ASC Orientation
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Table of
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Overview for Members
This resource is intended to give ASC members a quick overview of the ASC Program to help get you started with the
2015-2016 application cycle. We encourage you to read this entire resource for in-depth coverage of the ASC Program
and the interviewing cycle.
Overview o the ASC
The ASC is a network o alumni volunteers who share a
passion or Yale and conduct interviews on behal o
Undergraduate Admissions with the goals o:
1. Providing crucial inormation about applicants to
Yale so that the admissions committee can make
better decisions as it shapes the reshman class; and
2. Establishing a Yale presence that educates the local
applicants and community about Yale’s unique op-
portunities, values, and character.
As o August 2015, the ASC consists o:
11,425
alumni
volunteers
members that represent
79
countries
active volunteers who
span EIGHT decades,
rom the Yale Classes o
1942
to
2015
representatives
rom all
14
institutions at
Yale University
*93% o our ASC
interviewers are Yale
College graduates
Interview assignment flow
Common Application
submitted
Where to conduct interviews
Interviews tend to last between 45 minutes and 75 min-
utes. Anything shorter than that may miss out on import-
ant inormation; anything longer may eel exhausting. Like
many great conversations, interviews happen in a variety
o places:
• Coee shops
• Public libraries
• Students’ high schools
Please do not interview
students in private
residences (either your
own or the students’).
Why your work is important
Ambassadorship: In many cases, the interview may be the
only time the applicants have direct contact with a Yale
community member. As a result, the interview can be an
influential moment or the applicant, even beyond the
application process. Your interaction with applicants can
illuminate the University’s strengths and ethos, and or
admitted students, it may contribute significantly to their
choosing us over other attractive options.
Interviews: Perceptive, vividly written impressions help
the Admissions Committee envision the personal and
intellectual qualities that may make some high-achiev-
ing students stand out among others. Additionally, your
reports can lend important context or the applicant. The
interview report remains one o the ew documents that
provides a window into a spontaneous interaction with
the applicant. As a result, they are some o the most re-
quently viewed documents in our Admissions Committee.
ASC Director receives
notification that
applicants are available
for interviews
The assigned volunteer
receives notification of an
assignment via email and
confirms the assignment
ASC Director assigns
interviewers from
available volunteers
The volunteer schedules
the interview and meets
the applicant
The volunteer submits
the interview report
through the ASC portal
Interview assignments and report submission (the ASC portal)
To see your interview assignments, view applicant contact inormation, and to submit your interview reports, you should
log-in to the ASC portal.
Important dates or ASC members
In addition to checking your interview assignments early
and oen, please keep the ollowing dates in mind during
your work as an interviewer:
• November 1st: Early Action application deadline.
While some interviews may happen beore this date,
this is the ocial kick-o o the interviewing season.
• December 1st: Deadline or Early Action interview
reports
• January 1st: Regular Decision application deadline.
You may start interviewing beore the start o the new
year.
• February 15th: Deadline or all interview reports
Quick Tips
• We recommend completing your reports shortly aer the interview.
• I you have a problem completing an interview, let your ASC Director know right away. You should still submit a
report i a student declines the interview or is unresponsive to your messages.
• Applicants may ask questions to which you do not know the answer. That’s okay! Feel ree to direct them to the
admissions oce or accurate inormation.
Additional resources
You may find the ollowing resources helpul to you as you
conduct interviews, and we encourage you to re-visit them
throughout the admissions cycle.
Please watch this brief instructional
video to take a walk through the
updated portal.
Guidelines or writing interview
reports
The impressions you orm through the interview may
provide key insights as we shape the class. Interview
reports are some o the most requently viewed docu-
ments in our Admissions Committee meetings. While
there is no set ormat or interview reports, here are a
ew examples o themes you may learn rom the inter-
views:
• Intellectual strengths and energy
• Academic interests
• Flexibility in thinking, openness
• Expressive abilities
• Nonacademic interests or talents
• Personal qualities
• Distinctive or unusual talents and/or circumstances
Yale interviews are meant to be conversations rather
than interrogations, where applicants learn about Yale
even as volunteers are learning about applicants. Ex-
pect applicants to ask about your own Yale experiences;
they’re just as curious as you are! Ultimately, we hope
the interview is a meaningul interaction or both the
student and the volunteer.
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What is the Alumni Schools Committee (ASC)?
The ASC is a network o alumni volunteers who share a passion or Yale and conduct interviews on behal o
Undergraduate Admissions with the goals o:
• Providing crucial inormation about applicants to Yale so that the admissions committee can make
better decisions as it shapes the reshman class, and
• Establishing an ambassadorial presence that educates the local applicants and community about Yale’s
unique opportunities, values, and character.
Why your work is important
Ambassadorship: As a member o the ASC, you play a substantial ambassadorial role on Yale’s behal. Your
interaction with applicants can advance Yale’s reputation in general, and or admitted students, it may con-
tribute significantly to their choosing us over other attractive options. Through your interactions with pro-
spective students and their amilies, you illuminate the University’s strengths and ethos. In many cases, the
interview may be the only time the applicants have direct contact with a Yale
community member. As a result, the interview can be an influential moment
or the applicant, even beyond the college application process.
Interviews: Your interviews and written summaries are more important than
ever. With so many applicants—and many presenting similar academic and
extracurricular profiles—the Admissions Committee appreciates perceptive,
vivid written impressions to envision the personal and intellectual qualities
that may make some high-achieving students stand out among others. Ad-
ditionally, your reports can lend important context or the applicant. The
interview report remains one o the ew documents that provides a window
into a spontaneous interaction with the applicant. As a result, they are some
o the most requently viewed documents in our Admissions Committee
meetings, flashed up on a big screen so that all members o the committee can
read them.
Beyond the interview:
• Represent Yale at local
information sessions led
by regional admissions
ocers
• Represent Yale at various
pre-college programs
• Attend receptions or
admitted students
• Attend “Send-os” or
incoming reshmen
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Who is eligible to join the ASC?
Any Yale College or Yale graduate or proessional school alumni can join the ASC. Please review our sections on
Ethical Considerations and eligibility as established by Ivy+ Best Practices or additional details.
Yale Undergraduate Admissions & ASC structure
Dean
&
Director
26 Admission
Ocers
270 ASC Directors
12,000 ASC Members
18,000
interviews
completed annually
1,500
virtual
interviewers
committees that encompass
60
countries
&
50
U.S. states
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Rewards and ambassadorship
Why is the ASC rewarding?
ASC members universally say that the biggest rewards o volunteering come rom the one-on-one conver-
sations with Yale hopeuls. Many o them are impressive because o their accomplishments or their engag-
ing personalities. But even when you meet students with less dazzling attributes, the encounters can be
endearingly memorable – in act, your reports may help illuminate qualities that otherwise would not have
emerged in their applications.
