What Are The Harvard Essay Prompts?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

, , , ,
  • Prompt 1: Unusual Circumstances. …
  • Prompt 2: Travel, Living, or Work Experiences. …
  • Prompt 3: Your Future College Roommate. …
  • Prompt 4: An Intellectual Experience. …
  • Prompt 5: Your Future Goals. …
  • Prompt 6: List of Books. …
  • Prompt 7: Honesty. …
  • Prompt 8: Citizens and Citizen-Leaders.

Does Harvard ask for supplemental essays?

Although

Harvard does not require supplemental

, you have the option of including an additional if you feel your application does not adequately represent you or your accomplishments.

Is the writing supplement for Harvard required?

First thing's first. While Harvard lists this essay as “optional,” know that, at least in our minds,

no essay is optional

. If you have the opportunity to reveal something new about yourself to admissions and speak to them in your own voice, take it!

How many words should the Harvard supplement be?

No matter what topic you settle on, we recommend keeping your response

between 500 words

. Harvard doesn't provide a strict word count, but 500 words allow you to strike just the right balance of brevity and depth. NOTE: As of July 23, Harvard had not yet released new supplements for the Class of 2022.

How do you write a Harvard essay?

  1. Try to keep your essay around 500-700 words.
  2. Talk about information that hasn't been mentioned in other parts of your application.
  3. Always show; don't tell. …
  4. Write in your own authentic voice.
  5. Help admissions officers get to know you and how you will contribute to the school culture.

What are the 4 types of essays?

An essay is a focused piece of writing designed to inform or persuade. There are many different types of essay, but they are often defined in four categories:

argumentative, expository, narrative, and descriptive essays

.

Does Harvard care about essays?

This also had to do with the content of the essays. At Harvard,

admitted students tended to write about challenges they had overcome in their life or academic career

, while Stanford tended to prefer creative personal stories, or essays about family background or issues that the student cares about.

How many supplemental essays does Yale have?

Yale University requires you to submit one “Why

Yale?” essay and two additional essays

, depending on whether you are submitting the Common Application, QuestBridge Application, or Coalition Application. You will choose from a selection of topics for the longer Yale supplement essay questions.

Can a good college essay get you in?

The short answer here is:

No, an essay won't get you into college on its own

. Your acceptance at most universities is dictated primarily by your GPA, course-load (how hard your classes are) and, to varying degrees, your test scores, recommendations, and extracurriculars. … Yes, your essays can make the difference.

Do supplemental essays change every year?


Any of those colleges can change prompts yearly

. Or you can look at each college's individual application to see what their supplemental prompts are. …

What is the hardest college to get into?

  • Harvard University. Cambridge, MA. …
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Cambridge, MA. …
  • Yale University. New Haven, CT. …
  • Stanford University. Palo Alto, CA. …
  • Brown University. Providence, RI. 5.5% …
  • Duke University. Durham, NC. 5.8% …
  • University of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia, PA. 5.9% …
  • Dartmouth College.

Does Harvard accept homeschoolers?

Each applicant to Harvard College is considered with great care and

homeschooled applicants are treated the same as all other applicants

. There is no special process, but all relevant information about your educational and personal background is welcome.

What GPA is required for Harvard?

In truth, you need

close to a 4.0 unweighted GPA

to get into Harvard. That means nearly straight As in every class.

How long should a Harvard essay be?

This essay is required for all applicants and should typically be

about 500-550 words long

(and must be less than 650 words). To learn more about this essay, check out the current prompts for the Common App, Coalition App, and UCA on their official websites.

How long is Harvard supplement essay?

The ideal length for your essay is

about 500 words

, any longer and your essay will be hard to read; if it's too short, it will feel a little incomplete.

How much is Harvard application fee?

The application deadline is Jan. 1 and the application fee at Harvard University is

$75

. Admissions officials at Harvard University consider a student's GPA an academic factor.

Amira Khan
Author
Amira Khan
Amira Khan is a philosopher and scholar of religion with a Ph.D. in philosophy and theology. Amira's expertise includes the history of philosophy and religion, ethics, and the philosophy of science. She is passionate about helping readers navigate complex philosophical and religious concepts in a clear and accessible way.