics, but 118 is only a semester, which means that you'll have to take an additional semester of chemistry (such as biochemistry) to satisfy premed requirements. Be sure to take the placement exam too, because the chemistry department will also place you into an appropriate level based off of its results. Q: My chemistry program was strong but did not follow the AP curriculum, so I feel like I am well prepared for many concepts in general chemistry, but not very well for others. Would it be better to learn the things I missed over the summer and try to test out of general chemistry, or just retake it?

A: You might consider taking CHEM118, which is in a way an extension of AP Chem; that way you’ll still be covering general chemistry without feeling like you’re retaking the same material over again. You can also check the course syllabi of the various chem classes to get a feel for how much you know and how much you don’t. As a rule of  thumb, it’s better to underestimate your abilities and take an easier class. Q: Are PHYS 260 and MATH 230 good course choices for the fall term of freshman year for a science international student? Is it too difficult?

A: The course themselves are great, and the professors are good as well. They also give you a strong background for higher level math courses. I can't give you any recommendations as I don't know your personal background, but I'm sure the advisors at the math placement session can help you too! Another thing to note is that you can always shop the courses and change later if you find it too difficult. Q: If I missed the Biology placement exam, will I have another chance to place out of parts of BIOL 101-104?

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A: I would just email the DUS of MCDB/E&EB/MB&B to see what they suggest, since it may be possible to have the placement exam reopened for you to take.

d. Other  Q: If I meet the test-score requirements to place out of English 114/115, can I take any of the English 120-130 courses in the fall, or must I start with 120?

A: No, you don’t need to start with 120, though it is a seminar that is very popular! If you pre-register for a seminar and get it, are you still allowed to drop the class if you find you don't like it? (ie. ECON 110) Yes, definitely! I’m sure that people who didn’t get a spot would be more than happy to take yours. Q: If we feel that we were placed too high from our language placement test, can we move down?

A: You can try talking to a member of the faculty, but generally the foreign language departments try to stick with the results of the placement exam. I’ve heard that moving down is especially difficult if you’re a heritage speaker of  the language (e.g., if your parents speak Spanish or Mandarin at home). In general, though, I think that moving down is easier than moving up, so you can always give it a shot. Q: I see on Yale's AP credit site that no credit is given for a 5 on AP Psych, but the psych department's site says Psych 110 is "optional" for 5-scorers. What’s the situation here--if we scored a 5, do we have to take 110 or no?

A: To clarify, the credit site that I assume you’re referring to is for Acceleration Credits, which only matter if you’re planning to graduate from Yale a semester or a year early. In no other case are Acceleration Credits used; you can’t get credit for AP scores unless you’re intending on graduating early. PSYC110 is normally a prerequisite for other courses in the psych department, but if you received a 5 on AP Psych, you can simply jump into the advanced courses without taking PSYC110. Q: If we have the AP credit to do so, is it generally it a good idea to skip out of introductory microeconomics?

A: Considering that the plain econ major can be completed in 2 years, there's not that much of a rush to skip the intros. If you'd like to skip some intros, the deciding factors should be the following: 1) what does the rest of you schedule look like? Intermediate micro is infamously the most difficult class in the major 2) who is teaching the courses in the fall vs spring? read the professor reviews in OCI 3) are you considering the econ major, EP&E, or global affairs? If not, you're just punishing yourself with intermediate micro For me, there was another deciding factor: 4) did you get into econ 110? As a freshman, you have two options for the intro econ sequence: seminar (110 for micro, 111 for macro) or lecture (115 for micro, 116 for macro). You can mix and match according to what you're looking for. Seminar is taught by a professor to classes of 25-35 students. There is no teaching assistant (TA), and it's a lot more engaging. Problem sets, exams, and curves are tougher. There's also more math and theory, so if you want to study 

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econ-math you should take the seminars (as an econ-math major, I did). Freshmen may enter an online lottery for a seat. Lecture is taught by a professor to classes of 100-200 students. If you are enrolled in lecture, then you have mandatory sections led by a TA. It's less interesting and you definitely get less attention. On the other hand, problem sets, exams and curves are easier. Q: Are there any instructions for filling out the Maths/Physics/Chemistry/Economics survey? I come from a French school and have not taken, per se, any of the courses. Should I detail the French curriculum in the box?

A: Yes, you should definitely detail what information you can in the surveys - the more information, the better. It might also be helpful to look at the syllabuses on this site: http://students.yale.edu/oci/ and see what level equivalent material you're familiar with, and list that. For example, if you have a math background covering most of single variable calculus, that would w ould correspond to a familiarity up to Math 115 1 15 at Yale, which you could coul d write down in the survey.

10. Shopping Period Q: How do I shop multiple classes for the same time slot?

A: The beauty of shopping period is that it's approximately a week and a half long. This means if one time slot meets Tuesday and Thursday, you could go to one class on Tuesday and go to the other Thursday. Alternatively, you could check out both classes on the same day by going to the first half of one and the second half of the other. It's completely fine to walk out in the middle of the class! If you feel awkward about it, try to sit near a door. However, if one of these classes is a seminar that you are trying to get into, go to its first meeting and continue to go until the roster is finalized. Q: How does getting books and course materials work with shopping period? Is it still possible to buy books the cheap way (i.e., Amazon) and keep up in the course until the books arrive?

A: If you buy from the Yale Bookstore, they'll allow you to sell back your books at full price (as long as they're in the same condition) up until the end of shopping period. One way to save money is to buy your books there initially but sell them back once you've finalized your schedule and have found somewhere else to get your books. Note also that Amazon is not always the cheapest option; you can search YaleStation (http://yalestation.yale.edu/books/) or try  your luck at the YHHAP Book Exchange (http://www.yale.edu/yhhap/Book_Exchange.html) to see if you find a used  version of the books you n eed. Q: Is it a good idea to arrive on campus with a narrowed down list of classes we want to shop (like 8 or so), or is it okay to arrive with just a preliminary list of like 20+? Will we have some guidance in class selection before shopping?

A: It’s perfectly fine to come to Orientation with a shopping list of 20+ classes (even upperclassmen do that all the time). You probably won’t have time to shop all of them, but you will get to shop a good dozen or more if you’re efficient, so that may be a good way to winnow down the list. There are plenty of resources the first couple days that are specifically there to help you shop classes. FroCos and faculty advisers (both of whom are required to sign off on your schedule before you submit it) can give you suggestions. Your dean and any of the Peer Liaisons are also a great help.

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The AACC Peer Liaisons also host a Bluebooking party open to all freshmen just before classes start, so feel free to drop by and ask any questions you have! If you’ve already been assigned an AACC PL, you’ll get an email about it; if  not, feel free to contact any of us and we can add you to our list.

11. Pre-Med Q: When should you start studying for your MCATs if you're pre-med, and when is the optimal time to take the test? And do you have to pay for the applications if you're on financial aid?

A: I'd say most people take the MCATs some time after sophomore year but before senior year. If you take the MCAT after only freshman year, a lot of the material may be unfamiliar to you. You can also, of course, take the MCAT during senior year or beyond (this is an especially viable option for those who don't want to enter medical school immediately after college); just keep in mind that you should take the MCAT during the calendar year before you plan to enter medical school. Information about fee assistance is available on the AAMC website here: https://www.aamc.org/students/applying/fap/. Q: Is it possible/manageable to fulfill pre-med requirements while double majoring in something other than biology/chemistry?

A: It’s definitely possible to fulfill pre-med requirements while majoring in something other than biology, and even to double major in biology and something else. Pre-med requirements themselves take up a large chunk of your academic career (even if you’re a bio major), so if you’re planning to major in something else, you’ll likely find that between premed requirements and your major requirements, you’ll only have a couple spots left to take other classes that interest you. It’s a sacrifice you’ll have to make, but if you’re committed to both pre-med and another major, it may well be worth it. Q: I think that I want to major in Economics, but I want to keep my pre-med options open. What science course would be best to take first semester?

A: You should probably plan on taking some chemistry course and lab freshman year (whichever one you place into). If you really want to, you can try to squeeze in physics or bio as well, but it's really not necessary and may be a rather heavy workload for first semester. Q: Is it possible to be an Econ major that is taking DS while on the pre-med track and still maintain a social/extracurricular life? (aka balancing intense academic commitments with everything else)

A: Given that this is Yale, there have probably been some incredibly bright and motivated people who have done it in the past, but it certainly won't be easy. The Econ major requires 12 credits; pre-med requires 15, with little overlap. If  you take DS as a freshmen, you'll be fitting almost all of these credits into your last three years, in addition to fulfilling your language requirement. You can try out all three, but I would recommend that you ultimately try to stick to only one or two. Chances are there will be some classes unrelated to pre-med or to your major that you'd love to take but won't be able to do if  your course of study is too restricted. A lot of freshmen come in with very well-defined academic plans in mind, but many, many of them end up changing their minds; give yourself a little freedom to explore.

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Remember also that the college experience is more than just academics alone, and you don't want academics to overwhelm your life at the cost of your social or extracurricular experience. There are hundreds of interesting people to meet and things to do outside the classroom, and no matter what career path you end up taking, employers and admissions committees are eager to hear about what you've learned and accomplished beyond a strictly academic setting. Q: How common is it to study engineering while doing pre-med, and what is the engineering workload like?

A: I'm not sure if there are any statistics, but my impression is that most pre-med engineers study BME, since the course requirements tend to have more overlap. In any case, it's definitely not a rare combination, though many  engineering majors naturally end up pursuing engineering as a career. Keep in mind that it's possible to be pre-med in any major so long as you fit the requirements in, so as long as you budget your time efficiently, you should feel free to pursue any interest major that interests you. The engineering workload is challenging, but that's pretty much the same for any science major at any university, and medical schools are aware of the fact. Just do as best in your classes as you can!

12. Other Q: Is most studying done in the room or the library?

A: It depends on your personal preference, honestly. Bass Library is a popular place to study, although some people find it a bit too social since there are people there all the time. Sterling Library has some incredibly large rooms to work in, if that suits your tastes. Additionally, each residential college has its own library; I've been to about half of  them, and they're all different. There are a bunch of other libraries to explore, and you should make the effort to go to all of them, if only to admire the architecture; the Art & Architecture Library is a personal favorite. And, of course, if you're able to be productive in your room and/or are too lazy to walk outside, your suite is always an option. It's often more fun (and easier) to just work there and interact with your suitemates from time to time. Plus, there's easy access to food, which is a big part of getting through the night... Q: Is it possible to take a gap semester to do independent work during my four years at Yale?

A: Absolutely! I wouldn't say it's the commonest thing, but I know a couple people who have taken a semester or two off to do other things. Pretty much everyone who takes time off ends up doing it some time after freshman year and before senior year; it's important to be at Yale doing those first and last years since you'll want to meet your classmates as a freshman and you'll want to spend some time with them as a senior before they graduate. One important thing to keep in mind if you're considering a gap semester or year is that all of your classmates from freshman year will graduate before you. You'll still be able to room with them while you're at Yale and walk on stage with them when they graduate, but you'll definitely want to make friends with some of the classes below yours, since you'll be spending some extra time with them. If you just want to go abroad for a semester or a year but still want to graduate after four years, there are lots of study  abroad programs you can do that will give credit. Language study in foreign countries is of course an option, but popular foreign destinations for non-language classes include London and Beijing. The Light Fellowship in particular can be your ticket to a semester or a year of study in East Asia (China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea) that's completely funded by the program.

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Q: Does Yale offer physical education classes?

A: Not for credit, but for a fee, Payne Whitney Gym offers a lot of physical education classes (from martial arts to ballet to yoga) for those looking to get some exercise or learn with a trained instructor. You can read the course descriptions here: http://sportsandrecreation.yale.edu/recreation-options/phys-ed. Q: Do we have midterms? If our parents come to visit before or after October break will they be getting in the way of studying for midterms/midterms themselves?

A: Yes--many, many midterms. You'll find that midterm season starts ~5 weeks into the semester and doesn't really  end until finals. That doesn't mean you'll have a midterm every week during that period, but you'll likely have several, and on weeks when you don't have a midterm, several of your friends will. It's hard to say whether or not having your parents visit on a certain weekend will interfere with your studies without knowing your schedule, but you really shouldn't thinking of them as a "burden," per se (they're paying for your education! and they bear gifts of free food!) If you're looking for a particularly good weekend for parents to visit, try  Family Weekend in late-September/early-October. A lot of performing groups hold special concerts during that weekend, and certain of your professors will even invite your parents to attend lecture. Local business establishments also coordinate their sales to coincide with Family Weekend. Q: How strict is the rule about wearing pants in lab? Is it just for safety purposes/should a long skirt also be okay?

