<p>I wrote my first poem when I was four. Ever since then, I've been cranking out poems/short essays/stories/etc. I wrote a 200-page novel over the course of my freshman and sophomore years as well. In terms of hooks, I am Latino, but I was wondering how much of a boost being a creative writer would give me at the most selective schools I'm applying to (Harvard, Yale, and Stanford, specifically). The problem is, I've never entered any contests or published anything because, until now, writing's been kind of my private thing. Kids at school know I'm a good writer because I perform well for school assignments, but no one really knows about everything else I've written. If I submit a few poems or a chapter from my novel for the Supplement Materials section and an adcom is somewhat impressed, will it go a long way or just serve as a minor boost to my application?</p>
<p>Yeah. But it really does depend on how good it is. The fact that you never entered a contest or anything of the sort will already instill a placebo effect into the minds of the admissions officers. So your writing should be phenomenal for them to get pass the fact that you’ve never earned any honors for writing.</p>
<p>Idk… 
I feel like it’s the one thing I’m really, really good at. When I showed my work to my AP English teacher a month ago, she was very, very impressed. I really feel like an idiot for not entering competitions up until now. But thankfully, I’m just a lousy junior, so I’ve decided to enter a few before next fall, when I apply Yale EA.</p>
<p>You’re lucky, you have the chance to show your writing abilities in your application essays.</p>
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<p>Yes, I am excited for that. 
Still though, I do want to send Supplementary Materials, perhaps 2 poems with a chapter from my story, so they can see that I’m not kidding when I list Creative Writing as my principal EC.
As a URM, though, I probably shouldn’t be complaining too much… :P</p>