`Getting into Yale is all about merit'
YALE GRADUATES who have made a difference include Bill Clinton, several Nobel laureates, one of the most recent winner being John Fenn for Chemistry in 2002, and entertainer Jodie Foster.
The University recently connected with India by tying up with Great Lakes Institute of Management, Chennai, to engage in collaborative management research; Yale also tied up with Jawaharlal Nehru University to have an annual education exchange programme.
The Hindu-Education Plus caught up with the president of Yale University, Richard C. Levin, for an eight-minute chat. An excerpt:
How does one get into Yale?
Getting into Yale is all about merit. Yale is highly selective but affordable. We give generous financial aid. The Ph.D programme is free — we take care of the tuition fee and the living expenses. For undergraduate programmes we offer financial aid on need-basis.
What programmes do Indian students select?
Engineering, the sciences, management and social sciences, economics in particular. We have fewer students in humanities.
You are a student of history and philosophy. How do you think these courses are relevant?
If you want to be a leader and make a difference in the world, you need to know history. We have made a lot of mistakes and false starts in several political arenas, and it is important to understand the human condition to truly make a difference. Political leaders need to have an understanding of history.
What would your advice be to Indian students?
One has to be cautious before giving advice to people of a different culture. In the United States, the educational system places a lot of emphasis on providing choices to their school children. And that helps them eventually find what they have an aptitude for. It works for us!
DHANYA PARTHASARATHY
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