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Harvard Supplementary Essay: Letter to My Roommate

Dearest future college roommate,

As the doubtlessly driven and independent young student you are—I mean, heck, you got into Harvard—I’m sure that you’re eager beyond words to start this new chapter in your life. I don’t blame you. After all, college is your big opportunity to leave the nest and spread your wings for the first time, and, best of all, there’s no one else to please but you. That’s right—I’m talking complete freedom. Just think of the possibilities! You want to shut your door and turn up the music so loud that your eardrums atrophy? Sure thing! You want to leave your room looking like a tornado hit it and then a horde of intoxicated chimps came in and scavenged madly through the wreckage? Sure thing! You want to be a daredevil and—gasp!—go out without a coat? Sure thing! You want to skip your veggies and stay up until three in the morning eating cold leftover pizza you’re too lazy to microwave and a gallon of bubble gum chunk ice cream? Well, sure thing, but you’ve got bad taste.

But anyway, bad taste aside, listing the pleasures of total autonomy isn’t the reason I’m writing this letter…rather, I’m writing to break the news that everything I just said is kind of a lie. Or, at least, there’s an asterisk attached to it. Because the first thing that college is going to do to you when you arrive on campus and start getting excited about your room to yourself and your total autonomy will be to take away your room to yourself and your total autonomy. That’s right—they’re going to assign you to a room with other living, breathing, feeling human organisms whose backgrounds, interests, dispositions, pet peeves, and favorite ice cream flavors could be completely different from yours.

Congratulations! For you, one of those organisms is me.

That’s not to say that I’m not ridiculously excited to start at Harvard or to have you as a roommate—I’m just trying to prepare us both. College will be our first time on our own, but just like education teaches us how to use knowledge for others’ benefit, our new freedom will teach us how to function responsibly when we’re working with other autonomous people. That’s life, after all. So, in short, you and I are going to have a lot of decisions to make together, and I thought that maybe we should tell one another about ourselves beforehand so that at least we know what to expect.  If you fail to prepare, you’re preparing to fail, am I right?

So, with all that being said, here’s the top ten things (in no particular order) that I think you should know about me before we share a room.

1. I am not a morning person. That doesn’t mean that I hate people in the morning; rather, I hypothesize that my neurons relax excessively during the night and it takes longer for them to tighten up and start firing again than it does for most people. As a result, my early-morning communicative abilities are usually reduced to Neanderthal grunting, slow blinks, improvised sign language, and the occasional clueless stare. My parents say that I have been known to smile at them once in a while, though, so there is still hope for you. Just go on with your day as usual and I’ll eventually start functioning properly again on my own.

2. I don’t participate in any social media whatsoever, so if you make a habit of initiating conversation by asking if I saw your latest Snapchat story or your friend’s tweet, I will smile politely and laugh at all your references but will generally have no clue what you’re talking about. In fact, I only know what a Snapchat story is because I just Googled it ten seconds ago. I apologize in advance for any inconvenience.

3. I’m introverted (NOT the same thing as shy, despite popular belief), so I like to get to know people before becoming completely open with them. When I do get to know you, though, I’m very warm and love to talk. Plus, I love stories and I’ll sit and listen to you if you ever need to vent.

4. If there is a spider in our room, you will probably have to be the one to kill it, because I’m going to be on the opposite side of the room cringing and telling you for the thousandth time how much I hate spiders.

5. I love books.

5½. If you think that Shakespeare, J.K. Rowling, Tolkien, and Mark Twain are literary geniuses, then we should definitely talk about books with each other. If you think that the best books ever written are those that have anything to do with teenage vampires, then maybe we should talk about something else.

5?. If you ask me to go to a party with you, be specific, because I actually have a shirt that says “I like to party, and by party, I mean read books” (I’ll show it to you sometime if you want to see it) and I will probably think that you’re referencing time in the library. Again, I apologize in advance.

6. While bubble gum ice cream—which does actually exist, in case you’ve never had the displeasure of trying it—really isn’t my thing, I am a die-hard chocolate fan, so if you ever need to bribe me to do something, chocolate-flavored anything (including ice cream) is your best bet for leverage. Dark chocolate is my favorite, by the way, but milk chocolate will do in a pinch.

7. I will constantly beleaguer you with the question “Is it cold in here to you?” because, believe it or not, my body’s heat-generating capabilities are almost as faulty as my neurons in the morning, so I am almost always cold. Also, if you ever walk into our room and it seems to be vacant except for a tubby little bundle of blankets with sock feet sticking out, check the bundle, because it’s probably me.

8. I’m really looking forward to being able to sit around with a bunch of smart people and talk about the amazing things they’re doing, so I’ll probably be attending a ton of community meals/study sessions/club gatherings, and I’ll likely be inviting you to them all the time. I also hope that all of us suitemates get to spend many evenings together sharing the discoveries we’ve been making, so don’t be a stranger. Besides, that’s the perfect way to end the day, don’t you think?

9. We’re probably going to be sharing a bathroom, so heads up: I take really long, scalding showers. So get in there before I do, and test the temperature before you just go hopping in—my little brother’s had to learn that the hard way over the years, bless his heart. Also, I may or may not sing in there. Don’t go checking.

10. My sources (a.k.a. my mom, dad, and brother) tell me that I have really weird tastes in food, so if we go to the cafeteria together, please be patient with me. For example, I will go straight to a sushi bar and pile my plate with raw seafood, squid tentacles, and fish-egg-laden rolls, but I will not touch any kind of fruit jelly with a ten-foot pole. Same for raw tomatoes (by themselves, anyway), American cheese, runny eggs, gravy, smoked sausage, and applesauce. Apparently my taste buds haven’t figured out how the American palate works. Good thing there’s going to be a ton of different cultural dishes available, because otherwise I would be in danger of missing out on the Freshman 15, and that would really be un-American.

Alright, so that’s my list; I hope it was informative and not too terrifying. And can I tell you something truthfully? Though I do hope that we end up having a lot in common, I would also be pretty excited if you differ from me on almost every point I listed. I don’t want to room with my clone. I want to be part of a community that’s full of living, breathing, feeling human people with different perspectives and amazing insights that come from just being unique. And that, thankfully, is a community that Harvard happily fosters.

Like I said, I love stories. Can’t wait to hear yours.

So, with that, I’m signing off! Take care, stay amazing, and whatever you do, don’t try any bubble gum chunk ice cream, because I have no idea how you’re supposed to swallow the ice cream and chew the gum at the same time without choking to death.

See you soon!

- BreeZephyr

Harvard offers an option to submit a supplementary essay that gives them the chance to get to know you better, so I wrote a hypothetical letter to a hypothetical college roommate and included it in my application. I'm glad that they got to see the playful (and slightly sarcastic) side of me instead of just my academic one. Plus, this was ridiculously fun to write.

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Harvard’s creative ‘letter to your roommate’ essay versus their less creative/more serious essays

Harvard asks for one supplemental essay at the end of their application, and it seems for the most part required. They ask that students write an essay focusing on something either of their own choice, or from a list of prompts. There is one prompt that stands out to me that I would like to write on:

“What you would want your future college roommate to know about you.”

However, here are some of the other essay topics:

“How you hope to use your college education”

“Travel, living, or working experiences in your own or other communities”

The Harvard College Honor code declares that we “hold honesty as the foundation of our community.” As you consider entering this community that is committed to honesty, please reflect on a time when you or someone you observed had to make a choice about whether to act with integrity and honesty. “

I think it goes without question that to roommate prompt is much more naturally a ‘show us you are creative’ prompt while the other essay topics encourage a much more serious attitude. I want to ask: what would be the benefit of choosing the roommate prompt? Surely, it is a chance to have some fun and show colleges a bit about you; but the other prompts also allow you to do that albeit in a very different way, while also allowing you to address other questions/things about you that wouldn’t naturally fit in to the roommate essay.

Are there any Harvard students who wrote the roommate essay and got in? Did you take a more playful/creative approach or something more analytic?

What would you guys say are the reasons to pursue the roommate essay over others? I really want to write that one, but that’s just because I want to have a little fun in my application—so far, my whole application has talked about me investing myself in my special interest, the things I’ve learned from my activities/ECs, and how I’ve learned from people/matured in how I see people. I have a roommate at my high school and think this prompt resonates with me because I know what it’s like to have a roommate—but does that really matter? Would it be worth choosing this prompt to add a little creativity and fun in my essay, while I could be sacrificing some more introspection/deeper look at parts of me?

Honestly, you’re overthinking this. If you want to write the roommate essay, write the roommate essay. If you don’t, don’t.

IMO, there is not “right” essay prompt. There is no “right” approach or tone to the essay. Yes, IME, the main idea is to help the AO get a better sense of what makes you you . And only you know which prompt best fits that bill.

