Yale's admissions officers use a 250-word essay to evaluate your analytic skills and to get a sense of the issues that motivate you. This is not a personal statement, and the rules of personal statements don't apply. You don't have to write about yourself. You can tell a story, but it's probably easier to make an argument.

Picking a Topic

Let's start by looking at Yale's full prompt:

The Law School is a vibrant intellectual community where students are expected to engage academically with faculty and fellow students. In no more than 250 words, write about an idea or issue from your academic, extracurricular, or professional work that is of particular interest to you. The idea or issue you choose does not have to be law-related; this is an opportunity for readers to learn more about how you would engage intellectually in the Law School community.

The application instructs you to pick a topic from your academic, extracurricular, or professional work. Although it might be okay to write about an issue that you simply care about (you could construe your preoccupation with the issue as an extracurricular activity in and of itself), it's better to write about an issue that complements another facet of your application.

Start by generating ideas for your topic. Consider the following questions:

• Have you written a paper for school that you could turn into a short argument?
• Did any of your classes expose you to a controversy that interested you?
• Has a current event stirred your emotions? Do you have an opinion about it?
• Have you read anything recently that made you reconsider an important issue?
• Have you recently gotten into an argument with a relative or friend about an issue of broader significance? Can you articulate both sides of the disagreement?
• Are you involved, or have you ever been involved, in an extracurricular activity that takes sides on an issue? Are there people or groups who oppose your work?
• Have any of your extracurricular activities exposed you to an internal disagreement about how to proceed?
• How has your work been affected by recent world events? Is that a good thing or a bad thing? What can be done about it?
• Have you witnessed a major argument about policy at work?
• What do you care about beyond yourself?

If you've come up with more than one idea, choose the one you know the most about or about which you feel most strongly, not the one that you think will look best to an imaginary admissions officer. You might also consider your "brand." For example, my Yale 250 emphasizes my interest in food policy, which I also noted in my personal statement. I wanted to make myself memorable by becoming the ag-law guy.

Writing the Essay

Broadly speaking, you have two main options for this essay: you can tell a story about your intellectual development or you can make an argument. The latter is probably easier.

Argument Templates

Position For, Position Against

1. Lay out the question.
2. State the opposing position.
3. Argue your position.

My 250-word essay follows this debate-inspired structure: I lay out the question in paragraph one, consider the negative side in paragraph two, and come down on the affirmative side in paragraph three.

Possible Solutions, Optimal Solution

1. Lay out the problem.
2. Explore one or two solutions.
3. Lay out the most promising solution.

The "Possible Solutions, Optimal Solution" template is just a variation of the "Position For, Position Against" template.

One-Sided Argument

1. State your position.
2. Make your first argument.
3. Make your second argument.
4. [Make your third argument…]

This one is straightforward and relatively easy to pull off. If you feel strongly about something, let fly. Just make sure that you're not knocking down straw men.

Storytelling Templates

The Old BTL (Before, Turning Point, After)

1. I used to think X.
2. Thing Y happened.
3. Now I think Z.

If you had a genuine change of heart about an issue that other people might care about, you can write an essay that's both personal and persuasive. This template isn't so different from the "Position For, Position Against" template. In a way, you're arguing with yourself, and you can demonstrate growth and subject mastery at the same time.

The Window

1. Experience
2. Exploration of issue you began to care about afterward

In this template, a novel experience opens a window on a new world of ideas. Perhaps, for example, you never had strong opinions about medical malpractice until someone you know was harmed by a doctor—or until a doctor you know was sued. This template describes the way many people come to feel strongly about something, but it's difficult to wrap up. In order to write a successful window-style essay, you'll probably have to transition into one of the other templates. That is, you'll have to demonstrate how you changed your mind, learned something, or came to espouse a certain position.

More Tips

• Try writing your essay without worrying about the length requirement. Once you have a draft, you can identify the best parts and cut the rest—or use the bracket method to compress.
• Be wary of writing about a legal issue. Your essay is probably going to be read by members of Yale Law's faculty. If you make a mistake about, say, history, the faculty member may never know, but if you make a mistake about the law—and, honestly, you will—she might be soured on your whole application.
• Do not exceed 250 words, not even by a little bit. They really mean it.
• Don't write a "why Yale," a sneaky addendum, or anything else they don't ask for.
• Don't underestimate this essay. It's very important, and it's very difficult to do well.
• Format your 250-word essay the same way you format your personal statement, but the last line of your header should read "250-word Essay" instead of "Personal Statement."