A ew words about ambassadorship
For many applicants, alumni interviews are the first contact with the colleges they are exploring. You may
be the ace o Yale University or many applicants you meet, so your role is significant, perhaps momen-
tous or a student who discovers the best o Yale through you. We oen hear rom students who say their
interviewer was a key influence in their decision to enroll. We like to think that even those who decide to
enroll elsewhere, or who are not admitted, nevertheless have very positive eelings about Yale because o
their interviewer.
The heart o the ASC Program lies in our ability to be ambassadors or Yale. While we must be realistic
about the admission rate, we can contribute to students’ positive eelings about Yale. In act, your ambas-
sadorship on the University’s behal may ultimately contribute more significantly to Yale than your assess-
ment o any single applicant. A student might find his meeting with you to be so comortable, so engaging,
and so sincere that he sees Yale’s tangible and intangible strengths through you. And we never underesti-
mate the positive ripple eect that can result rom a good interview experience—even i the student isn’t
admitted. When applicants tell their amilies, counselors, and classmates about their engaging Yale inter-
viewer, those impressions influence the thinking o other candidates and their supporters.
Interview workflow
How do students apply?
Common Application: In order to be eligible or an interview, reshmen applicants must complete the
Common Application, an online system oered by more than 500 other colleges and universities,
including all eight o the Ivy schools and Stanord.
Application Rounds:
Single Choice Early Action (EA) Regular Decision (RD)
Deadline: November 1st Deadline: January 1st
Decision Release: mid-December Decision Release: late-March
The plan is non-binding, meaning that
candidates who are admitted early need not
respond to the oer of admission until
May 1, and may apply to other schools
during Regular Decision.
The decision release date is set by the Ivy
League admissions deans as the Ivies release
their decisions simultaneously. Students
will have until May 1 to notify Yale of their
matriculation.
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How are interviews assigned to me?
ASC calendar
ASC Orientation
Common Application
submitted
ASC Director receives
notification that
applicants are available
for interviews
The assigned volunteer
receives notification of an
assignment via email and
confirms the assignment
ASC Director assigns
interviewers from
available volunteers
The volunteer schedules
the interview and meets
the applicant
The volunteer submits
the interview report
through the ASC portal
. . . . . .
Nov. 1 - EA
application
deadline
Dec. 1 - EA
interview report
due date
mid Dec. - EA
admissions
decisions released
Jan. 1 - RD
application
deadline
Feb. 12-14 - YES
Weekend for STEM
likelies
Feb. 15 - RD
interview report
due date
late Mar. - RD
admissions
decisions released
Apr. 25-27 -
Bulldog Days
program for
admitted students
May 1 - admitted
student reply date
For a more in-depth look at the ASC
calendar, please visit our section on the
Detailed ASC Calendar.
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The ASC portal: your interviewing hub
To see your interview assignments, view applicant contact inormation, and submit your interview reports, you should
log-in to the ASC portal.
The interview
Contacting the applicant:
Friendly, inviting first contacts by email or phone can put applicants at ease. Let them know rom the out-
set that you’re looking orward to a good conversation rather than a ormal interrogation.
You will be able to access the phone numbers and email addresses or all o your assigned interviewees
through the ASC portal. We recommend that you cover all bases by using email, and then i needed, the
phone. Aer two or three attempts to reach an applicant, you should not eel obliged to pursue the inter-
view any urther. In such instances, please submit the interview report and indicate that the student could not be
reached aer multiple attempts.
Scheduling the interview:
Please take into account driving distance and time o day. Schedule interviews during non-school hours. It is
inappropriate to ask students to skip class or an alumni interview.
Give several choices o date and time as well as venue. Indicate that interview will take approximately 45
minutes but no more than 75 minutes.
Occasionally applicants will decline interview invitations, typically because they have been admitted ear-
ly to their first-choice colleges or or other reasons. Unless the student has had an on-campus interview,
we would very much like to have her sit with you or an alumni interview. You may simply say that Yale’s
goal is to have as many students as possible interviewed. I a student declines an interview
invitation, please submit the interview report and indicate the student’s reasons or declining the
interview.
Please watch this brief instructional
video to take a walk through the
updated portal.
ASC Orientation
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The venue:
Please choose a neutral, comortable, and convenient venue. Interviews are not
permitted in either the interviewer’s home or the applicant’s home.
Virtual interviews:
While in-person conversations are almost always more natural, there are occasions when a physical meeting
is impossible and a virtual interview is the next best option.
Online communication means that we can now reach students who live in remote locations or who are oth-
erwise dicult to see in person. Many volunteers have ound that virtual interviews are perectly reason-
able substitutes or the real thing. Additionally, they oer a convenient option rom the comort o home or
oce.
Virtual interviews are arranged and conducted in the usual way, but you and the applicant will need to have
the appropriate web application available on your computers—we recommend Skype or Google Hangouts.
O course, there may be situations where even online interviews aren’t possible, but where a conversation
with the applicant is highly desirable. In such cases, we’ll have to rely on the telephone. That means yet an-
other dimension o the conversation is removed, but it’s preerable to having no conversation at all. As with
any interview, you may need to lead the way toward putting the applicant at ease.
Length:
There is no prescribed length or interviews, but we recommend 45 to 75 minutes. This length o time
tends to strike a balance between “rushed” and “overwhelming.”
Notes:
You may be tempted to write notes during the conversation. We suggest waiting to
make notes until aer you’ve wished the applicants well and sent them on their way, as
to prevent them rom eeling sel-conscious.
Venue Ideas:
• Your local public library
• The student’s high school
• A small coee shop
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What do we want to know?
We will have the applicants’ academic records, teacher recommendations, list o extracurricular activities,
and other evidence o their abilities. But you may be able to detect some o the characteristics that will help
us assess their promise or success at Yale.
By ocusing your questions on students’ interests, inspirations, and sourc-
es o pride or satisaction, you can help dispel the notion that raw academic
data points alone are used to categorize applicants. Even in the admissions
oce, we never look at grades and scores without placing them in the context
shaped by a number o other actors which are known to us. Students may
volunteer their credentials without your asking, which is perectly fine; we
just ask you not to attempt to orecast their chances or admission based on
that inormation.
It is perectly okay to accept such items, but it’s generally best to set them aside and go right into the in-
terview. Toward the close o the conversation, you may wish to mention that interviewers cannot submit
documents on behal o applicants, and that you assume the student has provided the admissions oce
with the same inormation.
Please do not consider what ollows to be a script or a checklist. We just want to summarize what we hope
to learn rom you about the applicants, including these main categories:
Intellectual strengths, energy: What is your impression o the applicant’s general thinking
skills? Does he seem comortable with complex ideas? Were his answers to your questions
thoughtul, ull? Did he display insight, originality, ability to support ideas with examples?
Can you envision him taking an active part in classroom discussions or in lively conversa-
tions over meals in the dining hall?
Academic interests: Was the applicant able to identiy some areas o particular academic
interest? Does she enjoy learning in other academic areas? Is she likely to take advantage o
a liberal arts education? Has she begun to orm ideas about specific majors or Programs?
Is she aware o Yale-specific academic oerings? Does she have career aspirations? How
well-reasoned do those aspirations seem to be?
