<p>Is anyone NOT doing that optional essay in the Yale Supplement for Common App?</p>
<p>I think it would be kind of ridiculous NOT to do it. THe more information you give Yale about yourself, the better. Also, I think it shows that you cared enough to write and submit another essay- just that you put the effort in.</p>
<p>i'm not...i don't have time to craft another GOOD essay for them... lol hopefully they wont mind...</p>
<p>According to the adcom who spoke at the info sessions we went to (yes, we went twice), the 2nd essay is actually not optional. They expect 2.</p>
<p>OMIGOSH
NOOOOOO now i have to actually come up with another one:'(</p>
<p>well my rep said that its a REALLY GOOD idea to do the second one, but that they won't say, oh look, they didn't do a second one, we're rejecting them.</p>
<p>ok i will do a second one...in the process diverting my precious studying-for-ib-exams-in-8-days-time....:( grrrr... i hope Yale will be happy!</p>
<p>... anything wrong with saying i'll submit the second one by mail?</p>
<p>and..... both of my essays are the reflective/ personal sort .. and niether of them is on activities. You think i should change one of them and focus on talking bout e.g. the service project i've done?</p>
<p>thank u
xoxo</p>
<p>You should do essays that best respect what you think it is important for them to know. If you think your activities are one of those things then definately do one on activities. No matter what anyone says, however, if you have two that you love do not change them. If the two are exactly the smae topic it will seem redundant. Remeber they want to get to know you through your app (or at least the parts of you that you like to advertise :) ).</p>
<p>chachaxie- I am definately doing two. It seems like Yale students would be willing to go the extra mile. It is our first (and perhaps only) impression. Any chance to make yourself look better is always good.</p>
<p>Mine were both reflective also. Essays are a way for the reader to get to know you. I believe that even a reflective topic can be something that allows the reader to get to know you; for example, the way you think. It need not be a brag sheet. When you write about anything you can create a voice.</p>
<p>I finished my supp essay at 1:30am last night, anyone wanna read and comment?</p>
<p>i'd like to. I really like to see what other's applying for yale are writing, I'll trade if that makes you feel better about it. are you applying EA</p>
<p>one of mines the standard reflective, the others a poem. i'm hoping my rep doesn't look at it and go, UUUURRRGHHH gimmicky and stop reading.</p>
<p>blur, i submitted a poem for my supplement one too. my guidance counselor worked 15+ years at valpraiso as an admissions officer and he told our whole senior class NOT to submit any essay that is "optional" unless you really really need to show another part of your personality/life/whatever. he said that adcoms have enough files to read without adding extra essays to each one and that "the thicker the file, the thicker the applicant."</p>
<p>I don't mean to discourage people from submitting the extra essay because I did too! I'm just not sure who to believe......my guidance counselor (who DOES have a lot of experience doing what he does) or the CC members. can anyone shed any light on this?</p>
<p>well, all i know is that my regional officer for yale basically told us that is a very very bad idea not to submit the optional/</p>
<p>So, without giving the exact topic of your extra essay, can anyone give me an idea of how they chose a second subject to write about? Do you write about another interest or extra curricular activity that tells something different about you than the first essay? Or do you write about something that reinforces the first essay?</p>
<p>The Yale optional essay is mandatory if you want to be admitted</p>
<p>Go figure</p>
<p>At least you can write TWO essays on an open topic (using the free choice on the common app, and the 'optional' essay is free choice as well)</p>
<p>my first was about a trip i took through Europe with my soccer team the seonc is about my parents divorce. Neither are original topics but both explain a different and important part of my personlity today.</p>
<p>From speaking to various admissions representatives, they say that Yale made the second essay optional, because when it was mandatory, many sent in additional essays that crowded the app. Also, they say it truly is optional, but that anything that can further highlight your personality is a good thing. For my common app essay I wrote about going to Russia (the birthplace of my parents) for the first time and for my Yale essay, I wrote about my summer at the Yale Summer Session (shameless? yes.)</p>