Yale University Reviews

"The Geology program at Yale is a high-achieving, competitive program that pushes its students to their fullest potential. The class load is relatively light, and independent research is the main focus of the five year Ph.D."

"It's a great program, but currently too small. You need a larger "critical mass" of grad students and professors before you can really take advantage of the (hopefully) collaborative environment and start churning out papers."

"Pros: - Academic environment is very collaborative - Ample research opportunities in most fields Cons: - Some Professors are rockstars in their fields so not as easy to get hold of :("

"the phD program in history is really very good. Makes Yale worth studying at."

"It can be intimidating at first because the program is geared for self-directed learners. It's a pass/fail system and there are only mid terms and finals. However the freedom to learn according to your style is so liberating and is perfect for the person wanting to schedule their life around school work and not the other way around."

"Yale School of Public Health has exceptional access to faculty members. They are always willing to speak with you, and mentor you during your time at Yale. The classes are small and you get a lot of individual attention. The surrounding area of New Haven is very small and there is not a lot to do here. There are on campus events, and student clubs to join however."

"The 2 years gave me a fantastic opportunity to expand my network and also equip myself with tools to solve problems being faced in today's marketplace."

"I came to SOM to switch careers and to get a solid grounding in business. I not only succeeded in both of these goals but found it was a fantastic community to spend my two years of graduate school."

"The program at Yale is targeted towards getting students thinking early about "packaging" themselves as future scholars and preparing themselves to think ahead to get the most out of the program in a timely manner. The academic atmosphere, while intense, is not unproductively competitive. Sometimes it is difficult to get one-on-one time with faculty, which just means students need to be pro-active."

"Pros: awesome faculty, tons of opportunities Cons: getting started in the program, establishing contacts with professors and such takes some effort."

"The department has a strong faculty and student body; I've learned a great deal in my time here. It's very open to different methodological approaches."

"YSM is academically sound and quality of education is unparalleled. however, the workload is not unbearable due to the Yale system- no grades!"

"My experience here at Yale has been nothing short of wonderful. I have learned so much (from both professors and peers), grown as a scholar and as a person, and have made what I expect to be lifelong friends - many of whom belong (or have belonged) to the Yale community, but many of whom do not. I absolutely love New Haven and the surrounding area. Of course, this program may not be for you if your primary areas of interest are different from those of the faculty and of the students here. That said, it has always seemed to me that a very broad spectrum of philosophical interests are reflected in the work of all. I could not be happier with my decision to attend Yale and cannot imagine being anywhere else. (Well, I suppose that strictly speaking, I can, but I cannot imagine that experience being a better one.)"

"A strong program with good, committed faculty. Excellent financial support and funding opportunities. Good social opportunities and excellent restaurants in the area."

"I like my program in many ways, especially its great faculty members and supportive graduate students community."

"Great program with supportive teachers and competitive classes. One of the highest levels of financial support for PhD students. Many inter-disciplinary opportunities and workshops. However, lots of bureaucratic hurdles and difficulty navigating the system during the first year. The town also needs work."

"Incredibly academic environment. The rest is so-so, but I hope the academic environment is why you're going to grad school....."

"Yale's chemistry research facilities are excellent and constantly getting better. The buildings are either new or being renovated. The faculty are generally collegial and helpful, with the expected few exceptions. When I started as a graduate student, the department had a much stronger social scene, the funding for which was the first thing to go when budget cuts were needed in 2008/09. Workload is a tricky question-- you will work your a** off, but I think most people expect that from a graduate chemistry program-- I did not feel like expectations were unreasonable. The biggest drawback of Yale is New Haven, which is notoriously sketchy. Expect regular emails about students/faculty being mugged or assaulted, even walking in groups on a busy street in broad daylight! If you can escape New Haven, though, Connecticut is actually quite beautiful, and day trips to NYC are fun and easy (about 1 hr 45 min on the train)."

"Great place to study economics. I have really enjoyed my time here and believe I have grown a lot both professionally as well as at a personal level. New Haven is also a great place to live. You can walk to work/school and everything is close by."

"As usual, for PhD programs, so much of it is tied to your major advisor. Do you like her/him? Helpful? Available? A genuinely nice person? Helpful with career advice? Helpful with dissertation progress? You get a good one, and your time here will be better. You get a bad one, and it's hell. I don't feel that Yale is any better of a place to get your PhD than anywhere else...except that the financial aid here and stipend support is very generous! That help makes it more possible to get out of here with your diploma in less time than at another school with an equally viable advisor."