While we do not admit students to fill certain academic departments or vocational roles, it
does help us to have a sense o how much thought students have given to how they might
use their Yale academic experience, and whether they have especially well-defined areas o
scholarly ocus.
Flexibility in thinking, openness: Did the applicant show signs that he can entertain dierent
points o view and can oer opinions with grace? Did he discuss any experiences
in which conflict or disagreement arose? I so, how did he handle himsel? Did he
reveal any strongly held belies or attitudes that could be considered strengths in
the context o a university community? Or liabilities?
Sample
Questions
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Students naturally carry their own set o convictions and perspectives. We especially ap-
preciate those whose minds are agile enough to have convictions and perspectives tested
through healthy exchanges and experiences.
Expressive abilities: How skillully and confidently did the applicant express hersel? Is she
an easy conversationalist? Did she oer ull, articulate responses to reflective questions? Did
she ask thoughtul questions? What strengths did she display in using the English lan-
guage?
Expressive abilities tend to be closely linked with intellectual strengths, but sometimes
students are better thinkers than talkers, and vice versa. Our best candidates will usually be
strong in both realms!
Nonacademic interests or talents: What are the applicant’s avorite outside interests? How
did she become involved? What is her level o commitment in terms o time and energy? Is
she likely to pursue similar interests while in college? Does she seem to be striking a healthy
balance between extracurricular activity and school work?
Keep in mind that we will already have an extensive list o an applicant’s activities, as well as
commentary rom her school about her extracurricular accomplishments. We are interested
in your impressions o how nonacademic pursuits fit into her lie and what role they may
play in her experience at Yale.
Personal qualities: What about the applicant’s demeanor stood out or you? What kind o
classmate and/or roommate is she likely to be? What character traits are you able to detect?
Do her personal traits set her apart in a positive way? In a less than positive way?
Since many o our applicants will not have extensive interviewing experience, we ask you to
try to see the person beyond the anxious or eager interviewee. What is this applicant like, in
all probability, in her daily lie?
Distinctive or unusual talents and/or circumstances: Did the applicant mention rare pursuits
or accomplishments? Did you learn anything about his background or lie experiences that
may be significant?
Applicants or their recommenders tend to tell us about achievements or talents they con-
sider to be noteworthy, so don’t bother listing common awards or activities. But please
note anything that seems to be truly special or unusual. The same goes or background
circumstances. In most cases, though, we’re interested less in what was achieved or what the
circumstances are than what impact the talent or background has on the student’s lie.
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Some things to consider:
Parents: It is perectly generous and appropriate to chat with parents and to answer ques-
tions they may have—aer the interview, i you have the time, and i the circumstances are
comortable. But you are not obligated to devote extra time and energy to a ull-scale session
with amily members, especially i you detect eorts to cajole or pressure you.
Dicult Topics or Circumstances: As a rule o thumb, it is better to let students themselves,
i they wish, introduce topics that are deeply personal or sensitive. We’ve ound that ap-
plicants have become increasingly open and orthright in their application essays, and you
may meet a candidate who will mention personal struggles, amily issues, and the like. You
would not want to probe such areas, but you should be ready to let students talk about
things they believe are relevant in conveying “who they are.” We also advise against asking
leading questions such as those concerning the students’ or parents’ political leanings, reli-
gious belies, or financial situations. And should interviewees raise delicate subjects them-
selves, it’s wise to employ diplomatic instincts in determining how to keep the conversation
within the bounds o a college interview.
Our applicant pool naturally includes students with disabilities and a variety o special cir-
cumstances that may require accommodations or the interview setting or the way the inter-
view is conducted. We rarely hear o situations that pose diculties, though, and common
sense adjustments, i needed, usually make the interview flow as smoothly as any others
would
It’s hardly common, but students themselves may display unusual immaturity in one way
or another, which tends to lead to an understandably somewhat abbreviated conversation.
In extreme cases where, say, an applicant is disrespectul or combative, you have clear right
to discontinue the interview and include in your report the circumstances that led you to do
so. We try to be orgiving o candidates who are simply unpracticed in the art o interview-
ing, and may dress more casually (or ormally) than expected, or instance, or may be less
than precisely punctual or unsophisticated in other ways. But you may o course record your
honest impressions in the interview write-up.
The interview report:
What to tell us:
You are ree to write your report in any style that is comortable to you. We see everything rom elegant
prose to crisp bullet points. We set no specific parameters or length, but extremely terse reports lack the
descriptive texture that lends credibility to any conclusions drawn. Extremely long reports oen include
unnecessary details—even to the point o obscuring the gist o your impressions.
In general, we think it’s wise or interviewers to complete write-ups as soon as possible
aer the conversation concludes while memories are still resh.
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While the Admissions Committee already has the applicant’s academic credentials and extracurricular
resume, you can make observations about her expressive abilities or depth o thinking that aren’t easily
captured in SAT scores or grade averages. You may be able to gauge more accurately the authenticity o her
enthusiasm or an academic subject or commitment to an activity through your in-person conversation.
The assessments you make about your interviewees are strengthened with any supporting details you can
include. I the applicant seems to you like one who’d be a lively contributor to seminar discussions, tell us
how he gave you that impression. I you think she would be a great roommate and member o her residen-
tial college, tell us about her demeanor or something she said that led you to that conclusion. You may find
it helpul to include quotations—or at least paraphrased utterances—in your report.
Sample reports:
We oer these samples o actual interview reports or excerpts to highlight
the kinds o commentaries that help the admissions committee make careul,
inormed decisions. For contrast, we’ve included examples o write-ups that
could have been more influential with the addition o supporting detail. This
selection is not ully representative o the many eective reporting styles
used by ASC volunteers, but we hope it serves illustrative purposes. We’ve
changed names and other identiying characteristics.
Ethical considerations:
We hope you enjoy the privilege o and pride in representing Yale. That comes with some responsibilities which
should be easy and natural to ulfill, mostly because they require only common sense and general thoughtul-
ness. Here are some o the key ideas; we trust you to adapt or extrapolate where appropriate.
Ivy+ Best Practices:
The Ivy+ Colleges and Universities have agreed to abide by these general practices and principles. Individ-
ual institutions may tailor these practices to suit their individual programs.
1. Institutional Priorities
a. Subscribing institutions agree to have a statement o purpose defining the roles o alumni volunteers and their
interactions with prospective students.
b. Schools will provide training to alumni volunteers.
c. Legitimate complaints will be investigated without prejudice to the applicant at any point in the admissions
process in a timely manner. Institutions will provide a point o contact or counselors, parents, and students to
contact the alumni admissions program with any such complaints.
2. The Role o the Alumni Volunteer
a. Alumni volunteers will abide by the non- discrimination policies established by the individual institution.
b. Alumni volunteers will abide by the confidentiality policies o the program and the institution.
c. Alumni volunteers will abide by the best practices established by NACAC and the NCAA.
