Yale + Princeton + Stanford humanities essays, same pitch or differentiate
Question for anyone applying T10 humanities. I've been writing my main essays around the same intellectual through-line (constitutional philosophy, specifically how the Federalist Papers handle minority rights). It's a strong angle for me. Mock trial nationals, dad's a constitutional litigator, I've been reading this stuff since middle school.
Problem: applying Yale (Directed Studies pitch), Princeton (SPIA vs A.B. Politics), and Stanford. Wondering if I should:
A. Keep the same intellectual core for all three and let each school's culture shape the framing (Yale = Directed Studies grounded, Princeton = SPIA practical policy, Stanford = interdisciplinary tech-policy crossover).
B. Write three substantively different essays with different angles so AOs at each school don't wonder if I'm copy-pasting.
My counselor says A. A private consultant my dad knows says B. Lol I genuinely don't know who to listen to.
For Yale, Directed Studies is the program I'd actually pick a degree around, so the essay is honest. For Princeton SPIA, the same core lands but the framing has to be more practical-policy. Stanford is the harder one. They don't have a humanities program of the same intensity, and the public policy angle is less of a thing there.
Applying RD next week. A or B?
#essays#applications#12th-grade
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Option A. AOs at HYP humanities read for intellectual coherence, not novelty between supps. Adapt the lens per school: Directed Studies for Yale, SPIA practical for Princeton, Stanford is harder, agree there.
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12th· 33d ago
B is what consultants push because it makes their value-add visible. AOs at Yale and Princeton talk less than people think. One strong intellectual angle done three ways beats three weaker ones.