Calling All Fall 2010 Yale SOM Applicants

However grand your goal is, it is generally understood that you won't be able to achieve it right away after 2 years in bschool. As long as your goal makes sense, and it fits in nicely to the equation on how YOU + YALE SOM = ULTIMATE GOAL, you should sell it.

One recent YSOM alum started a clean energy recycling business (in plastics I think) while he/she was a student at YSOM. People here are overachievers. Their background, dreams, and traits are unique and very different. Therefore, whatever you goal is, the most important thing is that it's sensible and achievable and why YSOM is needed to get there. The situation has to be a WIN-WIN situation. You should be able to benefit from YSOM experience and YSOM in general has to benefit by having you as part of the community.

Many people think non-profit types go to YSOM but that's not true. I don't know what rest of my class wrote in their essays but whether you come from business background or non-profit background, many of us graduate and end up in fields where we didn't even consider before. 40-50% of our graduates end up in finance, 10-20% in consulting, 8% in healthcare etc etc.

So whatever your plan is now, it can change in the near future. YSOM isn't going to hold you responsible by enforcing whatever the goal that you write in your essay. What they want to see is growth and evolution, as well as a butterfly effect by having you here. If that growth and evolution takes you somewhere else in 2 to 3 years, then let it be.