3. Eligibility
Sample
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a. Conflicts o interest, real or perceived, will inorm the volunteer’s eligibility, as determined by each individual
institution. Such conflicts may include:
i. Admissions ocer or a college counselor
ii. Secondary or post- secondary institution employee
iii. Immediate amily member o current applicants to the individual institution
iv. Immediate amily member o current college applicants
v. Independent college counselor
vi. For- profit college preparation consultant
b. An alumni volunteer may not represent more than one undergraduate institution in the same admissions cycle.
4. Expectations or Alumni and Applicant Interactions
a. Alumni volunteers will strive to create a mutually respectul environment and interaction.
b. Alumni volunteers will treat all inormation provided by the institution or the applicant as confidential.
c. Alumni volunteers will not request that applicants provide specific materials (e.g., transcript, application, essays,
resume, questionnaire) to their interviewer.
d. Alumni volunteers should not create any impressions or expectations, positive or negative, about the student’s
probability o admission.
e. Alumni volunteers will ensure that interactions occur in a sae, accessible and neutral location; at a time that is
agreed upon by both parties; and that respects the volunteer’s and the student’s commitments to school, work,
activities, and amily obligations.
. Alumni volunteers will not interview applicants with whom there is an existing personal, amilial or proessional
connection.
g. Alumni volunteers will not initiate conversation that may make a candidate uncomortable or that is overly per-
sonal, whether with regard to the candidate or the volunteer.
h. Alumni volunteers will use appropriate language.
i. Alumni volunteers will not use disparaging comparisons o secondary or post- secondary institutions.
j. Alumni volunteers will not ask the student where he or she is applying.
ASC eligibility:
ASC members are not permitted to recruit or interview or another undergraduate college.
I an ASC member’s child is in Yale’s applicant pool during the current admissions cycle, he or she must
step away rom the ASC during that cycle and not conduct any interviews. We also ask that members take a
year o rom the ASC i a grandchild, sibling, or other close relative is applying to Yale.
Independent college counselors or individuals otherwise engaged in helping students prepare college ap-
plications (college admission ocer, or-profit college preparation consultant, etc.) are not permitted to be
ASC members.
School-based counselors and teachers may interview, but they should not interview students who attend
the schools in which they work.
Interview conduct:
Please conduct interviews in English.
We strongly preer that interviews be one-on-one conversations. For even the most
poised o applicants the college interview can be stressul, and acing more than one
interviewer, no matter how warm and approachable they are, may be intimidating.
Only interview students with whom you have no prior association or connection—re-
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rain rom interviewing riends, relatives, riends o riends, children o riends and relatives, etc. We trust
you to be unbiased, but in the high-anxiety climate o college admissions, we think it’s better or everyone
i we avoid even appearances o a conflict o interest. I your ASC Director happens to assign you a student
who fits in the “I should recuse mysel ” category, simply decline the assignment.
Avoid anything in the conversation that implies you or the University preer students o certain political
persuasions, religious belies, or other personal points o view or backgrounds. Do not ask where else an
applicant is applying, and do not denigrate other colleges or high schools, and, o course, do not discuss
other candidates during the interview.
Do not create any impressions or expectations, positive or negative, about the student’s probability o
admission. Do not ask to see test scores, grades, or a resume, and i the student happens to hand you this
inormation, accept it graciously but then put it aside.
Anything you learn about a student should be treated with utmost respect or privacy. You may find it
helpul to discuss an interviewing experience with your ASC Director or with the appropriate admissions
sta member, especially i there is a delicate concern or i general eedback would be useul to you. In the
extremely rare case where a student might reveal directly or indirectly a potentially dangerous physical or
psychological situation, it may be prudent to consult with a parent or school ocial, but only when saety
is at stake and aer seeking advice rom the ASC Director and admissions sta.
Detailed ASC calendar:
September-October:
• Admissions oce recruitment travel, including local inormation sessions and school visits
• ASC gatherings
• EA interviewing begins
Early autumn sees the heaviest recruitment travel in the US and throughout the world. Public information
sessions may be oered in your area, and you are cordially invited to attend. It is oen very helpul to have
ASC members on hand to meet and answer questions rom students and parents. Although the application
deadline is November 1st, you will probably receive interview assignments rom the ASC Director via email
notification in early all.
Your Director may also invite you to attend an ASC gathering, giving you the chance to meet ellow mem-
bers, give and receive tips on interviewing Yale applicants, and otherwise kick o the academic year and
admissions season with ellow volunteers and ambassadors or Yale.
Click the image or details
on our upcoming events!
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November:
• November 1 - EA applications due
• Interviews continue
November is a busy month or interviews, given that the EA application deadline is November 1st, and
Admissions Committee meetings begin later in the month. You will receive interview requests rom your
ASC Director via email notification. We urge you to confirm or decline an assignment immediately and
then contact students promptly. Try to schedule the interviews during the first hal o the month i possi-
ble. (Keep in mind that the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday may aect scheduling options later in the month.)
By preparing and submitting your interview reports by late November, you will help admissions ocers
enormously as we prepare or committee meetings. In any case, we ask that you submit your reports no
later than December 1st.
December:
• December 1 - EA interview reports due
• Admissions decisions released
• Congratulatory contacts with admitted students
Aer several weeks o intensive committee meetings, EA admissions decisions are posted online, usually by
mid-December. You will be able to view the decisions or the applicants you interviewed in the ASC portal
ollowing the notification date. The decisions must not be made public or discussed outside the ranks o the ASC
membership. We are obligated to maintain the strictest standards o privacy and confidentiality with respect to our
applicants, whether admitted, denied, or deerred.
It is customary or interviewers to contact admitted students to express words o congratulations and will-
ingness to stay in touch i questions about Yale arise. (Remember, students admitted early do not have to
make a commitment to attend until May 1st, and continued interest and support on the part o volunteers
goes a long way to assuring that the response will be “yes.”) We do not encourage initiating contact with
applicants who have been denied admission or whose applications have been deerred or consideration
anew in the RD process.
January:
• January 1 - RD applications due
• RD interviewing begins
The RD interviewing season is less compact than the EA period, but the volume o applications is higher.
With admissions committee meetings starting in February, the need or prompt action remains—as does
the appreciation or your eorts! Please submit your reports no later than February 15th.
February:
• Interviews continue
• February 15 - RD interview reports due
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March:
• Admissions decisions released
By agreement, all eight Ivy schools release admissions decisions online on the same day, usually at the
end o March. You will be able to view the decisions or the applicants you interviewed in the ASC portal
ollowing the notification date. The decisions must not be made public or discussed outside the ranks o the ASC
membership. We are obligated to maintain the strictest standards o privacy and confidentiality with respect to our
applicants, whether admitted, denied, or placed on the wait list.
April:
• April 25-27, 2016 - Bulldog Days
• Congratulatory contacts with admitted students
• Admitted student gatherings
• Financial aid and wait list questions
From the moment they receive the decision through the early days o April, admitted students will be
soaking up the happy eelings. While many students will have already chosen Yale, a good many will allow
themselves to be tempted by a barrage o hopeul solicitations rom competing institutions and their alum-
ni and student recruiters. Fortunately, the warmth and sincerity o our volunteer eorts tend to win out
over even the fiercest o competition.
