"The Elm City" is recognized worldwide as the home of Yale University, the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and a member of the Ivy League. Silly Putty, lollipops, pizza, the telephone switchboard, automatic revolver, and Erector sets also trace their origins to here.

A residential college is an organisational pattern for a division of a university that places academic activity in a community setting of students and faculty, usually at a residence and with shared meals, the college having a degree of autonomy and a federated relationship with the overall university. However, the term residential college is also used to describe a variety of other patterns, for example a dormitory with some academic programming.

One of the main advantages of the residential colleges is that it allows you to be part of a smaller community immediately when you enter Yale's campus. The residential colleges allow students to experience the cohesiveness and intimacy of a small school while still enjoying the cultural and scholarly resources of a large university, fostering spirit, allegiance, and a sense of community.

Residential areas surround the University and also blend into the surrounding towns. The 575 dormitory rooms provided for single students are varied in room types, layout and facilities designed to reflect different life styles and needs.

Amenities in the dormitories include recreation rooms with game equipment, cable TV and VCR, laundry rooms, bathrooms, study areas and small storage areas. HGS, Hadley & 276 Prospect each have a computer room & bike storage area. Room furnishings include a single extra long bed & mattress, bookcase (built-in or free standing), bureau, desk & chair, and lounge chair--this furniture is not to be removed from the room. Residents with private or semi-private bathroom units must clean their own bathrooms. Dormitory rates vary from $3,840 (small-90 - 110 sq. ft) to $6,530 (special). Ethernet data, telephone and cable TV connections are provided in each dormitory room.

Students living in ES Harkness Hall and the Hall of Graduate Studies are automatically enrolled in a dining plan that supports the dining hall located within the building. Dining plan meals or points can be used at many other cafeteria locations on campus and within the city.