FWIW, I do think the roommate prompt calls for introspection and reflection. You can still inject humor, but save any stories for how you like to sleep late or listen to Ariana Grande or play beer pong for the housing application if you get admitted. Good luck.

I agree with skieurope.

My son hated that roommate essay - at the time he applied only Stanford had a version of it.The year he applied to Harvard one of the Harvard choices was a list of books you’d read that year. Not much room for creativity! You should write the essay that YOU can write best. My kid, very much an engineer type, was best served by having an option that was not an essay at all. If the roommate essay inspires you, write that one.

Kids approach prompts in many different ways. Which, I guess, is one reason they are used in admissions. My S loved writing to the “roommate” essay.

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Harvard Supplemental Essay: What you would want your future college roommate to know about you

What you would want your future college roommate to know about you.

Hello roomie! It’s nice to be able to talk to you about myself before I meet you. This way, when I do meet up with you, we will hopefully be based the awkward phase, and finally starting to become friends. I hope that everything has been going well for you prior to packing your bags and heading into the dorms. But I just wanted to take a moment to introduce myself, and let you know a few things about me.

I am a fairly diverse individual. I like to have fun, and I like to learn. So it could be a toss up between me watching funny videos or reading my textbook until 3:00 a.m. on any given day. But I hope that doesn’t bother you, and I hope you are semi-active like me. On a nice day, with little to no class work to do, I would like to go outside and play ultimate frisbee, or take a walk down the park, or even just sit in the sun. So don’t be blind-sided when I come back from physics and I try dragging you outside in the fall.

Just a heads-up before we meet…I am a bit weird. I have many diverse interests that seem to coincide within me. I like to watch YouTube videos, anime shows, cartoons, local news, historical documentaries, and science shows. But don’t worry about doing anything in a dirty room; I know how to take care of myself, and I will keep my share of the room clean. But besides that, I tend to make corny jokes that aren’t funny, and I don’t really participate in social media. That’s right: no Twitter, no Snapchat, no Instagram. So no, I won’t add you off of my phone: I am clearly too busy watching “Cosmos” to care.

And lastly, I just want to say that I will be scared, but I will try not to admit it. I haven’t really spent a whole lot of time away from my family. Sure a day or two is one thing, but staying away for months at a time is a change I have to get used to. So that’s where I’ll need you to come in, to be supportive of this different time in my life. I care about my family dearly, and I may be missing them a lot, but they know how seriously I want to get a good education. So don’t worry if I shed a solitary tear every now and again. But hopefully you will come to trust me as your second family, as I will undoubtedly do the same.

With warm regards and best wishes,

• Essay written by Anonymous

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How to write Stanford's Roommate Letter

Of all the creative college application supplements out there, perhaps the most deceptively simple is this infamous prompt from Stanford University:

“Letter to your Roommate -- Virtually all of Stanford's undergraduates live on campus. Write a note to your future roommate that reveals something about you or that will help your roommate—and us—get to know you better. (100–250 words)”

Many students interpret this as a straightforward assignment and write something generic, missing the larger opportunity to strengthen their application. To help you brainstorm for this essay, let’s break down the prompt into what it's not vs. what it is .

What the Roommate Essay is NOT:

It's not a roommate preference survey.

Many colleges and universities will send their matriculating students a roommate preference survey to help Student Services make more optimal roommate pairings. This survey includes questions like, “What time do you like to wake up and go to sleep?,” “What is your preferred studying environment in your room?,” and “How often will you be in your room during the day?” Using the Roommate Essay to share your cohabitation ground rules and preferences is probably the most common way students misinterpret this question! In general , the responses to these questions will be generic and non-specific - we want to make sure that the Roommate Essay highlights your unique personality and interests. 

it's not An actual note to your future roommate

To dispel a common misconception, your future roommate will never see this essay (unless you show it to them!) if you end up matriculating at Stanford. Your audience for this essay is the admissions committee, not a fellow high school senior.

What the Roommate Essay IS:

This essay is a chance to share something new about yourself..

College essays are like mini-interview questions, and you only get so many chances to showcase what makes you special. Though academic rigor is obviously important for Stanford admissions, almost equal importance is placed on selecting students who will thrive in and enhance Stanford’s unique campus culture. Many students have unique interests, hobbies, and experiences that don’t fit elsewhere in their college applications, but are still important for the admissions committee to get a holistic picture of that student. The Roommate Essay provides a rare chance to show the committee who you are (beyond your grades and test scores) and how you’ll be a valuable contributor to the Stanford community.

But how do you fit all of that into just 100-250 words? First, you want to pick out which of your awesome traits you want to highlight. Think about the following questions to kick start your brainstorming:

• What would your friends and family say makes you special?
• If you had a completely free day, how would you spend it?
• What habits, rituals, or quirks do you have?
• Do you have a “life motto” or words you live by?
• What kind of things do you have on your walls/your desk at home?
• What could you give a talk about for 20 minutes, without any preparation?

The framing of your unique trait/experience/habit is the crucial difference between a generic essay and one that helps your application come alive, even with the exact same initial topic. For example, if the only thing Student A can say about their habit of waking up early is that they have to do it to be on time for school, the most we can say about them is that they are punctual for their commitments. On the other hand, if Student B writes about how they leap out of bed every day at 5:30am to catch a glimpse of the rare owl species that lives in the tree behind their apartment complex, we suddenly have a vibrant picture of a bird-loving individual who is so motivated by their passions that they are willing to wake up at odd hours. Think back to your personal statement - how did you use storytelling to convey the message you were trying to communicate?

Next, think about why it’s important for someone to know this fact about you. Do you enjoy sharing your early morning adventures with others? Does this example represent a larger joy of exploring your surroundings that you look forward to continuing at Stanford? The key is to relate this trait to how you will engage with your fellow students and the Stanford community.

Finally, it’s time to structure this unique part of your personality in the form of a letter. Common ways to start and end this essay include “Dear Roommate,” and “Sincerely, (your name),” but don’t be afraid to show off some personality in the salutations! Keep the body of the letter concise (remember your word limit), and don’t forget to address your roommate from time to time using the second person point of view (at least one of the pronouns “you,” “we,” or “us” should appear in your essay). 

Done correctly, the Roommate Essay is a unique opportunity to show the Stanford admissions committee who you are at heart - don’t be afraid to share your true self!

Samantha H.

Samantha attended Stanford University, where she explored the role of synaptic proteins in visual system development for her honors thesis research. She graduated with a BS in Biology conferred with honors and with distinction. She is currently pursuing a combined MD/PhD at Harvard Medical School and MIT in the Health Sciences and Technology program.

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College essay resources

Stanford roommate essay | guide and examples, school supplements.

Brad Schiller

Stanford admissions officers are always thinking about admitting the most successful class that they can. Even when they ask “fun” questions, such as :

Virtually all of Stanford's undergraduates live on campus. Write a note to your future roommate that reveals something about you or that will help your roommate—and us—get to know you better. (100-250 words.)

Despite our use of scare quotes above, this question actually can be a lot of fun. Our big concern, as college essay coaches , is that you don’t take Stanford seriously when they say they want to “get to know you better.” That’s a trap .

While your essay can indeed be light-hearted and joyful, admissions officers are grading it just like they do any other — for evidence of your potential to succeed.

Follow our steps below to make this one count. (And for answers to all your college essay questions, see our College Essay Help Center .)

What not to do: simply be interesting 

The trap with this essay is to take the question too literally. 

Come room-assignment time, nobody is going to be reading this essay to help them match you with the perfect BFF. That’s why you should steer clear of simply saying something interesting about yourself . 

Here are some invented no-no examples:

• Your love of piano, your obsession with Chopin, and how you’ll be bringing a keyboard to keep playing in college.
• Your love of tacos, how you make them every Tuesday at home for your family, and how you hope to explore the local taco scene in Menlo Park and Palo Alto.
• The reason your lucky charm is the color red, what it represents in your Chinese culture, and the great things that happened on three days you wore all red for luck. 

Aren’t these interesting stories? It might be cool to live with someone who could play a nocturne for you late at night, right? Or someone to take you exploring the local taquerias. Or someone who’s integrated this idea of “luck” into their life with such verve.

The problem is that the person reading this essay won’t actually be your future roommate. 

None of these kinds of topics — unless handled the right way (see below) — is liable to move your application from the “maybe” pile and onto “admit them now!”

Still being graded: keep the essay basics in mind

Stanford wants to know whether you’ll be successful at their school and within their particular campus community. Every question they ask on their application is about sussing this out — whether it’s your personal statement or a 100-word note to a future roommate. 

Asking a playful question is a way to get to these answers about your potential in a playful way. 

