Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut, but you probably know it better as part of the Ivy League. Whatever it is that you want to study, it’s safe to say that Yale has one of the best programs in the world for it. The students agree. 99% of first-year students return for their second year. If you get into Yale and you can manage the work — you stay.
As one of the most sought-after universities in the world, Yale can have an extremely high bar for applicants. The acceptance rate hovers around 6%.
Historically, getting into Yale has practically required a nearly perfect SAT or ACT score. They didn’t say that, of course, but doing well on standardized tests was a critical hurdle to jump over on the route to acceptance. Then COVID happened, and Yale announced that they would be test-optional for 2020-2021. Does that mean that Yale will suddenly be easier to get into? Not at all. Whether or not you end up sending your scores (which you should do), your writing has never been more important.
This year, the Yale supplement is nearly the same as it was last year, but with a few notable changes. This is how to tackle it.
Why do these areas (the up to three you have selected) appeal to you? (125 words or fewer)
Huzzah! Yes, this is the same question as last year, but Yale has started off their supplement by giving you 25 more words! This question is not about why you want to study the subjects you selected at Yale. Instead, it is truly about the subjects themselves and why you want to study them wherever it is that you end up. For this question, you should weave together your interests, illuminating how they are interlocking and highlighting where they diverge. Yes, we realize that’s a lot to ask for in 125 words, but there’s one more thing we need you to do. You must show passion for what you want to study through enthusiastic language — not fake language, but engaging language that proves these subject areas aren’t just listed because you think it’s what they want to see.
What is it about Yale that has led you to apply? (125 words or fewer)
This is a big question for only 125 words. For reference, the previous paragraph in this blog post is just under 140 words, so it really isn’t a lot of space. With so little room to move around, this condensed “why us?” essay is not a place to write about trees or how pretty the campus is or how great New Haven pizza is. You’re applying to study, and you need to focus on that.
With that settled, you need to be specific. Hyper specific. Painfully specific. In 125 words, you need to include at least one academic program you’d like to take part in, a professor you would like to study under, and one Yale tradition or extracurricular you’re excited for.
Don’t merely list those three things and leave it at that, though. You need to speak with passion, tell the story of yourself at Yale, and triple-check that you are spelling everything correctly (trust us, mistakes happen).
200 Characters, about 35 words…
What inspires you?
We love these short takes! For this one, if you’re stuck, you can try to speak to your academic interests without writing about your academic interests. If you want to study science, focus on a scientific discovery that sends sparks flying in your mind. If you want to study history, focus on something related to your specific time period or region of interest that lights your heart on fire.
If you find yourself stuck or overthinking this one, take a step back. Give yourself time to find that spark.
Yale’s residential colleges regularly host conversations with guests representing a wide range of experiences and accomplishments. What person, past or present, would you invite to speak? What question would you ask?
This is a fun question and a great place to be a little playful, but please don’t try to be controversial here. Don’t play devil’s advocate. Don’t try to stand out by picking someone who is polarizing, as you may succeed in standing out, but most likely in a negative way. Instead, try to choose someone who isn’t a household name (so no celebrities or high-profile politicians), but who has a remarkable story to share.
You are teaching a Yale course. What is it called?
We love, love, love this question. It’s short, it’s sweet, and you shouldn’t try to use all 200 characters if you don’t need to. Instead, offer a course title and short description that is catchy, fun, and that you’d actually want to take. This is a great place to show you are clever but don’t become so fixated on being clever that the content of the class becomes secondary. Your answer should be something you would be interested in taking, and that they may even wish they offered.
Most first-year Yale students live in suites of four to six students. What do you hope to add to your suitemates’ experience? What do you hope they will add to yours?
Another Yale supplement for the win! We really appreciate supplements that require you to show who you are outside of the classroom. Despite your nearly perfect grades and SAT/ACT scores, you are human. This is an ideal place to show it. If you come from a strong culture, especially one with a less-known food tradition, this is a great place to share that. If not, look to spotlight a unique hobby or interest that you have that you could bring to the group. Yes, it’s only 200 characters, but you can say a lot in 200 characters if you focus on flavor.
Yale’s extensive course offerings and vibrant conversations beyond the classroom encourage students to follow their developing intellectual interests wherever they lead. Tell us about your engagement with a topic or idea that excites you. Why are you drawn to it? (250 words)
This question is almost identical to a question on the supplement last year, with a few very important changes. Instead of solely asking for something exciting to you, they want to know how you engage with it. Why the change? Well, we wouldn’t be surprised if they got sick of answers that were clearly the result of a Google search that went something along the lines of “intellectually exciting topics.”
With the new wording, Yale requires students to do more than to write about something you find interesting — you need to write about something that you engage with.
What does “engagement” entail? It means looking beyond the classroom. Take a look at your resume or activities list. What is something that you are committed to, whether a club, job, research position, internship, or independent work, that builds upon your academic interests?
You have room here, so there is plenty of space to tell a story that illustrates why you were drawn to what you choose to highlight without repeating anything from supplement 1 or 2. Bring the reader alongside you in your enthusiasm.
ONE of the following options:
2A. Reflect on your membership in a community. Why is your involvement important to you? How has it shaped you? You may define community however you like.
This supplement is nearly identical to one last year, but they did change the wording around a little. Most notably, they’ve clarified that “community” can be defined in myriad ways — and that you can pick the definition that works best for you.
If you choose to pursue this prompt, you need to be careful not to get lost in your answer. This may sound strange, we know, but it’s a really easy error to make when you are writing about something outside of yourself. One way to write about community while maintaining center stage is to bring the reader into a niche or little-known community — especially a culture. If you are from a background that isn’t well known or understood, this could be the perfect prompt for you.
2B. Yale students, faculty, and alumni engage issues of local, national, and international significance. Discuss an issue that is important to you and how your college experience could help you address it.
If you aren’t sure which of these three prompts to pick, we tend to suggest this one — 2B — however, it does still come with some potential pitfalls. Talking about something big doesn’t make you look big or appear knowledgeable. So, while it may be counter-intuitive, a strong answer to this prompt requires the student to think small. Focus on something that is connected directly or, at least, one that runs parallel to your academic interests, and be careful about biting off more than you can chew. Watch out for paternalistic, imperialistic, or colonialistic language. If your answer could fit into the equation, “I will go to [X place] to help [Y people] live better,” it’s time to rethink.
And don’t say that you are going to save the world, please.
2C. Tell us about your relationship with a role model or mentor who has been influential in your life. How has their guidance been instrumental to your growth?
This is a new one! We like it, but not as much as the A or B options Yale offers. Why? Because of the same concerns we have with 2A, but to an even greater degree. When you write about someone else, it’s easy to lose yourself, so we will be advising most students to avoid this prompt.
And IF you are applying for the engineering major:
Please tell us more about what has led you to an interest in this field of study, what experiences (if any) you have had in engineering, and what it is about Yale’s engineering program that appeals to you. (250 words)
This question is only for those applying to the engineering program, and if it feels a little redundant, you aren’t alone. You’ve already answered the “why Yale?” prompt and specified why you are interested in your areas of focus. However, this is a place to go deeper. Don’t repeat anything you’ve said already and focus on pairing your past and current experiences with what Yale has to offer. How did X lead you to their program? How will Y assist you in succeeding there?
If you’re looking at the Yale supplement and scratching your head, send us an email? We help exceptional students get into equally outstanding schools.