A: Rather strictly, for the most part. I know of many people who were sent down all the way down science hill to change - not a pleasant experience. The point of pants is so that it minimizes bare skin, so I imagine that wearing a long skirt should be alright, as long as it covers as much skin as pants do. Remember too that sandals aren't allowed! (Again, because it exposes more skin and it would be bad if you stepped on glass.) Q: What is the best way to organize your materials for courses?

A: Do whatever you're accustomed to! One note, though: if you used to have to carry a lot of materials around with you because your high school schedule didn't allow you time to drop off/pick up things, you'll find that you'll have much more time to do that now, since your classes won't be spaced so closely together. That means that you often only need to carry one or two notebooks and folders at a time (and occasionally books/course packets, though rarely  textbooks). Even that can be excessive sometimes, since you'll be doing much (if not all) of your work/note-taking on your laptop. Keeping your laptop organized is probably just as important as organizing your physical materials. Q: I am a bit concerned that my high school has not prepared me for college level writing. What are the writing  classes like freshman year and do the professors do actual teaching or just expect you to know?

A: Freshmen seminars are designed specifically for the purpose of introducing you to college-level writing. Many of  them will guide you through the process of researching, drafting, etc. that is expected of you in other college courses. They’re a kind of “Swiss army knife” course in this sense, so I highly recommend that you take one. Many professors in other classes (such as history) expect you to just know how to write, mainly because classes are often a mix of  under and upperclassmen. That aside, make sure that you fully utilize the writing resources on campus – writing tutors, writing partners, etc. – as well, and make to edit drafts! Q: What does it mean if a class is typed in red text (as opposed to black) on the Yale OCI?

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A: Classes in red are graduate courses (hence they usually have high numbers). Many of these classes are cross-listed as well or have a lower number undergraduate counterpart, so make sure you check! Q: What's the minimum amount of time we should leave in between classes?

A: There’s no set minimum amount of time, but of course it would be advisable to make sure that you have enough time to get between classes or time to eat lunch. It can take 15 minutes walking to go up (or down) science hill, so if  you only have a 15 minute interval between a science and non-science class, you may find that you need to dash between classes to go up or down science hill (especially when the professor goes overtime, which happens occasionally). Q: How long does it take to walk from Old Campus to the top of Science Hill?

A: Generally about 10-15 minutes. The number can vary depending on the weather as well. Also note that there are shuttles that can take you up Science Hill if you’re lucky enough to catch one. The unfortunate thing is that they run on what seems to be a random time schedule. Q: How hard is it as a freshman to get into classes, especially popular ones? Are lecture classes often capped?

A: Lecture classes are rarely capped, as opposed to seminars (and some lab classes), so don’t worry! Freshmen generally have the same chance of getting into a capped class, unless the class is one that is required for a major (in which case priority often goes to upperclassmen declared in that major), or unless otherwise stated. Q: Are residential college seminars only offered once? How hard are they to get into?

A: Most are, so if you’re interested in one, don’t hesitate to apply. You’ll often be asked to write a short explanation of why you’re interested in the class and preference may be given to members of the given residential college, but other than that, it’s pretty much a crapshoot, so good luck! Q: Will we get a hard copy of the Bluebook and when?

A: The hard copies have been discontinued. The Bluebook will be released as a pdf file online sometime in July. Q: What happens if I get sick and can't go to class or do any work? How understanding is Yale/professors/deans of these sorts of things?

A: It really depends on how sick you are. In some seminar style courses, since the professor knows you on a more personal level, the professor may be willing to grant you an extension. In larger lecture courses though, professors almost always require a Dean's Excuse. If you really feel too sick to work, consult your college dean. They will usually  be understanding if you have a legitimate reason. Also it helps if you go to Yale Health and see somebody. Yale Health might not be the most helpful place in the world, but having a record show that you felt sick, sought help, and had a professional examine you will help your cause. Q: I don't quite understand acceleration credits. Could you explain what they are?

A: Acceleration credits only matter if you plan to graduate from Yale one or two semesters early. As you might imagine, very few people choose to take this option, even if they qualify, since the college experience is much better with four full years rather than three.

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#EXTRACURRICULARS 1. Club Sports Q: What's the difference between intramural sports and club sports?

A1: The two main non-varsity athletic organizations are club and IM sports. Club sports is the more competitive of  the two. In some sports that do not have varsity teams, such as water polo or ultimate Frisbee, this is the highest level of competition at Yale. Commitment varies by sport; most have around 3 practices per week, but some practice once a week and some practice every day. Missing a practice is usually okay, but in some sports there is pressure from teammates to attend. Club teams are coached by varsity athletes, volunteers, or senior members of the team. Club teams travel, scrimmaging against other teams in the area or competing against other college teams to advance to national club championships. In popular sports such as soccer there may be tryouts, but less-known sports welcome new members and beginners. There are some fees involved for equipment and tournament costs. IM sports are organized competitions between teams representing residential colleges. They are less competitive than club sports, and usually there are no practices involved; you just show up for scheduled games. There may not be not as much of a team community experience because attendance can vary drastically from game to game, but there is usually a core group of IM athletes that attend regularly. IMs are a good way to meet upperclassmen and other students in your college you would not have known otherwise. IM sports are considered less intense because the people who show up may not be particularly experienced or skilled in that sport, but the desire to represent your college honorably can inspire considerable competitive spirit. There are no fees, and usually equipment beyond basic athletic clothes will be provided. Some sports have no counterpart at the club or varsity level. There are no tryouts; beginners are always welcome. A2: Intramural sports (IMs) are competitions between the residential colleges that are open to anyone. Join one to support your college! Club sports are intercollegiate, with coaches, practices, and tournaments; generally, they're a little more intense and have more of a team feel. Read some of the other questions about IMs/club sports to find out more! Q: Are most club sports try-out only? What if we want to learn a completely new one?

A: You can DEFINITELY try sports you've never tried before. Some of them are kind of intense and have try-outs for the A team (I think soccer and frisbee are among those), but you can play no matter what, even if you've never played before (you just might not be on the best team). They're more of a team atmosphere than IMs, but they can still be as big of a commitment as you want them to be. Club sports have practices and coaches, the teams hang out more, and they're independent of the colleges. Some of them travel to other universities to play, so it's an intercollegiate thing (and not just limited to Yale).

2. IMs Q: What are IMs like?

A1: IMs are a bunch of sports that are super super informal and that are played between the different residential colleges. There's a cup and you get a certain number of points for each game your college wins and whichever college has the most points at the end of the year gets the cup! There are three seasons - fall, winter, and spring with sooo

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many different sports (fall - soccer, football, cross country, golf, ping pong, tennis, volleyball; winter - basketball,  volleyball, squash, bowling, water polo, swimming, hockey; spring - softb all, ultimate frisbee, golf, bil liards,  volleyball, badminton, soccer, dodgeball). They're super fun cause you meet people in all 4 years of your co llege and they're really laid-back. Like REALLY laid-back. There's no commitment - you come when you can/want to, but you don't have to at all. They're usually in the afternoons in the fall/spring (like after classes, but before dinner) and at night in the winter and THEY'RE SO MUCH FUN! A2: IMs are open to anyone and everyone, and they range from tennis to bowling to inner tube water polo, so if you want to try something new, go check them out! They’re a great way to meet a lot of people, too, especially those outside your year. Q: Do IM sports supply gear like lacrosse sticks and tennis rackets?

A: They do, but it’s generally better to bring your own if you can, since the quality isn’t the best.

3. Jobs Q: What do the levels for jobs means?

A: Levels just dictate what the hourly wage is (level 1 is 11.75, and it increases .50 per level from there). They don't really have any indication of required skill sets or anything like that; some level 4 jobs are just clerical jobs that require minimal computer knowledge, for example. You can go straight into a higher-level job without having had a lower-level job. Q: What is the hiring process like for student jobs on campus? How does one qualify for certain jobs?

A: You apply for on-campus jobs on yalestudentjobs.org. Most new postings occur at the beginning of the school year but there are always new jobs available. There are a huge range of jobs, requiring different skills. Some are as simple as sitting at a desk in a library (doing your homework). Others require more skill and are more involved, such as Student Tech. Each position requires a different set of qualifications, and some are more competitive than others to get, but in general, everyone who wants a job is generally able to find one. Q: Can undergrads work in the admissions office reviewing applications? Can you be a Yale tour guide freshman year or do you have to wait to apply during freshman year?

A: Working in the Undergrad Admissions Office is a great job, but is very popular position and so is competitive to get. Undergraduates do not evaluate applications. There are two main jobs for undergraduates in the admissions office – Tour Guides and Recruitment Coordinators. The role of a Tour Guide is fairly self-explanatory. New guides are hired every February and you will get an email then with information on how to apply. There are separate processes to apply to be a Science or Engineering Tour Guide, but they typically do not hire freshmen. Recruitment Coordinators run outreach efforts to get more students interested in Yale (e.g. organize programs for Yale students to visit high schools over breaks, do video chats with prospective applicants, run multicultural openhouses, etc) and recruitment efforts targeted at admitted students (e.g. running the admitted students website, planning Bulldog Days, etc). New Recruitment Coordinators are hired every September and you can apply as a freshman. The position will be listed on yalestudentjobs.org.

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In addition to working as a tour guide or recruitment coordinator, students can apply to work for the Yale Ambassador Program. Applications are sent out via email towards the end of first semester. This job entails visiting schools in your home state during breaks and speaking to high school students about Yale. Q: How can you get a job at the admissions office? When do you apply and how difficult is it to actually get the  job?

A: The two most popular positions are the recruitment coordinator position and tour guides. They're fairly selective  jobs, and it's difficult to say who exactly will get them, though there's an advantage if you're a science major. You'll get an email about the positions when they open (see the previous question about working at the Admissions Office). Q: So, rumor has it that Yale has an underground particle accelerator. What's the process like for getting a work-study job there?

A: There used to be a big research accelerator used for Nuclear Physics over in the Wright Nuclear Structure Laboratory, but they closed that down last year. We do have a 1 MeV Van de Graaff accelerator in the basement of  Sloane Physics Laboratory. I don't think its used much for research, though--it's mainly used in lab courses, I think. If you really have your heart set on playing with it, the person to talk to is Larry Cerrito, who is the engineer in charge of it (but I don't know anybody who's ever worked for him). If you're really into particle physics or accelerators, you probably should talk to some of the people who work with CERN. Not sure if you can make a job out of that, though. Q: What does the 50/50 Split on the student employment calendar mean?

A: That just refers to where your money's coming from; during the school year, 50% comes from the Office of the Provost and 50% comes from the department that hired you. It really has no impact on your life, so don't worry  about it. Q: When do people start looking for jobs for the fall semester (when are the new jobs posted on the site)?

A: Towards the end of summer and at the beginning of fall semester, a lot of new jobs will be posted. You can subscribe to receive email notifications whenever a new job is posted so you don't miss any that might interest you.

4. Research Q: Is it possible to get a campus job such as a (hard science) research assistant or grader in a science subject in  your freshman year?

A: Paid research assistant positions are generally given to those who have prior research experience or who have taken significant coursework in the subject, so if you have either of those, you have a pretty good shot at getting the  job. (Even if you don't, if you're able to communica te your interest in the subject effectively, you still stand a chance!) Grader positions (as well as tutoring positions) tend to be given to those who have taken the class (or a higher-level equivalent) before and excelled at it, so you might have to wait until second semester before applying. Either way, feel free to apply to as many positions as you want! Job openings are posted here: https://www.yalestudentjobs.org/JobX_FindAJob.aspx. There's always a flood of new jobs at the beginning and end of each semester, so check frequently (you can also subscribe to receive email notifications whenever a new job is listed).

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As a side note, you can definitely do research without having a paid position. I do both paid research with a psychiatrist and unpaid research with a neurologist and have found both to be rewarding. Q: I'm an undeclared major with zero experience in research. Is there hope for research in a lab in my freshman  year?

