It says this on the Yale essay guideline page: sometimes, less is more.
@rebecca12345 - you can answer in 35 words. That is your first test. You may have been studying for SATs your whole high school career, writing papers and courting teachers for recommendations (all good things). Asking you to write a succinct 35 word answer is a little harder, but it can be done. My daughter, who is now a writer and a literature major at Yale, found it extremely hard to stick to 35 words and was initially very frustrated. But, that is why you start on the applications early so that you have time for that perfect answer to pop into your head. I suggest you keep a pad near your bed at night. The perfect answer may come to you then. Do not think you will remember it in the morning.
To all - with 30,000+ applications, would you want to risk yours being immediately disqualified because you did not follow directions? Believe me, 100 words or less means just that. There is no need to give you wiggle room. There will be thousands that follow directions that will continue in the process. This is not high school. This is college and rules are there for a reason. I am not meaning to sound harsh, but as an alum and a current parent of a SCEA admit, my advice is to spend your time coming up with an answer that fits the parameters instead of trying to figure out what will happen if you do not. You want to present yourself in the best light possible.
Good luck to all of you.
Looks like Yale put in a 200 character limit to the 35 word short answers 
I had to cut down one of my answers.
The essay section was also split into two different sections.
It increases capacity by 15%, but remember more than just one class lives on campus
I was trying to reply to another comment but messed up. This was in regards to the new residential colleges
Question: I took the ACT last December and received a 34 with 24 writing. I took it again in March not by my own choice but as required by my school and got a 33 and 28 writing. The only other section I improved in was science, by 2 points. I know I have to send both scores to Yale, but is there a way they will know that the test date at my school was required?
@BB1313 - that won’t be relevant. They will take your highest scores, regardless of the underlying reason you took the test. Lots of schools require their students to take the test.
Did anyone mention specific about Yale in the “Why Yale” essay or did you all mention something generic like financial aid and the residential college system.
@hhjjlala I mentioned specific things
@hhjjlala - I would strongly suggest that your essay not mention financial aid. Yale is a need blind institution and whether or not you are applying for financial aid is not a part of your application and is not pertinent. Please find something more unique to write about since more than half of the applicants will need financial aid ultimately. If there is something about the residential college system that you feel is pertinent and it is important to you, then maybe you can go down that path.
@hhjjlala , I agree with @Tperry1982 about financial aid; it’s really meant to be kept on the other side of a virtual wall. I’d also argue against making the answer about the residential college system, unless it’s something compelling to you. You don’t want to write the Yale equivalent of a Why Columbia essay that answers: New York (even if true).
Hello guys. What’s the advantage of applying SCEA vs RD? I know the acceptance rate is higher, but then again, the applicants are more competitive…
(I’m trying to decide whether to decide SCEA to Yale or EA to UChicago, both of which I like equally)
Slight advantage. Yes the pool is somewhat more competitive because it is comprised of strong applicants that already have records this early in their senior year. But the difference is slight. There may be some slight advantage for legacies in SCEA, but the number accepted is still very low. Since it is SCEA, you still do not have to commit until May 1. Do not apply to a school early because you think it will give you an advantage. Apply because that is really, really where you want to go.
Yale certainly makes the news!
Hi guys, very excited to apply with you all~~
I m an international student from Singapore and this year the pool is soooo competitive…
Really want to ask which public unis place more emphasis on standardised tests like SAT and AP?cas I really need one or two safe school during early phase.
Thanks, wish everyone good luck!
Wishing you good luck with Yale app.
Cal Poly SLO uses a formula to objectively rank all applicants. If you get enough points to make the cutoff, you’re admitted.
Did anyone submit their application yet?
@hhjjlala My application is more or less done, but I think I’m gonna wait until like a week left to submit it. I don’t want to be rereading it October 14th and realize “oh I couldn’t done this” or “oh I could’ve changed that!”
Is it just me or is this all feeling so much more real all of a sudden? I imagine October (and November…and December) are about to be very stressful months as all of this actually comes into fruition.
@berkdork I totally feel the same way. I’m not looking forward to the month waiting for a decision, haha.
I kinda want to submit my application just to get it off my mind, but there’s an information session I’m attending in mid-October and I might wait until after that in case it makes me rethink some of my answers.