<p>Hey guys,</p>
<p>I'm not sure if someone has asked this question recently, but I couldn't find a thread. Anyway, I've been looking over the Yale app (just got it in the mail!) and was wondering if the short answer on the Common App should be about the same activity at the long answer on Yale's Supplement. If so, doesn't this seem a bit redundant? What are you guys going to do? </p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>This definitely came up last year... You can choose, it's completely up to you. I did two different things if I remember correctly</p>
<p>I wrote a 250-word essay for the common app short answer, and then used that as a base for the 500-word one for the supplement. The essays, though sharing almost half their material, were completely different in tone and effect, so it doesn't have to be redundant.</p>
<p>Alright, thanks!</p>
<p>Yes, I elaborated on the short one in the long one.</p>
<p>I gave a general idea of the EC I was most involved in (debate) and then I used the supplemental essay to describe a moment in my three years of debate that I felt highlighted various different (and unique) facets about me that I wanted to convey to the Yale Admissions Committee.</p>
<p>I used two different activities.</p>
<p>I didn't even write a short one... seemed to work lol.</p>
<p>haha, that's great spezzatura. you just left it blank?</p>
<p>I have another quick question. I've heard that submitting extra essays is looked unfavorably upon. What if mine's short (around 250 words) and conveys something about me that I think none of the other two do? Would it just add unnecessary bulk?</p>
<p>I just wrote "See attatched essay" in the box.</p>
<p>Honeyhazel -I wouldn't advise submitting extra essays. You already have a small one, a bigger one, and then another on the supplemental. Three should do it, don't you think?<br>
If you want to make sure that something is conveyed and can't do it in the essays, would one of your recommendations be a possible place for this quality to come out? Perhaps you could speak to your counselor and see if this might come out in their write-up, providing you have that kind of relationship. He/she might have a suggestion, anyway. It's hard to give advice when you are vague about this "something."</p>
<p>do people exceed the 150 word limit for the short answer question? by how much?</p>
<p>Some people do, but it isn't suggested particularly since Yale asks you to expand that essay in the supplement.</p>
<p>A.S.A.P., thanks for the advice; yeah, I'll talk to my counselor. The "something" is about I was born in Asia, and my parents brought us here when I was three with less than $10 and basically worked really, really hard to get us where we are today. It's cliche, I know, but knowing that they did that for us is one of the biggest motivators for me to excel in school. Should I skip it in the app?</p>