Although it has been more than a decade since Gilmore Girls ended, fans will never forget the impression that Stars Hollow's golden girl left on them. Rory Gilmore was a star player, an innovative and eloquent writer, and the shining hope of the Gilmores. The show made no secret of the fact that Rory was meant to do all the things her mother didn't, although, it could be argued that by the end of the series (if A Year in the Life is to be canon), Lorelai was actually more successful.
Rory lived a strange roller coaster ride of a life, her decisions somehow always taking her down paths that deviated from her goals. With that being said, it was oftentimes frustrating for fans, as they knew how truly gifted the show writers had made her out to be. In times of great adversity, it's often said that certain things will "make or break" oneself. In staying true to this nature, Rory Gilmore sometimes made questionable choices, but other times would make great risks that occasionally did pay off. Would she have been a great journalist, someone akin to the legacy that Christiane Amanpour has created? Or would she have silently fallen to the wayside, fated to work at the Stars Hollow Gazette her entire life? Let's discuss, Yale-style.
Great: Her Writing Skills Were Undeniable
While Doyle did get on her case about her first few pieces for the Yale Daily News, there was no denying that when push came to shove, Rory Gilmore had what it took - Contrary to Mitchem Huntzberger's opinion.
She was a gifted writer, and one that surely left a mark on every publication she wrote for, even during her high school years. After all, Paris was jealous of her for something, right?
Not Great: That Doesn't Mean She Had The Attitude To Match
However, that doesn't mean every great writer is gifted with the attitude to push forward. When she was down, insulted, or outright criticized, it was not often that she would defend her right to, well, write.
Rather, it would come as a discouraging blow and with it, some poor decisions. It's in this sense that we can liken her early adulthood to her mother's but similarly, Rory - according to everyone else - "was supposed to be different."
Great: She Was Great At Making Connections With The Right People
At a school such as Yale, it's not uncommon to meet people who have the power to propel students forward in life. Getting ahead sometimes comes down to the people you know, and Rory definitely had enough of that going on.
Not to mention, her grandparents were also known and well-loved in the academic circle, which should have allowed her to make connections easily. Her boyfriend's father did own several newspaper publications, one of which she did end up working for.
Not Great: Getting Discouraged Is One Thing, Giving Up Is Another
The biggest taboo happened in season five of the show. The finale left fans teary-eyed and uncertain as Rory took harsh criticism from Mitchem Huntzberger and allowed it to destroy her.
Furthermore, she ended up in legal trouble, thus tarnishing both her reputation and her formerly clean record. It's unlikely this wouldn't have been seen by any major company to hire her. Even more so, her low self-esteem and lack of belief in herself led to falling behind at Yale and giving up valuable time.
Great: Determination And Persistance Was One Of Her Strong Suits
With that being said, she did end up going back to school and her determination to catch up was a breath of fresh air. Suddenly, the Rory Gilmore fans knew and loved was back and in action, even better than last time.
That is until she decided to give up a job for a fellowship. However, she was a great judge of character prior to that and even managed to graduate on time.
Not Great: The Severity Of Consequence Never Seemed To Make A Dent In Her Lessons Learned
Stealing a boat was one thing, but assuming she would get off with a slap on the wrist simply because of her grandparents was another.
Secretly, some fans were thrilled that Rory had to take on all the community service hours that she did. It served as both a lesson and a warning, however, when she did get her life back, it doesn't necessarily mean that she began appreciating the little things.
Great: Conviction And The Heart Of The Matter Was Something She Was ionate About
During her early days, there was no one more fueled by conviction than Rory Gilmore (except maybe Paris wandering through Stars Hollow for a lowly scoop).
As she got into college, that same fire was seen in her pursuit of the Life and Death Brigade, albeit for personal and journalistic intent. Those are two qualities that make a great journalist and we only wish she had held onto them.
Not Great: Despite Her Brilliance, She Was Uninspired Rather Quickly
All it took was a B grade instead of an A for her to question her entire existence and why she had gotten a "bad" grade. Perfectionism is easy to understand, but there's a fine line between perfectionism and obsession.
While this is part of what got her into Yale (Richard and Emily connections aside), it just wasn't healthy. Constructive criticism comes with the territory of writing and its intention is to make a writer better - not to befuddle and downgrade them.
Great: Devoted To Her Craft, Nothing Stood In The Way Of Her And An Angle
She was a fan of tackling articles "head-on" and would allow nothing to get in the way of that. It was an irable quality and one that led her to crack many a great headline and even allowed her to spice up headlines (hello, Chilton parking lot paving).
This is a talent shared by her and many other great journalists and likely would have been enough to carry her career.
Not Great: Personal Feelings Always Stood In The Way Of Career Choices
Whether it was her relationship with Logan or her proximity to the boyfriends of Stars Hollow, Rory always felt as though a choice needed to be made.
While her heart was always in the right place, it could be said that she didn't make enough decisions based on the future she wanted for herself. Or, rather, she didn't make logical decisions for the future she could have had.