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Quick Answer
The Yale SOM MBA essays focus on uncovering your values, motivations, and personal commitments beyond your resume. The signature prompt asks applicants to describe their biggest commitment, most influential community, or most significant challenge. Strong essays are authentic, specific, and show alignment with Yale SOM’s mission to educate leaders for business and society. Keep reading to see Yale SOM’s essay prompts, examples of what works, and tips to make your application stand out.
Here are the topics we’ll cover:
- What Are the Yale Essay Prompts?
- Why Does Yale Ask About Commitments in the MBA Essay?
- How Do You Write the Yale “Biggest Commitment” Essay?
- How Long Should the Yale MBA Essay Be?
- What Does Yale Look For in MBA Essays?
- When Should You Write the Yale Optional Essay?
- What Are the Best Tips for Writing Yale MBA Essays?
- Key Takeaways
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- How Long Should the Yale MBA Essay Be?
- What’s Next
What Are the Yale Essay Prompts?
For 2025-2026, applicants must choose 1 of the following:
1) Describe the biggest commitment you have ever made. Why is this commitment meaningful to you, and what actions have you taken to support it?
2) Describe the community that has been most meaningful to you. What is the most valuable thing you have gained from being a part of this community, and what is the most important thing you have contributed to this community?
3) Describe the most significant challenge you have faced. How have you confronted this challenge, and how has it shaped you as a person?
Note that there is no Why Yale? essay.
KEY FACT:
You only need to write 1 admissions essay for Yale SOM.
Why Does Yale Ask About Commitments in the MBA Essay?
One of Yale’s essay prompts asks about your biggest commitment. Specifically, the admissions committee wants to understand the significance of the commitment you share and its meaning.
Unlike other MBA programs that ask about your career goals or interest in their program, Yale’s application essay emphasizes commitment so it can learn more about your values and priorities.
Further, Yale’s admissions committee wants to understand:
- what motivates you
- how you address challenges
- values that drive your decisions
Yale SOM’s mission is to educate leaders for business and society. Therefore, your response to the commitment essay could reveal how you’ll align with Yale’s mission.
TTP PRO TIP:
If the commitment prompt doesn’t speak to you or your experiences, choose another prompt.
How Do You Write the Yale “Biggest Commitment” Essay?
Here are some tips for how to write Yale essays:
- Choose a real commitment. Your commitment can be personal OR professional. For example, have you made a commitment to a specific cause? Alternatively, have you aligned your professional goals with a certain mission?
- Show depth. In this essay, you must explain the significance of your goal and how you’ve demonstrated your commitment over time.
- Connect with Yale SOM values. Ensure that your response aligns with the program’s mission and values.
TTP PRO TIP:
Familiarize yourself with the program’s mission and values and make sure your essay response aligns with them.
How Long Should the Yale MBA Essay Be?
Regardless of the prompt you select, the word limit is 500 words. So, make sure that you maximize your opportunity to focus on a specific commitment, community, or challenge.
What Does Yale Look For in MBA Essays?
The Yale application essays help the MBA admissions committee learn more about you. Specifically, they want to understand:
- Your values — What does your essay response reveal about your core principles?
- Your dedication — Where have you focused your effort and energies, and what does that say about who you are?
- Your leadership — What does your commitment, community, or challenge reveal about your leadership style or potential?
- Your alignment with Yale SOM’s mission — How do your past experiences, motivations, and values align with the SOM’s mission?
Consider Yale’s values and mission when you compose your essay, but be genuine in your response. In other words, don’t simply write what you think the MBA admissions committee wants to hear.
TTP PRO TIP:
Be authentic in your essay response rather than simply writing what you think will please the admissions committee.
When Should You Write the Yale Optional Essay?
The Yale supplemental essay prompts are truly optional. However, if the admissions committee would benefit from learning more, here’s what you should provide:
- context on your academic performance, promotions, or recognitions
- steps you’ve taken to mitigate a weaker aspect of your application
- additional details that expand on your background information section
If none of these apply to your situation, skip the optional essay.
TTP PRO TIP:
Skip the optional essay if you don’t feel the need to add additional context to your application.
What Are the Best Tips for Writing Yale MBA Essays?
Use the following approach for your Yale essays:
- Start with reflection. Spend time brainstorming and thinking about your formative influences, communities, and experiences. Additionally, don’t rule out any of the prompts at this stage in your process.
- Show, don’t tell. Once you choose a prompt, determine how you’ll tell the story. Further, a narrative approach is more interesting and engaging than a traditional “essay” format.
- Share your personal side. Yale’s essay prompts should inspire you to share some personal experiences. Therefore, you should feel free to lean in and share what isn’t revealed elsewhere in your application.
- Avoid generic statements. It’s not useful to say that your biggest commitment is “helping people.” Even if that’s true, you should provide more specificity, such as “helping women access financial resources to reach their investment goals.”
- Showcase your perspective. Discuss what your commitment, community, or challenge reveals about you. Then, illustrate how your perspective aligns with Yale’s mission.
TTP PRO TIP:
Take the opportunity to share something about yourself that isn’t covered in the rest of your application.
Key Takeaways
Yale’s MBA admissions committee seeks candidates who understand and align with the school’s mission. Therefore, it’s critical that your Yale admissions essays showcase your perspective and alignment.
Ensure that you take the time to reflect on your past, assess your priorities, and understand Yale’s mission. Then, you’ll be in a great spot to tackle the Yale application essays.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What are the Yale SOM MBA essay prompts?
The Yale essay questions for 2025-2026 are:
1) Describe the biggest commitment you have ever made. Why is this commitment meaningful to you and what actions have you taken to support it?
2) Describe the community that has been most meaningful to you. What is the most valuable thing you have gained from being a part of this community and what is the most important thing you have contributed to this community?
3) Describe the most significant challenge you have faced. How have you confronted this challenge and how has it shaped you as a person?
You only need to select 1 of the Yale essay topics.
Why does Yale ask about commitments?
Commitments reveal your values, motivations, and how you approach situations and challenges over time.
How long should the Yale MBA essay be?
Yale admissions essays should be 500 words or fewer.
What does Yale look for in essays?
Yale’s MBA admissions committee looks for values, dedication, leadership, and alignment with the SOM’s mission.
Do I need to write the optional essay?
Follow our Yale essay tips in this article. Additionally, write the Yale supplemental essays only if you need to provide context that is not available elsewhere in your application.
How many supplements does Yale have?
For MBA applicants, Yale has 1 required essay and 1 optional essay. For undergraduate applicants, there are separate Yale supplemental essays. To learn how to write Yale supplemental essays, refer to the tips in this article.
What’s Next
Yale is one of the most recognizable global brands and universities, and it has a very selective MBA admissions process. However, the program is a strong launchpad for MBA candidates.
Yale essays that worked follow the tips and strategies outlined in this article. However, some candidates find it useful to collaborate with others during the writing process. If you’d like help with the Yale essay topics, book a free consultation with one of our expert admissions consultants today.
