Looking for Interesting Facts about Yale?

Most people realize that Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, is an American institution, an educational icon, and one of the oldest universities In the United States.  However, aside from being one of the most renowned universities in the States, what is usually known as a dignified educational institution has had some quirky and unusual happenings around its campus over the years.

Bladderball

Bladderball was a tradition on the Yale campus between 1954 and 1982, revived again in 2009 and 2011.  On the Saturday before Yale-Dartmouth games, a 6-foot inflatable ball is rolled through the campus with various teams fighting to possess it.  In the 1960s, the bladderball actually left the confines of the campus onto the city streets (just out of reach of the police) to the house of Yale’s current president.

For good luck – rub a foot!

Tradition states that if a student rubs the foot of the statue of Theodore Dwight Woolsey, president of Yale from 1846 through 1871, they will have good luck.  While the origins of this tradition are unknown, the toe on the statue is clearly quite worn and golden from years of students taking advantage of some possible good luck.

The Yale Daily is old news – really old news!

The Yale Daily is a paper printed 5 days a week for Yale University.  Printing began on January 28, 1878 and has continued since.  This paper is actually the oldest college daily newspaper still extant.

The first U.S. University for the last degree.

Yale University’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences was the first school in the United States to ever award a Doctorate in Philosophy, the PhD.  This even took place in 1861.

Don’t tell – it’s a secret!

Yale University is home to a renowned secret society, the Skull and Bones, nicknamed “Bones” with its members being haled as “Bonesmen”.  There remains a great deal of mystery surrounding this society and its members, including how a secret society can remain so well known!

While Yale University remains a quite respectable and sought-after institution, some of its traditions betray that it can also be a fun and interesting one!

Many students dream of going to an Ivy League school. All schools in the league are steep in tradition and academic excellence. What if you live on the other side of the country from Yale, Princeton, or Harvard? Are their other options for you? Unfortunately, there are no Yale online degree programs. However, you can take some open courses online.

Yale open courses are free and open to anyone with the internet. The main goal of the program is to allow all of those who wish to learn, the educational means to do so. This closely mirrors the values the institution places on a liberal arts education. Their goal is to give students access to a broad disciplined education and encourage them to use this intellect however the student sees fit.

Students can take a variety of introductory courses taught by the same distinguished professors that teach the campus based courses. The lectures are recorded in the various classrooms on the Yale campus and can be found in video, audio, and transcribed formats. The lectures are supplemented by other materials like a syllabus, suggested readings, and problem sets.

Students do not have to register for any of the classes. Although, no course credit is given. Students can take courses from a variety of different academic departments, such as astronomy, biomedical engineering, English, economics, physics, political science, religious studies, and sociology, just to name a few.

If you are a self motivated, life long learner, you will enjoy these courses tremendously.

If you dream of an Ivy League education, it may be difficult to decide which university is best for you. The Ivy League consists of eight schools that are steeped in academic excellence, social elitism, and prestige. In order to help you decide, discussed below are some differences between Harvard and Yale University.

Harvard University vs. Yale University Rankings

If you look at the Harvard University vs. Yale University from a rankings perspective, then Harvard comes out ahead:

• Harvard University (Boston, MA) – Ranked #1
• Yale University (New Haven, CT) – Ranked #3

Harvard University typically ranks higher in the college ranking publications each year. This year, US News & World Report ranked the schools as listed above. To give you an idea of why the schools were ranked the way they were, US News looks at items like retention, financial resources, and graduation rate performance to determine this list.

Harvard University

Harvard vs. Yale – Looking Beyond the Rankings

Residential Colleges

Both Harvard and Yale have a similar internal system of residential colleges that is based on the way English Universities operate. Since residential colleges are separate societies within the university, students get a small college feel in a large university environment.

Yale University

The main difference is that Yale University institutes their system from the start prior to first year. This instills a sense of community right from the start. Students will typically live with those in their college for the entire four years. They will interact often because each college has its own library, gym, and dining hall. At Harvard, freshmen are not assigned to a house until spring of their first year.

