<p>I was just wondering if most people (at least here) applying to yale actually complete the optional 500-word essay....it's last minute preparation time...and is a second main essay really necessary to look appealing to yale if the first essay is strong?? thanks for your help.</p>
<p>...bump...</p>
<p>i think it shows you dont care if you dont do the essay.</p>
<p>do the essay. mine took me no more than 20 minutes... it was nothing like my common app essay which took me 15 drafts to get right... (i've even corrected it numerous times since sending in my yale app). I don't see how anyone wouldn't want to utilize an additional opportunity to show who they are beyond test scores and grades. Unless you think your app shows everything about you without that additional essay, use it.</p>
<p>At the Yale info session I went to, the admissions officer said, "The optional essay isn't really optional." I definitely think you should do it.</p>
<p>I did it. I was deferred.</p>
<p>My friend didn't do it. He got in. :p</p>
<p>i did it, i was deferred</p>
<p>i also did it and was deferred</p>
<p>I did it and was rejected. (it wasn't that good)</p>
<p>I know a friend who didn't and got into Harvard.</p>
<p>Although I still believe that if you write a strong optional essay, it can only help you.</p>
<p>i didn't- i was deferred. my regular essay was poorly written, too. i was deferred. I'm going to write a supp essay and actually spend time on it. i think that might get me in.</p>
<p>I did it and got in - it seems like it is in almost all cases expected- I actually kinda liked it because it let me show another side of myself that I couldn't touch on in the regular Common App essay.</p>
<p>(I think your friends are lying.)</p>
<p>If you have nothing else to say and you really MUST, submit your best essay that you wrote for some place else (modify it to make it applicable to Yale)</p>
<p>seriously, why NOT. if you have the time.</p>