Harvard College
is one of the oldest and most esteemed institutions of higher education in the United States. Many college applicants look to Harvard College as the gold standard of colleges and dream of being one of the few selected to matriculate. Harvard College accepts the Common Application for Undergraduate Admission, which is an application used by a variety of schools. Harvard Common Application essay requirements are a major component to completing an application for admission to Harvard.
Word Requirement
The personal essay section of the Common Application for Undergraduate Admission has a 250 word count minimum. There is no maximum word count, but it is generally not a good idea to write an excessively long personal essay because the admissions officers have many essays to read and may not appreciate reading a tome. Applicants should try to avoid writing essays of more than 500 words.
Select a Topic
The Common Application for Undergraduate Admission has six options to choose among for a personal essay. Applicants may select to write about significant experiences that have molded them, issues that are personally important to them, an individual who has affected them personally, historical characters or fictional characters who have had an impact on them, how their personal background can add to diversity on campus, or they can choose their own topic to write about.
Make It Personal
Regardless of the topic that the applicant chooses, he must make the essay personal. The admissions committee at Harvard wants to know about the applicant so that it can make an informed decision regarding the applicant's ability to succeed at Harvard. All essay topics require the applicant to describe how a certain stimulus, whether it is a person, an event, or a character, has influenced and impacted the applicant. For example, if the applicant is writing about a historical event, he should not just describe the event, but should tie the event to his personal development by adding how the event made him feel and what he has done as a result of the event.
Harvard Supplement
As part of the application process, applicants can also submit an additional essay if they feel that the Common Application for Undergraduate Admission does not fully express their views, their personality, or their ability to succeed. This essay is not required. The list of suggested topics are similar to those listed in the Common Application for Undergraduate Admission, but add certain other elements such as your life circumstances, books that you have read, and experiences in other countries. You may choose one of the suggested topics or you can write a topic of your choosing. Applicants submitting the supplemental essay should, again, try to avoid writing more than 500 words.
Tags: Common Application, Application Undergraduate, Application Undergraduate Admission, Common Application Undergraduate, Undergraduate Admission, Harvard College, personal essay