Inside the Yale Admissions Office

The first in a new mini-series giving an in-depth look at what Yale admissions officers look for when evaluating applications. The first and most important consideration in every application is academic strength. Hannah and Mark share how admissions officers evaluate an applicant’s baseline academic preparation and how applicants stand out as prospective Yale College students. The admissions officers discuss how each part of the application can help demonstrate that an applicant is a strong, compelling, and well-prepared future college student.

At the start of a new application cycle, Hannah and Mark share the annual updates to Yale’s first-year application. Admissions Officer Dara joins to discuss a change in standardized testing policy, the addition of a new “short take” question, and the elimination of a “Why Yale” question. This episode complements previous annual application update episodes and “Essays: The Little Stuff.”

For their fourth annual Bulldog Days Live episode, Hannah and Mark ask four recently admitted students visiting campus to reflect on the factors and forces that affected their college application journey – including things they chose to do and things that were completely out of their control. Admissions officer Brynne dazzles the audience with her encyclopedic knowledge of what her admitted students shared in their applications. Hannah and Mark share many more insights from admitted students who considered how they were successful in their college application process.

Hannah and Mark discuss the exciting work of the admissions office’s “I-Team” with colleague and director of international admissions, John. The officers review the process of applying to Yale as an international student and share how officers evaluate applications from every corner of the globe with a holistic understanding of students’ diverse contexts. Hannah and John share their favorite experiences from traveling internationally and provide advice for students interested in studying in the United States.

Hannah and Mark respond to the latest questions sent in by podcast listeners. Admissions officer Amelia joins to discuss summer programs, high school course rigor, Yale’s new fly-in program, and planning for the college admissions process early in high school.