Discover the big questions you’ll explore this year—and how innovation can supercharge your answers.

Yale University.
The upgraded way.

Yale Supplemental Essays
— The Class of 2026 Guide —

  • Start your Supplemental Essay Success below by previewing this guide’s three sections:

    Information ⋄ Inspiration ⋄ Innovation

    Discover strategies designed by an Ivy Alum and over three hundred success stories!

  • — Yale University —

    Explore The Three Sections
    Inside This Upgraded Guide

    — Preview The Guide —

  • — Information —

    In this section, explore all of this college’s supplemental essay prompts for Class of 2026 applicants—along with Supplemental Styles to innovate your essay-building process!

    — 1 of 3 —

  • — Inspiration —

    In this section, read successful supplemental essays from our own Accepted Alumni! See the ideas, values, and missions that stand out to admissions at even the most selective colleges.

    — 2 of 3 —

  • — Innovation —

    In this section, learn success-proven methods to streamline your application and essay-building process. Discover methods designed by an Ivy alum with over 300 student success stories!

    — 3 of 3 —

  • — The Yale Guide —

    Find aligned inspiration,
    discover time-saving innovation,
    and build inspiring supplemental essays.
    Ready to start your success story?

    — Scroll Down To Explore —

  • — Supplemental Essay Prompts —

    Through Guide Section 1 of 3—Information—explore all of this college’s supplemental essay prompts for Class of 2026 applicants—along with Supplemental Styles to innovate your essay-building process!

Supplemental Length


200 Word Maximum

Supplemental Style


Major & Missions

Supplemental Essay Prompt


— Yale University —

  • — Yale Supplemental Prompt 1 —

    Tell us about a topic or idea that excites you and is related to one or more academic areas you selected above. Why are you drawn to it? (200 words or fewer)

    — 200 Word Maximum —

Supplemental Length


125 Word Maximum

Supplemental Style


College & Curriculum

Supplemental Essay Prompt


— Yale University —

  • — Emmanuel Optional Prompt 2 —

    What is it about Yale that has led you to apply? (125 words or fewer)

    — 125 Word Maximum —

Supplemental Length


35 Word Maximum

Supplemental Style


Strategic Short Answers

Supplemental Essay Prompt


— Yale University —

  • — Yale Supplemental Prompt 3 —

    Applicants submitting the Coalition Application or Common Application will also respond to the following short answer questions, in no more than 200 characters (approximately 35 words):

    — Prompt Option 1 —

    What inspires you?

    — Prompt Option 2 —

    If you could teach any college course, write a book, or create an original piece of art of any kind, what would it be?

    — Prompt Option 3 —

    Other than a family member, who is someone who has had a significant influence on you? What has been the impact of their influence?

    — Prompt Option 4 —

    What is something about you that is not included anywhere else in your application?

    — 35 Word Maximum —

Supplemental Length


400 Word Maximum

Supplemental Style


Unique & Uncommon

Supplemental Essay Prompt


— Yale University —

  • — Yale Supplemental Prompt 3 —

    Applicants submitting the Coalition Application or Common Application will respond to one of the following prompts in 400 words or fewer.

    — Prompt Option 1 —

    Reflect on a time you discussed an issue important to you with someone holding an opposing view. Why did you find the experience meaningful?

    — Prompt Option 2 —

    Reflect on your membership in a community to which you feel connected. Why is this community meaningful to you? You may define community however you like.

    — Prompt Option 3 —

    Reflect on an element of your personal experience that you feel will enrich your college. How has it shaped you?

    — 400 Word Maximum —

Supplemental Essay Information


— Yale University —

Supplemental Strategy


Class of 2026 Applicants

Supplemental Essay


Insider Information

  • — Supplemental Essay Strategy —

    Streamline your supplemental essay process with our Supplemental Strategy—and bring Yale within your reach!

    Throughout our Supplemental Essay Guides, we provide clarity through our Supplemental Essay Styles. The Styles streamline the entire supplemental essay-building process—and create more success stories.