Therefore, you want your answer here to reflect 1 or more of the 5 traits , just like any other essay would. In fact, talking to a future roommate is a great place to showcase 3 of the 5 traits:

• Intellectual curiosity — things you’re interested in and like to explore.
• Contribution — how you give back and create community.
• Diversity of experiences — your unique background and life story that will expand the horizons of those you interact with. 

This essay could probably also reflect Drive (aka grit or perseverance) and Initiative (unwilling to accept the status quo), but the other three are a more natural fit.

Finally, as with everything else college essay-related, make sure the topic you talk about is recent to your experience. If you saved the world while you were in middle school, skip it, and write about something less spectacular that you did more recently. 

Have fun, too: brainstorm answers that would show yourself off to a future roommate

 With those basics in mind, let’s have fun with this because the Stanford admissions team definitely would like this one to be on the lighter side. 

Begin by brainstorming a whole bunch of outside-of-the-box, off-the-beaten-track, off-the-wall topics about yourself that would answer this prompt. Allow yourself a good 15-20 minutes here. 

Give yourself a little break — creativity flourishes in a little break — and then come back to it again (maybe 5-10 minutes). This time, use the 3 of the 5 traits above (intellectual curiosity, contribution, and diversity of experiences) to expand on your brainstorming (another 10-15 minutes). Do any other interesting facets of your personality or experience spring to mind?

Once you’ve put in about 30 minutes of brainstorming, you should have some great topics that are authentic and fun from which to choose the very best one that will also strengthen your application . 

The whole picture: how will this answer reflect on your entire application? 

As you may know, Prompt recommends working on each application college by college (not essay by essay). Admissions teams read each application as a whole, so that’s how you should write them.

With small, creative essays, you want to think about using them smartly as little pieces that bolster your overall application. 

Take a look at what else you’re telling Stanford about yourself. Which of the 5 traits are you really focusing on? Do you have any weaknesses you might want this essay to compensate for? How have you “branded” yourself?

For example, if you’ve written a lot about contribution , perhaps writing a personal statement about your community service work, this essay could be a way to show how deep that trait goes with you. You could talk about informal ways that you bring groups of friends together and help nurture strong friendships, and how you hope to do that at Stanford, too. 

In this scenario, you’re using this “fun” question to show a more light-hearted, but equally valuable aspect of one of your “serious” traits. This essay will help amplify your brand as a contributor. 

Or, perhaps the same contribution person might worry that their community service essay leaves out other exciting things about themselves. You want to make sure that you showcase all the impressive, unique things that you might bring to the table (ie: Stanford’s campus), and this little essay could be a great way to highlight one of them. 

For example, if you have a deep interest in film — you could use this essay to showcase your intellectual curiosity in a fun way. You could talk about your love of horror movies, how you pursue that interest with friends today, and how you hope to join the Stanford Film Society and plan horror movie marathons for your roommates.

In this scenario, you add to a serious trait of yours with a more off-beat interest that nonetheless also showcases intellectual curiosity. 

BTW, now you see that the three examples of “what not to do” above all could be great essay topics. But only if they showcase your college potential and fit with the rest of your application. 

How to write it: Straight-forward, action-driven, concrete

Now that you know what to write, bad news: you don’t have much space to do it!

Stick to these 3 precepts, and you’ll knock it out of the park: 

• Straight-forward. College essays do not call for “beautiful” writing . They call for simple, clear sentences that an admission officer can understand while reading quickly. 
• Action-driven. Since the point is to show off your college potential, you need to talk about things that you’ve done, whether that’s reading Wes Craven’s autobiography, planning an excursion to a screening of The Exorcist with your friends, or writing up your horror review on LetterBoxd . Actions that you took.
• Concrete. Relatedly, point to things you’ve done, and things you’d like to do at Stanford. Philosophical musings are great, but they take up valuable space and don’t contribute much to your application. 

For example:

The Chopin-loving pianist might write an essay here that stays away from waxing effusively about how “alive” they feel when they play and how great Chopin was (because this is supposed to be about how great you are). Instead, they can focus on:

• What they do to keep piano in their life, on top of a busy high school schedule — ex: practice 15-minutes every morning, no matter what; and sign themselves up for yearly recitals so they have something to work toward; 
• What they plan to do to keep piano going in college — ex: planning to bring their keyboard to their dorm; will be auditioning as a keyboard for campus bands and/or Classical music programs; and 
• It will all tend to demonstrate intellectual curiosity and drive . 

The taco-Tuesday lover’s essay should stay away from talking about tacos themselves, and instead focus on:

• What it takes to cook tacos every Tuesday for their family, on top of a heavy course-load — ex: they once had to order them from a fast-food place, but they’ve never once let their family go hungry on a Tuesday! 
• A note on the rave review they’ve written on Yelp to promote their favorite local taco joint; 
• What they plan to do to keep the warm fuzzies of “Taco Tuesday” alive once they get to campus — ex: have a goal of eating at each of Trip Advisor’s top 10 taquerias in Menlo Park and Palo Alto by the end of freshman year; and 
• It will all tend to demonstrate contribution and intellectual curiosity . 

‍ The red lucky charm person should stay away from going on too long about Chinese culture itself, but instead focus on their particular relationship to it:

• How they wear all-red to take tests because it gives them a feeling of connection to their culture — and is also light-hearted and fun, helping them to relax on big test days;
• How they convinced others at their school to join in, making test days more fun for many of their classmates; 
• How their grandmother loves that they’ve brought this traditional aspect forward in their lives, and it serves as a point of connection between generations; 
• How they plan to continue this tradition at Stanford; and 
• It will all tend to demonstrate diversity of experience as well as contribution . 

Bonus: this guide will get you through Stanford’s other two short questions, too

Congratulations on having read all the way down. Great news: everything you read for this question will apply to the other two as well (both 100-250 words): 

• The Stanford community is deeply curious and driven to learn in and out of the classroom. Reflect on an idea or experience that makes you genuinely excited about learning.
• Tell us about something that is meaningful to you and why.

So go off and write two more killer short essays. And, now that you know what really matters, be sure you also have an absolute blast while doing it. 

More articles on Prompt.com’s admissions-boosting methods:

• Work with a college essay coach
• Strong essays increase your chance of admission by up to 10x
• Don’t let influencers influence your college essays
• Should I apply test-optional?
• Early admissions: Everything you need to know
• College Essay Help Center

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5 Successful Stanford Roommate Essay Intros

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• college application essays

On top of the personal statement, Stanford also asks for 3 additional supplemental essays. One of them, and probably the most well-known Stanford essay prompt that appears year after year, is the letter to your future Stanford roommate:

Virtually all of Stanford’s undergraduates live on campus. Write a note to your future roommate that reveals something about you or that will help your roommate—and us—know you better. (100 to 250 words)

What is an admissions officer looking for in this essay? What can you talk about or what  should  you talk about as a roommate? How personal should you get? Here we have 5 essay intro examples from the most recent application cycles to help you grapple with your writing:

To my future roommate,

I hope this reaches you in good condition and not found underneath a mound of boxes or pinned underneath heavy furniture; in which case, my deepest apologies (and no need to thank me for the exercise). Keep reading .

2020foshofro

Dear Roommate,

Have you ever tried archery? There’s this feeling of complete silence in the mind and body, of harmony between finger and eye and feet, of unity and peace and focus. When I stand in front of my straw-bale range, watching the trees for wind, I’ve learned that the isolation is, truly, the most beautiful gift I can give myself. View full profile .

My name is Tannar, and I cannot touch my tongue to my nose.

I’ll start out by giving you the candid details about my eighteen years upon this wonderful spaceship called Earth. Most notably, I’m known to be a ruthless player of board games (Settlers of Catan in particular), I enjoy exploring the great outdoors, I love Christopher Nolan films (Interstellar, Inception, etc), and one of my most exciting adventures took place on a fog cloaked Mount Thielsen. Continue reading .

I love rainbow sherbet. Why? Because it’s made out of so many different colors! Though this cold sweet refreshment is perfect on a sweltering day, its assorted colors are what truly make it special. Read on .

Aloha future roommate,

I hope you are a rather humorous individual yourself, because you’re in for a pile of pun… sorry, that was weak. On a more serious note, though, I’ve lived a pretty peculiar life, resulting in quite a few rather quirky habits: Read full essay . 

———

Interested in reading these students’ full personal statements in addition to their full responses to the Stanford Roommate supplemental prompt? Unlock all of them in one go with our  Stanford Roommate package ! 

Our  premium plans  offer different levels of profile access and data insights that can help you get into your dream school. Unlock any of our  packages  or search our  undergraduate profile database  to find specific profiles that can help you make an informed choice about where to apply! We have 60,000+ successful college application files uploaded by college students. See how they got in, and how you can too!

About The Author

Frances was born in Hong Kong and received her bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University. She loves super sad drama television, cooking, and reading. Her favorite person on Earth isn’t actually a member of the AdmitSee team - it’s her dog Cooper.

