Road Trip: "Aha Moments" at Yale University

Let me share with you some “aha moments” from my April 2015 college road trip to nine schools in the Northeast. Here you go… Yale University – Aha!  

Yale takes their residence college system very seriously, each with a Dean and a Master. What tipped me off?   

1. New Haven streets run through the university so each residential college is physically self contained - a circle of buildings that are gated with an interior quad.
2. The Yale Daily News’ lengthy article about who has naming rights for two new residential colleges opening in 2017 – alumni, students, faculty…?
3. There are not many other options – Greek life is minimal, there are no eating clubs, and no student union.  Residential Colleges are the place to be.
4. All day long the feeling of community seemed more than just words.  

Other points of note:  There is definitely an Ivy aura of tradition and history – from the a cappella group at a members only dinner club, to the remarkable libraries imposing edifices, to the famous speakers at Masters teas.  The “college” refers to the undergraduate school of 5500 students and the university includes thirteen graduate schools with another 5500 students.  

Consider Yale: If you are traditional and looking for a strong sense of community.