Essay

Colleges and Universities A-Z Harvard University
1

<p>I'm an international Early Decision applicant from the UK. I've already submitted my Harvard Supplement with my UK personal statement attached, but now I need to write the Common Application Essay. I have a draft already, but I'm quite uncertain as to how well it fits US criteria and your "college essay culture". Are there any current Harvard students/people with experience who would be happy to read what I've written?</p>

<p>In addition, how strict is the 500-word maximum? and do people normally submit an entire, different essay as part of the Harvard Supplement?</p>

2

<p>I’m happy to read it:) just PM me</p>

<p>BTW, I’m applying to Princeton SCEA, do you have time to read my essays? I’d appreciate a lot!! Thanks!</p>

3

<p>Huh, turns out that I can’t PM as a new member without fifteen posts first.
I can say how I regard it stylistically, but I really am not familiar with the US system, so I guess bear that caveat in mind.</p>

4

<p>Yale has some great advice on their website about essay writing. The same advice would apply to Harvard applicants: [Advice</a> on Putting Together Your Application | Yale College Admissions](<a href=“Advice on Putting Together Your Application | Yale College Undergraduate Admissions”>Advice on Putting Together Your Application | Yale College Undergraduate Admissions)</p>

5

<p>I’ve read and watched all that I can find, but I still feel a bit lost - I suppose one might liken it to riding a bicycle.</p>

6

<p>Some of the best advice about essay writing used to be on the University Of Virginia’s website, but they have recently taken it down. I found the advice on another site though: [University</a> of Virginia Piece on College Essays | Fredrik deBoer](<a href=“http://fredrikdeboer.com/2012/07/25/university-of-virginia-piece-on-college-essays/]University”>http://fredrikdeboer.com/2012/07/25/university-of-virginia-piece-on-college-essays/)</p>

<p>If you truly have read everything you can on the topic of essay writing and still don’t get it, I don’t think anyone here on CC is going to be of much help to you.</p>

7

<p>Huh, I suppose what it comes down to is that we can never really assess our own work that well. And it happens that I don’t have teachers or friends here who can do so either, hence my asking here.</p>