Essay Requirements
All first-year candidates will respond to a few short questions that are unique to Yale. Depending on the platform an applicant selects during the application process, these necessary questions may alter slightly.
Short Answer Questions
All questions have to be answered.
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?
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?
What is it about Yale that has led you to apply?
Additional Prompts
All questions have to be answered.
Essays
Pick one of the two topics
Yale carries out its mission “through the free exchange of ideas in an ethical, interdependent, and diverse community.” Reflect on a time when you exchanged ideas about an important issue with someone holding an opposing view. How did the experience lead you either to change your opinion or to sharpen your reasons for holding onto it?
Reflect on a time when you have worked to enhance a community to which you feel connected. Why have these efforts been meaningful to you? You may define community however you like.
Learn more about Essay Requirements
Get Your Essay Reviewed
Feel confident when submitting your college application essay by getting it reviewed by a professional admissions expert.