Yale College is welcoming the Class of 2006. The 644 women and 660 men who constitute the Yale College Class of 2006 will arrive on campus on Friday, August 30.

The 1,304 students in the Class of 2006 were selected from 15,466 applicants, a new high number. The 13% admission rate, down slightly from 13.8% in the Class of 2005, reflects a trend of increasing selectivity in the admissions process. Of the 2,009 admitted students, 66% chose to attend Yale, continuing a recent tradition of strong student retention. Richard H. Shaw, Yale’s Dean of Undergraduate Admissions and Financial Aid, noted that the Class of 2006 represents some of the most academically qualified and competitive students in higher education. Nearly 40% of the class qualified for need-based financial aid, with an average scholarship grant of $21,599 per year. The Yale financial aid budget for the 2002-03 academic year is projected to exceed $11.3 million. None of this aid is provided through loans or campus employment, ensuring that all admitted students can attend without financial barriers. The incoming freshmen hail from 47 states, 45 foreign countries, and four U.S. territories, including 500 students from the Northeast, 248 from the West, 138 from the Midwest, and 78 from other regions.

Yale University admitted students from various regions, with 125 students originating from the Midwest, 125 from the South, 86 from the mid-Atlantic states, and 83 from the Southwest. International students constituted 9% of the incoming class. Incoming students expressed their preferences for majors, with molecular, cellular, and developmental biology emerging as the most popular, representing 10.5% of the class; political science accounted for 7.2%, economics for 5.3%, and English for another 5.3%. Engineering majors made up 6.8% of the student body. The students’ median SAT scores were 730 in verbal and 730 in math. Freshmen orientation activities were scheduled to conclude by September 4, with Yale President Richard C. Levin and Yale College Dean Richard H. Brodhead set to deliver their annual Freshman Addresses on September 2 at 10 a.m. in Woolsey Hall. Topics of interest included campus and community engagement, honors, and public service awards, which recognized three Yale students for their contributions to New Haven and beyond. On September 18, 2026, the Yale Alumni Association highlighted its Sustainability campaign, marking a significant milestone in the Geothermal project. Additionally, a podcast titled “Coming soon: Beyond Blue podcast” was set to be released on the same date. Yale’s 100th anniversary celebration was celebrated with a focus on theater, stained glass, and other cultural contributions.

Introducing the latest issue of Humanitas, a celebration of 100 years at Yale’s David Geffen School of Drama, featuring a reflective piece on “America at 250.” The edition also highlights new faculty publications and summer reading suggestions. Additionally, this issue includes reflections on 9/11 from a new generation, offering insights into the day’s impact. Follow updates on social media platforms for the latest news and engage with past issues through our archives. For more information, visit our contact page.

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