The Yale admissions video — it’s finally here!

this is so embarrassing

delightful!!!

This video is embarrassing. Had I seen this before I came to Yale, I would definitely not be here.

The beginning made me want to throw up and the video overall is WAAAYYY too artsy. Show this to incoming freshmen and “1 in 4, maybe more” will become “1 in 2, could be you”

I think the point is that they aren’t catering to stuffies to ctyankee. Everyone knows Yale offers a great education. Interviewing people in suits doesn’t persuade the best and the brightest to come, however.

I enjoyed it quite a bit – congrats to everyone involved!

I have to say, though… not everyone *gets* camp. Luckily it’s just an admissions video meant to go viral, and will probably be viewed mostly by people who also like this sort of thing?

Proposal for re-naming: “Why NOT to choose Yale.”

TD ’10 brings forward a great point — while the exceedingly tedious film seems to cover all the bases of activity at the college, it does so in an incredibly trivializing way. This is the case in the orchestra scene, especially (though, through the use of computerized strings, it represents the best intonation a Yale orchestra has demonstrated in years). The movie is a 17-minute advertisement for the school’s musical theater programs.

I also agree with TD ’10 that had I seen this as an applicant, I would have never applied, much less enrolled. I genuinely fear that this production will affect the class of 2014′s composition; if it does, it will be very much for the worse.

TD ’10… this was OVER produced? Dude, it was made by Yale students for no money.

The video is entertaining and shows how Yalies can have a laugh, but alone it won’t be the deciding factor in any person’s choice for university. Thankfully, there is substance behind the video and we all know how awesome Yale really is. This video is going to raise eyebrows and pique people’s curiosity, just like any piece of information or article about Yale, but nothing will be as decisive as actually visiting the campus and meeting the students. I know that is what won me over.

I loved it.

But… based on our current/usual demographics there was a serious lack of Asian and Latino students. Where’s the diversity?

People aren’t going to NOT choose Yale because of an admissions video. Admissions officers aren’t going to choose students based only on their interest in coming. So everyone who is so utterly concerned about how “our campus is going to be devoid of academic talent,” chill.

I thought this was a very fun, entertaining, and creative venture to introduce Yale to students. I agree with #12, though, that we should juxtapose this with something more serious – a brochure of some sorts? – with facts and other handy details.

For TD 10 and others:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=280137519133

You could not be more wrong, my friend.

This was a professional video made by students, backed by Yale with LOTS and LOTS of money.

There were several professionals involved, just look at the carefully organized credits. They used a crane and had rolling dolly shots…you try to tell me this cost nothing? And the camera was huge!

Frankly, I worry that many of our current students are plenty smart but short on creativity and humor. I doubt that one video will actually affect the application pool, but hey–if it does, all the better.

Here’s the thing: perhaps Yale’s most valuable asset — and that which gives it its cachet and gives it most of its notable character in the wider academic landscape — is its academic excellence. So it seems to me that to essentially ignore that in a recruiting video of any type is an enormous strategic error. (In terms of screentime, academic excellence here is basically treated as akin to the fact that Yale has theater groups. But the latter is true anywhere, while the former is what makes Yale so special.) So, if this video had been titled “So those are some other things you might have wanted to know about Yale, beyond its academic excellence”, it would have been a fun and novel success (though perhaps also a greater challenge to the lyricists). But as an argument for “choosing Yale”, it seems like a dangerous and misguided failure.

This was very enjoyable, and I agree with #24. It showcased the vitality of the campus, which is already known for its academic prowess. It is one of many things made available to potential students as they consider their options.

I couldn’t agree more with y10 (#26). It is an extremely entertaining movie and very well done. Can people step back and not be critical for one moment and recognize the talent and creativity of this video and appreciate it for what it is worth?

Seriously – basically nothing of my experience at Yale was shown, and I do a ton of stuff.

Well, eh, nah. There was one 5 second scene of the YPU, which was done with non-YPU people. Wonderful.

Just because this campus has a fetish for a capella, theater and bad improv groups doesn’t mean that’s all Yale should promote.

Why didn’t the video mention Yale’s prominent gay community?

Oh, wait…

This video just conveys that Yale undergrads are over privileged, pampered brats at a playground for the wealthy and are puffed up about their own greatness.

This video will work wonders for our sports teams. I’m sure every coach will feature it prominently in their recruiting process.