A: If you have the determination and the interest, you shouldn't have trouble finding research at all. Not only do you have the opportunity to do research with professors who teach in the undergraduate and graduate schools, but you also can work with professors at the Medical School and the School of Forestry and Environmental Science. Think of  it this way: if you're committed to working in a lab and you're willing to do it for free, you're providing extra manpower to a professor who doesn't need to pay you, and there's certainly a benefit to that. That being said, don't commit yourself to a lab too early on. Take some time to ease into your classes and extracurriculars to figure out what your workload is like. Working in a lab is often a large time commitment, and you don't want to leave a bad impression by promising to work in a lab and not being able to follow through.

5. A Cappella Q: To join the Whiffenpoofs, do you need to have joined another a cappella group?

A: Not officially, but if you look at the past rosters, pretty much every Whiff has been part of an a cappella group. Q: Can you only audition for a cappella groups your freshman year, or do the groups take sophomores and  juniors as well?

A: The majority of those who audition for a cappella groups are freshmen, but some upperclassmen do audition (and are tapped as well). The only exceptions are the Whiffenpoofs and Whim 'n Rhythm, which only accept rising seniors.

6. Music Q: How difficult is it to get into the Yale Symphony Orchestra? Is it mostly all-state level players, below that, or even higher?

A: I'd say that pretty much all of the musicians would be able to qualify at the state level. Most of them have played in a youth orchestra or have some sort of musical awards. We do have transfer students from Julliard and New England Conservatory, to give you a sense of the more advanced end of the spectrum. There are plenty of other orchestras at Yale that cover a full range of ability levels, so even if you're not accepted to YSO, you can still play elsewhere. Q: Can I audition on more than one instrument for the YSO to increase my chances of getting in?

A: You can audition on multiple instruments if you feel truly capable on all of them, but it will not help to have multiple auditions simply for the sake of having multiple auditions.

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Q: Is there an orchestra for non-music majors and another for music majors, or is there just one (Yale Symphony Orchestra) that includes both groups?

A: There are many, many orchestras at Yale (including Yale Symphony Orchestra, Berkeley College Orchestra, Davenport Pops Orchestra, Jonathan Edwards College Philharmonic, and Saybrook College Orchestra), and none of  them are restricted to music majors. There isn’t a music performance major offered to undergraduates at Yale, so you’ll find that many students in these orchestras major in something besides Music and simply play an instrument or two (frequently at very high levels) as well. Q: Are non-music majors allowed to take private lessons from Yale's music professors? If so, how?

A: Yes, definitely. In fact, most of the people I know who are taking private lessons are non-music majors. You can read more about auditioning, taking lessons for credit or for a fee, etc. here: http://music.yale.edu/academics/lessons.html. Be aware, though, that most students study with a graduate student in the School of Music, not with a faculty  member. It is possible to study with a faculty member, but auditions are competitive, and an advanced degree of  performance ability is necessary. Q: Do the graduate students in the School of Music give lessons only to advanced players, or is it possible to take lessons as a beginner?

A: The graduate students are intended to teach students of all levels (very advanced players usually audition to study  with a faculty member instead), so it’s certainly possible to start learning a new instrument as a beginner. Lessons are usually pretty low-key, but if you’re still uncertain about trying out a new instrument, you might even find a classmate who’s willing to teach you a thing or two! Q: Is there a music store near campus?

A: There are two music stores on Audubon St.: Audubon Strings (a full-service store for string instruments, naturally) and Foundry Music (which is a more general music store carrying sheet music, music stands, metronomes, etc.). You can get reeds and other supplies at Foundry Music, but I don't think they do instrumental repairs if you need them. Q: Is getting into the Yale Jazz Ensemble difficult? Are there ways of getting involved in jazz other than through that group?

A: I (Hanoi Hantrakul) was the pianist for the Yale Jazz Ensemble for 2011-2012! You have to audition to get into the YJE at the start of the school year. They have set music you need to learn that is posted on the Yale Jazz Ensemble website and they will also test some of your ability to play music on the spot. The ability to voice chords given only  chord symbols (i.e., no notation) is very important, even more important than your sight reading ability. Ability to improvise well is also a plus. Outside of the YJE, there is also the Yale Undergraduate Jazz Collective composed of  musicians at Yale who play jazz seriously and jam together. If you have any more questions feel free to email me at [email protected]!]

7. Other

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Q: What volunteer opportunities are available on/around campus, and where/how do we find out about them?

A: To avoid sounding like I’m favoring some groups by listing them and not others, I’ll go ahead and say that there are way too many volunteer clubs and activities out there for me to list. There are many types of volunteer groups, from those related to teaching/mentoring to those dealing with social justice. Some of them (but definitely not even close to all) are listed here: http://www.yale.edu/livingnh/community/volunteer.html Many volunteer groups are also affiliated with Dwight Hall: http://dwighthall.org/ At the beginning of the school year, many groups will advertise themselves at the extracurricular bazaar as well. There, you can personally interact with the people in the club and get a better sense of what the club is all about, so that’s probably the best place to learn about the many volunteer organizations that exist at Yale. Q: How difficult is it to get into an improv group?

A: As you might imagine, plenty of extracurriculars at Yale can be competitive, and improv tends to be one of them. Obviously, being funny is key, but groups like improv are also looking to find people who they think would get along well with the rest of the group. I don't know any statistics, but there are definitely people who audition and unfortunately don't get in. But since you'll never know unless you try, try out and do your best--you might be surprised! Q: How difficult is it to fill up every single summer and every vacation/break during your Yale tenure with some sort of internship, research opportunity, or study abroad?

A: Not too difficult at all. If you're interested in research, you can almost certainly find a faculty member on campus who will take you on. Study abroad usually isn't a competitive thing unless you're applying to a fellowship (e.g., Light), and even then, the programs themselves aren't too difficult to get into (there are also quite a few to go around). Internships can be a little more difficult and you may have to apply to a few before you find one, but unless you're gunning specifically for a high-profile gig at Goldman Sachs or the like, you should be able to find something. The Yale name, after all, does serve as a networking tool to get you places. As a side note, you shouldn't be too concerned about doing an internship/research/study abroad during any break  besides summer break. Yes, there are people who do some research over winter break or go on service trips during spring break, but you won't be at a disadvantage if you don't do any of those things. Remember to relax once in a while and enjoy your life; college is too short and too sweet to spend all your time working. Q: How does one become a Peer Liaison or a Freshman Counselor? How rigorous/competitive is it?

A: The Peer Liaison position is open to rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Candidates can apply to be a PL in only one of the seven centers. PLs are chosen for their leadership and involvement on campus (especially as they  relate to the chosen center), their connections to people and resources, their reasons for applying to the chosen center, their academic record, and--most importantly--their ability to counsel and support incoming freshmen. Consideration is also given to how an individual candidate can work collaboratively as part of a team and how well the entire team reflects the diversity of interests and personalities represented in the Yale freshmen class. The application process consists of a written application followed by an interview. I'm not sure about the statistics for the other centers, but for the AACC two application cycles ago, around 40 applicants applied for 8 spots, 2 of  which were given to returning PLs. The Freshman Counselor position is only open to rising seniors within the given residential college. The qualifications and application process are more or less the same as those for PLs, though arguably more extensive. In particular, special consideration is given to how much time a candidate can spend being a reliable physical presence

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for freshmen, since unlike PLs, FroCos live with the freshmen they counsel. Previous experience as a PL (or another position working extensively with students or a student-resource center) is helpful, though by no means necessary. Roughly 300 students apply for 100 spots. Q: What's MUNTY like? How competitive is it? How much of a time commitment is it?

A: The team is pretty hard to get into, as in they have a try-out process, but being a member of the team itself is highly rewarding. The people in MUNTY who can be intimidating at first sight aren't all fire-churning dragons at the end of the day. In fact, most of them are quite laid back and some of the coolest people I know on campus. It's a great group of friends once you settle down in the team. As for competitiveness, we've won HNMUN, which is the hallmark Model UN conference in the American college circuit, three years running. This year we bagged 1/3 of all the "Best Delegate" awards at HNMUN, which goes to show that we tend to work at stealing the limelight. However, the time commitment is really low. We practice for about an hour every week (freshman members in the team usually have a freshman practice which is an additional 30-45 minutes per week). When it comes to conferences, as a team we attended 3 main conferences last year (I only attended 2). Conferences usually take up a whole weekend. Preparation for the conference is up to the individual once he or she knows which committee he or she will be in, and the time commitment there could be as high or low as the individual desires.

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#FOOD 1. Yale Dining  Q: What kind of food do they serve in dining halls?

It varies a lot, honestly. Recently, Yale Dining has been trying to coordinate its offerings to all fit within a given cuisine, so one day you may have tofu stir-fry and Korean barbecue ribs under an “East Asian” theme, while the next you’ll have fried chicken and collard greens under an “American South” theme. (Personally, I think that the “American South” food is the best that Yale Dining offers, and the farther you move away geographically, the worse the food gets…) There’s pretty much always salad, burgers, veggie burgers, chicken patties, deli meats, bread, and cereal, though, so those are reliable—though somewhat uninspired—options. Breakfast and brunch are more standard from day to day and offer pretty typical breakfast/brunch options (note though, that many of the dining halls don’t offer hot breakfast). Q: Do all the dining halls offer the same food?

A: Among the residential dining halls, for the most part, yes, although there are some differences. Morse and Ezra Stiles now have an expanded kitchen with a pizza oven and “The Bowl” (the chef’s culinary inspiration for the day), so those are unique. Trumbull has special desserts on Friday nights. On weekends, some dining halls are open for breakfast while others are open for brunch. Berkeley has a juicer, and others may as well, but certainly not all. Commons, HGS, and Slifka offer a different menu from the standard dining halls. When in doubt, you can always check Yale Dining’s website (or the Yale Dining app on your smartphone) to see what’s being offered that day. Q: How easy is it to adhere to a pretty strict and very healthy nutrition plan?

A: Yale Dining does its best to support healthy eating by including a salad bar in every dining hall and posting basic nutritional information about the dishes on little cards above the food and online (you can check what's being offered in the dining halls here: http://www.yale.edu/dining/menu/todaysmenus.html). There are also vegetarian,  vegan, and halal options available. Slifka serves ko sher food every day. Yale Dining options are better than what many colleges across the nation offer, but they're obviously no three-star restaurant. If you're a picky eater, you might find the food to be bland or over-seasoned; food is sometimes drenched in oil, and sometimes it's too dry to swallow. If you're able to live off paninis, salad, and yogurt every day, that might be the healthiest (and tastiest) option you can get. The healthiest eating option is of course to cook your own food yourself, but that's not really possible until junior year at the earliest, when you have the choice to move off campus. In the meantime, you learn to make do with what you have; it's not amazing, by any means, but it still gives you enough options that you can watch your diet. Q: How easy is it to access a kitchen for cooking purposes during freshman year?

A: Fairly easy. All residential colleges have a communal kitchen open for student use. Usually there is a designated “Kitchen Manager” by the Master’s office or a regular Master’s Aide who has the keys and keeps a record of  reservations and dates the kitchen is available. All kitchens are well equipped and in working condition, though some kitchens are better equipped (and cleaner) than others. Q: When do we choose a meal plan?

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A: You can read about the meal plans in detail here: http://www.yale.edu/dining/options/mealplan.html According to the website, "You will be able to Update/Change your Meal Plan Option (in accordance with meal plan regulations) beginning Tuesday, August 20th at 8:00am and will be able to do so on-line one time only through September 14th at 11:59pm." Note that as a freshmen, you are required to have the Full Meal Plan; your only other option is to "upgrade" to the Anytime Meal Plan. I feel that most freshmen use the Full Meal Plan, which really should be enough to cover your eating needs. Q: What do you do when you have a class that overlaps almost completely with the time dining halls are open for lunch?

A: Commons is open for lunch from 11:00 am to 2:30 pm (slightly longer than the residential college dining hall hours), so you may be able to squeeze a lunch in there. Alternatively, you can always use your lunch swipe to buy  food at Durfee’s (available until 5 pm) or at the Kline Biology Tower Café (from 11:00 am to 2:30 pm).

2. Outside Food Q: Where can you buy bubble tea around Yale?

A1: York Street Noodle! And a couple other places - Bangkok Gardens, for example. All within walking distance. Ask us - we’ll take you there! A2: Ohai! Bubble tea is my kryptonite. Personally, my favorite place to get bubble tea is from Basil, a decently-priced, really tasty Asian restaurant near Pierson and Stiles. If you have some extra pocket change, taking a trip to one of the food carts on Science Hill (outside the hockey rink) or outside the Yale Medical School will expose you to carts with quite a few different types of cuisine, most of which also serve bubble tea! Sometimes on-campus student groups (for example, cultural groups like the Taiwanese American Society) will serve homemade bubble tea at their events. - Ysabel, AACC PL Q: Do local restaurants/shops give discounts to Yale students?