Acceptance Rate

There is also a difference between the acceptance rates of the two schools. When comparing the recent class of 2014, Yale only accepted 1,940 out of over 25,000 applicants. This only constitutes a 7.5 percent acceptance rate. Harvard, on the other hand, has an even lower acceptance rate, accepting only 6.9 percent for their 2014 class.

Early Admissions

Yale continues to carry on their early admissions program. However, Harvard has cancelled theirs due to their belief that it was a disadvantage to low income and minority applicants. Although, Harvard’s preference to enroll children of alumni is consistently under scrutiny.

Harvard vs. Yale – The Final Tally

It is difficult to say which of the prestigious universities, Harvard or Yale, is the best. Academically, they are the best in the nation. You may find that you value other characteristics more. It is important to look at the colleges from your own perspective and based on those things you see as important, such as tuition costs, program offerings, location, and financial aid options. This will help you ensure which college is best for you.

Prestigious Yale University was founded in 1701 in, what was known at that time, as the Colony of Connecticut.

It is the third oldest university in the country and is part of the elite Ivy League with schools like Harvard, Princeton, and Brown.

The university is currently ranked third on the US News & World Report college rankings. They are known as one of the premier research universities in the nation.

However, there are some interesting and fun facts that not many people do not know about Yale University – 5 fun facts are listed below.

Interesting Fact #1

Yale was originally founded as the Collegiate School at New Haven. Various clergymen in the colony wanted to establish a college to train clergy and political leaders for service to the colony. The founders were alumni from another prestigious school, Harvard, which was founded over 60 years prior.

Interesting Fact #2

The Collegiate School officially changed their name to Yale University in 1701. This was to honor Elihu Yale, the governor of the East India Company out of Great Britain. He donated a crate of goods to help the struggling school continue to operate.

Interesting Fact #3

Yale is know for its traditions and staying true to them. The Yale Daily News is the oldest collegiate daily newspaper still in existence. It has been printed five days a week since January 28, 1878. They also have the oldest and best known a cappella group. The Wiffenpoos have been singing on Monday nights since 1909. They typically perform at Mory’s, the famous, members only tavern on the Yale campus.

Interesting Fact #4

One of the most prestigious secret societies in the country is Yale’s Skull and Bones. It was founded in 1832 by General William Russell and Alphonso Taft after two debating societies disputed that year’s award.

Skull and Bones is the oldest of Yale’s secret societies and by far the most determinedly secretive. As such, it has long been an inspiration for speculation and imagination. It still is. The society is, of course, the inspiration for the new Universal Pictures thriller The Skulls, about a nefarious secret society at an Ivy League school in New Haven.

In 1968, when George W. Bush was in Skull and Bones, there were eight “abovegrounds,” or societies that met in their own “tombs,” and as many as ten “undergrounds,” which held meetings in rented rooms. In an article in the 1968 Yale yearbook Lanny Davis, a 1967 Yale graduate and a secret-society member who would go on to become a White House special counsel in the Clinton Administration, described how Bones, famous for its distinguished list of members, held more sway than the others.

Given the society’s history as an incubator and meeting point for rising generational elites, it is not surprising that an especially susceptible kind of “barbarian” — the Bones term for a nonmember — has long seen the society as a locus of mystery, wealth, and conspiracy (Source: skullandcrossbones.org).

Fifteen male and female junior level students are chosen each spring for admission. They tend to be campus leaders, athletic team captains, newspaper editors, and members of the political union.  The society’s most notorious members include George W. Bush, George H.W. Bush, William Howard Taft, and John Kerry. The group is often steeped in intrigue and conspiracy.

Interesting Fact #5

Yale prides itself on academic excellence. Therefore, they are extremely selective in their admittance. They receive over 20,000 student applications for each freshman class. Of those, only 1,300 are accepted.

Related articles:

• Columbia University – 5 Fun Facts
• Princeton University – 5 Fun Facts
• Harvard University – 5 Fun Facts
• Dartmouth College – 5 Fun Facts
• Cornell University – 5 Fun Facts

Firstly, it’s important to know which schools are ivy league schools. After all, you can’t understand how to get into an ivy league school if you don’t know which schools they are. They include:

• Brown University
• Columbia University
• Cornell University
• Dartmouth College
• Harvard University
• Princeton University
• University of Pennsylvania
• Yale University

These schools are all private higher-education institutions, characterized by their academic excellence and selectivity in admissions.

