Tufts University: ‘YOLO’ The Subject Of Admission Essay

If you’re applying to Tufts University, YOLO is the subject of your admission essay. For real, yo.

“What does YOLO mean to you?” That’s the question that applicants to the prestigious Tufts University have to ask themselves if they want a shot at entry, and they have to condense their take on Drake’s life philosophy into 500 words or so (presumably).

It sounds like a strange idea, but the Boston school is kind of on to something. You’ve likely heard the cliche “there’s nothing new under the sun.” That’s true of YOLO, and Tufts points it out in their prompt:

“The ancient Romans started it when they coined the phrase ‘Carpe diem.’ Jonathan Larson proclaimed ‘No day but today!’ and most recently, Drake explained You Only Live Once (YOLO). Have you ever seized the day? Lived like there was no tomorrow? Or perhaps you plan to shout YOLO while jumping into something in the future. What does #YOLO mean to you?”

Yes, they actually used the hashtag in the prompt.

But let’s put things into perspective. Despite Tufts University’s YOLO question, the school is actually among the country’s most prestigious and selective, ultimately accepting less than 20 percent of their applicants. Other admission essay questions include:

“Sports, science and society are filled with rules, theories and laws like the Ninth Commandment, PV=nRT, Occam’s Razor, and The Law of Diminishing Returns. Three strikes and you’re out. ‘I’ before ‘E’ except after ‘C.’ Warm air rises. Pick one and explain its significance to you.”

That’s some crazy deep and tough stuff. I think my college essay wanted to know what my goals are. If I had written I wanted to be a hard-drinking new media writer and consultant, I don’t think they would have bitten.

What do you think of Tufts University’s YOLO question? Answer it for us in the comments below (we will not be forwarding responses to the institution).