A1: The quick answer is yes! Some shops will give around a 10% discount, but many of the restaurants that give discounts are dine-in type restaurants and not shops where you can grab something quick. Also, events like College Night on Broadway, in which various stores on Broadway hold sales, happen every few months. A2: New Haven also runs a Restaurant Week twice a year, during which roughly 30 participating restaurants offer a prix fixe menu for lunch and dinner. It can be a good way to try some of the pricier culinary offerings around campus at a lower cost. Q: What in the world is a Wenzel?

A: A somewhat overpriced buffalo chicken sub with lettuce, tomato, cheese, and mayo offered at Alpha Delta Pizza for $8.45. Customizable, with options including a garlic bread bun and a vegetarian eggplant alternative. Opinions  vary, but large swaths of the student population at Yale swear by it for late-night, post-party cravings. Order via crunchbutton.com, and they’ll even deliver it to your door!

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Q: What do people generally think of the taste or quality of the water? Do many people have water filter pitchers?

A: Water is potable straight from the tap, although many people do choose to purchase water filters. Whether or not it actually tastes better when filtered is probably largely a placebo effect, but it certainly can't hurt. Q: If you're a big water drinker, do you think it would be more cost efficient and convenient to buy a Brita water pitcher or a Brita water bottle?

A: I’d go with the water pitcher; water bottles are easier to lose/misplace, while water pitchers aren’t, and you can always fill a regular water bottle with filtered water from your water pitcher if you need to carry water around with you. You can also share the cost of a water pitcher with your suitemates. Q: Where do most people go for late-night cravings?

A: Ivy Noodle (next to Pierson) and Gourmet Heaven (or “G-Heav,” on Broadway or near TD) are both popular options, though beware that Ivy Noodle sells low-quality Chinese food and G-Heav sells overpriced food. Lots of  pizza places are open quite late, too. And, of course, there’s always Alpha Delta Pizza’s famed Wenzel. Q: What are some of the “nicer” restaurants around New Haven (for dates, birthday dinners, formal dinners, etc.)? And how much do they cost?

A: Union League Café and Ibiza are arguably the “nicest” (and most expensive) restaurants in New Haven; a threecourse dinner (without wine) will cost you about $55, plus tax and tip. Other good restaurants (usually slightly  cheaper) include Barcelona, Zinc, Heirloom at the Study, Caseus, Pacifico, Bentara, and Skappo. I personally  recommend Ibiza, Barcelona, and Heirloom, but of course, your tastes may differ. If you’re looking to try one of these restaurants but not so keen on footing the bill, New Haven runs a Restaurant Week twice a year, during which almost all of the aforementioned restaurants (and plenty more) offer prix fixe meals priced at $18 for lunch and $32 for dinner, which is a pretty hefty discount from the sticker price. Incidentally, several of the PLs this coming year are secret (or not-so-secret) foodies and would love to embark on food adventures with you, so please hit us up! (Hint: Kevin Chen is one…) Q: How often do people go out to eat, as opposed to just eating in the dining halls?

A: It depends on your budget, your tolerance for dining hall food, the tastes of your friends, etc. I’d say that overwhelmingly, most people with meal plans eat in the dining halls when they’re open. Plenty of people do go out to get late-night snacks or to dine at a restaurant for a special or semi-special occasion, though. Those who live offcampus usually forego meal plans and either cook for themselves or eat out pretty frequently. Q: What grocery stores are nearby?

A: Stop and Shop (your pretty standard supermarket) and Elm City Market (like a smaller-scale Whole Foods) are probably your safest bets. If you’re looking for Asian grocery stores, there’s Hong Kong Market on Whitney and Million Market on Orange; Hong Kong is cheaper, while Million has slightly better customer service and also sells bubble tea and some other foods.

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#MOVE-IN/MOVE-OUT 1. Pre-orientation Programs Q: What are some pros and cons for each of the pre-orientation programs?

A: All of the pre-orientation programs will provide you the opportunity to meet other freshmen prior to Camp Yale, and many freshmen find that they offer lots of bonding moments to foster close friendships. It's difficult to list pros and cons for each of the programs, since that's largely based on individual preference. You can read more about the individual programs here: http://yalecollege.yale.edu/content/preorientation-programs. Some programs will appeal to you and others won't--if you're an outdoorsy person, you might particularly enjoy  FOOT or Harvest; if you're scared of dirt, you probably won't and might prefer CC instead. Most international students do OIS, but some choose to do other pre-orientation programs instead. Whatever you choose, you're bound to meet other people who are just as excited about Yale as you are, so don't worry--you'll have a good time! Q: Is there a place to store our stuff during OIS?

A: According to the website, you'll be moving into your permanent rooms on August 21. Don't plan on having absolutely everything unpacked when you first arrive on campus, since you'll be moving it all after a couple of days. However, there should be counselors on hand to help you transport stuff. If you're having items shipped to you or if you have parents bringing them, it may be better to wait until August 23, when you'll have more time to get settled in and when there will be move-in crews for each of the residential colleges assigned to help you carry your stuff. Q: Will I feel out of the loop at the beginning of the year if I'm not able to attend a pre-orientation program?

A: Not at all. Everyone is eager to make new friends at the beginning of the year, and since even the largest preorientation programs represent only a fraction of the student population, everyone will be seeing a lot of new faces. The first few days of your arrival on campus will be Freshman Orientation, affectionately referred to as Camp Yale. It's literally the most laid-back time of the year, when everyone is still settling in before academic and extracurricular commitments start up, so you'll have plenty of time to meet and hang out with other freshmen. Anything from moving furniture to grabbing a meal with a FroCo or PL to going to a party with suitemates can be a great way to get to know more people, so take advantage of all those opportunities! Q: If you go on FOOT, where do you shower/use the restroom?

A: It's the wilderness at its best! (i.e., no showers or restrooms) When you need to use the restroom, you'll have to go behind some bushes . Q: Where do you change clothes if you go on FOOT?

A: Behind a tree/some bushes... again, it's meant to be the wilderness! Q: In a 6-week FOOT program, will we be sleeping in tents or will we use just our sleeping bags?

A: I’m assuming you mean the 6-day FOOT program, which should still be sleeping bag-only.

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Q: I know there are no showers at Harvest, but are there toilets we can use ?

A: Yep! Q: Is there a cost for Harvest?

A: I think it's around $400 (plus the supplies you need to buy). You can email the program coordinator to double check. Q: Can we get financial assistance to purchase the required supplies for Harvest/FOOT (provided that we show  substantial need)?

A: Financial assistance is available for all the pre-orientation programs, so my guess is that required supplies (gear, camping needs, etc.) would be covered. You should probably contact the program coordinators (Katie O'Shaughnessy, [email protected], for Harvest; Cilla Kellert, [email protected], for FOOT) to clarify.

2. What to Buy/Bring  a. Laptops Q: What kind of laptop is best for Yale life?

A: Pretty much any laptop currently on the market should be fine (you can read ITS's basic recommendations here: http://www.yale.edu/its/stc/purchase/purchasing.html). Both PCs and Macs are used, although you'll find that many, many students at Yale have Macs. I'm not sure if there's an actual statistic, but it often seems that well more than half of the student population has a Mac. Most Mac users have a MacBook Pro, although I'm seeing more of the new MacBook Airs as of late. Q: I'm considering getting a MacBook Air for college, but I'm concerned that it doesn't have an Ethernet port. Does the USB adapter work or is it super slow?

A: I'm really not aware of anyone who uses Ethernet at Yale. Wi-fi is available virtually everywhere (including in your room) and speeds are incredibly fast, so you really shouldn't have to worry about using wired connections at all. Q: Is there a large majority of MacBook Pro users that lean towards the 13" or 15" screen? Is a 15" too cumbersome for college life?

A: I see plenty of both, so either should be fine. I personally use a 15", and while I've found that it's a little on the big side for my book bag, it hasn't really been a problem. It's really a matter of personal preference. Q: Yale doesn't seem to have updated its technology recommendations yet this year. Should I go out and buy a laptop now, or wait for the new version?

A: If you don't need a laptop until you get to Yale, I would wait as long as possible so that I could get the newest  version (or so that the price of the older version goes down)! Q: Is a laptop lock recommended?

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A: Yale’s ITS department recommends laptop locks, but in practice, laptop locks aren’t that often used. You always run a risk, of course, but you might be surprised to see just how many students leave their laptops unwatched in the library or in the suite common room while they go to do something else. You can buy a laptop lock to be extra safe, but it’s generally fine if you don’t. Q: What is normally done in terms of laptop cases?

A: You see a bit of everything on campus; some people use hard-shell cases that clamp directly onto the laptop, others use laptop sleeves, still others use a separate compartment in their backpacks, and then there are those who leave their laptops naked and just chuck them in their bags. Choose whatever floats your boat!

b. Other Items Q: Is printing free anywhere on campus? Is it worth it to bring a printer from home?

A: Printing in the computer clusters isn’t free, but it’s pretty cheap (a few cents per page). However, I’d definitely  recommend having a printer in your suite; you’ll need it for last-minute paper runs and for times when walking all the way to a library just doesn’t seem like a viable option (see the question about snow!). Since you only need one printer per suite, coordinate with your suitemates to split costs! Q: What printer features would you recommend (wireless, laser, color, etc.)?

A: As long as your printer can print, 99% of your printing needs will be covered. It's an added perk if it's wireless/laser (easier, faster printing) and you'll perhaps need color printing once a semester, but if the price difference is substantial, it's really not worth it to get those added features. Q: I’ve never experienced snow before! What winter clothes do you recommend that we buy?

A: SNOW--the most loved and dreaded of weather conditions (I grew up around Chicago, so I’m pretty used to it, but a lot of my friends from warmer climates still get a big kick out of it). You’ll definitely need a thick coat and a good pair of snowshoes/boots to walk around in all the slush. Smaller accessories like scarves, hats, and gloves also make a huge difference. Don’t worry if you’re not sure what to buy or when to buy it! Every fall, the Peer Liaisons host a trip to the mall for anyone who needs clothes for the colder months, so you’re welcome to come with us when we go. (Costume shopping for Halloween is also a popular option!) Q: Is having a bike useful?

A: I personally don’t use one, but one of my suitemates does. Most of campus is pretty centralized, so you’ll be just fine without one. The farthest parts that most students visit are Science Hill up north and the medical school down south, but those are still within walking distance (roughly 10 to 15 minutes). There are also several shuttles that run regularly on weekdays, and those are traceable with a somewhat-flaky smartphone application. Bikes are effectively  rendered useless during the winter because of the snow though. Most colleges have places where you can store bikes during the winter as well. Q: Does anyone actually buy the "official" linens packs with shower stuff and towels?

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A: I did, and I know quite a few others who did as well. It's convenient in that it's pre-packaged and ready for you to pick up. Honestly, though, you could probably get higher-quality materials at a lower price, so if you have the time and capability to drive off campus, you can pick up some nicer things from elsewhere (IKEA, Bed Bath & Beyond, and Target are all within range, for example). The Yale Bookstore also sells linens, towels, and other shower stuff. Q: Do people use the bulk laundry plans?

A: Yes, but not that many. It's cheaper to do your laundry yourself (and not all that time-consuming), and if you're at all particular about how you want your clothes to be washed, it's safer as well. Q: What types of laundry plans does Yale offer?

A: There are laundry plans at Yale offered through the ASA: http://www.yale.edu/tuba/agencies/laundry.html But for the large, large, part, most people do their own laundry. Q: I plan to major in mathematics/a math-related field. Any suggestions on what type of laptop or calculator I should bring?

A: Any laptop should be fine. For calculators, a graphing calculator would be very helpful (if not absolutely  necessary), but what sort of graphing calculator you have shouldn't matter. Q: What phones/phone services/phone plans are good for college life at Yale?

A: Smartphones (especially iPhones) are pretty popular, but of course by no means essential. I think most carriers are pretty decent; I don’t remember hearing of any major complaints. In terms of phone plans, especially if you’re considering a smartphone, data plans are largely unnecessary, since there’s Wi-Fi everywhere on campus.

