How To Write Your Yale Short Takes Essays 2020-2021

This is a post for all the aspiring Bulldogs who are feeling stumped by Yale's "Short Takes" on the Common Application.

The first thing you need to do is understand why the Yale admissions team is asking these zany questions.

​First, here are the questions:

Now, I'll tell you why they're asking. 

Are you ready?

Yale wants you to answer these questions because...

...

...

It's supposed to be fun! 

I know — not much about the college application season is "fun."

But let's try to have fun now. 

As you go over these four questions, be creative. Be yourself. If "yourself" isn't "silly" or "quirky" — that's fine! Don't force silly. Never force silly! But anyone, even unquirky, not-silly people, can be creative.

Since these answers are so short, try to come up with at least three ideas before committing to one — and if you're not sure which of those three is best, ask a parent, friend, or college counselor what they think.

You can also ask me! Request an appointment with Eva at Paved With Verbs!

Let's start with the first essay:​

1. What inspires you? (200 characters)

Let's assume I'm the girl from ​How to Write Your "Optional" COVID-19 Essay, so I sat down and asked myself: 

What is interesting/special/unique about me that I haven't had a chance to share yet? 

• I've spent four years studying Latin and one year studying Greek. I don't know if I want to major in classics, but it's been a huge part of my life.
• I'm late for almost every class — because I'm always staying late having interesting discussions with my teacher from the previous class. 
• For my senior project, I am writing a full-length play; I have already written and directed one full-length play for my school's drama club.
• I loved AP Stats.
• I love to read.

Since these are things I consider special and unique about myself, they are things I should try to share with the admissions officer reading my application. 

So how do I turn this into things that inspire me? 

Easy. Reverse engineer it. I went ahead and wrote one response for every one of these things I love about myself:

1. What inspires you? (200 characters)

​It’s a toss-up between William Petty, who invented statistics with his life expectancy tables, and William Perry, whose work as Defense Secretary helped prevent mutual destruction of human life.
​

This doesn't directly say that I loved AP Stats. Nor does it specify that I read The Button: The New Nuclear Arms Race and Presidential Power from Truman to Trump, just out of curiosity, because this summer marked the 75th anniversary of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. 

So my next step, if I wanted to run with this idea, would be to write another version of it, then test it with my college counselor, college essay coach, my parents, and a friend or two. Ask them if they preferred one version over the other, and what their thoughts and assumptions would be about you from reading it.  

1. What inspires you? (200 characters)

After reading Defense Secretary William Perry's The Button on the 75th anniversary of the atomic bomb, I'm inspired by the quest to topple the military industrial complex and innovate new paths to peace. 
​​

I have a feeling most people would prefer the first version, since it's got the clever word play and "world peace" is a pretty cheesy thing to write about...

But the only way to know is to ask.

Go ahead — ask me!

​​Next, here is what I would say if I wanted to emphasize my interest in playwriting: 

1. What inspires you? (200 characters)

Max Bialystock, a down-and-out producer whose perseverance helped him annex the cure for writer’s block: stop taking yourself so seriously, have fun, and write what you like—not what you hope an audience will like.
​​​

Personally, I love this. It's a reference to The Producers, a musical and movie by one of my favorite writers. The otherwise-cliched advice is funny, because the way Max "annexed" this cure was by intentionally writing a play he thought people would hate.

Of course, the only way anyone would understand that is if they've seen The Producers. What are the odds of that? 

I don't know. That's why I would ask a couple people to read it and tell me, honestly, what they think. 

One last thought on this:

A good writer avoids boring words, idioms, and expressions.

Originally, I wrote, "cracked the code." Eh. Boring. Cliche. 

So then I tried "unlocked the secret." Even more boring. 

So I asked myself, "What's something like "crack the code," but that would be relevant either to the theater or to something in The Producers? The name of the play that Max wrote to sabotage himself is Springtime for Hitler... so I thought "annexed" would be an interesting verb that would allow me to use the same expression, but different. 

In theater, and in life, people love when you give them the same thing, but different. (See also: Save the Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You'll Ever Need.) 

