High school student earns full scholarship to Yale with unique essay
Nuran Çakmakçı - İZMİR
A Turkish high school student with a passion for astrophysics has secured a prestigious full scholarship to Yale University worth $100,000 per year by highlighting his love for science through his mother’s pancake recipe in his application.
Can Erol, a student at İzmir American College, impressed Yale’s admission committee with a clever essay inspired by his favorite childhood snack.
In his application essay, he eloquently expressed his values and life’s philosophy through memories of pancake-making and lessons learned in life.
“While writing my essay, I tried to convey my values that are important to me in life through pancakes,” he stated.
“Based on a memory from my childhood, I tried to describe what I realized while making pancakes; the lessons I learned in life and the recipe of a meaningful life for me.”
His unique approach earned him an early acceptance to Yale, coupled with a full scholarship offer.
Planning to pursue a double major in physics and computer science, or applied mathematics and computer science at the university, Erol credits his interest in physics since ninth grade for shaping his academic path.
His passion for science led him to participate in numerous research projects. Notably, Erol’s involvement in a prestigious program at MIT last summer further solidified his dedication to astrophysics.
Despite his academic achievements, Erol remains humble and grounded, emphasizing the importance of friendships, the joy of learning and the exploration of new ideas in shaping his future aspirations.
“I'm going to try to map out a path that suits my nature, which is fueled by the friendships I've made with the people I've been around, the joy of the learning process, exploring and thinking,” he explained.
“But that path probably won't be completely clear until my senior year.”