3. Other Q: Which breaks require students to leave campus? Do most students choose to leave, even when not required?

A: You're only required to leave for summer and winter break (although many students stick around Yale in offcampus housing during summer break to do research, work, or take classes). I would say that most students leave campus during Thanksgiving break and spring break, but there are certainly students who stay, especially if they live farther away. The fall break in October was new last year; anecdotally, it seemed like a lot of upperclassmen stayed on campus throughout, while more freshmen chose to go home. Q: Where do we move our crap when the residences close (for international/cross-country students)?

A: You're allowed to leave everything in your rooms over winter break, so you only need to worry about summer break. Each residential college sets aside a little bit of room to store stuff for the summer, but it's not much at all (Pierson, for example, only gives you two small boxes that together are about the size of a large suitcase). Some of  your classmates will be in New Haven doing research/taking classes over the summer, so you may be able to store stuff with them. Other students live close enough to campus that their parents are able to drive up and haul stuff  back to their permanent residences, so you may be able to leave communal use items (e.g., a suite couch or bookshelf) with them. Finally, for a fee, there are off-site storage facilities where you can keep your stuff safely locked away for the summer; if you share the space with a few other people, it can be an affordable option.

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Q: Where do international students go when residences close and they can't go home?

A: First, keep in mind that the only times when the residences close are winter break and summer break. Many  international students do choose to go home during those times (especially during summer break) since they don't really have any other time throughout the rest of the year. Lots of students (both international and non-international) do internships, research, or study abroad during the summer, so there's a good chance you'll be at Yale or abroad (and not at home) anyways. Fellowships are available to fund summer housing, travel, and other costs. If for any reason you can't go home during the summer, there are plenty of opportunities at Yale that you'll probably want to take advantage of regardless, and there's money to support it. Since winter break is shorter, fewer international students go home (though, again, some still do). I know that some of my international friends who have not gone home over winter break have stayed with suitemates or other friends in America; you're bound to know someone who lives in the New England area and is willing to house you for a couple weeks. You might also choose to go on vacation somewhere in America (often with other internationals in the same boat). Q: How do students usually get from Bradley airport in Hartford to Yale?

A: Connecticut Limo is a popular choice for Yale students, and they offer discounts for Yale students. Shuttles usually come around once an hour from Bradley Airport to Phelps Gate.

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#RESIDENTIAL LIFE 1. Internet Q: Is there wireless internet in the suites?

A: Yes. I actually don't know anyone who uses wired (or even if the suites are equipped for that). Q: How fast is internet at Yale?

A: Internet at Yale is incredibly fast; you can download files at 1 MB/sec, and you shouldn't have problems  videochatting or running programs that require consistent high-speed connection. On occasion, your Wi-Fi connection might be a little spotty, but those are rare cases. Q: Does Yale block gaming/torrenting connections?

A: Not unless you exploit the system. Keep in mind that torrenting copyrighted files is illegal, and if you're caught doing it (generally if you torrent a movie or TV show that's recently come out), you'll receive a warning from ITS before they shut your internet down. If you manage to hog up all the bandwidth, ITS may have a problem with that as well. Generally, though, the internet is pretty much left up to you to determine what you want to do with it; there aren't any blocks or filters that I know of.

2. Facilities a. Dorm Rooms Q: What is the layout of the room freshmen are housed in?

A: That is, unfortunately, completely dependent on where the Yale sorting hat magically places you. You may share a small room with a roommate and be forced to bunk beds... or you may have a single completely to yourself. You may  have a gargantuan common room with room for multiple couches... or you may not have a common room at all. Your room may have a fireplace, in-suite bathroom, elevator access, walk-in closet... or it may have none of those. It's probably best to wait until you find out what room you've been assigned before trying to figure out more about the room layout. Regardless of what room you've been assigned, though, you will have room for a bed, wardrobe, and desk (all of which are provided by Yale). Q: How high is the bed above the ground? Is there space for storage boxes under the beds?

A: I believe all of the bed frames are adjustable, meaning you should be able to raise your bed high enough to put storage boxes underneath. You can also purchase bed spacers to raise your bed even higher, if necessary. Q: Can you raise your bed up like it's a top bunk but then put your desk underneath it?

A: I don't think the bed frames go high enough for you to fit a desk underneath. With bed spacers, you may be able to, although I'm still skeptical. Again, it might be best to wait until you've seen your room before you try to figure out all the details of your room arrangement (I know it's frustrating, but it's a lot of mere speculation if you don't wait!).

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Q: What are the mattresses like?

A: They're pretty standard spring mattresses--nothing special. If you like your mattress particularly soft, you might want to consider buying a mattress pad. Also, the mattresses are "extra-long" twin-size mattresses (80" by 36"), so if  you're buying linens, just make sure they can fit that size. Q: Are mattress toppers necessary?

A: If you're used to sleeping on super-comfy beds, then maybe, but most people do just fine without one. Q: Do people actually use the landlines that Yale provides in the dorm?

A: I have never seen anyone use a landline phone and couldn't tell you my landline phone number if my life depended on it. Cell phones are practically essential. Q: Is there any way we can find out about the dimensions of our suites or what furnishings are already there?

A: Since dorm rooms vary dramatically in size, it's difficult to make generalizations. The dimensions may be listed in the letter you received about your residential college; if not, you can try contacting one of your FroCos, who will probably have a better idea. There are a couple floor plans floating around this Facebook group, so those might help give you a sense of the layout of your building, though not necessarily the size specifications of your room. In terms of furnishings, each person in the suite is provided with a bed (with mattress), a desk, a chair, and a wardrobe. There are also overhead lights in the room, although most people choose to buy separate lamps. Everything else is up to you to buy, but definitely coordinate with your suitemates so that you're not buying multiple  versions of the same thing. Q: What things do we need to buy for the suite's common room?

A: You'll probably want a sofa/futon/large comfy chair, a fridge, and a microwave at a minimum. Though not absolutely necessary, a suite printer will help your life immensely. Many suites also have a coffee table and a couple bookshelves. In terms of other common-use items, you should consider getting a vacuum cleaner, Swiffer, trash can, and ironing board (and iron). Q: I don't understand what L-Dub is and why it has a bad reputation. Could you explain?

A: L-Dub is short for Lanman-Wright, one of the residential buildings on Old Campus. It's situated in the corner  just next to the gate on Elm Street and currently houses freshmen in Pierson and Berkeley (the colleges sometimes change, though). Its "bad reputation" comes primarily from the fact that the suites are among the smallest on Old Campus and from the occasional pest infestation (although that happens everywhere). If you're in L-Dub, though, don't despair: the rooms are all habitable, the utilities work well enough, and it's definitely a bonding experience for everyone who lives through it. Q: So freshmen don't live in residential college suites--they live in "dorms"? Why don't freshmen live with upperclassmen and such?

A: To clarify, any time the word "dorm" has been used in this Facebook doc (or really in any other Yale-related context), it's still referring to the residential buildings on Yale's campus, not the dull, ugly, fifteen-rooms-lining-anarrow-hallway "typical" college dorm you might be imagining. "Dorm" is just more convenient to type than "residential college suite."

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Although you're assigned a residential college in the summer, all freshmen except those in Silliman and Timothy  Dwight live in housing on Old Campus, separate from the residential colleges themselves (which are for upperclassmen). The reason is largely logistical; the residential colleges simply don't have enough space to house all of the freshmen. Another benefit is that living on Old Campus means that you're surrounded by other people in your class, so you have an easier time meeting people outside of your college. For those in Silliman and TD, the flip side is that living in your residential college all four years means that you meet a lot of upperclassmen a lot sooner and feel truly integrated in your residential college from day one. Both Old Campus housing and Silliman/TD housing have their advantages and drawbacks, but pretty much everyone is happy with their living situation in the end. Q: If my suite doesn't have a common room, should my suitemate(s) and I still share a microwave and fridge? If  so, where could we put them so we wouldn't be intruding on each other's privacy every time we need to use them?

A: Good question – this is something that I think you’ll have to settle once you get on campus and set up your room. When you move in, you can move around furniture in the suite, so you should talk with your suitemates about setting up a corner of the suite for the fridge and microwave! Q: Are we allowed to nail shelves to the walls in the dorms?

A: Unfortunately not. There are many restrictions on what you can do to the walls. For example, be careful about what kind of sticky putty you put on the walls, because some types will cause damage to the walls, and you’ll have to pay for damages! Q: Are there screens on the windows of the dorms on Old Campus?

A: Yes, there should be. They might be removable, if you need to remove them for whatever reason (though you probably shouldn’t).

b. Other Facilities Q: Can students stay on campus during the shorter breaks? If so, what facilities remain open?

A: The only breaks that students cannot stay on campus (unless through a sanctioned program) are winter break and summer break. The dorms remain open during all other breaks (October, Thanksgiving, spring). However, the dining halls are closed during most of Thanksgiving and spring break, and presumably during October break (which is new this year), so you'll be responsible for your own meals. Your ID cards do not shut off during these breaks, so you'll still be able to access all the facilities within your residential college. Payne Whitney Gym (which is open to the public) generally remains open throughout break, except for during an actual holiday (e.g., Thanksgiving). Q: Where can I hand-wash and hang-dry my clothes? What about dry cleaning?

A: Hand-washing is a little tricky since the laundry rooms are pretty much intended for washing machines/dryers, but it's still possible; I remember there being a sink in Farnham (one of the two laundry rooms on Old Campus, where freshmen live), so I'd assume there's one in Bingham (the other laundry room on Old Campus). I suppose you can always wash your clothes in the bathroom sink. Hang-drying is also difficult because there isn't much space to do it. You'll have to try to make space in your room for drying racks/hangers/etc.

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There's a dry cleaning place on Broadway that's close to Old Campus, so you can always get your dry cleaning done there. Personally, I just separate my clothes into whites and non-whites and wash them in the washing machine under the "Brights" setting (or whatever is the coldest water setting) and then dry them in the dryer under the "Delicates" setting. For clothes that I'm particularly careful about, I just hang-dry them in my room by draping them over some hangers and hanging them in my wardrobe. Q: Are the small gyms, libraries, and other facilities in the residential colleges open 24/7?

A: Facilities like gyms, libraries, and small music rooms are open 24/7, so indulge in all the late-night workout/study/practice sessions you want. Certain larger spaces like dance studios, recording studios, art studios, pottery studios, kitchens, and galleries may require you to have a reservation before you can use the space. The butteries (places to get burgers, eggs, quesadillas, and other quick fixings) are open most weeknights from roughly 11 to 1 (it varies from college to college). Q: What is the nearest weight lifting gym to L-Dub? And how close is Payne Whitney?

A: You should be able to do weight lifting in any of the residential colleges, but you really only will have access to your own college's (of course, if a friend lets you into another one, that's fine). If you're particularly intense about weight lifting, you might want to go ahead and just go to Payne Whitney, since the facilities are more extensive; it's only a couple blocks away from Old Campus. Q: Is there a rock climbing wall/gym on or near campus?

A: There isn't one on campus. There used to be a rock climbing gym relatively nearby, but it closed, and it's uncertain whether it will be reopened in the future. Q: Can non-art majors use the art rooms and supplies (for free or for a low fee)? I'd die if I couldn't.

A: Many (if not all) of the residential colleges have art rooms that are free to use; at most, you just have to sign up for a time slot to use them. (Please don't use paint thinners or other toxic chemicals in your own room if it means you'd actually risk dying.) Supplies, though, are pretty much up to you. Hull's Art Supply store is very close to campus, if you're in need of  anything. Q: What specific features of each of the residential colleges are exclusive or open to the rest of the colleges (e.g., parties, events, gyms, libraries, etc.)?

A: Most facilities are open to all students, but you won't have key card access to anything that is not within your residential college. If you're in Berkeley but want to use the library or gym in Davenport, you're certainly allowed to do so, but you'll need someone else to let you in. Some facilities (kitchens, art studios, recording studios, dance studios, etc.) require a reservation time; in these cases, you most likely have to be in the residential college to make the reservation, although if it's an urgent issue and you ask nicely enough, you'll probably still get it. Most parties and events sponsored by a college are open to the entire undergraduate community (e.g., Pierson's Inferno, Branford's Crushes and Chaperones), although certain ones are limited to students in the residential college and their guests (e.g., any college's Screw, JE's Spiderball, Calhoun's Trolley Night). Study breaks (i.e., evening catered food events) are often residential college-only, although if you're stealthy and sneak in with a friend, usually  no one will notice.