Did it work? Was "annex" a good word choice? I think so... but again. The only way to really know if something "worked" is to see how people respond to it. Ask a friend, or check my rates and services and contact me. 

Let's find YOUR "Save the Cat" moment!

Next, let's say I've decided I to emphasize the awesome relationships I have with my teachers. (This is actually a REALLY important part of your application. As I wrote in How to Get an Outstanding Letter of Recommendation... Even if You Don't Currently Have a Great Relationship With Any Teachers, it's extremely rare to get admitted to a top school like Yale or Harvard or Stanford if you don't have at least one amazing recommendation.)

​Here's what I might say:

1. What inspires you? (200 characters)



Mrs. Moore. A published poet, environmental activist, and outstanding English teacher, she taught me that to be proud of myself and own my accomplishments, rather than demure in the expected "feminine" way.

​

Is it lame to say one of my teachers inspires me? Not if it's true. Is it common? Honestly, no. I've never seen someone do that. Parents, yes. Grandparents, sometimes. Elon Musk? Every fifteen minutes. And even though it's "about" her, it's really about me and some of the personal growth I've done as a student.

Need help with your essays? Not sure about your recs? Contact me!

Last one. I love Latin and Greek, and I want to make sure Yale knows it! Here's what I would say:

1. What inspires you? (200 characters)


Cicero, the original OG. His orations are so compelling, I can feel their meaning before I translate them. 2000 years later, political speeches still use many of his rhetorical strategies.

​

This may successfully pique the reader's curiosity. "The original original gangster? How delightfully anachronistic! I what she means by that!" Or... they might just find it confusing. Have someone read it before you submit. 

So now, with only a small amount of effort, I've gone from saying something totally boring and about someone/something other than me ("The quest for social justice," "My parents," etc.)

To showing and telling something interesting about myself. I've now got a few choices.
​

• It’s a toss-up between William Petty, who invented statistics with his life expectancy tables, and William Perry, whose work as Defense Secretary helped prevent mutual destruction of human life.
• After reading Defense Secretary William Perry's The Button on the 75th anniversary of the atomic bomb, I'm inspired by the quest to topple the military industrial complex and innovate new paths to peace. ​​
• Max Bialystock, a down-and-out producer whose perseverance helped him annex the cure for writer’s block: stop taking yourself so seriously, have fun, and write what you like, not what you hope an audience will like.​
• Mrs. Moore. A published poet, environmental activist, and outstanding English teacher, she taught me that to be proud of myself and own my accomplishments, rather than demure in the expected "feminine" way.
• ​Cicero, the original OG. His orations are so compelling, I can feel their meaning before I translate them. 2000 years later, political speeches still use many of his rhetorical strategies.

But I'm not going to decide which one to use now. I'm going to finish answering the Short Takes:

• Yale’s residential colleges regularly host conversations with guests representing a wide range of experiences and accomplishments. What person, past or present, would you invite to speak? What question would you ask?
•  You are teaching a Yale course. What is it called?
• Most first-year Yale students live in suites of four to six people. What do you hope to add to your suitemates' experience? What do you hope they will add to yours?

And my Why Yale? essay:

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

And the longer Yale Essays, which include: 

• Yale’s extensive course offerings and vibrant conversations beyond the classroom encourage students to follow their developing intellectual interests wherever they lead. Tell us about your engagement with a topic or idea that excites you. Why are you drawn to it? (250 words or fewer)

And ONE of these (250 words or fewer):

• Reflect on your membership in a community. Why is your involvement important to you? How has it shaped you? You may define community however you like.
• Yale students, faculty, and alumni engage issues of local, national, and international significance. Discuss an issue that is important to you and how your college experience could help you address it.
• Tell us about your relationship with a role model or mentor who has been influential in your life. How has their guidance been instrumental to your growth?

Once I've answered these, I will have a better idea of what I want to say that I haven't said, and what possible holes I still need to fill in my Short Takes. 

I know — it's a lot. I can help!

For the sake of not having this post be 10,000 pages long, I've broken the Yale application into a couple of separate articles. Check back soon if you need help on the other parts of the application (EDIT: Part 2 is now live!), and feel free to check out my rates and services and contact me if you're interested in working with Paved With Verbs on your college applications.