Hi everyone,
I am currently working on the supplemental essays for my SCEA application, and I am stumped by the “what do you most enjoy learning” prompt. The application also has a question that asks me why I am interested in my intended major, and I don’t want to repeat myself in the second essay. I also feel like I could write a good essay about my interest in history, but I am afraid that AOs will see the conflict between my intended major and academic passion and will believe that I am pursuing my intended major (economics) because of its practicality rather than my interest in it. I have written one response to the learning prompt that portrays my intellectual vitality but describes that I am multi-interested and don’t have a favorite academic subject, and I am afraid that it is not focused enough. What is the best approach to answering this prompt? Is a broader response okay if it demonstrates my curiosity about the world?
As you are writing your essay(s), remember that the Admissions Officers reading them have interests and hobbies that go beyond academics. And they are looking for student’s who do as well!
Rather than writing an essay about learning history, economics or anything academic (how many of these essays can an AO read without falling asleep), my suggestion is to make your essay more human and relatable by writing about your enjoyment of an activity outside of the classroom, such as learning a new skill or learning in pursuit of a hobby.
For example, if you love playing the guitar and learning new songs, you could write an essay about that. Here’s a quote from my son’s Yale supplemental essay (circa 2011) which could have been repurposed just for this prompt.
What you most enjoy learning often times has nothing to do with academics, but your pursuit of it demonstrates how you go about learning – and that IMHO is ‘key’ to this prompt.
What do you do when you’re not doing schoolwork? What do you look up when you’re on google? Which sites do you check in on on a pretty regular basis?
Here’s what I’m talking about. I’m a high school math teacher, and have been forever. That’s my academic interest.
But I enjoy learning more about the college admission process- that’s why I’m here. And I’m a huge weather geek-- this time of year I check the NOAA National Hurricane Center site at least once a day. I love storms of all sort.
Those interests have nothing to do with my full time job, they’re both things I find interesting.
I have nothing to add to the above but I wanted to just recognize the excellent responses above by gibby and bjkmom. This is really thoughtful guidance and shows the best that this platform offers.
How incredibly kind of you to say, @YaleGradandDad
@bjkmom and @gibby, thank you for your guidance. I play tennis quite a bit, and although I am not at a high enough level to play at Yale, it is one my ECs that I am most passionate about. I am now considering writing about my analytical approach to learning the sport through biomechanics, and I think that my essay will do a good job of demonstrating passion for learning as well as my passion for my extracurriculars.
Sounds like a plan! Good luck!