Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I loved the residential college system of Yale and the residential housing system at Harvard. Both make the big university feel more like a SLAC.

What does this mean? As far as I see, it means a grad student and family live on the first floor of the dorm. True? What else? (DD is looking at a school that claims to have the same modeled after Yale -- and I can't get the gist of it.)

Yale has 12 residential colleges. You stay in that "college" the full four years, unless you decide to move off. Almost all of the colleges (except the brand new one) are gorgeous. You must have a student ID to get thru the iron gates into your college and then another pass to get into your dorm, and then key to your room . . . .so if you are worried about security, don't. Here's the wiki on the 12 colleges. My son stayed at Jonathon Edwards College. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yale_residential_colleges.

Harvard's system is a little different unless it has changed when I went there. There you spend your first year with all other freshmen in the freshman quad. At the end of the year you select which of the houses you want to live in for sophomore years and up. Certain Houses have certain reputations so there is much talk about which House to choose.

In both schools, a headmaster and wife live in with the students.

Anonymous wrote:DD goes to Yale and she is ridiculously happy with her college experience. I've visited on drop off and pick-up weekends and all the kids I see seem to be genuinely happy and "work hard/play hard" types. From an outsiders point of view, they are friendly, helpful and if you ask them about Yale they will gush about their experiences there. As far as New Haven goes, I love the area around the school. I wish I could live there as it is filled with lots of fantastic restaurants and shops. You have to be smart when walking around at night but there are so many people out and about in the streets that I've never been scared, although I do read that muggings and assaults near the school are a reality. The only downside to the school would be the harsh weather. And the price although the financial aid offerings are very generous.

I wish people would stop using the "work hard/play hard" as a positive description. It suggests that the students work hard and then get "can't even stand" drunk. How about students work hard and then relax and have a nice social life. "Play hard" is like nails on a chalkboard.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:is the yale the type of place where you can still get gentleman's c's and have a fantastic career/life?

Yes. In the 1950s. You must be very old.

And into the 1960s, as well. Look how things worked out for Dubya.

PP here. Very true.

I said "still" - as in the 21st century.

The College forum is turning ridiculously aggressive lately. Here, case in point. So silly.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:is the yale the type of place where you can still get gentleman's c's and have a fantastic career/life?

Yes. In the 1950s. You must be very old.

And into the 1960s, as well. Look how things worked out for Dubya.

PP here. Very true.

I said "still" - as in the 21st century.

Anonymous wrote:DD chose Yale over Harvard and Princeton. She is ridiculously happy there as well. It is a crap shoot though; she just happened to win the lottery. I think the main thing is to make sure DD/DC loves her/his safeties. There are other schools that offer the residential college experience that are slightly less competitive -- Rice comes to mind. Does anyone else know of other schools that offer the same set-up?

University of Miami.

DD chose Yale over Harvard and Princeton. She is ridiculously happy there as well. It is a crap shoot though; she just happened to win the lottery. I think the main thing is to make sure DD/DC loves her/his safeties. There are other schools that offer the residential college experience that are slightly less competitive -- Rice comes to mind. Does anyone else know of other schools that offer the same set-up?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:is the yale the type of place where you can still get gentleman's c's and have a fantastic career/life?

Yes. In the 1950s. You must be very old.

And into the 1960s, as well. Look how things worked out for Dubya.

PP here. Very true.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:is the yale the type of place where you can still get gentleman's c's and have a fantastic career/life?

Yes. In the 1950s. You must be very old.

And into the 1960s, as well. Look how things worked out for Dubya.

Anonymous wrote:I loved the residential college system of Yale and the residential housing system at Harvard. Both make the big university feel more like a SLAC.

What does this mean? As far as I see, it means a grad student and family live on the first floor of the dorm. True? What else? (DD is looking at a school that claims to have the same modeled after Yale -- and I can't get the gist of it.)

My oldest went to and graduated from Yale. Had a great experience, he was a recruited athlete and really had a great experience. Parts of New Haven are rough but the kids know where to avoid and most stay on campus.

Landed a plum job right out of school and is happily residing in Boston. He got an amazing education and made friends who I know will be life long friends.

Anonymous wrote:is the yale the type of place where you can still get gentleman's c's and have a fantastic career/life?

Yes. In the 1950s. You must be very old.

is the yale the type of place where you can still get gentleman's c's and have a fantastic career/life?

I loved the residential college system of Yale and the residential housing system at Harvard. Both make the big university feel more like a SLAC.

Yale was our DC's (rising freshman) first choice after researching and visiting. My sense is that many of the kids who go there do so (rather than some other great schools) because they value what they sense is a warmer culture there that is focused on undergrads and really values intellectual interests -- not just professional success. The residential college system -- while not perfect -- does seem to be in a league of its own in terms of helping to create a more intimate school experience. But we really tried to mute DC's expectations and I suggest you do the same. If your child has the stats she should go for it, but it is really a crap shoot and no one should expect to get into these schools.

good luck getting in OP