Yale Bulletin and Calendar

August 30-September 6, 1999

Volume 28, Number 2

Yale greets 'superb' crop of freshmen

Yale College this year welcomed an "absolutely superb" group of freshmen, who faced especially stiff competition to earn a place in the Class of 2003.

The 1,373 new freshmen include a student who traces her ancestry back to the Reverend Abraham Pierson, Yale's first rector (the equivalent of the modern-day president); a three-time high school All-American swimmer; a professional actress; the president of Boys Nation, a youth group affiliated with The American Legion; a National Table Tennis Champion; a National Teen Spokesman for the Scoliosis Association of America; and a figure skater who has represented Lithuania at international competitions.

This year's freshman class was selected from among 13,270 applicants -- an increase of 1,323 over last year. Of those students admitted, 65.2 percent chose to attend Yale -- compared to 63.1 percent in 1998.

"The students in the Class of 2003 survived the most selective admissions process we have ever experienced," says Margit Dahl, director of undergraduate admissions. "We had the largest number of applicants and the lowest rate of admission in Yale's history. The quality of this class is absolutely superb in every way."

This year's freshmen hail from all 50 states and from 44 foreign countries, including Nepal, Armenia, Cyprus, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Lebanon and Morocco. There are 241 freshmen from New York, 154 from California, and 90 from Connecticut. One student hails from a town in the Midwest with a population of only 200. The class has 684 men and 691 women, and 28.8 percent of the students identify themselves as members of a minority group.

The most popular majors indicated by the incoming students are biology, English, engineering, history, economics and political science, in that order. The students' median SAT scores were 740 in verbal and 730 in math. Entering students took an average of four Advanced Placement courses and many other accelerated programs.

Yale is one of a small number of colleges and universities nationwide that both admit students from the United States without regard to their ability to pay for their education (a policy called "need-blind" admissions), and also fully meet the demonstrated financial need of each student.

For the 19992000 academic year, Yale expects to devote close to $30 million to financial aid for undergraduates. More than 40 percent of Yale College students receive financial aid in the form of direct grants -- as well as loans and campus employment -- from the University. The average student grant is $14,400 a year, and students of limited means may qualify for grants in excess of $25,000. The University's need-blind admission policy, adopted more than 30 years ago, has helped to produce the great diversity among Yale's 5,300 undergraduates.

Yale was established in 1701. In addition to Yale College, the University has a Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and 10 professional schools. The total student enrollment is approximately 11,000.

T H I SW E E K ' SS T O R I E S

Yale greets 'superb' crop of freshmen

Outreach to students is key goal of new assistant deans

Discovery of skeleton from ancient ape provides insights into the origins of humans

Scientists get close-up look at interior of ribosomes

Endowed Professorships

Bosnians share traumatic war experiences with Yale chaplain

Development Office reorganizes Major Gifts division

FOCUS program gives students a close-up view of city

Exhibit features abstract photographs of the natural world world

School of Architecture exhibits explore 'cutting edge' arts

While You Were Away ...

In the News

Journalists will get in-depth look at law as Knight Fellows

Concert celebrates new year at the School of Music

Memorial service to be held for Julia Rusinek

Seven faculty members receive ASCAP awards