If you aspire to join Yale’s Class of 2029, get ready to write multiple essays that make you stand out. Yale’s 2024–2025 application requires a combination of short answer and supplemental essay responses. In total, you need to submit seven short answer responses and one 400-word supplemental essay. Before you get overwhelmed, follow this guide to help you tackle your Yale supplemental essays.
What are Supplemental Essays?
Supplemental essays are writing prompts that most competitive colleges require in addition to the Common App personal statement. They ask students to address a range of topics, such as significant activities, interest in a specific college or major, and an important community to which they belong. These essays can vary in length, ranging from a single sentence to 800+ words
For a more information about supplemental essays, why they are important, and how to approach them, refer to our Ultimate Guide to Writing Supplemental Essays.
Yale Supplemental Essays 2024–2025
For the 2024–2025 school year, Yale requires one supplemental essay and seven short answer responses. For the supplemental essay, select 1 of 3 options to respond to. The specific short answer and essay prompts are provided below, along with tips for how to craft your answers.
Yale Supplemental Essay Prompts
For the main Yale supplemental essay, you will select 1 of the 3 following prompts for your 400-word response:
- Reflect on a time you discussed an issue important to you with someone holding an opposing view. Why did you find the experience meaningful? (400 words or fewer)
- Reflect on your membership in a community to which you feel connected. Why is this community meaningful to you? You may define community however you like. (400 words or fewer)
- Reflect on an element of your personal experience that you feel will enrich your college. How has it shaped you? (400 words or fewer)
Yale Short Answer Questions
Responses are require to all 7 of these prompts:
- Students at Yale have time to explore their academic interests before committing to one or more major fields of study. Many students either modify their original academic direction or change their minds entirely. As of this moment, what academic areas seem to fit your interests or goals most comfortably? Please indicate up to three from the list provided.
- Tell us about a topic or idea that excites you and is related to one or more academic areas you selected above. Why are you drawn to it? (200 words or fewer)
- What is it about Yale that has led you to apply? (125 words or fewer)
- What inspires you? (200 characters; approximately 35 words)
- If you could teach any college course, write a book, or create an original piece of art of any kind, what would it be? (200 characters; approximately 35 words)
- Other than a family member, who is someone who has had a significant influence on you? What has been the impact of their influence? (200 characters; approximately 35 words)
- What is something about you that is not included anywhere else in your application? (200 characters; approximately 35 words)
Writing the Yale Supplemental Essays
The Yale supplemental essays are varied in topic and give students the opportunity to showcase many different sides of their personal and academic interests and experiences. It’s important to carefully consider each prompt while also considering how—combined—they paint a full picture.
Yale Supplemental Essay Option 1 of 3
- Reflect on a time you discussed an issue important to you with someone holding an opposing view. Why did you find the experience meaningful? (400 words or fewer)
The goal with this essay is to communicate to admissions readers that you can engage in respectful dialogue with people who hold different beliefs than yourself. Be authentic and introspective in your reflection about why you found the experience meaningful. The outcome of the conversation you share in this essay isn’t important, but rather the manner in which you communicated and reflected. In other words, it doesn’t matter whether you were able to convince the other person to come over to your side and share your perspective.
Yale Supplemental Essay Option 2 of 3
- Reflect on your membership in a community to which you feel connected. Why is this community meaningful to you? You may define community however you like. (400 words or fewer)
Similar to the first supplemental essay prompt option, this prompt also emphasizes introspective reflection. Think of community broadly for this essay, such as defining community based on shared geography, religion, race, ethnicity, income, ideology, cuisine, or interest. Regardless of what community you decide to highlight in your response, make sure that you clearly define your position within the community and why it matters to you.
