Many years ago, former Yale President Kingman Brewster wrote that selecting future Yale students was a combination of looking for those who would make the most of the extraordinary resources assembled here, those with a zest to stretch the limits of their talents, and those with an outstanding public motivation – in other words, applicants with a concern for something larger than themselves. He said, “We have to make the hunchy judgment as to whether or not with Yale’s help the candidate is likely to be a leader in whatever he [or she] ends up doing.” Our goals remain the same today. Decade after decade, Yalies have set out to make our world better. We are looking for students we can help to become the leaders of their generation in whatever they wish to pursue.

As we carefully and respectfully review every application, two questions guide our admissions team: “Who is likely to make the most of Yale’s resources?” and “Who will contribute most significantly to the Yale community?”

We estimate that over three quarters of the students who apply for admission to Yale are qualified to do the work here. Between two and three hundred students in any year are so strong academically that their admission is scarcely ever in doubt. But here is the thing to know: the great majority of students who are admitted stand out from the rest because a lot of little things, when added up, tip the scale in their favor. So what matters most in your application? Ultimately, everything matters. The good news in that is that when so many little things figure into an admissions decision, it is fruitless to worry too much about any one of them

Our advice is to pursue what you love and tell us about that. Be yourself. Ask the teachers who really know you to recommend you. Apply and relax.

Here are a few tips that we hope will help you present yourself as the outstanding person you no doubt are. We wish you all the best and look forward to reading your application.

Evaluating Applications

In selecting future Yale students, President Brewster wrote, “I am inclined to believe that the person who gives every ounce to do something superbly has an advantage over the person whose capacities may be great but who seems to have no desire to stretch them to their limit.” Within the context of each applicant’s life and circumstances, we look for that desire and ability to stretch one’s limits.

　　关于招生录取的问题，耶鲁布鲁斯特校长在多年前这样写道，耶鲁招生是在寻找那些能够将非比寻常的资源汇集到此的人，那些能够使自身智力得以极限发挥发展的人，以及那些对公益怀有事业心的人——也就是视公众利益高于个人利益的人。他提到：“候选人能否在耶鲁大学的帮助下，最终成为一个领导者，我们必须对此做出明确的判断。”这个目标至今未变。岁月变换，韶华流转，耶鲁人们让这个世界变得更加美好。我们在寻找那些经过我们的帮助，能够在他们追求的事业中，成为同代人中领头羊的人。

　　在仔细阅览每个申请的时候，我们录取委员会始终以这两个问题作为导向：“谁能给耶鲁创造更多的资源？”和“谁能给耶鲁做出更有意义的贡献？”

　　大致超过四分之三的申请耶鲁的学生都可以胜任这里。每年只有两三百人具有很强的学术能力而毫无疑问地被录取。有一点需要注意：这些学生能够从众多申请者中脱颖而出存在很多方面的原因，这些原因累加起来，共同对申请产生作用。由此，什么因素会在你的申请中起决定性作用？其实每个因素都很重要。这样的一个好处就是这么多细小的因素都列入招生录取的考虑范围，那么就不用徒劳地担心它们中的任何一个。

　　我们的建议是去追求你喜欢的，并且告诉我们这些。做你自己。请一位真正了解你的老师推荐你。用轻松的心态来申请。

　　下面是一些能够更好地展示你自己的一些建议。期待你的申请。

　　在选择耶鲁新生的时候，校长布鲁斯特写到，“相对于那些能够虽然有能力做大事，但是没有想去开发自身最大潜力的人，我倾向于认为那些能够尽心尽力做好一件事情的人更有优势。”考虑到每位申请者的生活和条件背景，我们寻找那些有愿望和有能力去开发自身最大潜力的人。