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How To Write The Harvard Supplemental Essays

Reviewed by:

Former Admissions Committee Member, Columbia University

Reviewed: 10/18/23

Harvard University is a highly selective institution. Therefore, you’ll want to do everything you can to boost your chances of acceptance. If you’re thinking about writing the Harvard supplemental essays, read on for tips, examples, and more. 

Writing the Harvard essays may be optional, but it’s an excellent opportunity to bolster your application. This is your chance to write about your character and demonstrate your intellectual competence and curiosity . 

With a 3% acceptance rate , Harvard is notoriously selective. However, writing stellar essays will improve your chances of admission . Read on to learn how to write the supplemental essays and read Harvard essay examples.

What Are Harvard Essay Prompts?

Like every other college, Harvard has an application package. You may submit your application through the Common Application or the Coalition Application . 

However, neither application includes the additional Harvard application materials. While both applications will have required pieces of information, applicants also have the opportunity to provide the Harvard admission essays to boost their chances of getting accepted.

Harvard's application now has five required short-answer questions :

1. Harvard has long recognized the importance of enrolling a diverse student body. How will the life experiences that shape who you are today enable you to contribute to Harvard?

2. Briefly describe an intellectual experience that was important to you.

3. Briefly describe any of your extracurricular activities, employment experience, travel, or family responsibilities that have shaped who you are.

4. How do you hope to use your Harvard education in the future?

5. Top 3 things your roommates might like to know about you.

Keep in mind that each question should be no longer than 200 words. There’s no need to do any additional research for Harvard, as these questions are all about your own experiences. So, use this opportunity to reflect on your experiences and use them to craft an essay that demonstrates your individuality. 

Purpose of the Harvard Essays

First, it may be easier to consider what the purpose of the Harvard supplemental essays is not. 

These Harvard essays are not for you to show off your achievements—your application provides plenty of room for that. Still, the admissions committee wants to know you are a unique individual who can bring diverse experiences and perspectives to Harvard’s community. 

In its list of admissions tips relating to the supplemental essays, Harvard College says, "We encourage you to read over the prompts and respond to the one that most resonates with you." 

Though this may not seem like it provides much insight into what Harvard is looking for, it shows there is no specific answer . Nothing will automatically improve your chances of getting accepted. There is no correct answer because Harvard wants to use these supplemental questions to know more about you . 

Harvard wants to see what resonates with you and why to provide insight into your character and whether you will be a good fit. The Harvard essays are more than just another opportunity for you to flex your high achievements; they are an opportunity for you to demonstrate your character and passions. 

Along with showing Harvard who you are as an individual, it’s also important to stick to the Harvard essay requirements. This means staying within the world limit, and responding to the provided prompts. 

Top Tips for Crafting the Harvard Essays

So, how do you write the Harvard application essays? Let's go through them, one by one. 

“Harvard has long recognized the importance of enrolling a diverse student body. How will the life experiences that shape who you are today enable you to contribute to Harvard?”

It can be tough to know how to start your essay . To get the creative juices flowing, keep these steps in mind when answering this prompt: 

• Reflect on Your Life Experiences: Begin by reflecting on your personal background and life experiences. Consider aspects of your upbringing, cultural heritage, family, community, or personal challenges that have shaped your identity and perspective.
• Identify Key Life Experiences: Select one or more specific life experiences that have had a profound impact on you and have contributed to your unique identity. These experiences could involve cultural diversity, overcoming adversity, embracing different viewpoints, or personal growth.
• Connect to Harvard's Diversity : Explain how these life experiences have prepared you to contribute to Harvard's commitment to diversity. Highlight the relevance of your background and perspectives to enriching the university's student body.
• Emphasize Skills and Insights: Discuss the skills, insights, or qualities you've gained from these experiences. Consider qualities like empathy, cultural competency, open-mindedness, or leadership skills that you can bring to Harvard's diverse community.
• Provide Examples: Use specific examples or anecdotes to illustrate how your life experiences have shaped your character and values. Show, rather than just tell, how these experiences have influenced you.
• Discuss Contribution: Explain how you intend to contribute to Harvard's diverse community. Discuss potential ways in which you can actively engage with peers, contribute to the campus culture, or promote inclusivity.
• Highlight Your Perspective: Emphasize what makes your perspective and experiences unique and valuable. Show why your presence at Harvard will enhance the diversity of thought and backgrounds within the university.
• Stay Genuine and Sincere: Be authentic in your response. Avoid clichés or trying to present yourself as someone you're not. Admissions officers value sincerity and authenticity.
• Edit and Revise: After writing your response, review and revise it for clarity, conciseness, and coherence. Ensure that your answer effectively communicates how your life experiences will enable you to contribute to Harvard's diverse community.

By following these steps, you can provide a thoughtful and compelling response that demonstrates how your life experiences have prepared you to contribute to Harvard's commitment to diversity and enrich its academic and social environment.

“Briefly describe an intellectual experience that was important to you.”  

Like the other question, this one is meant to bring out an experience that’s personal to you. To get started, consider the following steps:

• Choose a Relevant Experience: Select an intellectual experience that had a meaningful impact on your academic or personal growth. It could be a specific course, a book that profoundly affected your thinking, a research project, or a stimulating discussion.
• Describe the Experience: Begin by briefly describing the experience itself. Provide context and details to help the reader understand the situation.
• Highlight Its Importance: Explain why this experience was significant to you. Did it challenge your existing beliefs, inspire a new interest, or help you overcome a particular academic obstacle? Convey why it stands out among your intellectual experiences.
• Discuss Its Influence: Elaborate on how this experience influenced your intellectual development. Did it shape your academic goals, change your perspective on a subject, or inspire further exploration? Describe the lasting impact it had on you.
• Reflect on Personal Growth: If applicable, touch on how this intellectual experience contributed to your personal growth and character development. Did it teach you resilience, critical thinking, or the value of perseverance?
• Conclude Concisely: Sum up your response by briefly restating the significance of the intellectual experience and its impact on your intellectual and personal journey.

Keep your response concise and focused while effectively conveying the importance and influence of the chosen intellectual experience.

“Briefly describe any of your extracurricular activities, employment experience, travel, or family responsibilities that have shaped who you are.”

To answer this prompt, follow these steps to provide a thoughtful, detailed response:

• Select a Relevant Experience: Choose an extracurricular activity, employment experience, travel opportunity, or family responsibility that has had a significant impact on your life and identity. Ensure that it's relevant to the prompt.
• Provide Context: Begin by briefly introducing the chosen experience. Explain what it was, when it occurred, and any pertinent background information that the reader should know.
• Highlight Significance: Emphasize why this particular experience was meaningful in shaping who you are today. Did it introduce you to new perspectives, challenge your abilities, or expose you to different cultures and lifestyles? Clearly articulate its importance.
• Discuss Personal Growth: Detail how this experience influenced your personal growth and development. Did it teach you important life lessons, enhance your leadership skills, or instill a sense of responsibility? Describe any specific skills or values you gained.
• Reflect on Impact: Reflect on the lasting impact of this experience. Has it influenced your future goals, aspirations, or decisions? Explain how it has contributed to your overall character and the person you've become.
• Conclude Thoughtfully: Summarize your response by reiterating the significance of the experience in shaping your identity and character. Leave the reader with a clear understanding of how this particular aspect of your life has played a role in your personal development.

By following these steps, you can provide a well-rounded response that conveys how a specific extracurricular activity, employment experience, travel, or family responsibility has shaped who you are today.

“How do you hope to use your Harvard education in the future?”

Your answer to this prompt will be personal to your goals. However, there is a strategic approach you can take. 

• Consider Your Goals: Start by thinking about your long-term goals and aspirations. What do you hope to achieve professionally, academically, or personally in the future?
• Align with Harvard Education: Explain how a Harvard education is uniquely suited to help you achieve these goals. Discuss specific aspects of Harvard's programs, resources, or community that attract you and align with your objectives.
• Connect to Your Field: If applicable, discuss how your Harvard education relates to your chosen field of study or career path. Highlight any opportunities for research, internships, or networking that will support your goals.
• Emphasize Impact: Describe the positive impact you hope to make in your chosen field or in society at large. Whether it's through innovation, leadership, social change, or other means, convey your vision for how you'll contribute.
• Personal Growth: Discuss how you anticipate personal growth and development during your time at Harvard. Explain how these experiences will shape your character and perspective, further enhancing your ability to achieve your goals.
• Be Specific: Provide concrete examples and details to make your response more compelling and authentic. Show that you've done your research and have a clear understanding of what Harvard offers and how it fits into your plans.
• Stay Realistic: While it's great to aim high, ensure that your goals and plans are realistic and feasible. Harvard admissions officers appreciate ambition, but they also want to see that you've thought carefully about your path.
• Tailor Your Response: Customize your answer to your unique interests and goals. Avoid generic or one-size-fits-all responses. Highlight what makes your aspirations and connection to Harvard distinctive.
• Edit and Review: After writing your response, review and edit for clarity, conciseness, and coherence. Ensure that your answer effectively communicates your vision and passion for using your Harvard education in the future.

