Creative writing supplement: yay or nay?

Applying to College
1

<p>This summer I've been attending a creative writing class at a top university, and I feel I've produced some of my best written work in this class. I'm going to apply SCEA to Harvard this fall, and I'm wondering if I should submit a short story alongside my application. I know that sometimes "less is more," but my professor lauded my story as one of the best student-written stories he has read (not to toot my own horn), and I feel like the admissions committee could really gauge my writing skills well from this piece. It's 5.5 pages (double-spaced, 12-pt TNR font, 1-inch margins); is that too long? Should I choose something else I've written that's shorter? Or should I simply forgo submitting anything additional? And if I submit a short piece, should I write the optional Harvard essay as well, or no?</p>

<p>Keep in mind that I'm also putting a lot of effort into my required common app essay, so it's not like I'm using a short story to make up for a lousy essay or anything. </p>

<p>(Also...I don't know how relevant this is here, but I have a 2360 SAT, 3.97 unweighted GPA, high SAT II and AP scores, rigorous course load, lots of EC/volunteer work/leadership and community involvement, several awards, etc.)</p>

2

<p>If the story is truly amazing and exceptional, like national competition level quality go ahead and submit it, otherwise hold off…</p>

3

<p>I would vote for including it. I wish we had thought of it for one of my daughter’s apps.</p>

4

<p>

</p>

<p>If you submit a CW piece, it would be as a supplement. A serious candidate ALWAYS submits ‘optional’ essays. </p>

<p>IMO: Demonstrate your CW skills in your essays and possibly submit an excerpt or shorter piece as a supplement.</p>

5

<p>Include it for Harvard. Consider omitting it for, say, Stanford (which discourages sending extra materials).</p>

6

<p>What about other colleges? I’m also applying RD to Brown, Tufts, Wellesley, and BC.</p>