[Chinmay]

Hello

I'm currently a Yale sophomore and just wanted to throw in my 2cents. The year I graduated, deans list was just starting, but even so, I know there were at least 3 MIT admits, an I know of at least one deans list winner who chose to go there that year. This year, there are several deans list winners also admitted to Yale/MIT. They may or may not choose to come to these schools, but I think that the impression that they aren't getting in is a false one.

Yale has a pretty awesome community of First alumni. One of my friends (Alex from 694) and I recently attended Boston regional and Hartford respectively. Furthermore, Marina, a deans list finalist from this year was also accepted. We've had quite a few alumni getogethers with quite a good turnout despite not having deans list winners there. Yale is well aware of FIRST and how awesome it is, and we have strong ties to the program.

MIT/Yale admissions are inherently a little arbitrary because of the fact that there are so many qualifie students out there, and a Yale isn't that big! The admissions rate keeps going down, and there are no guarantees. Also, the deans list winners who get in here, also get into other schools they want to go to, so only a few of the successful applicants actually end up here.

There's also something to be said about the students who win the deans list awards. The deans list isn't a purely academic scholarship. Mentors write essays which are judged along side grades and other metrics to determine winners. Not all deans list finalists would fit in here at Yale, and try ultimately scholar schools at which they excel and enjoy the culture.

I hope that clarifies things a little bit, and good luck to all of the applicants in making your decisions!

Chinmay