Following these steps will help you write a clear and organized response that shows your excitement about using your Harvard education to reach your goals and create a significant impact in your chosen field or areas of interest.

Harvard Supplemental Essay Examples

Here are Harvard essay examples that helped students gain admission. These excerpts are from essays submitted by Harvard applicants. You can use these supplemental essay examples to get inspired and guide your writing. 

Essay Example Excerpt #1

Prompt: “Harvard has long recognized the importance of student body diversity of all kinds. We welcome you to write about distinctive aspects of your background, personal development, or the intellectual interests you might bring to your Harvard classmates.”

"When I was a freshman in high school, I didn't care about school or my education. I couldn't see a future where it mattered whether I knew how to say 'how are you' in Spanish or how to use the Pythagorean theorem. Because I couldn't see the point of these classes, I found myself disconnected from the high school experience as a whole, which resulted in low grades. My parents expressed their disappointment in me, but I still couldn't bring myself to care; I was feeling disconnected from my family, too.

I didn't realize it at the time, but I was depressed. I stopped spending time with my friends and stopped enjoying the things I used to enjoy. I was feeling hopeless. How could I get through three and a half more years of high school if I couldn't even get through a semester? I couldn't stand the thought of feeling this way for so long – at least it felt so long at the time. 

After a few failed tests, one of my teachers approached me after class one day. She said she also noticed a difference in my demeanor in the last few weeks and asked if I was okay. At that moment, I realized that no one had asked me that in a long time. I didn't feel okay, so I told her that. She asked me what was wrong, and I told her that I was feeling disconnected from school and classes and just about everything at that point. 

My teacher suggested I visit my guidance counselor. So the next day, during study hall, I got a pass to visit with my guidance counselor and told her I was feeling disconnected from classes and school. She asked me what my interests were and suggested that I take an elective like art or music or a vocational tech class like culinary arts or computer coding. 

I told her that I wasn't sure what I was interested in at this point and she told me to take a couple of classes to see what I like. At her persistence, I signed up for art and computer coding. 

It turns out art was not my thing. But it also turns out that computer coding is my thing, and I am not sure I would have realized that had I not gone to see my guidance counselor at my teacher's recommendation. 

After taking computer coding and other similar classes, I had something to look forward to during school. So even when I still dreaded taking Spanish and Geometry, I knew I could look forward to an enjoyable class later in the day. Having something to look forward to really helped me raise my grades because I started caring about my future and the possibility of applying for college to study computer science. 

The best thing that I took away from this experience is that I can't always control what happens to me, especially as a minor, but I can control how I handle things. In full transparency: there were still bad days and bad grades, but by taking action and adding a couple of classes into my schedule that I felt passionate about, I started feeling connected to school again. From there, my overall experience with school – and life in general – improved 100%."

Why this is a good essay : The student answers the "personal development" part of the prompt by addressing their low grades, how the experience affected them, and how they got back on track to getting better grades in this college essay example. 

Harvard’s admissions committee will see the low grades from freshman year, but the student has preemptively explained them, making it a good essay.

Essay Example Excerpt #2 

Prompt: Unusual circumstances in your life. 

"When I was ten years old, my family was homeless for a little less than a year. It was extremely challenging. My mom was a single mother of three children, working two jobs to make ends meet. We went from my grandparents' house to my aunt's house and then back to my grandparents' house again before we finally had our own space again. 

At the time, I couldn't see how it would affect my life, but looking back, it was something that defined me. It was also an experience that unknowingly put me on my path towards higher education. I knew at the time that I never wanted to be back in that place, and I would do anything to make that happen. 

Fast forward to the beginning of my junior year of high school. My family was no longer homeless, but we were still struggling. I decided to start applying for colleges, and I really wanted to apply to Harvard. When I told my guidance counselor that I wanted to go to Harvard, I waited for her to laugh in my face. She didn't. She looked at my grades and extracurricular activities, plus my work experience and told me that I would be a good candidate. 

Having someone see me for my intellect instead of my monetary worth was a first in my life. Ever since we had been homeless, I was firmly rooted among the "poor kids," the kids who would seemingly never make it out of our small town. But I was determined." 

Why this is a good essay : Again, the student has answered the prompt directly in this college essay example. Harvard will see the type of student they are, and give the admissions committee insight into their educational goals and ambitions. 

Do you still have questions about how to write the Harvard supplemental essays? Read on to have your questions answered. 

1. Will Writing the Supplemental Essays Improve My Chances of Getting Into Harvard?

If you are a strong writer and you can demonstrate that you are a dynamic individual who will contribute to Harvard’s community, your essays can improve your chances of acceptance. They will give the admissions committee a better idea of your personality and passions.

2. Do I Have to Write the Supplemental Essays?

The Harvard supplemental essays are not required, but if you are set on attending Harvard, they are a good opportunity for you to bolster your application and improve your chances of getting accepted. 

3. How Does the Harvard Admissions Committee Decide Who Gets Admitted?

According to Harvard , "There is no formula for gaining admission to Harvard. Academic accomplishment in high school is important, but the Admissions Committee also considers many other criteria, such as community involvement, leadership and distinction in extracurricular activities, and personal qualities and character. 

We rely on teachers, counselors, and alumni to share information with us about an applicant's strength of character, his or her ability to overcome adversity, and other personal qualities."

If you’re stuck on how to get the ball rolling, consider seeking an admissions consultant’s help .

4. Can Writing Supplemental Essays Hurt My Application Rather Than Help It?

If you do not write these Harvard essays carefully, there is a chance that they could be harmful towards your chances of acceptance. However, with the support of your friends, family, and resources, your essays will be a great asset to your application. 

5. How Do I Actually Stand out in My Application?

According to Harvard alum Jay Chen , "What you want to do is write something very true to yourself. Don't be afraid to show your vulnerability. Talk about something difficult that happened and how you overcame it. You don't want to pretend to be invincible if you think that's what colleges want. They want to see that you're mature and that you're able to cope with hardships."

‍ Ivy League acceptance rates are typically low, so you’ll want to do everything you can to boost your chances of acceptance.

Write the Essays, Reap the Rewards

Just like the rest of the Harvard application, the supplemental essays are no walk in the park. You must be authentic and demonstrate your specific strengths and positive characteristics. Whether you’re a parent prepping your child for the Ivy League or a high schooler getting ready for application season - understanding how to approach the essays is key. 

It may seem overwhelming to have another piece to add to your application, but these essays offer you the opportunity to demonstrate further why you are qualified to be there. Using these tips and Harvard essay examples, you now know how to write the Harvard essays and show the admissions committee who you are and how you can benefit the community and, eventually, the world.

Access 190+ sample college essays here

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College Info , College Essays

Aiming for the world-renowned Harvard University? As part of the application to this prestigious Ivy League school, you'll be required to submit responses to five short answer questions.  

This is actually a big change! In years past, Harvard offered an optional supplemental essay opportunity that applicants could write to add extra flair to their application. This year, Harvard has opted to require responses to five short answer prompts and completely omitted the optional, supplemental Harvard essay prompt. 

But what should you write about for your Harvard essay short answers? What are the different Harvard essay prompts to choose from, and how should you answer them so you can give yourself your best shot at getting in?

In this guide, we give you advice for each Harvard essay prompt as well as tips on how to decide what to write. But before we look at the prompts, let's go over what Harvard actually requires in terms of essays.

Feature Image: Gregor Smith /Flickr

What Essays Do You Need to Submit to Harvard?

Those applying for admission to Harvard must submit an application through either the Common Application or the Coalition Application . For your Harvard application, you'll need to write a personal essay in response to one of the prompts provided by the Common App or Coalition App (depending on the system you're applying through).

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 and Coalition App on their official websites.

In addition to this required essay, Harvard first-year applicants are required to submit 250 word (max) responses to five short answer questions . 

Here are the prompts for the five required 2023-2024 Harvard short answer questions :

Harvard has long recognized the importance of enrolling a diverse student body. How will the life experiences that shape who you are today enable you to contribute to Harvard?

Briefly describe an intellectual experience that was important to you.

Briefly describe any of your extracurricular activities, employment experience, travel, or family responsibilities that have shaped who you are.

• How do you hope to use your Harvard education in the future?
• Top 3 things your roommates might like to know about you.