But taking nothing or granted, we do all we can to make our prospective Yalies eel welcomed into the
community, and we know rom experience that they not only appreciate the congratulatory messages, the
celebratory events, and oers to answer questions and make connections, but they weigh that caring atten-
tion in their decisions to accept Yale’s oer.
Bulldog Days can be another turning point or undecided students, so we hope you will urge them to visit
campus or the occasion.
While this is an important month or admitted students, it is a significant and oen anxious time or the
hundreds o students oered places on our wait list. Some students may contact you with questions. Please
reer them to the area admissions ocer.
It’s less common or students who have been denied admission to contact you with “why didn’t I get in?”
laments, but it can happen. Again, you should always ree to reer disappointed students to your area’s
admissions ocer.
May:
• May 1 - Admitted students make decisions by common reply date
• Wait list deliberations begin
Both EA and RD admitted students must record their decisions by May 1st. The Com-
mon Reply Date is, by agreement, the same throughout the Ivy League.
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Once we have heard rom all admitted students, we know how many (i any) candidates we can admit rom
the wait list. We begin another round o committee meetings to decide which students to admit. There is
no specific notification date or wait list decisions. We do our very best to release the decisions as promptly
as possible, and we specifically aim to notiy all students by the end o June at the latest. The timing de-
pends almost entirely on the number o spaces available, which aects the length o our committee deliber-
ations.
June-August:
• “Send-o ” gatherings or new reshmen and returning students
The admitted student gatherings in April tend to be celebratory events, but the “send-o ” parties or new
and returning Yalies allows or unbridled happiness and shared pride. It’s not only a memorable occasion
or the students and their amilies, but it can be a shining moment or you and ellow volunteers as well.
Aer all, you have played a key role in making Yale a part o the students’ lives, and it should be savored.
Undergraduate Admissions:
Highly selective admissions:
You undoubtedly know that the size and talent o the applicant pool com-
pared to the number o places available in the reshman class severely limit
the number o students who will receive good news when admissions deci-
sions are released. Sometimes the news is as disappointing to interviewers
as it is to applicants. You are likely to find at some point that your avorite
interviewee has applied unsuccessully—in spite o your enthusiastic mas-
terpiece o an interview report. Your conversation with students might well
have a positive impact on them, even i they don’t land at Yale. And, as we
oen say, applicants’ positive interactions with alumni volunteers brings additional glow to the University’s
world-wide reputation.
You may be amiliar with statistics about our applicant pool. But
though they are typically the most quoted figures in guide books and
news articles, they don’t come close to describing the variety o talents
and backgrounds represented in the cohort o Yale hopeuls, and they
tend to suggest that gaining admission to places like Yale is really a
contest to see who can present the highest grades and scores, and the
most items and awards on their resumes.
It takes months o careul deliberation to assemble a class o approx-
imately 1,350 individuals who bring to the University the range o
backgrounds and experiences, depth o abilities and
accomplishments, and community-minded human
qualities that have enriched Yale year aer year.
We know that each year our decisions disappoint
a great many applicants and their admirers—oen
Click here to
view the full
Yale Class of
2019 Profile
30,000+
applicants
2,000 admitted
students
1,350 enrolled
reshmen
»
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ASC Orientation
including ASC members. We regularly see comments rom teachers, counselors, and interviewers along the
lines o “This student is extraordinary” or “The best I’ve ever seen” or “A must admit or Yale.” Alas, i we
were to take all the applicants who received “best ever” level praise, we would have to add at least twelve
more residential colleges to accommodate them all. And were we to simply admit as many o the “most im-
pressive” individual applicants we could fit into a reshman class, we would we be sacrificing much o the
variety o interests, backgrounds, points o view—all manner o diversity—that creates broader and deeper
learning experiences or all.
Thanks to your collaboration with us, we not only attract a superb applicant pool, but we enroll classes that
only a ew peer institutions might match. Your impressions help us see the promise o individual candi-
dates, and your ambassadorial eorts help us assemble the singular and wonderul community that is Yale.
While the interview report can provide helpul inormation about the applicant, it is but one part o the
application process. As previously mentioned, Yale receives ar more qualified applications than the number
o spots available in the reshman class. Not every student you interview will be admitted, including the
strongest, as everyone competes within the national pool. That said, be as open and honest as possible in
your reports. I a student is truly a standout, be sure to document how and why. I you had a less-than-a-
vorable impression o the student, be open and honest about that. We are always looking or the “how” and
“why” rom your reports.
Financial aid:
Yale is one o the most affordable colleges in the country or amilies with under $200,000 in annual
income—significantly less expensive on average than attending a top public university, even or in-state
students. Families who have annual incomes below $65,000 and typical household assets are not asked to
pay anything toward the cost o a Yale education. Yale meets 100% o every admitted student’s financial
need, with an aid package that does not require taking out loans.
To apply or financial aid, applicants should submit:
• The Free Applcation or Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) - fafsa.ed.gov
• The CSS Profile - student.collegeboard.org/css-financial-aid-profile
• A signed copy o the amily’s most recent tax returns
Students also make a modest financial contribution rom summer and term-time job earnings. Yale’s Net
Price Calculator, available at yale.edu/financialaid, allows amilies to receive a more precise estimate o their
cost o attendance. More inormation, including Yale’s criteria or granting Common Application ee waivers,
is available at admissions.yale.edu/price.
Overview for Directors
This resource is intended to give our ASC Directors a quick overview of the Director role as we head into the 2015-
2016 application cycle. As we do with our general membership, we encourage you to read this entire resource for in-
depth coverage of the ASC Program and the interviewing cycle.
The role o the ASC Director
The ASC is one o the largest and most active Yale alumni
organizations with arguably one o the most crucial roles
in developing the uture o Yale College. As ASC Direc-
tor you lead a group o volunteers in interviewing and
recruiting potential students to our campus community.
It would be impossible or Undergraduate Admissions to
do its work without the eorts o the ASC. You are at the
oreront o this eort.
As leader o your ASC’s eorts, you are responsible or:
• Stewardship
» Maintaining and growing the ranks o ASC
volunteers
» Training new and returning volunteers
» Providing eedback to volunteers
» When the time comes, preparing a new Director
to succeed you
• Ambassadorship
» Leading the charge by being the ace o Yale to
students, amilies, and schools in your commu-
nity
» Encouraging your volunteers to have rewarding
interactions as ambassadors or Yale
Dean
&
Director
26 Admission
Ocers
270 ASC Directors
12,000 ASC Members
Admissions and ASC Structure
Resources or the ASC Director
There is a multitude o resources available or our ASC
directors as they provide leadership or their respective
ASC’s. Most notably, the ASC portal went through numer-
ous changes in the past year, making your role as a Director
even more convenient.