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Q: For doing laundry on Old Campus: if we're living in a building without laundry facilities, how do we get access to the laundry rooms in the Bingham/Farnham basements?

A: Everyone has access to the basements of Bingham and Farnam where the laundry machines are located, and your cards should let you in. Q: What are the bathrooms like? Are they cleaned by the custodial staff?

A: Generally, bathrooms are either shared by one suite, or shared by a hallway. Bathroom shared by just one suite generally have one toilet and one shower, while those shared by a hallway (such as in the 5th floor of LW) have two bathrooms and two toilets. Out-of-suite bathrooms (bathrooms that open into the entryway) are cleaned by custodial staff. In-suite bathrooms (bathrooms that are accessible only through your suite) are not cleaned by custodial staff, so you’ll have to divide up the work in cleaning it! The showers aren’t big, per se--the floor of each shower is probably around 4 feet by 4 feet.

3. Dress Q: How big are your wardrobes?

A: Wardrobes vary from college to college, so it's difficult to say, but I can give you an idea of what I was able to fit into my wardrobe at one time: -10 pairs of pants -5 pairs of shorts -a couple dozen T-shirts/polos -a couple dozen knits/long-sleeve tees -15 or so collared shirts -4 hoodies/sweatshirts -4 coats/jackets -2 suits -3 belts -underwear and socks to last a couple weeks If you keep your seasonal clothes neatly packed away, you'll be able to maximize your space. Q: What kind of clothes do girls (and guys!) usually wear? (aka Style Advice)

A1: Ohai! There isn’t typically a lot of storage room, so if you live far from campus (aka. cross-country or international), make sure to buy durable clothes that you can LAYER. Cute, solid colored basic cardigans, tees, tights, and skirts can be mixed and matched in different ways for any season. If you need any inspiration feel free to check  out some Youtube style videos made by American women... they’re often paid to make videos that are relevant to college life.

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You really only need 1-2 formal outfits for the annual freshman dinner and any formal parties. The streets of New  Haven are often cobblestone, so wear heels at your own risk. Most girls wear cute flats during the spring/fall and transition to stylish boots in the winter. If you’re in the science/premed realm, the walk up Science Hill can be brutal if you don’t wear comfortable shoes. Also, in lab you are required to wear pants and advised to wear clothes that you don’t particularly care about (just in case there’s a chemical spill, etc.). As a freshman, you get a LOT of free t-shirts from random events on campus. Wear your Yale gear with pride! If you’re international and can’t bring too many  clothes, make sure you sign up or share a PO mailbox with a suitemate... ordering clothes/schoolbooks/random supplies online is quick and easy (Amazon.com, Forever21.com, Target.com, are frequently visited sites by most students, etc.) The peer liaisons also sponsor mall trips for your shopping needs. :) - Ysabel, Stiles (go moose!)/Silliman AACC PL A2: They say (or I say, at least) that Yale makes you more preppy and/or more hipster. To that effect, on campus we have J. Crew, Jack Wills, and Gant for all your Nantucket red shorts, seersucker pants, and cashmere cardigans, and Urban Outfitters and American Apparel for all your plaid shirts, skinny black jeans, and circle scarves. Boat shoes and canvas shoes are good bets. Of course, Yalies don’t like to be limited to any one style, so feel free to mix and match! A3: Sweaters! Lots of sweaters. Especially during the fall and the winter. Q: Best place to get a cheap haircut?

A: The names of these establishments are somewhat confusing (I think three of them are called some variation of  "Phil's Barber Shop"), so it's easiest to describe them by location. These places generally run $17, plus tip, for a men's haircut. The one on Wall Street by Blue State Café has a couple of Italian barbers. English is not their greatest strength; be careful in specifying how "short" you want your hair cut. The place has the feel of a traditional barbershop. Reviews on Google and Yelp indicate that the haircuts are mediocre to decent. The one on Broadway above Gourmet Heaven has one middle-aged Taiwanese lady named Julie (who I think does the majority of the haircuts) as well as some American staff. Again, English is not a forte (at least for Julie), but the reviews indicate a good to great deal for the price. Color treatments are apparently quite good here. Another place on Orange is owned by the same people who own the Broadway shop mentioned above (incidentally, they're relatives of Julie), but the quality is supposed to be better. It seems to be less well known to Yale students, probably because it's farther from the center of campus. I'm under the impression that the clientele is predominantly  Taiwanese and Chinese, so Asians might fare particularly well here. Q: Are there any good hair salons in New Haven where I can chemically straighten my hair?

A: I can’t say I’ve ever gotten my hair chemically straightened, but some of the nicer hair salons around Yale are Jo Bruno (on Whitney) and Rimage (on Chapel). Q: Do most people carry backpacks around campus, or are bags more popular?

A1: From personal experience, I'd say backpacks are the most common type of luggage that people carry around, although bags aren't uncommon either. I personally use a messenger bag, and those are fairly common as well. A2: Large totes (like the ubiquitous Longchamp ones) are also not uncommon, especially for girls.

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4. Roommates and Suitemates Q: Do you change in front of your roomies?

A: (I'm a guy) but yes... I suppose. I've lived in a double for my entire time at Yale, and so I've come to become pretty  comfortable with my roommate. Of course, if you're uncomfortable with that (as anyone would be, at least initially), you can always take precautions to change in a private place! Q: Where do you sleep when you're sexiled? Does it even happen?

A1: This will depend on a number of things. First, it will depend on whether you're in a double or not. If you're in a single (which is unusual, but not too rare for freshman year), you should have no problem. If you're in a double, chances are, you'll get sexiled depending on how  sexually active your roommate is. If you're ever sexiled, most people sleep on a futon in the common room, or go to someone else's suite for the night. More important is how you communicate this with your roommate. Make sure you have a system of letting each other know when you need to use the bedroom (walking in on your roommate while he or she is busy is not a good idea), whether it's by text or some "code" - something hung on the door, for example. Make sure you're open about this. Also, if your roommate is constantly sexiling you, make sure to speak up, even if you may be a bit embarrassed about bringing up these topics. It's your bedroom too. Above all, the important thing is this - be open about these things with your roommate to facilitate understanding from the beginning. A2: Being sexiled is one of the many experiences you might encounter while living with a roommate; it doesn't happen to everyone, but it happens to enough people that you shouldn't feel your situation is unique or out of the ordinary, should it happen to you. Communication is key, and you may not want to wait until your first night sleeping on the couch before bringing the issue up with your roommate. Talk to your roommate as soon as you feel comfortable bringing it up, and don't worry--lots of people feel a little awkward talking about sexiling, but it's a completely understandable concern, so your roommate should be fine with it. On the flip side, if you're the one sexiling your roommate, please be mindful of his or her situation. Often it's easier for you to broach the topic in the first place, so take the initiative; you'll make everyone feel more comfortable with the situation. And, of course, if you know that you'll be bringing someone home for the night, try to let your roommate know as early as possible. You'll have several resources (PLs, FroCos, etc.) to talk to about more private concerns like this, so if you've tried to work things out with your roommate but can't, we're always here to help you sort things out! Q: Is there any way to move out if you have major problems with your roommate?

A: The residential college system strongly, strongly discourages people from switching roommates. Part of the premise of randomly assigning you to a college with suitemates from all over the world is to encourage diversity, and

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you're bound to (and indeed expected to) meet and live with people who come from very different backgrounds and lifestyles. Sometimes, that trickles down to differences in the somewhat more mundane aspects of living habits (preferred bedtimes, levels of cleanliness, noise levels, etc.). For the most part, you're expected to work through those problems yourselves, though your FroCos, PLs, and academic deans are certainly there to help make the process easier. If it really is impossible to work through those problems (again, we're talking about major problems only), you can talk to your dean, who might be able to work out an alternative living arrangement.

5. Safety  Q: How is safety at Yale and in New Haven?

A: There’s a door-to-door shuttle that operates at night; you just call it up and it will come pick you up and drop you off wherever you are. Honestly, though, I’ve never felt unsafe while at Yale. If you walk with a friend, you’ll almost definitely be fine. Q: What time does it normally get dark up in New England?

A: That varies widely, depending on the time of year. In the summer, the sun can set at 8:26 pm; in January, it will set at around 4:45 pm. In any case, if you're concerned about walking outside when it's dark, you can always walk with a friend or call the nighttime door-to-door shuttle service, which operates from 4:00 pm to 7:30 am every day. Q: Does the nighttime shuttle only operate within the Yale campus?

A: The door-to-door nighttime shuttle operates within campus boundaries. Separate nighttime shuttles that operate on designated routes go slightly beyond campus boundaries, including to Union Station. If you need to, you can request an off-route pick-up/drop-off, or you can call for a walking escort (both of these, of course, are limited to a reasonable distance).

6. Money  Q: How much money did you spend your freshman year on stuff around campus?

A: Textbooks alone can cost you a good few hundred bucks (they're roughly $100 each, but not every class requires textbooks). If you don't want to pay sticker price at the bookstore, you can usually find better deals on YaleStation (http://yalestation.yale.edu/books/) or through Amazon. If your suite decides to pitch in and split the costs for furniture (sofa, coffee table, bookshelf, etc.) and other items (fridge, microwave, printer, etc.), you'll be spending a couple hundred bucks there. If you choose to eat out from time to time or to order pizza/Wenzels/Ivy Noodle/etc., expect to spend another couple hundred bucks; how much exactly of course depends on your eating habits. Most events on campus that charge admissions fees (dances, YSO concerts, Toad's, etc.) are $5 or less. $1000 should be more than enough to cover everything I mentioned above (you'll likely spend $200-$400 less). If  you choose to go on a major shopping spree in New York, of course, that will be a different story.

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Q: Do any students open their own bank accounts with local banks in New Haven in order to have more ready  access to their money and/or avoid ATM surcharges? If so, how does that process generally work?

A: There are a couple major banks with ATMs on or near campus (Chase, Bank of America), so it may not be necessary to open a new account. If you aren't currently with one of those banks and would like to avoid ATM surcharges and facilitate other banking transactions, you may consider starting an account with one of them. For international students, your OIS counselors will help you set up a bank account during Orientation. Q: Does it make sense to enroll in the Yale Payment Plan if you're paying very little to go to Yale? Do most people use it?

A: Frankly, you know your financial situation best, so you'll have to decide for yourself whether or not it's necessary. YPP is intended to help out families that may not be able to pay each semester's worth of expected family  contribution at one time (think of down payments on a car, or mortgage on a house, for example). If it would help your family out a lot, go for it; on the other hand, if your financial aid package has been very generous and your family is confident in being able to pay the term bills in full, don't sign up for YPP and save yourself the $100 enrollment fee. Q: According to Yale's website, we are allowed to use up to $2500 in outside scholarship money for buying a new  laptop. How exactly does this process work? Are we notified of how much our scholarships exceed unmet need/work study/summer contribution?

A: Outside merit scholarships normally are used to cover the self-help (i.e., term-time job) and student income contribution (i.e., summer savings) portions of your financial aid package. My understanding is that if the outside scholarship specifically allows you to use part of the money to buy a new laptop, you can choose that option and then use any remaining money to cover self-help and SIC. To be sure, you should verify both with the outside scholarship and with Yale’s Financial Services office. This coming year, the self-help component for freshmen is $2,700 and the SIC is $1,550, so if you know the total amount of your outside scholarship, you should be able to calculate the difference. Q: There's a stereotype of Yale as a school for wealthy students, and even though I know there's lots of other students on financial aid, should I be worried about feeling out of place...?

A1: Yale is an extremely diverse place when it comes to student financial backgrounds. While you may notice that some students spend more than others, you should not feel out of place too often. Just like how students of different ethnicities form diverse social groups, students from different financial backgrounds also come together and become great friends. A2: There’s definitely a lot to be said about diversity, and I have friends whose parents are high-powered Wall Street executives and also friends who qualify for full financial aid. At the same time, money is an issue that exists and sometimes isn’t brought to attention. You will meet people who can afford to drop a couple hundred dollars on drinks a night and are baffled when others can’t, and others who can’t afford to buy a slice of pizza and feel ashamed at having to decline invitations to eat out. For the most part, I honestly think you’ll be fine regardless of what your financial status is, but the best thing to do is just to be sensitive to the fact that people come from all sorts of  backgrounds and that, by and large, it won’t and shouldn’t affect your time at Yale.

