Yale University is a brand name that inspires instant recognition, confidence, and esteem. It has power. It can open doors, and it can intimidate outsiders. But, in the end, what does the name really stand for? It stands for the past, for the work its students have put into it, for the fame of its alumni, for its large endowment, and for its history. But, when it comes down to it, you (the prospective student) are the present and the future.