• Director Portal
All active and inactive interviewers in your ASC will
be listed in the portal. Contact them by mid-
September to welcome them back to the ASC and,
more importantly, to confirm their participation in
the upcoming admissions cycle. This will help to cut
down interviewer reassignments later in the process.
• Virtual Interviews
Your ASC may have “virtual” members. These are vol-
unteers who may not live within the borders o your
ASC, but in many cases have some connection. These
volunteers are willing to interview students through
virtual means such as Skype, Google Hangouts, Face-
Time, etc. Please incorporate these volunteers into
your interview assignments, especially or students
who may live at the edges o your ASC.
• Undergraduate Admissions
Please eel ree to reach out to the Admissions Oce
via the contact inormation at the end o this docu-
ment, should you need guidance or assistance.
• Technology Upgrades
We continue to make upgrades to the Director portal
to ease your use. Directors can now:
» Add notes or applicants in the portal
» Cra personalized emails to assigned volunteers
» Adjust volunteers’ preerences and add notes
» Quickly recognize volunteers or outstanding
service
» Email their entire volunteer corps
» Easily track to see which volunteers have
confirmed or declined interview assignments
Assigning interviews and managing your ASC (the Director portal)
The Director portal has been updated with
additional eatures and a cleaner, clearer
interace to better assist you in your work
as an ASC Director. Please watch this brief
instructional video to take a walk through
the new portal.
The interviewing cycle
There are several important dates and time rames to remember throughout the ASC interviewing cycle. Please keep these
in mind as you assign interviews, manage your volunteers, and keep track o interview reports.
Your ASC’s timeline may have additional markers, especially i you choose to organize events such as group interviewing
days, ASC workshops or training, admitted student receptions, or “send-o ” programs or matriculated students. We
encourage you, as the leader o your regional ASC, to make the most o the calendar year and pursue creative programming
or you and your volunteers.
. . . . . .
Nov. 1 - EA
application
deadline
early Nov. -
complete all
EA interview
assignments
Dec. 1 - EA
interview report
due date
mid Dec. - EA
admissions
decisions released
Jan. 1 - RD
application
deadline
early Jan. -
complete all
RD interview
assignments
Feb. 12-14 - YES
Weekend for STEM
likelies
Feb. 15 - RD
interview report
due date
late Mar. - RD
admissions
decisions released
Apr. 25-27 -
Bulldog Days
program for
admitted students
May 1 - admitted
student reply date
Additional resources
You and your volunteers may find the ollowing links
helpul throughout the ASC interviewing season. Although
ASC email correspondences will contain these links (and
others), we encourage you to direct your volunteers to
these resources as they carry out their interview
assignments.
Contact us
I you find that you need additional support in your role
as Director, or you simply would like to be in touch with
Undergraduate Admissions, please eel ree to contact your
regional admissions ocer, or one o the ASC sta mem-
bers below:
Bowen Posner, Director o the ASC Program
Donna Alchimio, ASC Coordinator
[email protected] (general questions and inormation)
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Why your work is important
The significance o the role you play as a Director o one o Yale’s largest and most active alumni organizations
cannot be overstated. Even with an admissions sta o nearly orty members and many o the latest communi-
cation tools at our disposal, it would be impossible or us to coordinate the network o alumni volunteers who
each year manage to interview 18,000 applicants and provide insights that are indispensable in thoughtul
admissions decision-making. That coordination task alone would be enough to win our grateul appreciation,
but we are ully aware that you and your ellow ASC directors are perorming a greater service to Yale than you
might imagine. The University’s superb world-wide reputation has been burnished and armed over three dis-
tinguished centuries, but to attract and inspire students who will add to Yale’s legacy o educational prominence
or the next century requires ongoing demonstration o our character and mission. Through the ASC members
you recruit, guide, inorm, and cultivate, the world beyond New Haven sees the best o Yale, and the benefits
accrue not or the Admissions Oce alone, but or the Institution at large.
What is the Director’s Role?
The ASC Program constitutes Yale’s largest alumni volunteer eort, both in terms o alumni involved and hours
committed. There are nearly 270 ASC areas throughout the world, each headed by an alumnus or alumna.
Through the ASC Program, Yale alumni interview approximately 18,000 high school students per year.
The job o ASC Director involves a commitment o roughly 40-60 hours per year, plus discretionary activities.
Most communication with the Admissions Oce and ASC interviewers is via email, and some by telephone.
The interview assignment and monitoring process is based in the Director portal.
As an ASC Director, we ask that you be both a manager and a leader. You manage the process o building and
maintaining the ranks o ASC members, training new volunteers, coordinating the assignment o interviews,
and coordinating local recruitment activities. You lead by setting an enthusiastic and purposeul tone and shap-
ing your ASC activities and communications such that your members embrace a sense o mission beyond mere
duty. We hope you will take satisaction rom the knowledge that, through you, alumni o all eras can experience
a sense o connection to a place that aected their lives in enduring ways.
Stewardship:
Recruitment: With steadily increasing applications to Yale, some ASC directors find that
growing the size o the volunteer corps is desirable, i not downright necessary. The condi-
tions or recruitment o new ASC members varies rom area to area, so we won’t propose
“one-size-fits-all” strategies here, but we will oer some tested ideas as well as sources o
advice and help.
“Grassroots” approach: Whether you think five or twenty-five additional volunteers
would help meet the demand in your area or interviews, you might simply put out a
call to existing ASC members to suggest names o ellow alumni who might
be available to serve. O course, it will help i they are willing to “recruit” the
prospective volunteers as well! You and your colleagues might also make a de-
liberate eort to keep an eye out or interviewer candidates at local Yale Club
meetings or other gatherings where Yalies come together.
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Email canvassing: In larger areas, or in regions where a sizeable increase in the number
o interviewers is needed, it may be useul to augment the grassroots approach with
a broadcast call to service through email—and maybe a ollow-up call or note. The
Admissions Oce can prepare a list o local alumni and send out tailored messages
inviting Yalies to consider joining the ASC cause. This is a good way to perhaps discov-
er alumni who are new to the area, or even recent graduates; or them, joining the ASC
may be a nice way to begin establishing Yale ties in the community.
Recent grads: The pool o younger Yale graduates can be a rich source o enthusiastic
volunteers, and you and your veteran ASC members might wish to make special eorts
to target that group, especially those who are returning to their “home” territory where
they may have been interviewed. Even i they are located elsewhere, they can connect
with local applicants virtually. Again, the Admissions Oce can help identiy alumni in
the area. The Yale Alumni directory may also be a useul tool.
Maintaining and inspiring the ranks:
Inspiring the current ranks o volunteers is another goal o directors which can be addressed
in a variety o ways that best suit the circumstances. Natural attrition happens, o course:
members move away or have personal reasons or a stop or pause in their service, and inter-
viewers with a child in the applicant pool are obliged to take a “leave” during that academic
year. Directors can guard against other kinds o attrition by employing strategies to keep
volunteers actively engaged—and by heading o conditions and circumstances that can lead
members to dri away. Frequent and encouraging communications can play a major role in
connecting with volunteers and rallying them around shared goals.
