Yale extends a PROP-er welcome to minority freshmen

The Pre-Registration Orientation Program (PROP) will always hold a special place in my heart. It's a wonderful program that allows minority freshmen to come together for a week and celebrate their ethnicities. It's a way to learn about Yale's academic resources and cultural centers. And trust me, it will undoubtedly leave an impression on you; your first Yale paper will be written about PROP.

If you're a student of color, you've probably heard enough high-flung talk already. I'm not going to lecture you about multiculturalism or the wonderful educational points of PROP, but I will tell you that if you have an opportunity to go, don't let it pass you by.

The program is designed to allow minority frosh to have a first-hand taste of Yale before they formally arrive for orientation. One important part of PROP is that students usually write a paper on whether they believe PROP should exist or not (occasionally, topics will change). These papers highlight an interesting and controversial topic. This writing program is designed to allow students to become adjusted to the writing and grading styles at Yale--a problem many freshmen face when first entering college.

The week of PROP is filled with panel discussions on topics ranging from security to ethnicity to sexuality. Some of Yale's best professors are invited to speak at PROP, and they give engrossing and entertaining surveys of their respective fields of study.

Enough of the bare-bones stuff. The real focus of the program is having fun and meeting all of your absolutely extraordinary classmates. Ask Yalies who have gone to PROP, and they'll tell you it was easily one of the best experiences of their Yale careers. Is it because of the writing sessions? The discussions on ethnicity? Of course not. It's the people you meet. One of the most important aspects of PROP is the social interaction among the students during parties, snack times, and movies. I met some of my best friends at PROP.

What about the academic stuff? It's not thrilling, but the paper topic is a hot issue at Yale, and the lecturers are interesting, if not downright entertaining. You get to know the campus and New Haven, so you don't have to walk around during the first few days of classes with a map like other freshmen. And furthermore, you meet some of the most interesting professors.

Even if you're not really interested in dealing with issues of ethnicity, come to PROP anyway. I guarantee you won't regret it.

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