The common denominator that we look for when we see applications and talk to guys is “is this guy hungry?”

What I mean by that is - is he somebody that wants to grow? Somebody that wants to be in an environment where they're not pressured, but where people are pushing themselves and where they're going to be pushed to grow and not be allowed to coast or just relax and go through the year chilling. Rather they understand that that they're in yeshiva to grow, to learn, and that that requires effort, and they are interested and willing to put that effort in. That’s really the kind of environment that we're trying to cultivate, where everyone in the Beis Medrash is pushing themselves.  

What that means is that we'll have one application where this boy needs help with some translation in the Gemara and he's not in the top shiur in his current school. and another applicant that can lein an amud Gemara, Rashi, Tosfos in 45 minutes and has been in yeshiva katana for years, and another application from a boy who is looking for a second- or third-year option, and we want all those boys in the Beis Medrash. We want the guy who is sweating and working to write down the translation in his Gemara and go to shiur that’s fitting for his level, next to the boy who’s been in yeshiva katana and is able to lein Gemara, Rashi, Tosfos and go to shiur that’s mattim for him and I want all those guys in the Beis HaMedrash together working hard and helping each other.  

I know that's not a classic situation and most places might have talmidim that are more or less coming from the same background, and be on a similar learning level. That has its own koach, for sure. But the organic growth and the natural environment in the yeshiva because of this common denominator that we’re looking for from everybody is something very powerful - because that's the real world.  

When you leave Yeshiva and you go to wherever going to, you're not going to be in a in an environment you just have a hundred guys like you that just learn all day. You're going to have a parnassa, you're going to have BE’H kids to deal with one day et cetera. And if could be that you are not ready and prepared for growing even in places or in environments where things are not exactly like you. 

So, what we're aiming at is guys who are really motivated, want to work hard, and are capable of working hard. There's a bottom line - you must be able to learn to a certain degree to come to the Yeshiva. It’s not for any level, that's for sure not true, but we’re much more flexible on that, because we’re looking for talmidim who are pushing themselves. And when you walk into the Beis Medrash you can feel that there's something different going on, that there’s something special happening here. 

Another ramification is that we’re not looking for only Americans, or only guys from the UK, or only South Africans or only boys that might have gone through Israeli system. There’s really no stereotype that we're aiming for, other than guys who really want to be with other people that are pushing themselves and they themselves want to be pushed and want to grow. The sky's the limit for everybody. That's a common denominator. 

See also - What kind of people come to Bircas?