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Q: What is the policy on overnight guests in the dorms?

A: This is taken from the Yale website on dormitory regulations (http://yalecollege.yale.edu/content/dormitoryregulations): "Students living in the dormitories may have guests for brief visits, but not for more than a few days. Roommates who feel inconvenienced by the presence of others’ guests should discuss the matter with their master or dean. No guest may be in residence during vacation periods or at any other time if a host is not present. Students are responsible for the behavior of their guests at all times; guests may not use common areas of a college unless their hosts are present." "Brief visits" is somewhat vaguely defined, but as a ballpark figure, about a week should be fine as long as your guest isn't inconveniencing your suitemates. As a courtesy, be sure to let your suitemates know as soon as possible. Also keep in mind that your guest will have trouble getting around campus without an ID card, so you'll need to accompany him or her most of the time. Q: Are there any mnemonic devices or shortcuts for learning all the building abbreviations (particularly for the 12 residential colleges)?

A: Not that I know of, but you'd be surprised how quickly you pick them up. Just off the top of my head, the residential college abbreviations (in alphabetical order based on full name) are BK BR CC DC ES JE MC PC SY SM TC TD Some buildings that are almost exclusively referred to by their abbreviations include LC WLH SSS KBT HGS You will inevitably run into more building abbreviations during your time at Yale, but you can always check the full list (http://yalecollege.yale.edu/content/building-abbreviations) if you're ever unsure. Q: I'm covered by my parents' healthcare coverage, and I'm considering whether to waive Yale's coverage or not. Do plenty of students who already have coverage submit a waiver?

A: As a Yale student, you are automatically enrolled in the basic healthcare plan, which provides services like acute care, mental health counseling, laboratory services (testing), and physical exams at no cost. If your parents' healthcare plan covers hospitalization and specialty care, you can certainly waive Yale's Hospitalization/Specialty  Care plan (I imagine that most eligible students do, as I see no reason not to). If your family does not have an external healthcare plan, however, you are required by the University to obtain hospitalization/specialty care coverage, generally through Yale's plan. Note that if you do not waive hospitalization/specialty care coverage by the appropriate deadline (September 15 for fall/full year), you will automatically be enrolled. Q: Can students of one residential college attend the Master's Tea of another residential college? And how do we get notice that a Master's Tea is going on / taking place at a specific time and date?

A: Yes, generally, Master’s Teas are open to all Yale students, although space is sometimes limited, so make sure you RSVP if requested! Preference may be given to certain groups, however, especially for events such as post-Master’s Teas dinners with the speaker. Generally, most people find out about Master’s Teas by word of mouth, Facebook, or through the numerous flyers on campus. Usually Master’s Teas are well-advertised, so make sure to check on the boards on campus (there are a couple on Old Campus, for example) for the latest news!

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Q: How easy is it to switch residential colleges? How many students typically do this, and are there any negative social repercussions for doing so?

A: The process to switch residential colleges isn’t too difficult, but you have to first find a group of people in the desired college who agree to be your suitemates. You’ll have to meet a couple times with the dean (and master, I believe) of the college you’re switching into and the college you were originally assigned to and there’s some paperwork to fill out, but that’s about it. If there are enough spots open in the residential college (by students moving off campus or switching into other residential colleges), you should be able to switch. Note also that switching residential colleges only happens between academic years, though starting the process of meeting with deans and doing the paperwork happens some time during spring semester. There aren’t many people who choose to switch residential colleges since the system works out really well and most students find other people in their college who they’d be happy to live with; per college, maybe five people will transfer in or out. Presumably you’re switching colleges because you connect a lot better with several people in a different college, so you won’t really face any social repercussions; the people you’re moving in with will be glad to have you, and your classmates from your original college will understand. Q: What churches do Christian Yalies typically go to? (Or more generally, what are some places of worship that Yalies go to?)

For Christians, there are a lot of options. City Church is popular and non-denominational, as is University Church in Battell. BCAY (in the Af-Am House at Yale) can also be a lot of fun. There’s also Center Church on the Green (United Church of Christ), which is much less frequented by Yalies but apparently is super liberal and intellectual, for those who might prefer that. Catholics usually go to St. Thomas More. For Jewish Yalies, the Slifka Center is definitely the place to go. For those of other faiths, there unfortunately aren’t quite as established places of worship. You should definitely seek  out the Chaplain’s Office for resources, and you might consider talking to PLs in the Chaplain’s Office as well. Q: I'm really worried that I'll get super homesick but won't be able to go home very often since I live far away. How do Yalies typically cope with homesickness?

A: Call or Skype your family from time to time, or write letters if it’s something particularly special. Care packages from parents (anything from mounds of chocolate to bags of herbal medicine to a simple “I love you” note) are really  nice to receive, and you can often ask your parents to send something to you that you’ve been particularly craving (chances are your family misses you just as much as you miss them). At the same time, realize that moving away  from home is part of growing up, and that Yale is a particularly great place for that to happen, since there are so many new people for you to befriend and so many tightly knit communities for you to join. It’s a balance between staying close to your family and branching out into Yale to experience all of what it has to offer.

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#SOCIAL LIFE 1. Parties Q: What's the party scene like at Yale?

A1: There's a lot available, depending on what you're into. On weekends, frats and sororities hold parties pretty  regularly, as do party suites like God Quad in Branford and 12-Pack in Saybrook. Many of the residential colleges hold large, campus-wide dance parties every year (Silliman's Safety Dance, Pierson's Inferno, Branford's Crushes and Chaperones) that regularly attract hundreds of people. Lots of undergraduate organizations host their own parties, and students often hold birthday parties or pre-games in their own suites. Many people drink, but not everyone does, so don't feel pressured to if you're not comfortable. Parties can range from low-key gatherings to hardcore ragers, so stick with friends throughout the night and know your limits. A2: Don't forget about Toad's--Yale's notorious dance club! It's a little grimy, but sometimes it's the only place to go for loud dance music to end your night; they say that "all roads lead to Toad's." It's open on Wednesdays exclusively  to Yale students and on Saturdays for Yalies as well as students from Quinnipiac, whom you'll learn to love to hate. Toad's also throws special parties (foam party, highlighter party) throughout the year, sometimes in conjunction with undergraduate groups as a fundraiser. Q: Do people get really dressed up for parties?

A: A couple major events throughout the year (Freshman Screw, for example) are semi-formal, so most people wear suits (or at least dress shirts/slacks) and dresses. Frat and sorority events may also require you to dress up nicely. Most other parties are pretty casual, so you can wear whatever you want, but a lot of people still make an effort to look nice and so will wear a nice shirt or dress. Costume parties (especially around Halloween) are also a big thing, but most people improvise with things they  already own or go costume-hunting at the Salvation Army store close to campus (you'll be impressed with how  creative some people can get). If you're interested in highlighter or foam parties, keep a couple white undershirts handy! Q: When is Freshman Screw?

A: Sometime in late January or early February. You’ll definitely hear more about it as the date approaches!

2. Greek Life Q: What's Greek life like at Yale? Is it necessary to join a fraternity/sorority to enjoy the party scene?

A1: The Greek scene at Yale is, for the most part, smaller and tamer than what one would find at most large state schools. However, it still plays a significant role in the campus community and the lives of the many people who actively participate in Greek life. There are (sorry if I forget any) 7 frats and 3 sororities. Some of the frats tend to attract the same kind of people (for example, lacrosse bros at ADPhi and Jewish students at AEPi), but all of them welcome anyone who wants to rush. The frats and sororities also differ to some degree regarding the level of  commitment/participation expected. If you are interested in joining a Greek organization, I recommend talking to

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people in each frat/sorority and attending rush events to get a feel for each organization before deciding which one fits well with you and what kind of experience you want. A2: I'm not part of Greek life at Yale, and to me, it doesn't make much of a difference. Greek life is still a visible presence on campus, and I go to their events from time to time, but I've never felt compelled to join in order to have a good time at parties. There are certainly stereotypes associated with the different frats/sororities, but I do think  there's a good amount of diversity, so take the time to feel them out if you're interested. Q: What are the reputations of/stereotypes associated with each of the frats/sororities?

A: As the above answer alludes to, some frats/sororities tend to attract specific types of students, and the reputations/stereotypes develop from there. It's probably best for you to wait and see for yourself what they're like to form your own opinions; remember, of course, that Greek life at Yale is open to diversity, so there are no actual bars to who can rush.

3. Personal Relationships Q: Relationships or random hookups?

A: There's definitely both. Some people think that Yale's culture of always being active and never wanting to be tied down is more conducive to one-night stands than to committed relationships, but I know quite a few couples who have stayed together for a while. Long-distance relationships in particular are often prone to fall apart quickly, and that's largely due to the fact that people grow and mature in unexpected ways when they're separated for a while. But I have at least one friend who's stayed with his girlfriend from home for two years, so if you're determined to do it, it's definitely possible (and kudos to you!). Ultimately, just be aware that people are looking for different things in terms of their romantic lives and that people are liable to change their attitudes toward relationships and hookups over time. Some people start off excited about the prospect of going home with someone new every weekend and eventually lose interest or settle down; others coming out of a long-term relationship may be reluctant at first but gradually become more open to the idea of  meeting other people. You may stumble a few times (or a lot) before you find out what feels right to you, but you'll get there in the end. And please... always use protection! Q: What do people in a relationship do for Freshman Screw?

A: Some people are fortunate enough to have their significant other attend Yale or live close enough nearby to drop in for Freshman Screw; in those cases, they often go together. If you're in a long-distance relationship but would still like to go to the dance, you can ask your suitemates to set you up with a friend. You can also just go stag and hang out with friends who are going with friends as well. Remember that communication is really helpful, so whether or not you plan to attend Screw, let your suitemates know ahead of time so there are no surprises and they can look for a date if you need one. Q: Any advice for extremely long-distance relationships?

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A: Skype when you can, and Skype often, but never so much that it interferes with your life at Yale. Some time after you've settled in, take a moment to count the number of hours per week you've spent talking with your significant other instead of doing something else at Yale. If you've forgone too many opportunities because you're constantly   vidchatting (or, conversely, if you never feel satisfied with th e amount of time you spend together), fix it. If you can't Skype, make a phone call. If you can't make a phone call, send emails or texts or old-fashioned letters. If  you can't do any of that, your relationship may be short-lived. Communication is key. Understand that everyone is different when it comes to relationships, and that there will be just as many people who think your relationship will end before the month's over as there will be people who swear it will last throughout college and beyond. Stick to your guts, but keep in mind what your closest friends say; sometimes they see things that you don't. Finally, realize that people (including yourself) can and will change. You can't always cling to things of the past, but you can adjust accordingly to the present. If your relationship takes unexpected turns, persevere but be prepared to let go. Life consists of more than one path. Q: Generally speaking, do you think you become closer friends with classmates or suitemates?

A: A lot of it depends on luck--sometimes you'll be incredibly fortunate and be assigned to suitemates you get along really well with, and sometimes you won't--but since you'll likely see your suitemates a lot more often than you see your classmates, a lot of social interaction happens within the suite. Even if you aren't particularly close to your suitemates, you're sure to make friends within your residential college. Living, eating, and working in the same place together fosters a lot of friendships, some with people you wouldn't necessarily be friends with otherwise. Unlike in high school, it may be difficult to get to know people in large lecture classes simply because the class size is so big; you certainly won't know the names of everyone in your class, for example. However, sections and seminars, which are generally much smaller, can be a good way to meet people who likely share your interests. If you work in study groups, you're also bound to meet some people who will later become good friends.

4. LGBTQ Q: What's the LGBTQ scene like at Yale?

A1: Hi! I'm Winnie, a rising junior in Pierson College and an AACC Peer Liaison! The LGBTQ scene at Yale is freaking awesome. I'll try my best to be somewhat comprehensive but for more detailed information shoot me a message or email and I'll hook you up with one of the LGBTQ Peer Liaisons. There's a reason why sayings like "one in four maybe more" exist at our school. (In fact most of Yale women, including myself, have resigned themselves to the fact that at some point during your four years you'll be crushing on a gay guy and you'll be sad.) The LGBTQ community is extremely warm and welcoming and most of the student body is very open minded and accepting so you don't have to worry about being discriminated against or treated unfairly. There is an LGBTQ center which is  very active all year round and during times of scho ol wide formals ("Screws") they do a lot to help set blind dates for those who identify as LGBTQ. Lots of mixers, lots of club activities. This may sound like I'm stereotyping but in general, the gay men are more visible and active on campus whereas the gay women are more underground and harder to spot. Like I said, I may be stereotyping but I've found this to be true in most cities, even in Beijing. Additionally, the LGBTQ center has their own PLs, who provide guidance regarding these issues.