Now, you might be wondering: is Harvard offering an optional supplemental essay opportunity as part of this year’s application process? No. This year, Harvard is not accepting optional supplemental essays as part of the first-year admissions process . The optional supplemental essay has been offered in previous years, but not for the 2023-2024 admissions cycle. 

Now, here’s where things get a little tricky. The five short answer questions listed above are part of what’s called the Harvard first-year application supplement. But they aren’t the same thing as the supplemental essay from years past! And the important thing to remember is this: these short answer questions–and the entire Harvard supplement–are not optional. You’ll have to answer all five questions if you want to be considered as a candidate for admission!

The good news is that each short answer topic is very open ended, and they give you plenty of room to express who you are and how and why you’re the perfect fit for Harvard!

How to Write the Harvard Short Answers: Every Prompt Analyzed

In this section, we go through the five required Harvard supplement essay prompts and offer you tips on how to write effective, powerful short answers…in 200 words or less!

Prompt 1: Diversity

This first Harvard essay prompt is all about what you can bring to campus that will positively contribute to student diversity. Though we tend to think of race/ethnicity when using the word "diversity," you can actually interpret this word in a number of ways.

As a large and prestigious institution, Harvard strongly values students who have different and unique backgrounds and experiences, so it's important for them to admit students who embody these values as well.

This prompt is essentially a version of the diversity essay, which we talk about in more detail in our guide.

Here are some key types of diversity you can discuss (note that this is not an exhaustive list!):

• Your ethnicity or race
• A unique interest, passion, hobby, or skill you have
• Your family or socioeconomic background
• Your religion
• Your cultural group
• Your sex or gender/gender identity
• Your opinions or values
• Your sexual orientation

Tips for Answering This Prompt

• Choose a personal characteristic that's had a large impact on your identity. Don't talk about your family's religion if it's had little or no impact on how you see and define yourself. Instead, concentrate on the most significant experiences or skills in your life. If you play the theremin every day and have a passion for music because of it, this would be a great skill to write about in your essay.
• Be clear about how your unique characteristic has affected your life and growth. You don't just want to introduce the experience/skill and leave it at that. How has it molded you into the person you are today? How has it influenced your ambitions and goals? 
• Be sure to tie this characteristic back to the diversity at Harvard. Basically, how will your experience/skill/trait positively influence the Harvard student body? For example, if you come from a specific cultural group, how do you believe this will positively impact other students?

Prompt 2: Important Intellectual Experience

With this prompt, Harvard wants you to focus on an intellectual or learning experience that's had a big impact on you in terms of your personal growth, your academic/intellectual interests and passions, the field of study you want to pursue, etc.

This intellectual experience could be anything that's intellectually stimulating, such as an essay or book you read, a poem you analyzed, or a research project you conducted.

Note that this experience does not need to be limited to something you did for school —if you've done anything in your spare time or for an extracurricular activity that you think fits this prompt, feel free to write about that.

For example, you could write about how you found an old copy of Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species at a garage sale, and how reading this prompted you to develop an interest in biology, which you now intend to major in and eventually make a career out of.

This is also an ideal prompt to highlight a particular interest or passion you have that differs from the academic field you want to study in college.

For instance, perhaps you're applying for admission as a computer science major, but you're also a huge fan of poetry and often take part in local poetry readings. Writing about a poem you recently read and analyzed could illuminate to the admissions committees a different, less prominent side of your personality and intellectual interests , ultimately showing that you're open minded and invested in gaining both new skills and experiences.

• Choose an experience that had a significant impact on you . Don't talk about how reading Romeo and Juliet in eighth grade made you realize how much you enjoyed writing plays if you were already writing plays way before then! Pinpoint an intellectual experience that was meaningful to you, and write about it honestly.
• Be specific about the intellectual experience you had and clearly relate it back to your strengths and interests . In other words, what kind of impact did this experience have on you? Your academic goals? Your future plans? For example, instead of writing about how a scientific paper on climate change made you think more deeply about the environment, you could talk about how this paper prompted you to form a recycling program at your school, take a class on marine biology, and so forth.

Prompt 3: Non-Academic Defining Experiences

This prompt is asking you to discuss experiences you've had that involved traveling, living, learning, and/or working in some capacity outside of the formal classroom. Most importantly, you’ll need to explain what kind of effect that experience has had on you.

Here are examples of experiences you could talk about for this essay:

• Any extracurricular activity you engage in, particularly a spike approach, if you’ve got one (learn more about creating your spike approach in our complete guide !)
• Living or traveling abroad
• Moving to a new place or living in multiple places
• Working a part-time job
• Working a temporary job or internship somewhere outside your own community
• Helping with finances, caregiving, or maintaining a family business (like a farm or lawn care business, for example)
• Choose a truly significant experience to talk about. Although your experience doesn't need to be life-changing, it should have had a noteworthy impact on you and who you've become. If, for example, you traveled to Mexico with your family but didn't really enjoy or learn much from the trip, it's better to avoid writing about this experience.
• Make sure to talk about how this travel/living/work experience has affected you. For example, say you spent a couple of summers in high school visiting relatives in South Africa. You could write about how these trips helped you develop a stronger sense of independence and self-sufficiency—traits which have made you more assertive, especially when it comes to leading group projects and giving speeches.
• Don't be afraid to get creative with this essay. For instance, if you lived in a country where you at first didn't understand the local language, you could open your Harvard essay with an anecdote, such as a conversation you overheard or a funny miscommunication.

Prompt 4: Harvard and Your Future

This Harvard essay prompt is pretty self-explanatory: it wants you to discuss how you intend to use your education at Harvard after you graduate—so in a future job or career, in grad school, in a particular research field, etc.

Basically, how will your college education help you achieve your future goals (whatever those may be)?

If you’re still undecided about the field(a) you want to study at Harvard, don’t panic! It’s okay to think outside the box for this prompt. 

Maybe you don’t know what you want to major in yet, but you do know that you share Harvard’s values and want to bring those values to the world after you graduate. Whether you’ll do that by joining the Peace Corps or heading back to your hometown to volunteer for a few months before starting your career, just be specific about how Harvard is the right school to put you on the path to your future! 

• Be careful when talking about your future goals. You don't want to come off too idealistic, but you also don't want to sound too broad or you'll come across unfocused and ambivalent. Try to strike a balance in how you discuss your future dreams so that they're both attainable and specific.
• Clearly connect your goals back to your current self and what you've accomplished up until this point. You want to make it clear that your goals are actually attainable, specifically with a Harvard education. If you say you hope to start your own interior design business after graduation but are planning to major in biology, you're only going to confuse the admissions committee!
• Emphasize any ways Harvard specifically will help you attain your academic goals. For example, is there a club you hope to join that could connect you with other students? Or is there a particular professor you want to work with? Don't just throw in names of clubs and people but specifically explain how these resources will help you reach your goals. In short, show Harvard that what they can offer you is exactly what you need to succeed.

Prompt 5: Your Future Goals

How you hope to use your college education

This Harvard essay prompt is pretty self-explanatory: it wants you to discuss how you intend to use your education at Harvard after you graduate —so in a future job or career, in grad school, in a particular research field, etc.

Should You Choose This Prompt?

If you have a pretty clear vision for your future goals during and after college, this is a perfect prompt to choose for your Harvard essay.

If, on the other hand, you're still undecided about the field(s) you want to study or how you intend to use your major, you might want to choose a different prompt that's less focused on your future and more concentrated on how past events and experiences have shaped you as a person.

Prompt 6: List of Books

A list of books you have read during the past twelve months

Of all Harvard essay prompts, this one is by far the most unique.

Here, you're asked to simply list the books you've read in the past year. This essay is more than just a list, though—it's a brief overview of where your intellectual interests lie. These books may include works of fiction or nonfiction, essays, collections of poetry, etc.

Have you read a lot of diverse and interesting books in the past year? Are you an avid reader who loves dissecting books and essays? Do you enjoy a creative approach to college essays? If you answered yes to these questions, then this prompt is a perfect fit for you.

Even if you haven't read a ton of books this past year, if you were especially intrigued by some or all of what you did read, you could certainly use this prompt for your essay.

• Instead of just listing the titles of books you've read, you might want to include a short sentence or two commenting on your reaction to the book, your analysis of it, why you enjoyed or didn't enjoy it, etc., after each title. Be sure to vary up your comments so that you're highlighting different aspects of your personality. Also, don't just regurgitate analyses you've read online or that your teacher has said—try to come up with your own thoughts and interpretations.
• Don't feel the need to stick to only the most "impressive" books you read. The Harvard admissions committee wants to see your personality, not that of a pretentious applicant who claims to have only read Jane Austen and Ernest Hemingway. Be honest: if you read Twilight in a day, why not make a short joke about how addictive it was?
• Go beyond a chronological list of books. It'll be far more interesting if you list the books you read in a more unique way. For example, you could organize titles by theme or in the order of how much you enjoyed them.

