<p>I wrote this research paper on a famous feminist author in junior year for my english class, using creative ideas, or so i think...(in fact, the entire paper was proving the symbolism of a paticular item (a food) and its relation to the author's life and work, using various literary criticisms). I recieved a solid A on the paper (the highest in the class) and its my best work up to date, and I want to know whether it would be worth it for me to send it off to Yale as a supplementary writing sample? </p>
<p>Do a lot on kids send off writing samples? Do you think the idea is somewhat new in order to get me in, or something that will detract from my application? I'm afraid there's nothing special enough to get me in, and I'm hoping an original, somewhat A-HA! paper could help? I want to apply for a BIO major, but with a minor or perhaps double major in english...</p>
<p>thanks guys! and btw, im applying for scea...let me know!</p>
<p>hmm...i have a friend who submitted his entire 20-page scientific research paper (the same one that was recognized by siemens and intel sts) to yale and got in. granted he did also have a 2400 SAT score and APs out the ass and helped to found an international service organization haha...</p>
<p>but what i'm trying to say is that his paper was exceptional at a NATIONAL level and in it he described his ground-breaking research about prostate cancer. so be aware that your paper submitted for your high school class will be judged against these kinds of above-and-beyond papers.</p>
<p>i, on the other hand, only submitted my 200-word abstract for a paper of similar length and quality and actually fared better than he did when it came to college admissions. (he was denied at MIT and waitlisted at harvard)</p>
<p>so my advice would be, unless you think that sending the ENTIRE paper would be beneficial, i would not do it. what i WOULD do is, if you're asking your english teacher to be one of your recommenders, ask her to mention your paper and how avant-garde it was, i guess, and that would do you justice. </p>
<p>I agree with the above posters. Have your English teacher reference the great paper in her letter, but I wouldn't actually add it as a supplement. I'd say only add a writing supplement if it's an important component of your application as a whole: that is, something like a published work, legitimate research, some sort of state or nationally recognized piece, etc. Otherwise you're just trying to show off your writing abilities... and they already have the essays for that.</p>
<p>Yale does accept music supplements. The general recommendation is that only very accomplished musicians who plan to continue playing at college should send supplements. (You don't have to plan to be a major, however.) When you send a supplement, the admissions officers do not evaluate it themselves. Assuming you get past the requisite threshold with respect to grades, curriculum, and ACT/SAT scores, the admissions committee will forward your supplement to the appropriate department for a ranking. They get some really outstanding supplements, and mediocre supplements don't help an applicant's cause. So if you're quite accomplished, send a supplement. If you're in doubt, maybe your teacher could help you decide whether to put one together. If you're not going to send a CD, it's definitely worthwhile to list your music activities in your resume.</p>
<p>My son sent a CD with his application last year, and the particular department had pretty specific requirements with respect to repertoire and length. If you're going to send a supp, contact the specific department.</p>
<p>i think you should send it after consulting with your adviser...it could be to ur advantage as well as work against you, so to err on the safe side have a little chat with your lit teacher as well as your adviser in order to validate the quality of ur essay (from a different point of view than that held within the classroom)</p>
<p>"I am not an artist or musician, and I have not engaged in any original research. Am I at a disadvantage for not submitting supplementary material? Should I submit something else?
Please do not feel any pressure to submit supplementary material. For the vast majority of our applicants, we evaluate the quality of extracurricular activities and talents through self-reported activity descriptions, essays, and comments made by recommenders. For a very small number of exceptionally talented artists, musicians, and researchers, we may find it useful to refer tapes/CDs, slides, and/or abstracts to the appropriate Yale academic department for evaluation. Unfortunately, we are unable to evaluate DVDs or video tapes, so please do not send them." Applying</a> to Yale College | Frequently Asked Questions | Office of Undergraduate Admissions</p>
<p>I think this makes it pretty clear the types of supplementary materials Yale will evaluate -- tapes, CDs, slides, abstracts. Ordinary (or extraordinary!)research papers are NOT listed. Yale admissions has 20,000+ applications to review. I recommend that you showcase your writing skills by submitting great essays, OP.</p>
<p>hmmm..you guys are making a point...refrencing it is probabaly the best idea (the paper is 5 pages long...and i wouldnt want to bore the admissions committee)...thanks!</p>
<p>Nah, leave it out. Be proud of it but they don't need to see it. If the teacher was truly impressed by it, she/he will bring in up in the rec so don't worry! Supplements are for those who are truly going to impress those of the given field (music, art, creative writing) to add a "passion" or "focus" to the application. Your paper just shows you're a creative, intelligent person, which they should be able to tell otherwise.</p>
<p>Well... I'd say that it's a bad idea based on conventional wisdom, but I had a friend who sent in a rather long supplement (including a poem he wrote in spanish) and he got in. I hesitate to say he didn't have much special about him, 'cause he was a freakin' genius, but his major extracurricular activity was football, and he definitely wasn't passionate about it. His real passion was philosophy (and he's a philosophy major now, who writes on philosophy for the Yale Daily News) and I think the writing sample helped substantiate that. He got in.</p>
<p>So... I suppose you should consider sending it if it really says something about you that isn't revealed anywhere else on your app, but otherwise don't bother.</p>