please sir some more
Yale asks that you submit a 250 word essay on any topic you choose. I'm not sure why, but here's my guess. Try writing something in 250 words - it ain't easy. Anything you write on any topic you really care about will probably come off as an unsubstantiated opinion, the wordier version of "I like ice cream." You can't write anything substantial, so don't try. I seriously doubt Yale cares about your topic. You might consider writing about food aid or the environment or how growing up Asian is difficult. Don't. You can't fit a serious topic in 250 words, and Yale knows that. I think Yale probably cares more about style. Let's face it, your LSAT and GPA don't tell anyone about your sense of humor or creative style. Spend 250 words to tell the admissions council a joke - you won't get an interview, so this is your only opportunity to rise above your two-dimensional numbers. And you tell them the joke because it's easier to show them you're funny than to simply tell them that you're a funny guy and expect them to believe it. It's also your chance to show that your different from the average schmo. Look at the Yale app grid - if you have near perfect scores (175-180 LSAT and 3.75-4.0 GPA), you have a 75% chance of being rejected. That's right - if you don't have a personality, you ain't gettin' in to Yale, no matter how well you did on your tests. I know right now might be too late for some people, but it's time to have a personality. OK, so what not to do - write the same thing everyone else did. If you believe that 20 of your friends will write about world peace, you better believe your world peace essay, no matter how well reasoned, will be a blur in everyone's mind.