Training:
Good interviewing technique comes either through instinct or rom practice o eective
skills. While we can oer a ew tips and hints as help, we’d rather not presume that our vol-
unteers need training in the art o interviewing. We think it is much more important to oer
guidance regarding the nature and context o college interviews.
That said, it is still very useul early in the interviewing seasons to introduce or reintroduce
the essential philosophies and practices that guide our interviewing process.
We ask you to urge every volunteer to take time to explore ASC Orientation, and to take
note o the call or an explicit commitment to carry out this important service to the Univer-
sity with the aims o our mission in mind.
Events:
Gatherings or ASC members: These are ideal or addressing the program philoso-
phies and providing the visible demonstration o mutual subscription to the princi-
ples o the program.
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Including several ASC gatherings on the calendar is a great way to accomplish a variety o
aims:
• Rallying “kick-o ” session into lay out the year’s schedule and plans
• Recruiting new volunteers
• Orienting members to the admissions process and interviewing practices
• Ambassadorial events with prospective or admitted students
• Thanking volunteers or answering our call to service
• Complementing other occasions or Yalies to gather socially
You have ull license to adapt according to circumstances. And you should not eel obliged to
host every gathering; sharing both the planning and the execution o events is a good way to
spread the responsibilities and to give others a chance to raise their level o engagement.
Interviews
Assignment logistics:
Fortunately, the mechanics o assigning interviews have become increasingly automated, which we hope
relieves some o your clerical burden. However, we are ully aware that it takes time and thought to allocate
your human resources eectively and eciently, especially given oen changing circumstances. In sim-
plest terms, the aim is to give as many students as possible in your region the opportunity or an interview,
which generally means doing a bit o basic math: dividing the number o applicants by the number o
interviewers.
On-campus interviews:
A limited number o on-campus interviews are available on a first-come,
first-served basis rom late-June to mid-August and rom mid-September to
mid-November. These interviews are conducted by current Yale seniors at
the Admissions Oce and take approximately thirty minutes.
The Directors portal:
If an applicant has interviewed
on-campus, he or she will not
have the opportunity to
interview with a Yale
alumnus/a.
The Director portal has
been updated with ad-
ditional eatures and a
cleaner, clearer interace
to better assist you in your
work as an ASC Director.
Please watch this brief in-
structional video to take a
walk through the new
portal.
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Challenges:
You may have an abundance of volunteers such that some might be le with very few or even no candidates to
interview. This may be a less challenging situation than that o too ew volunteers, but we know that it’s a
challenge, just the same, particularly i you have ASC members who are enthusiastic about being involved.
I it’s a matter o volunteers having slightly ewer interview assignments than they’ve had recently, just a
word rom you to the group will at least let them know that the volume is such that ewer interviews are
needed.
I there are literally more volunteers than candidates in an area, you may wish to consider the advantages
(i any) in assigning interviews to members who are new or newer to the team and would appreciate and
benefit rom the experience. Seasoned volunteers may be willing to let other members take assignments—
and they may even enjoy the break! Another strategy might be to have a portion o the volunteers handle
the Early Action interviews, and let the remaining portion take on the Regular Decision assignments.
You may have volunteers who, for whatever reason, are unable to conduct as many interviews as they had
promised and you had expected. Most volunteers will, o course, make heroic eorts to ulfill their commit-
ments to you and the “cause,” but we know that unoreseen circumstances can arise. You should probably
assume that one or more volunteers will let you know that they cannot complete some or all o their assign-
ments. You might wish to identiy some o your stalwarts and alert them that you may need to call on them
to come to the rescue.
You have volunteers who seek to set certain conditions regarding when, where, and for whom they wish to do
interviews. As nice as it would be to match interviewers to applicants based on shared interests or back-
grounds, directors don’t usually have the luxury o “personalizing” the assignment process. While you
certainly may try to assign candidates to volunteers whom you believe would be particularly well-suited or
the interviewee, we urge you to avoid setting expectations that interviewers can pick-and-choose interview-
ees.
We’ve noted the ethical considerations regarding interviews or ASC members (e.g., not seeking or accept-
ing assignments o students known to the volunteer), but even as a practical matter, it may not be possible
or you to accommodate members’ insistence regarding whom they wish to interview. You are less likely
to have a volunteer who schedules interviews at odd hours or at inappropriate locations (such as in their
home), but that would constitute a real concern. Most o these situations would surely be resolved by a
quick word rom you, but in rare cases you may need to have a conversation with a volunteer about wheth-
er the guidelines o the ASC Program fit with his or her expectations. Should such circumstances arise,
don’t hesitate to consult with the Director o the ASC Program.
You may be directing an ASC region where there are already too many applicants for your volunteers to reach.
Or you may ace a temporary shortall because o a surge in applications or reduction in available volun-
teers. As much as we’d like to oer every applicant the opportunity to meet with an alumnus/a, it’s not
always possible to arrange, and there’s a limit—not rigidly defined, but a definite limit to
which we can press our volunteer orces!
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Creative Solutions:
You might consider holding an interview mini-marathon, where a team o volunteers get together or a
morning or aernoon and interview a series o applicants. The venue could be a school or library or anoth-
er spot with a comortable setting or a combined eort such as this.
Your region may be relatively isolated rom other centers o ASC activity, but should you be located in or
near one o the higher density areas, you may find it helpul to consult with your counterparts and with
your admissions ocer to determine whether volunteers in one ASC region would be able to help with
interviews in another region.
We have made steadily increasing use o technology to conduct “virtual” interviews when timing and
location have made traditional in-person conversations impractical. For some time now, interviewers have
arranged phone or web-based conversations on an ad-hoc basis, but we have recently organized a small
number o teams o virtual interviewers whose assignments are hard-to-reach candidates or whom in-
terviews are essential. This has been a particularly useul option or those applicants who are otherwise
unavailable or the ace-to-ace interview. You should not hesitate to encourage your volunteers to conduct
virtual interviews when they are the most practical option, and should you see the need or expanding the
use o virtual interviews in your area, please eel ree to talk with your admissions ocer about how to
proceed.
Detailed ASC calendar:
September-October:
• Admissions oce recruitment travel, including local inormation sessions and school visits
• ASC gatherings
• EA interviewing begins
Early autumn sees the heaviest o our recruitment travel in the US and throughout the
world. Ocers typically begin making regional travel plans in late summer and confirm
individual visit itineraries and public inormation sessions as the academic year kicks o
in early September. We encourage directors to attend one o the Yale inormation ses-
. . . . . .
Nov. 1 - EA
application
deadline
early Nov. -
complete all
EA interview
assignments
Dec. 1 - EA
interview report
due date
mid Dec. - EA
admissions
decisions released
Jan. 1 - RD
application
deadline
early Jan. -
complete all
RD interview
assignments
Feb. 12-14 - YES
Weekend for STEM
likelies
Feb. 15 - RD
interview report
due date
late Mar. - RD
admissions
decisions released
Apr. 25-27 -
Bulldog Days
program for
admitted students
May 1 - admitted
student reply date
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sions presented by the Admissions Oce in the region. Your regional ocer will be in touch with you to
apprise you o his or her recruiting plans and invite you to attend any local inormation sessions that may
be on the schedule.
