Yale Class of 2016 Calling all applicants!

Sigh, it's a current heated topic on campus. And as the title of the article suggests, many current students are unhappy about it.

There are "town halls" scheduled with students and the administration regarding the changes, so we'll see what comes of those. @OhDenny might be able to provide more color.

If I can just add, the news about the grading policy change was sent to incoming Class of 2016 students on 27 Feb. This was very close to the R1 28 Feb deposit deadline, and I'm guessing most people (like me) would've already put in their deposit in advance. I'm pretty sure that for most people, this change wouldn't have affected our decision to attend Yale. But it would've been nice to have all the information in advance.

Surprisingly, based on the applicant updates on 1st page, no single applicant was "Denied with Interview" . It is either "Denied without Interview" or Waitlisted. Last year this was not the case as I checked on last year's thread.

Does this mean that once interviewed means accepted or waitlisted?I guess it could be because of the video essays.

Any comments?

I think this definitely speaks volumes about the current students and the environment at SOM, I just hope this likely change regarding GD doesn't damage that collegiality which I think attracts many of SOM's applicants and eventual students...

Thanks for mentioning this, tinkered. From what I understand from the Administration/Faculty, part of the reason the communications went out in a relatively abrupt manner was that they wanted all admitted students to know about changes before the deadline passed. Though I agree that it takes more time to process it and, in fact, to learn all of the details of what the changes are.

For more on the general matter - I have had several meetings with student leadership and with the Dean's office, and it has been a very busy month since the changes were announced. From our conversations with the Deans, there are still some steps to be taken, and we are not yet ready to publicly state what the final changes (both policy and normative) will be. I feel very strongly that there were some steps of the process that I'd like to clarify for the admitted and prospective student populations, but I'm going to have to be more deliberative about that.

That said - I'm going to take an opportunity to come out of the closet on something: I am largely in favor of the changes. Not all of them, but most of them. Do I think there was an error in student engagement and in process? Yes, but that's not what I'm discussing here. I'm stating my support for the changes because I think the loudest voices in and outside of the student community have been those firmly opposed to the changes. I also wanted to give voice to the significant minority of students who feel similarly, or the even more significant number of students who are neutral on the issue. Not saying that I represent all of them, but that they are there, and perhaps have not yet made their voices heard. Part of the wonder of SOM is being able to have a wide diversity of opinion while remaining congenial and inclusive.

I'm going to try to have some more updates in the future, and all of these updates will be neutral in terms of describing what the changes are and what the process was. We strive to be a very transparent organization (both within administration and student leadership) and this is a true example of what that is important to the culture of SOM. That said, please don't take my word as gospel. I cannot claim to represent the feelings of each student at SOM, and I certainly can't claim to be a representative of the administration or faculty. If you are worried about the changes, talk to Admissions, talk to current students, talk to the Career Office. Or, if you are not worried, you can continue to focus on doing all of the pre-MBA stuff that you'll need to do (if admitted), or preparing yourself for admissions (if prospective).

As always, please feel free to PM me if you have specific questions, (likewise any of my other current student colleagues), and good luck to everyone ahead of the R2 decision!

Here... reapplicant interviewed last year but not this one... any thoughts?

If decision day is April 4, does anyone know if we should be on the look out for a call the day before? Or is everyone actually notified on Friday?

Last year, everyone was notified on the same day (March 28) during the day (by phonecall) and apx 6 or 7 PM your profile was updated online. Some didn't received the call (mobile was off or could'nt take the call) but their profile was updated with the AdCom's letter...

This could very well be the start to the longest week ever

Well, I certainly appreciate the current students' efforts. I think my issue as someone who applied to this cycle, I applied because of the collegial environment, which in part was largely due to the grade nondisclosure and a variety of different interests. As an alumnus of a competitive undergraduate business program, I know how that atmosphere can be daunting to both the academic and professional components of the experience. I may understand the administrations' shift in policy, as it probably can ultimately lead to a boost in SOM's ranking. But I feel I submitted an application to a program that had particular structure, and the program doesn't have that essential feature. I'm a Round 2 Consortium applicant, and I do plan to enroll in the Fall, but I can't help to feel somewhat scammed in a sense.

Best of luck to you all tomorrow Yale is a great community, and I know those who decide to matriculate will have a great two years here. I've lived here on campus the past three years as a student affiliate and it's been an amazing experience. I don't know much about SOM itself (compared to other aspects of Yale), but with people like aerien, machichi, and OhDenny, you know SOM has to be amazing!

If anyone has questions on the Yale/New Haven community not related to SOM, feel free to ask. I can probably be quite the resource if you have questions regarding significant others and especially children (day care, schools, etc). I also live in Yale Graduate Housing so I might be able to answer questions about that as well.

Again, good luck!!!

24 hours...Any news from current students / alumni on the Grade Non-Disclosure issue and the new grades (roughly A-F)?

DancehallKing and others, I realize that this is a potential curveball. Grade nondisclosure for me wasn't a criteria for school choice but it certainly played the role of a tie breaker, exactly for the reasons that you stated -- grade nondisclosure isn't just about grades on a piece of paper, it's all the aspects of the community and the school experience that having grade nondisclosure affects.

The exact policies, as far as I know, are still being sorted out so I wouldn't jump to any extreme feelings towards/against the school just yet. In the greater bschool landscape, having grade non-disclosure is becoming more and more of a privilege; many schools have shifted to grade disclosure in the past decade or so and some schools, like GSB, have a student-driven policy towards grade non-disclosure. Every school will find the policy that meets the needs of their own students, professors, and administration, and prospective students will continue to apply/matriculate as they will.

If you're worried that this will affect your school choice and/or your school experience at SOM, take this time to talk to current students, Admissions, and the administration. When it comes down to it, grade disclosure or not, the students make up the culture at SOM and it's your role to continue to shape that school culture to what is best for you and those around you.


In other news, happy waiting for R2 results. Only 1 more day to go!!

Good Luck! I hope we will be meeting in New Haven in a few months.

Big congrats!!! where did you have your interview? thanks

I am in :D . Got the call half an hour ago. Indian Applicant .

Congratulations to everyone admitted at Yale and good luck to all others!!!