There are many things to consider when looking into how to get into an ivy league school. One of the best pieces of advice that can be offered is starting your planning early. In most cases, students who are looking to get into an ivy league school later in their high school years without planning may not have as good of a chance as those who have started their planning earlier in their high school career.

Ivy league schools have very competitive admissions process, so the first thing you should do is decide if an ivy league school is truly right for you or your child. Ivy league schools can be expensive, and while financial aid can be generous (as many of these schools do have some very deep pockets), ivy league schools expect nothing less than 100% commitment to education from their students.

Once you decide that an ivy league school is right for you, optimizing your academic performance will be crucial. Do not be afraid to push yourself and do your best to excel in all of your courses. This includes basic academic classes as well as SATs and other academic tests. To best prepare for the SATs, consider purchasing an SAT prep book or taking an SAT prep course. Having the best grades possible will help in strengthening the college application when it is submitted to the admissions department for review.

Keeping you or your child active outside of school or after school hours will also be beneficial. If you are a parent, encourage your child to participate in outside activities at an early age. Community service, various organizations like Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts, and music or sports lessons can help nurture your child to become a more well rounded student in the end. Having a full academic and social resume can help give a student a better chance of having the knowledge of how to get into an ivy league school.

Cornell University

Cornell University now offers 19 online certificate programs that require students to complete between 4 and 12 courses. U.S. News & World Report ranks Cornell University as 12th in the nation. Cornell University certificate programs include HR Studies, Hotel, Hospitality and Food Service Management. Tuition varies from $2,150 to $5,500 depending upon the certificate program selected. For more information on their online programs, visit their website by clicking on this link: Cornell University.

Columbia University

Columbia University now offers prospective students the choice of more than 30 online degrees, which is more than any other ivy league university. Students can select from one of four program options including Master of Science, Professional Degrees, Certificate Programs and discounted tuition for course auditing. Tuition is reasonable at $1184 per credit hour. Columbia University also offers more than 300 online courses from financial planning to project management. For more information on Columbia University, follow this link: Columbia University.

Harvard University

Through its newly formed Extension School, Harvard University now offers dozens of online courses. While the university does not offer a complete online degree program, it does offer two graduate level online degree programs in Applied Sciences and Environment Management. Harvard University does currently offer degree programs that combine online courses with some classroom attendance. Tuition varies from $800 to $1975 per course. For more information on Harvard’s online programs, click this link: Harvard University.

The University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania (UPENN) offers unique online learning programs such as PennAdvance that enables students to earn University of Pennsylvania undergraduate credit or audit the university’s courses from anywhere. Online CEU opportunities from the School of Dental Medicine; Continuing medical education through the School of Medicine; Online professional development courses from the School of Nursing; and reading, writing and test preparation courses for international students. For more info on UPENN, visit their website: University of Pennsylvania.

Dartmouth College

Through the Tuck Executive Educational program, the Dartmouth is offering online education known as The Dartmouth Online Bridge Program. The program consists of 25 specialized courses in the area of business, accounting and finance. Tuition varies from $3000 for the entire program and can be completed at the students’ own pace. Visit Dartmouth’s website for more information here: Dartmouth College.

Yale University

Finally, while Yale University does not offer many courses, it does offer prospective students courses through the Yale School of Medicine and a free online video lecture program. For more information, click here: Yale University.

Open Yale Courses presents unique access to the full content of a selection of college-level courses and makes them available in various formats. It also offers secondary school students who are considering applying to study in the United States. Yale University is making some of its most popular undergraduate courses freely available around the world through the internet with Mumbai University among the participants.

In general, Ivy League Schools include only eight prestigious schools in the nation. The factors that these schools hold in common include specific policies and procedures, rigorous academic standards, impressive historical backgrounds and development, as well as membership in their elite athletic conference. However, each Ivy League School differs in its specific educational focus, location, size and general demographics of its campus, and size of its particular undergraduate student population.

Which schools are Ivy League Schools?

