134 Yale Essays That Got In
Updated for the 2024-2025 admissions cycle.
About Yale
Nestled in New Haven, Connecticut, Yale University is an Ivy League institution that provides students with an exceptional educational experience. Students at Yale may benefit from the University's highly regarded academics and research opportunities, diversified campus culture, world-renowned professors, and extensive choice of extracurricular activities. Yale's dedication to quality extends far beyond the confines of a typical institution, with renowned undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs, as well as world-class museums and libraries. The school’s interdisciplinary philosophy is best captured by their motto “Yale is and.” Indeed, at Yale, students are encouraged to study multiple disciplines and see how they interact; for Yalies, it’s about studying fields like biology and sociology — not one or the other. As such, Yale University—with its lively student body and devoted staff—provides an exciting, challenging, and creative learning environment for students from all walks of life.
At a glance…
Acceptance Rate
6%
Tuition
$57,700
Average Cost
$15,296
Average SAT
1520
Average ACT
34
Location
New Haven, CT
Real Essays from Yale Admits
Prompt: What inspires you?
On her deathbed, my grandmother said she would always be in my heart. She was right. I feel her presence in the rhythm of my heartbeat and pour my whole heart into everything I do to make her proud.
Essay by Jaden Botros
Economics & Political Science student at Stanford University | 800K in Scholarships | Profile includes Resume and Summer Research Email Templates
Prompt: What is something about you that is not included anywhere else in your application?
Waves rock my boat. Wind and seawater hit my face. One wrong move and I’d capsize. It’s liberating to be out on the sea. Seabirds. Dolphins. Sailing since age 9, I came to deeply appreciate nature.
Essay by KK
International CS + Linguistics Major @ Stanford | 400K in Scholarships | Book Session For Unlimited Essay Help, Common App Editing, Vital Tips For Getting Into Stanford & Yale!
Prompt: What is it about Yale that has led you to apply?
Yale is a University of diverse artists and activists. I know these are the people I want to surround myself with. Additionally, the film and media studies major includes world cinema, which I feel is key to truly understanding the impact and scope of film. The students and professors I would meet create invaluable connections that can change the path of my career. I want to work with people who can do more than just create a film. I want people who analyze media, break the piece down, and see a project through to completion. Learning to understand film at a theoretical level teaches you to be thinkers and innovators, not just filmmakers. The students and professors I would meet would create invaluable connections that can change the path of my career, and together we can bring about real change.
Essay by Molly Smith
Filmmaker, Cameron Impact Scholar and American Studies Major @ Yale
Prompt: 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 would you ask them to discuss?
I would invite Mary Wollenstonecraft and ask her if she thinks the concept of feminism popularized after her death, along with its waves and movements, has achieved her ideals in Rights of Woman?
Essay by Rosie
Statistics & Data Science + Ethics, Politics & Economics (and Musician?) @ Yale :D
Prompt: You are teaching a new Yale course. What is it called?
Computer science: an alluring juxtaposition of problem-solving and art. It transforms me. When I’m meticulously debugging code, I’m 8-year-old me, manipulating the faces of my Rubik’s cube to return it to its original configuration. When I’m fervently typing away lines of code, I am a craftsman, painting on the canvas I call the IDE-software-application. When I’m compiling code, I am a scientist, testing for sources of error.
Essay by Rose
Programmer and performer @ Yale!
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