Prompt 7: Honesty

The Harvard College Honor code declares that we "hold honesty as the foundation of our community." As you consider entering this community that is committed to honesty, please reflect on a time when you or someone you observed had to make a choice about whether to act with integrity and honesty.

As you can see with this quotation, Harvard strongly values honesty and integrity. Therefore, if you go with this prompt, you're essentially telling Harvard that you, too, embody a powerful sense of morality and honesty.

• Was there a specific time in your life when you had to make a difficult choice to be honest about something with someone?
• Could this incident be considered morally ambiguous? In other words, was the "right thing to do" somewhat of a gray area?
• If you didn't make the "right" choice at the time, how did you come to terms with or learn from this decision? What were the consequences, and what did this experience teach you about your own morals and how you value honesty?
• Be wary of the topic you choose to write about. Don't discuss a situation in which you did something obviously unethical or, worse, illegal. These types of situations are very black and white and therefore don't pose much of a moral dilemma. Additionally, talking about such an experience might make you seem dishonest and immoral, which you absolutely do not want Harvard to think about you!
• Try to find a topic that isn't black and white. Choosing "gray" incidents will help emphasize why the choice was so difficult for you and also why it's affected you in this way. For example, say your friend calls you crying right before you have to leave to take the SAT. Do you skip the test to comfort your friend, or do you hang up and leave? This kind of situation does not have an evident "right" answer, making it an ideal one to use for this essay.
• You could also discuss a time when you did not make the "right" choice—and what you learned from that mistake. As long as you look closely at why you made the "wrong" choice and what this incident taught you about integrity, your essay will be interesting and relevant.

Prompt 8: Citizens and Citizen-Leaders

The mission of Harvard College is to educate our students to be citizens and citizen-leaders for society. What would you do to contribute to the lives of your classmates in advancing this mission?

This prompt might sound a little vague, but all it wants to know is how you'll have a positive impact on both your classmates and on other people after graduation. Put simply, what kind of leader/citizen will you be at Harvard? After you graduate from college and enter the real world?

This prompt is similar to Prompt 5 in that it wants to know what kind of person you'll become after you leave college and how you'll positively influence society.

If you're a natural-born leader and have had at least a few significant experiences with leading or facilitating things such as club activities, field trips, volunteer efforts, and so on, then this Harvard essay prompt would be a great fit for you.

• Focus on a time when you led others and it resulted in a positive outcome. For instance, you could write about your position as team captain on your school's soccer team and how you would gather your teammates before each game to offer words of encouragement and advice on how to improve. You could then describe how your team began to perform better in games due to clearer communication and a stronger sense of sportsmanship. Make sure to answer the critical question: how did you lead and what ultimately made your leadership style successful?
• Discuss what kind of role your leadership skills will have at both Harvard and after you graduate. The prompt is asking about your classmates, so you must specifically address how your leadership skills will contribute to the lives of your peers. How will your past experiences with leading help you approach group projects, for example? Or clubs you join?
• Make sure to mention how you'll be a good citizen, too. By "citizen," Harvard essentially means a productive member of both the school and society in general. Basically, how have you contributed to the betterment of society? This is a good place to talk about experiences in which you played a crucial supporting role; for instance, maybe you helped out with a local volunteer initiative to feed the homeless, or maybe you joined a community project to build a new park in your town.

Prompt 9: Taking Time Off

Each year a substantial number of students admitted to Harvard defer their admission for one year or take time off during college. If you decided in the future to choose either option, what would you like to do?

Here, you're being asked what you plan to do with your time if you decide to defer your admission to Harvard or take time off during college. For example, will you travel the world? Work a full-time job? Do an internship? Take care of a sick relative?

Obviously, Harvard doesn't want to read that all you're going to do is relax and play video games all day, so make sure to think carefully about what your actual plans are and, more importantly, how these plans will benefit you as a person and as a student.

Only choose this Harvard essay prompt if you're pretty certain you'll be taking time off from college at some point (either before or during) and you have a relatively concrete idea of what you want to do during that time.

• Be specific and honest about your plans. While many students like to take time off to travel the world, you don't just want to write, "I plan to backpack Europe and learn about cultures." Think critically about your desires: why do you want to do this and how will this experience help you grow as a person? Don't just reiterate what you think Harvard wants to hear—be transparent about why you feel you need this time off from school to accomplish this goal.
• Be clear about why you must do this at this particular time. In other words, why do you think this (i.e., before or during college) is the right time to do whatever it is you plan to do? Is it something you can (or must) do at this exact time, such as a one-time internship that won't be offered again?

Prompt 10: Diversity

Harvard has long recognized the importance of student body diversity of all kinds. We welcome you to write about distinctive aspects of your background, personal development or the intellectual interests you might bring to your Harvard classmates.

This final Harvard essay prompt is all about what you can bring to campus that will positively contribute to student diversity. Though we tend to think of race/ethnicity when using the word "diversity," you can actually interpret this word in a number of ways.

This prompt is essentially a version of the diversity essay , which we talk about in more detail in our guide.

The main question to ask yourself before choosing this prompt is this: do you have a unique background or interest you can write about?

If any of these topics stand out to you and you can easily come up with a specific characteristic or experience to discuss for your essay, then this is a solid prompt to consider answering.

• Be clear about how your unique characteristic has affected your life and growth. You don't just want to introduce the experience/skill and leave it at that. How has it molded you into the person you are today? How has it influenced your ambitions and goals?

A Real Harvard Essay Example

Our resident full SAT / ACT scorer and co-founder of PrepScholar, Allen Cheng , applied to, got into, and attended Harvard—and he's posted his own Harvard supplement essay for you to look at. You can read all about Allen's essay in his analysis of his successful Harvard application .

Allen describes his essay as "probably neutral to [his Harvard] application, not a strong net positive or net negative," so it's important to note that this Harvard essay example is not representative of exactly what you should do in your own Harvard supplement essay. Rather, we're showing it to you to give you a taste of how you could approach the Harvard essay and to demonstrate the kinds of simple mistakes you should avoid.

Writing a Memorable Harvard Essay: 3 Tips

To wrap up, here are three tips to keep in mind as you write your Harvard supplement essay.

#1: Use an Authentic Voice

Having a clear, unique, and authentic voice is the key to making yourself stand apart from other applicants in your Harvard application—and to ensuring you're leaving a long-lasting impression on the admissions committee.

Therefore, write your essay in the way that comes most naturally to you, and talk about the things that actually matter to you. For example, if you love puns, throwing one or two puns into your essay will emphasize your goofier, non-academic side.

Using your voice here is important because it humanizes your application. The essay is the only chance you get to show the admissions committee who you are and what you actually sound like, so don't pretend to be someone you're not!

The only thing to look out for is using too much slang or sounding too casual. In the end, this is still a college essay, so you don't want to come off sounding rude, disrespectful, or immature.

In addition, don't exaggerate any experiences or emotions. The Harvard admissions committee is pretty good at their job—they read thousands of applications each year!—so they'll definitely be able to tell if you're making a bigger deal out of something than you should be. Skip the hyperbole and stick to what you know.

Ultimately, your goal should be to strike a balance so that you're being true to yourself while also showcasing your intelligence and talents.

#2: Get Creative

Harvard is one of the most difficult schools to get into (it only has about a 4% acceptance rate! ), so you'll need to make sure your essay is really, really attention-grabbing. In short, get creative with it!

As you write your personal essay, recall the classic saying: show, don't tell. This means that you should rely more on description and imagery than on explanation.

For example, instead of writing, "I became more confident after participating in the debate club," you might write, "The next time I went onstage for a debate, my shoulders didn't shake as much; my lips didn't quiver; and my heart only beat 100 times instead of 120 times per minute."

Remember that your essay is a story about yourself, so make sure it's interesting to read and will ultimately be memorable to your readers.

#3: Edit and Proofread a Lot

My final tip is to polish your essay by editing and proofreading it a lot. This means you should look it over not once, not twice, but several times.

Here's the trick to editing it: once you've got a rough draft of your essay finished, put it away for a few days or a week or two. Don't look at it all during this time —you want to give yourself some distance so that you can look at your essay later with a fresh perspective.

After you've waited, read over your essay again, noting any mistakes in spelling, grammar, and/or punctuation. Take care to also note any awkward wording, unclear areas, or irrelevant ideas. Ask yourself: is there anything you should add? Delete? Expand?

Once you've done this step several times and have a (nearly) final draft ready to turn in, give your essay to someone you can trust, such as a teacher, parent, or mentor. Have them look it over and offer feedback on tone, voice, theme, style, etc. In addition, make sure that they check for any glaring grammatical or technical errors.

Once all of this is done, you'll have a well-written, polished Harvard essay ready to go— one that'll hopefully get you accepted!

What's Next?

