Yale

  New Haven, Connecticut, United States
Sunday, August 10, 2008

   The tour didn't start till 1:30 today, so we took advantage of the chance to sleep in. Sleeping in, for me and my mother, means till 7:45, but even sleeping that late (or early) felt good. We lounged around for a while, getting mucho book work done that we tend to neglect while traveling, and I tried out my new espresso maker that I'd picked up at the Sumter Salvation Army for five bucks. It worked.
   We took the New Haven bus downtown to Yale, getting off at the "Center Green" in the middle of the city. The Center Green, a large green park that doubled as the bus transfer station, was getting set up for a concert. We oogled around us at the nice city area, including park and buildings. It was a major change from the Wal-Mart side of town we were already familiar with.

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       Surprise for everyone: we actually got to the university's Visitors Center early. We read the lit-up and illustrated timeline of Yale, where both the Bushes and both the Clintons went to school. Then, squashed among a hundred other visitors in a little, quaintly white-painted room, we watched an informational video. Honestly, the video didn't depict the school as anything too exciting. But on the tour following, led by a student with a big voice, we got an entirely different (and better) perspective.

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    After the tour, we hit a coffee shop and the Yale bookstore and got the book I'd been looking for, along with various other souveneirs for my parents and dorm supplies for me. We took the bus back to the RV and left town, looking toward our next stop: Providence, Rhode Island.

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Shelby's College Rating:
YALE

Yale 10

Campus: Definitely the best campus I've seen so far. The buildings are beautiful, as well as the green spaces. The residential college system and buildings are modeled after those at Cambridge, so you know it caught and held my attention. Located in a large city close to NYC and Boston. Score: 5 out of 5
Academics: Flexible course plan, no core curriculum but a required distribution arrangement instead. Lots of research resources and opportunities. Study abroad. Academic and college personal advisers. Score: 4.5 out of 5
Financial: Pricey, like all Ivy League tuition, but 100% need met, and our guide couldn't stress enough the amount of money Yale had available for students and research, etc. Score: 4.5 out of 5
Other: Research and other opportunities here seem endless. Rare books and manuscript library is extensive and awesome (its in a windowless building, but since the walls are made of white marble (or onyx, I can't remember which), UV-free light comes through to the inside). Student community seems close and friendly; no Greek life. Score: 5 out of 5
Average Score: 4.75