Yale University Top Questions

Yale students are nerds. There is a split between academic culture and athletic culture. Yale students are pretentious. Yale students are obsessed with academics.

People tend to think that we always stay on campus doing homework, that we don't know how to have fun.

lots of gay guys, incredibly bright, politically liberal, a cappella nerds, theatre nerds, grade inflation, lots of asians

Rich, nerdy, snobby, ambitious, competitive

Great school - dangerous surroundings (New Haven)

One of the best schools in America

At least where I'm from, many people think that Yale is a only a super serious academic institution, where everyone is intense about their grades without much of a life outside the classroom or library. Another stereotype I've encountered is that people think a lot, or even most of the people who go to Yale are from "old money". A third stereotype is that many people think Yale is a very politically liberal place.

Some "stereotypes" I heard before coming here billed Yale as a four-year daycare for stupid children of the super wealthy and well-connected. Full of braindead legacies and hyper-competitive prep school graduates; soulless overachievers.

There are two primary Yale stereotypes, depending on who the audience holding the bias is. The first is the Yale stereotype to people who didn't go to Ivy league schools, but who have heard of Yale. They think Yalies are stuck up, holier than thou, and are always looking for a way to make them feel stupider. Preemptively, they will go out of their way to make you look stupid first, and then point out that it sure was dumb of a YALIE to do something so boneheaded! The caveat of course is that this is probably true for kids who went to Harvard, Princeton, or any other Ivy league school in the country. The second Yale stereotype is the one held by students/alums from other Ivy league schools. To them, the Yalies are the mopey, artsy, emo Ivy leaguers, the ones who love movies without strong linear narratives, performance art and experimenting with homosexuality.

Some Stereotypes: Pretentious, wealthy,articulate, spoiled,