If you've got questions about other parts of the Harvard application, check out our top guide to learn what you'll need to submit to get into the prestigious Ivy League school .

How tough is it to get into Harvard? To other selective universities ? For answers, read our expert guide on how to get into Harvard and the Ivy League , written by an actual Harvard alum!

What's the average SAT score of admitted Harvard applicants? The average ACT score? The average GPA? Learn all this and more by visiting our Harvard admissions requirements page .

Hannah received her MA in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California. From 2013 to 2015, she taught English in Japan via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel.

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Harvard Supplement - Letter to Your Roommate

thepegmeister 1 / -   Oct 21, 2012   #1 Hi guys, I'm completely new to EssayForum, so please excuse any faux pas! Here is the rough draft of my Harvard Supplement. Any feedback will be greatly appreciated! Dear Future Roommate, When author Cathy Bao Bean visited my school in 2007 to speak about the Asian-American cultural divide, my lanky 8th-grade self was sound asleep in the back of the auditorium. I awoke - quite fatefully, I would later realize - just in time to catch her final sentence. "If each of you were to remember only one thing from this talk," she was saying, "let it be this: no matter how difficult or crazy a challenge may be, at least one day it'll make a hell of a good story." I'll never know what brilliant things Mrs. Bean said in the other 39 minutes and 45 seconds of her speech, but I took her advice: her final line stuck with me ever since. About half a year after settling down in Johns Creek, I decided to build a personal memorial to Mrs. Bean's words. After some industrious digging through old folders, an inordinate amount of Blu-Tack, a long trip to Costco, and the patience of an entire afternoon, my creation was complete: 134 photographs spread across an expanse of wall, arranged in chronological rows and event-based columns. As my Johns Creek memories grew, so did the collection. Mementos from tournaments, souvenirs from trips, and favorite poems by Dickinson and Yeats all found their ways into nooks and crannies, knitting themselves into this anthology of good stories from even greater moments. Now, in this amalgam of emulsion and gloss and colored ink, I can trace the tangible components of my own journey - where I've been, how I've changed, and most important, where I'm going. Pretty soon, I will have to start taking it down. The globs of Blu-Tack will leave small, circular stains on the wall, the pictures and ticket stubs will tumble together in their shoebox, and my young selves and their counterparts once tacked on opposite ends of the wall will finally find a chance to mingle. That is, until we reach my new dorm room. There, it will all go up again, meticulously tacked, both an extension and a reflection of who I've been and who I am. With any luck, you will ask about the fried crickets you see me holding at a food booth in Beijing, or the unicycle you see me riding in the lobby of my Shanghai home, or the speech you see me giving next to a young boy at a Latin Convention in Georgia. And I will explain to you that the crickets, though salted, didn't taste nearly as good as the fried scorpions, and that unicycle hockey, which I took up in sixth grade, is still the strangest sport I have ever encountered, and that the candidacy speech, which I gave in rap form, could not have been done without the young beatboxer by my side. Who knows? We might discover a mutual fondness for bizarre foods, or a shared penchant for freestyle rapping. Or, just as well, we might discover that we have nothing at all in common. Regardless, whether or not we end up discussing Walden over Boston's weirdest burgers, or scouring (on unicycles?) Harvard Yard for a glimpse of a certain baseball team, I'll be sure to leave ample room on my dorm wall for photographs to come. And even if we have no idea what sort of good stories we want to tell, or what opportunities lie up ahead, at least we have four years at one of the world's greatest universities to figure it out. Your soon-to-be confidante, ally, and partner-in-crime, Peggy

ajdue 2 / 8   Oct 21, 2012   #2 Wow this essay is very well written! I like your chances for getting into Harvard. Couple things I have to say: Saying "brilliant things" sounds like your cheerleading and isn't really necessary. Not a huge fan of "her final line stuck with me ever since", but Im not really sure what to say instead though In the last paragraph you say "I'll", I don't know if it is bad to use contractions or not in a college essay but generally I stay away from them in my AP english classes, so probaly better just to say "I will" Other than that, great essay. I would be awesome if you could check out mine too!

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How to Write the Stanford Roommate Essay

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Johnathan Patin-Sauls in a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info.

What’s Covered:

How to approach the stanford roommate essay.

• Topics to Cover in Your Stanford Roommate Essay 

Stanford University is known for a lot of things, and their roommate essay is one of those things. Each year, Stanford puts out an essay prompt asking you to write a note to your future roommate. This prompt isn’t very common, so there is a lot of room to get creative with your response. 

This essay question allows a lot of room for brainstorming. Think about it—you can tell your future roommate anything. Questions like this aren’t meant to be taken too seriously. They’re meant to show your fun and creative side. 

Remember all of those awkward first impressions you’ve made in your life? If you’re anything like me, you probably went home and wished you could do them over. Well, this is your chance. You have complete control over your response to this essay. So, what would you say to your future roommate? 

Telling Stanford might sound daunting, but what would your response be if your friend asked you this? Reframing your audience is a great way to approach this question because you would give your friend an authentic answer. This is a great tip to help get the ideas flowing. Of course, the Stanford admission’s committee will be the ones reading your response, so make sure it is appropriate. 

Topics to Cover in Your Stanford Roommate Essay

1. living habits.

This essay is all about who you are in your home. The topics you could write about are endless. If you want to go down the more serious route, you can do that. There are a lot of students who write about their gender identity, sexuality, culture or home life. If that’s the most important thing you want your roommate to know, then definitely talk about that. Afterall, you will be living with this person in a fairly small room. 

If writing about your sexuality is important to you, then that is a great topic to write about, but it’s important to understand the difference between sexuality and sex life. This essay is not the place for you to write about your sex life. If you’re writing about something you wouldn’t tell your grandma, it might be best to choose a different topic. 

2. Hobbies and extracurricular activities

The roommate essay is a good place to show admission what kind of student you are going to be. One option is to write about how you’ll be involved on campus. Stanford wants to choose students that are going to come onto campus and get involved with everything the campus has to offer. They want someone who adds value to the community. Asking yourself how you would do this is a great way to begin your response.  

3. Academic plans (with a fun twist)

A great approach to this essay is linking your academics to something fun. One of the most successful responses to this essay was from a student who wanted to be a chemistry major. They wrote about learning how to bake a chemically complex cake for their dad’s birthday. 

Another response was from a business major who wrote about losing all of his life savings when he was teaching himself how to navigate the stock market. Both of these topics showed the student’s academic interest and tied that into their personality. 

Looking for more Stanford essay tips? Check out our full Stanford essay guide .

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, how to write the stanford letter to my future roommate.

Hey everyone! So, one of Stanford's essay prompts is to write a letter to my future roommate. I want to come across as genuine, but I'm not sure how personal to get. Can anyone provide some tips on how to approach this essay and what to include or avoid?

Hello! The Stanford letter to your future roommate prompt is a great opportunity for you to showcase your personality, qualities, and what makes you unique. Here are some tips on how to approach this essay and what to include or avoid:

1. Be conversational: Write the letter as if you're actually speaking to your future roommate. Adopt a casual, friendly tone, and make the letter sound like a conversation between friends. This will make it more engaging and relatable.

2. Share your interests and quirks: This is your chance to let your personality shine. Talk about your hobbies, interests, and anything that sets you apart. For example, if you're into photography or love to cook, highlight these passions in your letter.

3. Be genuine: Don't try too hard to impress your future roommate. Be yourself, and don't exaggerate your accomplishments or interests. Remember that the goal is to come across as a likable, genuine person, not to show off.

4. Show, don't tell: Instead of listing your qualities, draw from anecdotes and experiences to show who you are. For example, if you're someone who enjoys problem-solving, you could discuss a time when you helped your friends with a challenging puzzle or project.

5. Keep it balanced: While it's important to discuss your achievements and interests, also touch upon some of your quirks and insecurities to show your human side. Maybe you're known for being a night owl, or maybe you're a little obsessed with organization.

6. Mention how you'll contribute to your living situation: Talk about what you can bring to your roommate arrangement, like being a supportive listener or keeping the room tidy. This shows you're considerate and willing to contribute.

7. Avoid controversial topics: While it's important to be genuine, avoid discussing sensitive topics that could potentially create preconceptions of you or make someone uncomfortable.

8. Revise and proofread: Give yourself enough time to revise your letter and ensure that it is free of grammatical errors. You want your writing to be polished and reflective of your attention to detail.

For a detailed guide to tackling this essay and the other Stanford prompts, check out this CollegeVine article: https://blog.collegevine.com/how-to-write-the-stanford-university-essays

Keep in mind that this essay is primarily about letting your personality shine and giving a window into your life beyond grades and test scores. Approach the prompt with enthusiasm and sincerity, and you'll be on your way to writing a successful letter. Good luck!

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CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.