The eight Ivy League schools will each be covered in detail in this blog – however, if you are interested in knowing which schools qualify as a renowned Ivy League School, here they are:

• Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island
• Columbia University /Columbia College in New York, New York
• Cornell University in Ithaca, New York
• Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire
• Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts
• Princeton University in Princeton, New Jersey
• University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut

What is so special about the Best Ivy League Schools?

These eight Ivy League Schools, all on the east coast, are among the earliest educational institutions founded, between the years of 1636 and 1865. A New York Herald Tribune sports writer by the name of Stanley Woodward actually coined the term “Ivy League” in the 1930s.

Two factors define Ivy League Schools:

• Elite football conference, originally formed in 1956
• Privileged American higher education

Over the years, attendance at one of these prestigious Ivy League Schools has transformed from being strictly an upper class privilege to a middle class opportunity. However, those who wish to attend an Ivy League School should keep in mind that the Ivies still maintain sky-high acceptance requirements; one of the Ivies routinely rejects as many as 90% of prospective students, including over half of students who have perfect SAT scores.

Another factor to consider is that Ivy League schools are expensive to attend; however, with the expense come the benefits. An Ivy League student can be eligible for competitive graduate programs, as well as esteemed awards such as the Rhodes Scholarship. A prestigious Ivy League degree is sure to attract prospective employers.

• Yale University was established in 1701
• Yale is a member of the Ivy League
• In 1930′s, Yale became a university system of 12 residential colleges
• Regionally accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges
• Each individual Yale school and specialization is accredited by the accreditation board in that field

About Yale University

Among its impressive achievements, Yale’s roots can be traced back to the 1640s when colonial clergymen led an effort to establish a college in New Haven to preserve the tradition of European liberal education in the New World. Now one of only eight Ivy League schools, Yale is home to a world-class medical center comprising more than a dozen institutions. This includes the School of Medicine (chartered in 1810), which has been educating leaders, caring for patients, and investigating the scientific basis of health and disease for nearly 200 years.

Yale University is one of only eight prestigious Ivy League schools, considered “a tradition, a company of scholars, a society of friends.” Yale is a large research university with a wide array of schools, programs, departments, centers, museums, and affiliated organizations. The faculty of Yale University is as impressive as the institution itself. At Yale, 91% of all full-time teaching faculty have doctoral degrees, first professional degrees, and or appropriate degrees in their fields. You can be sure you will be learning from some of the best of the best when you attend Yale University, either on campus, or via Yale University online courses.

Yale University Online Courses

Yale University just recently started offering a free online video lecture series, which they call the “Open Yale Courses.” The purpose of the Yale University online courses is to provide “free and open access to a selection of introductory courses taught by distinguished teachers and scholars at Online Yale University. The aim of the project is to expand access to educational materials for all who wish to learn.”

Yale University online courses offer a unique opportunity as the free video lectures are taught by professors and scholars of distinction.

At this time, the Yale University Online Courses include the following:

• Frontiers and Controversies in Astrophysics
• Modern Poetry
• Fundamentals of Physics
• Introduction to Political Philosophy
• Introduction to Psychology
• Introduction to the Old Testament
• Death
• Frontiers of Biomedical Engineering
• Introduction to Ancient Greek History
• Game Theory
• Financial Markets
• Milton
• The American Novel Since 1945
• The Civil War and Reconstruction Era, 1845-1877
• France Since 1871

Yale University Online Courses Tuition and Financial Aid

Yale University was the first private research university in the United States to establish “need-blind” admissions, back in 1966, a process in which prospective students are evaluated for admission without regard to financial need. For over four decades, Yale has not wavered from this commitment, as it strives to meet the full demonstrated financial need of each individual student. No merit scholarships and no athletic scholarships, all financial aid based solely on demonstrated need.

For the 2008-2009 school year, Yale went a step further, and cut costs by 50% for families with financial need, across a broad range of incomes. In addition, Yale has increased the number of grants awarded, eliminating the need for many students to have to take out student loans. So yes, an Ivy League education at Yale University IS financially possible!! And if you are only interested in the Yale University Online Courses, than tuition is free. You can’t beat that!

Source: Yale University Online Courses