Yale College Summer Updates for Parents and Guardians (May 24, 2024)

Yale College Summer Updates for Parents and Guardians (May 24, 2024)

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May 24, 2024

Dear parents and guardians of incoming Yale College students,

Although classes don't begin for over three months, on August 28, many incoming students have questions now about how to pick classes, which subjects to explore, and eventually which ones to consider as a major. To orient incoming students, the Office of Undergraduate Education will be writing to them throughout the summer to help them make the most of Yale’s academic offerings, and to prepare them for selecting courses in August. Starting June 17, students can make appointments to talk with a peer adviser who can answer questions. Until then, the Office of Undergraduate Education urges students to read about Yale' philosophy of education, which provides the framework for Yale College's liberal arts curriculum. This is an excellent resource for you as well, since it provides a broader context for many of the practical students (and you) might be asking now.

Sincerely,

Hannah Peck
Associate Dean of Student Affairs
Yale College Dean's Office (she/her)

 

May 24, 2024

Dear Class of 2028,

The Office of Undergraduate Education will be writing to you several times this summer to help you make the most of Yale’s academic offerings, and to prepare you for selecting courses in August. Soon, it will be writing to you with instructions for making an appointment with a peer adviser who can answer questions; peer advisers will be available starting June 17, and all first-years will be expected to meet with one over the summer. This week, it writes to introduce you to Yale's philosophy of education, an excellent starting point before you explore subjects of study and specific courses.

With best wishes,

Hannah Peck
Associate Dean of Student Affairs
Yale College Dean's Office
(she/her)

 

May 24, 2024

Dear Yale College Class of 2028,

With classes starting August 28, you have probably started to think about which ones to take. You will have over 1,000 options to choose from every term, taught in 80 subjects of instruction, so you might be wondering where to begin. My colleagues and I in the Office of Undergraduate Education (OUE) are here to help.
Starting June 17, you will be able to make an appointment with a peer adviser who can answer questions about academics; you will receive instructions before then about how to make an appointment. We expect that all incoming first-years will meet with an adviser over the summer.

We will also be writing in the weeks ahead with practical guidance on how to design your first semester, where you can learn about prerequisites for certain subjects, and what kinds of classes are good candidates for your first year, especially if — like most new students — you want to explore subjects before you decide on a major by your sophomore or junior year.
Now, before you make any choices, is the best time to learn more about Yale's approach to undergraduate education and to understand what it means to pursue a liberal arts education. Breadth of study is its hallmark, and so are its distributional requirements and its balance of general and focused study. Here are some suggestions to get you started.

Your education will continue beyond the classroom — in residential college suites, dining halls, athletic facilities, cultural centers, recital halls, and elsewhere. But it will of course be shaped deeply by the courses you take. We look forward to working with you over the summer so that you are prepared by the time classes begin.

With best wishes,

Pam Schirmeister
Deputy Dean of Yale College and the Graduate School
Dean of Undergraduate Education

 

 

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