    Streamline your application process with the Supplemental Style Strategy—upgraded for Class of 2026 Students who dream of studying at Yale University!

    — Upgraded Class of 2026 Essentials —

  • — Supplemental Essay Examples —

    Through Guide Section 2 of 3—Inspiration—read Successful Supplemental Essays from our Accepted Alumni! Discover ideas that stand out to admissions at Yale, and find inspiration for your own success story.

Accepted Alumni


Essay Example

Supplemental Style


Community & Collaboration

Supplemental Essay Example


— Yale University —

  • Featured Supplemental Essay Prompt For Yale University Applicants:

    Reflect on a community to which you feel connected. Why is it meaningful to you? You may define community however you like. 250 Word Maximum.

    Successful Supplemental Essay Example From Our Accepted Alumni Student:

    Not many may appreciate the aroma of decomposing banana or the presence of fruit fly larvae, especially in their dorm room. However, I welcomed this opportunity as I embarked on research—and navigated mishaps—at Governor’s School this past summer.

    With guidance from our mentor, Dr. [Mentor], my student team aimed to evaluate conditions for cultivating a potential alternative food source—D. melanogaster.

    We had trouble securing larvae, but Dr. [Mentor] brought duck feed from her own backyard for us to sift through. When we discovered our self-constructed respirometer had limitations, Dr. [Mentor] mentored us as we refined our project, sought out existing data, ran ANOVA, and more.

    With our project’s mishaps, I wondered if I was really destined to become a scientist. But Dr. [Mentor] shared her own past research mistakes and unexpected breakthroughs. She credited my group’s persistence and asked me what I learned—and would translate to future inquiries.

    I thought back to my first years of high school. I had witnessed relentless curiosity from the kids I worked with in downtown [City]. As we worked together on after-school science experiments, I saw the inquisitiveness that make us scientists in the first place. I realized that when my research team worked through limitations and channeled our lessons—even became curious as little kids, like my students—we had earned our place in the community.

    I feel connected to the scientific community because I keep asking questions, remain patient, and persist in the pursuit of knowledge—even if I may fail along the way.

  • — Supplemental Essay Strategy —

    Through Guide Section 3 of 3—Innovation—learn success-proven methods to streamline your entire supplemental essay process. Our methods are designed by an Ivy Alum and 300+ student success stories!

  • — Yale Application Upgrade —

    From guiding hundreds of students, we know that your success story takes much more than one essay—especially in 2025.

    We are passionate about helping students master the process from start to submission—and to have clarity and confidence at every step. That’s why our innovative guides are curated for Class of 2026 students with big dreams.

    A successful Yale Application requires the Supplemental Essays you see above, and much more. Below, learn what success looks like—from start to finish.

    See A Successful Yale Application

  • — Start-To-Submission Success —

    Embrace our success-proven methods to build your application essays—and find inspiration to help you at every step.

    During the Upgraded Process, College Application Phase Five is the time to embark on some of the most challenging yet rewarding college application components—the specific Supplemental Essays essential for most colleges.

    During this phase, learn to master the process of crafting successful College-Specific Supplemental Essays—and bring more colleges within your reach!

    Explore More Successful Applications

  • — Upgraded Application Process —

    Start your admissions success story with methods built by our Ivy League Founder and over 300 student success stories!

    Our success-proven Five Phases Application Approach helps students streamline the entire college application process through success-shaping frameworks and more opportunities for aligned action.

    We are passionate about guiding students through our start-to-submission application approach—because success stories require much more than one essay.

    Start Your Admissions Success Story

  • — Supplemental Essay Strategy —

    Streamline your supplemental essay process with our Supplemental Strategy—and bring Yale within your reach!

    Throughout our Supplemental Essay Guides, we provide clarity through our Supplemental Essay Styles. The Styles streamline the entire supplemental essay-building process—and create more success stories.

    Streamline your application process with the Supplemental Style Strategy—upgraded for Class of 2026 Students who dream of studying at Yale University!

    Supplemental Guides & Success Stories

Yale University.
The upgraded way.

Start Your Success Story