Yale Essay Examples From Accepted Student
LAI
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?
I first discovered systems biology when I read an article explaining how computer models could simulate the spread of infectious disease. The idea that equations and algorithms could capture the complexity of a living system amazed me.
Curious, I tried my hand at building small models. With open-source software, I simulated how bacteria grow under different conditions. Later, through a summer research program, I worked on a project that used computational methods to study antibiotic resistance. My job was to create simulations testing how bacteria might adapt when exposed to multiple drugs at once. Each successful run felt like watching a hidden world reveal itself on the screen.
Outside the lab, my interest deepened during volunteer shifts at a local clinic. Seeing patients deal with illnesses that were hard to diagnose or treat gave my research a human face. It made me wonder how computational models could improve outcomes, from predicting treatment responses to designing more effective interventions.
What excites me most about this field is its interdisciplinarity. Biology provides the questions, math gives the framework, and coding supplies the tools. At Yale, I hope to keep exploring how this blend of disciplines can address problems that matter to real people.
What is it about Yale that has led you to apply?
Yale draws me because it thrives at the crossroads of disciplines. I want to study both the logic of science and the humanity of service, and Yale encourages me to pursue both with equal intensity.
On Science Hill, I could take classes like Modeling Biological Systems and join projects in the Systems Biology Institute, working with researchers who push the boundaries of computation and health. At the same time, I could enroll in seminars like Ethics and Public Policy in Science to keep my work grounded in human impact.
What excites me just as much is the community. In my residential college, I’d be surrounded by peers who bring perspectives from every corner of the world—challenging me to think bigger, listen better, and live Yale’s spirit of collaboration.
What inspires you?
The resilience of my younger piano students inspires me. Even when they stumble through scales, they keep going. Their persistence reminds me that growth comes from small, imperfect steps practiced over time.
If you could teach any college course, write a book, or create an original piece of art of any kind, what would it be?
“Science in Translation”: a seminar exploring how discoveries in labs become stories people can understand. Students would practice turning dense research into plays, podcasts, and articles for public audiences.
Other than a family member, who is someone who has had a significant influence on you? What has been the impact of their influence?
My neighbor, a retired nurse, showed me how compassion is as powerful as medicine. Watching her comfort families taught me that healing often begins with listening before any treatment is given.
What is something about you that is not included anywhere else in your application?
I collect postcards from every place I visit—quirky diners, national parks, tiny roadside towns. Each one is a snapshot of people I’ve met and stories I want to carry forward.
Reflect on an element of your personal experience that you feel will enrich your college. How has it shaped you?
When my family moved to the United States, the shift was more disorienting than I expected. Suddenly, the routines of daily life—things I had never thought about before—became challenges we had to solve from scratch. My parents, adjusting to long work hours and navigating English with difficulty, leaned on me for tasks I had never imagined handling at fifteen.
At first, it was a crash course in responsibility. I was the one calling utility companies when bills didn’t make sense, interpreting at doctor’s appointments, and filling out forms that determined whether we qualified for certain programs. I remember sitting at our kitchen table with stacks of paperwork spread out, Googling terms I didn’t understand, determined to get it right.
I stumbled plenty. Once, I confused two forms and caused a delay in my mom’s job application. Another time, I booked an appointment at the wrong clinic. Each mistake stung, but each one forced me to problem-solve, to adapt, and to persist until I figured things out. Over time, I became more confident in my ability to navigate complex systems.
These responsibilities also changed how I saw myself. They taught me that leadership is not about titles but about showing up when it matters most. They showed me the power of empathy—because I knew how stressful it was for my parents to depend on a system that felt foreign, I grew more aware of how others might struggle with barriers, too. And they taught me resilience: I learned to balance these “adult” responsibilities with schoolwork, friendships, and the normal turbulence of adolescence.
That perspective is something I will carry to Yale. In classrooms, it will push me to approach problems with persistence, even when the answer isn’t obvious. In student groups, it will guide me to make spaces inclusive, knowing how isolating it can feel when you’re navigating a world not built with you in mind. I’m especially drawn to the Yale Education Tutoring Initiative and the Yale Migration Alliance, where I could help other families make transitions with more support than my family had.
Above all, I hope to share with my peers the lesson my experience taught me: challenges may arrive uninvited, but facing them together—with patience, empathy, and creativity—can transform them into opportunities for growth.