Like almost all highly selective universities, Yale requires several supplemental essays and short answers in addition to the Common App Personal Statement. Beginning in its 2025-2026 application cycle, Yale updated its ‘Why Yale’ essay after 20+ years. The prompt now reads:
Reflect on how your interests, values, and/or experiences have drawn you to Yale. (125 words or fewer)
The prompt had previously been: “What is it about Yale that has led you to apply?”
So, why did Yale change Its ‘Why Yale’ essay after so many years?
Yale Admissions produces an insightful podcast, ‘Inside the Yale Admissions Office’, whose topics generally focus on what Yale is looking for when reviewing applications. In its July 2025 podcast, ‘Application Update 2025-2026‘, the Yale admissions team discussed why they updated the prompt.
In a nutshell, Yale concluded that phrasing the prompt as ‘What is it about Yale that has led you to apply?’ resulted in too many essay responses that told them more about Yale than the applicant. As the Yale admission officers explained:
“So we started this new question with one of our favorite words, reflect. We are pointing you in that direction right away. We’re saying the first thing you need to do is not go research Yale. The first thing you need to do is look inward and reflect on your own interests, your own values, your own experiences. Start with that and then think about how those have drawn you to Yale….And then eventually you heard about Yale and there might have been a specific aspect that drew you, but only because it connected to one of those different reflections that you’ve come up with.”
Your ‘Why Yale’ essay must be exceptional
With an acceptance rate below 5%, every piece of your Yale application needs to be in order and, frankly, exceptional. Your Why Yale? essay is no exception. Our essay support approach at Great College Advice echoes the thoughts of the Yale admissions team in that the perfect college essay needs to focus on YOU! As the Yale admissions team laid out above, take the time to reflect on your passions, values and experiences and how that may fit what Yale is looking for in an admission candidate.
Yale Admissions Overview for the Class of 2029
- Total applicants: Yale received 50,227 applications.
- Offers of admission: 2,308 applicants were admitted.
- Acceptance rate: 4.6%.
It’s not just Yale
All colleges want to know how and why you fit there
However, it’s not just Yale that wants the ‘Why this school?’ essay to focus more on you than the school itself. All colleges want students on their campus who are going to be happy and successful. Just as every student is different, so is every college, and admissions offices want to be sure that you understand what their school is all about before you land on their campus. After all, if you get there and you don’t fit in, you’re not going to be happy.
What do we mean by “fit?” For example, say you are applying to a school with a student body that is known to be significantly involved in community service. And this is something that you yourself have been a part of while in high school. Talk about that. What if you are looking for a school with a lot of spirit because that’s an experience you didn’t have at your high school? You can discuss that. Whatever aspects of a school are attractive to you, be sure to back them up with personal reasons.
Don’t tell universities what they already know
Often, when students do get specific about particular courses, programs or activities that they are interested in at a given school they spend the majority of their writing focusing on describing and explaining it. Well, guess what? The school already knows what that class, program, or activity is all about because it’s their class, program, or activity! Don’t waste your precious words. Spend your prose making it personal. Discuss how those courses, programs, or activities fit with who you are and what you want to accomplish.
Remember that the goal of any piece of writing that you do for a college application is to allow the admissions office to understand more about you, who you are, and what makes you tick.
Your ‘Why Yale’ essay should focus on YOU!
Every year we help students get admitted to Yale. Not only do you need stellar essays but you must have the grades, academic rigor, and interests that make you a compelling applicant to Yale. The earlier you start the college admissions process, the better your odds become to be admitted to Yale, the other Ivies, and other highly selective universities.
The expert college counselors at Great College Advice have years of experience helping students craft college essays that stand out to college admission officers. We know how to help you choose topics, structure the prose, hone the messages, and edit the essay to perfection. These essays are an essential aspect of the college application process, and you want to make sure your essay represents you well. If you need some personalized guidance on how to write the personal statement and supplemental essays, please give us a call or fill out our contact form. We’d be delighted to chat with you about how we can help.