This is also an opportunity to discuss the possibility o organizing a meeting with your volunteer team
while the ocer is in the vicinity. Ocers can give advice about interviewing, answer questions about the
admissions process, or simply give ASC members a chance to meet the person who represents applications
in your region.
We encourage you to review the list o active ASC interviewers and reach out proactively to excite them or
the season ahead. As volunteers respond, adjust their records in the Director portal to reflect any changes or
send changes to Donna Alchimio. I you anticipate a need or more interviewers, let the Admissions Oce
know in September. We also recommend that you communicate with your ASC volunteers to ensure they
are on board or the year and that they update their preerences and contact inormation.
We will receive Early Action applications rom late summer right up until the Early Action application
deadline o November 1st, and you would be wise to get a head-start on making interview assignments
early, rather than waiting until that deadline.
November:
• November 1 - EA applications due
• Interviews continue
The overwhelming majority o Early Action applications will have been received by the Admissions Oce
during the last week or so o October, making November a very busy month or interviewing. The soon-
er assignments are made to accommodate the deadline rush, the more time your team will have to make
contact with students, schedule and conduct interviews, and write and submit interview reports by the
interview submission deadline o December 1st. By mid-November you will want to begin monitoring
the progress o report submissions to determine whether gentle group or individual reminders about the
approaching deadline are necessary.
December:
• December 1 - EA interview reports due
• Admissions decisions released
• Congratulatory contacts with admitted students
We encourage you to remind ASC interviewers to submit their reports by December 1st. Likewise, you can
review these reports and oer eedback to your volunteers. All or most o the interview reports should be
on file by the first o the month so ocers can review them in advance o the admissions committee meet-
ings, which commence immediately ollowing a busy Thanksgiving weekend finishing
o application reading. By mid-December, admissions decisions are posted online or
applicants to see, and very shortly thereaer you will be able to view the decisions or all
the applicants in your region.
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It is customary or interviewers to contact admitted students to express words o congratulations and will-
ingness to stay in touch i questions about Yale arise. Remember, students admitted early do not have to
make a commitment to attend until May 1st, and continued interest and support on the part o volunteers
goes a long way in assuring that the response will be “yes.” We do not encourage initiating contact with ap-
plicants who have been denied admission or whose applications have been deerred or consideration anew
in the Regular Decision process.
January:
• January 1 - RD applications due
• RD interviewing begins
There is a longer stretch o time available in the Regular Decision season, but the volume o interviews
needed is much higher. That means making the assignments as soon aer the New Year’s as possible.
With the slightly longer interviewing season, and the seemingly distant decision notification date, some
volunteers might be lulled into thinking there’s plenty o time. But with Admissions Committee meetings
getting underway in early February, we ask you to monitor the flow o interview submissions and to drop
riendly group or individual reminders to your team when needed.
February:
• Interviews continue
• February 15 - RD interview reports due
We strongly encourage ASC directors to review the reports submitted by their volunteers. A quick note o
encouragement or appreciation or a report well-written can go a long way!
March:
• Planning an admitted student gathering or April
• Admissions decisions released
The customary admitted student party or reception is not only a celebratory occasion or all involved, but
we know that it can be a crucial recruiting experience or students and amilies who are still mulling over
their college choices. An event sometime in the second or third week o April is ideal, given that undecided
students must make a commitment to their school o choice by May 1st. You will want to avoid scheduling
a gathering that alls on one o the major spring holidays (e.g., Easter, Passover) or during Bulldog Days,
Yale’s spectacular admitted student visiting program. We do not invite wait-listed students to the cele-
bratory events or to Bulldog Days, partly or practical reasons and partly to avoid potentially awkward or
conusing situations.
By agreement, all eight Ivy schools release admissions decisions online on the same day,
usually one o the last couple o days o March. We will notiy you o the date. You, as
Director, will be able to view all o the decisions or your ASC region online two or three
days aer the release date, and your volunteers will have access to the decisions made
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regarding their interviewees only. In all cases, the decisions must not be made public or discussed outside
the ranks o the ASC membership. We are obligated to maintain the strictest standards o privacy and con-
fidentiality with respect to our applicants, whether admitted or denied.
April:
• April 25-27, 2016 - Bulldog Days
• Congratulatory contacts with admitted students
• Admitted student gatherings
From the moment they get the decision through the early days o April, admitted students will be soaking
up the happy eelings. For some, the deal is done: nothing will get in their way o that late summer proces-
sion toward New Haven. But a good many will allow themselves to be tempted by a barrage o hopeul so-
licitations by competing institutions and their own alumni and student recruiters. Fortunately, the warmth
and sincerity o our volunteer eorts tend to win out over even the fiercest o competition.
But taking nothing or granted, we do all we can do making our prospective Yalies eel welcomed into the
community, and we know rom experience that they not only appreciate the congratulatory messages, the
celebratory events, and oers to answer questions and make connections, but they weigh that caring atten-
tion in their decisions to accept Yale’s oer.
Bulldog Days can be another turning point or undecided students, so we hope ASC members will urge
them to visit campus or this occasion.
May:
• May 1 - Admitted students make decisions by common reply date
• Wait list deliberations begin
Both EA and RD admitted students must report their decisions by May 1st via the online website estab-
lished or them. The Common Reply Date is, by agreement, the same throughout the Ivy League.
Once we have heard rom all admitted students, we know how many (i any) candidates we can admit rom
the wait list. We begin another round o committee meetings to decide which students to admit. There is
no specific notification date or wait list decisions. We do our very best to get the decisions out as promptly
as possible, and we specifically aim to notiy all students by the end o June at the latest. The timing de-
pends almost entirely on the number o spaces available, which aects the length o our committee deliber-
ations.
June:
As the season draws to a close, this is a good time to thank and recognize your volun-
teers or their eorts over the year.
It may also be valuable to cra a summary o outcomes or the team, including some o
the key regional data, and perhaps some closing thoughts and observations rom you, as
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Director. This can be a ruitul moment to inspire your comrades to answer the call to serve in the upcom-
ing year.
We’ll also ask an administrative task o you in early summer: we need you to review your ASC roster o
volunteers and make appropriate updates so we can keep our records as current as possible.
August:
• Volunteer recruitment
• “Send-o: gatherings or new reshmen and returning students
Keeping an eye out or prospective ASC members is a year-round activity, o course, but summer may be
a good time to recruit volunteers beore the next academic year—and interviewing season—kick into high
gear.
The admitted student gatherings in April tend to be celebratory events, but the “send-o ” parties or new
and returning Yalies allow or unbridled happiness and shared pride. It’s not only a memorable occasion or
the students and their amilies, but it can be a shining moment or you and your volunteers as well. Aer
all, you have played a key role in making Yale a part o the students’ lives, and it should be savored.