Yale Supplemental Essay Option 3 of 3
- Reflect on an element of your personal experience that you feel will enrich your college. How has it shaped you? (400 words or fewer)
Like the above options, the final Yale supplemental essay option requires that you look inward and reflect. This prompt is the broadest of the three options, so it’s essential that you bring the specificity with whatever element of your experience you wish to connect to your future college experience. The underlying message of this prompt is to explain how something from your personal experience will enrich Yale specifically, as opposed to college more generally. To be able to make that connection, it’s essential that you do your homework on the Yale campus community to be able to artfully articulate your position within it.
Yale Short Answer Questions
Yale Short Answer Question 1
The first question you need to answer is about your academic interests:
- Students at Yale have time to explore their academic interests before committing to one or more major fields of study. Many students either modify their original academic direction or change their minds entirely. As of this moment, what academic areas seem to fit your interests or goals most comfortably? Please indicate up to three from the list provided.
To answer this question, simply write the exact name of 1 to 3 academic areas you’re most interested in majoring in. You’ll have an opportunity to expand on your choice(s) in the next short answer question. If you are fully committed to a single major, there is no need to add additional majors beyond the one that represents your true calling. If you’re undecided, select whichever areas you feel best represent your interests at this point in time.
Yale Short Answer Question 2
- Tell us about a topic or idea that excites you and is related to one or more academic areas you selected above. Why are you drawn to it? (200 words or fewer)
This is your opportunity to elaborate on the “why” behind your selection(s) for the first short answer question. Be authentic in your response to showcase your genuine intellectual curiosity. Additionally, connect your past academic experiences to your future academic aspirations to share how your interests have evolved over time.
Yale Short Answer Question 3
- What is it about Yale that has led you to apply? (125 words or fewer)
This is essentially a short “Why Us?” supplemental essay. Fill this essay with school-specific details to demonstrate to admissions readers why you’re interested in going to Yale. Don’t forget to compliment these school specific details with relevant details from your own background and experience to show fit. Check out these tips on how to write a compelling Why Us college essay.
Yale Short Answer Question 4
- What inspires you? (200 characters; approximately 35 words)
The remainder of Yale’s short answer questions are incredibly short at 200 characters, which amounts to approximately 35 words. Aim for clarity and confidence in your answers. Have fun including creative details that will grab the reader’s attention and showcase your intellectual curiosity.
Yale Short Answer Question 5
- If you could teach any college course, write a book, or create an original piece of art of any kind, what would it be? (200 characters; approximately 35 words)
Let your imagination and creativity shine in your response to this question. If you go the college course route, double check the course catalog to make sure the course doesn’t already exist. This isn’t the place for introductory or general course names—think outside the box and develop a unique special topics class. A similar creative approach should be taken to dream up a book title and topic or original art piece. Regardless of whether you go the course, book, or art direction, ensure you briefly describe the why behind your creation as part of your response.
Yale Short Answer Question 6
- Other than a family member, who is someone who has had a significant influence on you? What has been the impact of their influence? (200 characters; approximately 35 words)
When responding to this question, don’t fall into the trap of taking up too much space describing someone else. Instead, keep the spotlight on you by emphasizing the impact of the inspiring person on you. Show this impact by featuring your concrete actions and accomplishments that came out of their influence.
Yale Short Answer Question 7
- What is something about you that is not included anywhere else in your application? (200 characters; approximately 35 words)
The vagueness of this prompt can be challenging. We recommend that you save writing this prompt for last. After you’ve reviewed your responses to all the other Yale short answer questions and supplemental essay prompts, take a step back to consider what the admissions reader doesn’t yet know about you. Craft an answer that compliments and extends the other material in your application.
Conclusion
The Yale supplemental essays are a valuable opportunity to present your unique qualities, interests, and aspirations to the admissions committee. Compared to the supplemental essays you may need to write for other colleges, short answer questions dominate Yale’s essays. This means that writing clearly and confidently is even more essential to create maximum impact. If you need help brainstorming or writing essays—or with any other parts of the application process—HelloCollege is here to help. Reach out for a free 45-minute consultation today.