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A2: LGBTQ life is very present and active at Yale; as evidence of that, just recently, in spring 2013, Yale hosted IvyQ (the LGBTQ conference for Ivy League schools). Regardless of what aspects of the LGBTQ scene specifically you’re looking for (meeting other LGBTQ students, LGBTQ activism, drag performance, gay bars, identity groups within the larger LGBTQ scene, etc.), you’ll find something there. On a somewhat superficial level, the white gay cis male does tend to be the most visible icon of LGBTQ life at Yale, though of course—and to varying degrees—you will find lesbians, gays of other races, trans people, etc. It’s something that some of the more active LGBTQ community  members are very cognizant of and are working to change. Q: How easy is it to come out at Yale?

A: Coming out is rarely an “easy” process, but Yale is probably one of the best places to do it. The fact that Yale is stereotyped as the “gay Ivy” certainly helps, but there’s other reasons for that as well. Being well-educated, liberalleaning, and generally diversity-sensitive people, the vast majority of Yale students are very accepting of all sexual orientations. You’ll find that many professors are quite all right with it too (from anecdotal experience), which may  come as a surprise. To say that everyone is completely accepting of LGBTQ people is, naturally, only wishful thinking, and from time to time, you will meet some people who are homophobic to varying degrees. But there are well-adjusted, well-accepted, and well-liked LGBTQ people in all scenes—even those that are sometimes assumed to be non-LGBTQ-friendly, like athletes, Greek life, and certain international, cultural, and religious groups—so you should feel comfortable coming out no matter who you associate with and what you do. A couple of the AACC PLs are LGBTQ-identified and can certainly help you if you’re anywhere on the path to coming out, but the PLs of the LGBTQ Center are also an excellent resource with special training on these issues specifically. Remember that all PLs of all centers sign a contract to confidentiality, so you shouldn’t feel afraid to approach any of us! Q: Where does one go to meet other gay people?

A: That will depend on what you’re looking for when you say “meet.” In all honesty, you meet plenty of LGBTQ people just in your classes, your extracurriculars, your residential college, etc., that for some people, it seems redundant to seek out special LGBTQ niches specifically. That said, the Co-op is a great place to meet other LGBTQ people and their allies and to be directed toward special-interest groups that might be more suited to your interests. For more of a dating/flirting/dancing/hook up scene, there are a couple gay bars nearby, 168 York being the most well-known. And, of course, smartphone applications like Grindr are in use.

5. Alcohol and Drugs Q: How much is drinking part of the social scene?

A: Many people do drink, but it's not universal, and I do have friends who don't drink but still have an incredible time at parties (and not just the tamer ones, either). Do what makes you feel comfortable and never feel pressured to do something you're not at all willing to do. Most Yalies are really respectful of your personal choices. Whether or not you choose to drink, you should still be prepared to run into some people who are pretty drunk; it is college, after all. Q: How strict are places such as Toad's and Bar about drinking age?

A: Toad's and Bar will both card you. If you're under 21, you won't be allowed to drink and will have to pay $5 cover at Toad's; you won't be allowed to enter Bar at all. Parties at other venues (Elevate, Thali Too, etc.) will allow you to enter if you're over 18 but won't allow you to access their bars.

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Q: I've heard the Ivies can be really intense with study-drugs, and things like cocaine. Is this true? What about things like marijuana?

A: There are students who use marijuana and a significantly smaller population that uses study-drugs (I'm assuming you mean something like Adderall) and harder drugs like cocaine, but "intense" drug use certainly is not a defining characteristic of Yale. Most drug use that does happen is infrequent and recreational, and many students have never used any drugs at all. As you can probably imagine, drug use is largely dependent on the people you associate with, so you have control over whether or not it affects your life. Q: How lenient (or strict) is Yale when it comes to underage drinking? Does campus security actively seek to bust students for drinking?

A: Campus security (affiliated with Yale) is pretty lenient, whereas the police (affiliated with New Haven) are not so much. It's an important distinction. If campus security sees you walking outside with a red Solo cup, you'll be asked to pour the contents of your cup out and may also be escorted home. You will not, however, automatically be arrested or anything like that; Yale Security  doesn't have the authority to do that. Campus security also normally won't break up a party (especially on campus) unless it's exceptionally loud or there's a complaint. The objective of campus security is to ensure student safety, not to scope out instances of underage drinking. When New Haven Police gets involved (in instances such as breaking up a fight or breaking up a party when the neighbors have called), legal action will be taken, and arrests can be (and have been) issued. The police, operating on behalf of the law, are much less forgiving to Yale students. Run-ins with campus security may get you a talk with your residential college dean (especially if they're frequent), and run-ins with New Haven Police certainly will. You may be issued a warning or be asked to attend some counseling sessions, but in severe cases, you may face the Executive Committee and be up for suspension or expulsion. Every official that is associated with Yale (security, police, deans, masters, etc.) is wholly cognizant of the fact that underage drinking does and will occur on campus, and for the most part, stuff that happens rather discreetly is tolerated. However, if you give reason for external involvement to be necessary, it will happen, and you should be prepared for the consequences.

6. Other Q: Is it true there are almost no fat people at Yale?

A: Of course not! Q: How does the Harvard rivalry play out?

A: The rivalry is definitely most prominent during the annual Yale-Harvard football game; the day before the game and the day of, students are overflowing with school spirit. If you haven't seen the classic Yale-Harvard prank  (http://www.harvardsucks.org/Watch-the-Video/ ), you should definitely check it out--just one more reason to be proud of our school!

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In practice, the Yale-Harvard rivalry doesn't play out much from day to day. Unless you're involved in athletics or other organizations that regularly compete within the Ivy League, there really isn't much contact with Harvard, so it's not at the forefront of anyone's mind. People may make passing comments about something being "typically  Harvard" or the like, but again, they're pretty rare. It's more of tradition than anything else that we maintain a "rivalry" with Harvard, and for the most part, we get along just fine. Q: What are some of Yale's most notable traditions?

A: Naked runs through Bass Cafe, The Game, a cappella tap night, society tap night, Mory's, Spring Fling... it's probably best for you to experience them yourself! A lot of residential colleges have their own traditions, too--those are for you to discover as well! Q: What sorts of things do Yale students do for fun off campus around New Haven?

A: There are quite a few restaurants at various price points just off campus, as well as a movie theater. Toad's is a notoriously famous Saturday night destination, although that's practically a part of campus. Older students sometimes go to bars in the city. In truth, Yale students tend to stay around campus since there's always something going on, and (in my opinion) New Haven itself doesn't have that much to offer for people our age. Q: Do you ever find it necessary to travel to a big nearby city like Boston or New York once in a while to do something different?

A: New York is a popular destination for a weekend, especially for people who've never been. I don't usually hear of  people going on trips to Boston unless they happen to live there. In spite of everything Yale has to offer, it can be nice to get away once in a while. I've been to New York a few times since I've been at Yale, and it's always fun to be in the city. A group of my friends once took a weekend trip to Vermont to go skiing; that sort of thing can happen, too. Depending on how adventurous you are, you'll find a good balance between having fun on campus and occasionally breaking outside the New Haven bubble. Q: Can you tell us more about secret societies?

A: The "Big Three" secret societies (Skull and Bones, Scroll and Key, and Wolf's Head) are still around, but plenty of  other secret societies have sprouted within the last few decades. Most societies have between 12 to 16 seniors, and they meet on Thursday and Sunday nights. Generally, societies just offer an opportunity to meet a small group of  other seniors; it's another facet of social life at Yale. The societies themselves have become somewhat less "secretive"; in recent years, the Rumpus has published lists of  the members of most societies, as well as the new taps for the Big Three. A lot of societies do “bios,” where members tell their entire life’s story before the other members of the group. Some societies have tombs (buildings owned by  the society’s parent organization, where meetings are held); plenty of others don’t. Tap Night in early- to mid-April is a pretty visible event where rising seniors who have been tapped for society participate in a lot of antics around campus. Q: Do most incoming freshman fill out the optional form to request a peer liaison? What's the difference between being paired with a PL and not--will you still be able to have access to them/request one once you get on campus?

A: While many incoming freshmen fill out the optional form to request a peer liaison, some don't (or simply forget!) as well. In fact, some freshmen who have never formally requested a peer liaison come to us for support, and we're always more than happy to help everyone, regardless of whether they've signed up or not. Filling out the form just allows us to get in touch early with you in case you have any questions over the summer, and allows us to keep in

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touch with you throughout the school year as well. It also automatically puts you on our email list, which we use to send out emails about upcoming events and opportunities at Yale. It's never too late to sign up for a PL, and many even do so once the school year starts. We hold many events and activities over the school year, but they're never exclusive - again, even someone who hasn't signed up for a PL is welcome to join these events! Q: Do most people get fake IDs?

A: I don’t know if I’d say most, but yes, some people have them. Yale has recently been more outspoken in its intolerance for fake IDs (possession and use of one will result in a hearing with the Executive Committee, with the possible consequence of suspension or expulsion), so please do keep that in mind. Q: Could you explain what Sex Week, naked parties, and Freshmen Screw are?

A: Sex Week occurs bi-annually (there was one this past year) and entails a week's worth of events (guest speakers, discussions, performances, etc.). The nature of these events varies widely, from educational (e.g., a discussion on body image or sexuality) to creative (e.g, a workshop on erotic poetry) to performance (e.g., a stand-up comic's routine). Attendance at these events is, of course, completely optional, so while some events have substantial mass appeal, others cater to a more specific niche. You can check out the calendar for the Sex Week two years ago to get a sense of what's offered: http://sexweek2012.org/calendar/. Naked parties are usually hosted by the Pundits (who also organize the naked runs in Bass Library during Reading Week). Many are invite-only, with roughly 50 people in attendance. As the name implies, attendees are expected to be naked, though in many other aspects, naked parties are much the same as more typical parties in terms of  socializing and drinking. Freshmen Screw is the annual freshmen dance. It's semi-formal (shirt and tie, dress and heels kind of thing) and held in Commons. Freshmen set their suitemates up with dates for the night; sometimes the suitemate will have specific people in mind, and other times, he or she will be paired with someone random, potentially "screwing" him or her over (hence the name). The dance is attended by the majority of the freshmen class, and most people go with dates, but you of course can choose to go stag, with friends, or not at all. There's generally quite a bit of excitement leading up to the dance (especially with the frenzy of finding last-minute dates), but the event itself tends to be a pretty  casual affair for most people. Q: Along with Sex Week and Freshmen Screw, etc., what other Yale-sanctioned events/celebrations are held annually or biannually?

A: Some major ones include Harvard-Yale football game, Inferno (Halloween dance), Crushes & Chaperones (90'sthemed dance), Trolley Night (wear red if you're taken, green if you're available and ready to mingle, and yellow if  you're somewhere in between). Most of these are sponsored by Yale College Council or a residential college. Safety Dance, the huge 80’s-themed dance hosted by Silliman, was unfortunately shut down after 2012. Q: When the annual Harvard-Yale football game is at Harvard, what do Yalies who want to attend do?

A: We invade Cambridge, of course! We go to Cambridge by bus (transportation is organized) the day before the game and teach Harvardians how to have a good time. Each college at Yale has a sister house at Harvard, so each of  the houses at Harvard offers a place to stay for students in each of the colleges. Other Yalies crash at dorms of their own Harvard friends. Q: What are the major social events at Yale and what are they like? Does Exotic Erotic still exist?

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A: There are many different social events at Yale, so it’s hard to generalize. Some of the social events at Yale include dances (Freshman Screw, etc.), but there are others, such as the Harvard-Yale football game, so there’s something for everyone. As far as I know, I believe Exotic Erotic did happen in 2011, though not in the same scale as 10 years ago (before it was banned temporarily). Q: Are Yalies promiscuous?

A: Again, like many questions, it really depends on the person. It’s easy to think that all Yalies are heavy partiers or that they’re all promiscuous, since these types of people can be among the most social and visible on campus. But remember that there are people of every type on campus!

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