Hey fellow Harvard applicants! I flipped through the past couple of pages and couldn’t find a thread for us RD applicants, so I decided to start one! Remember this is NOT a chance thread. This is simply a forum for us to discuss application inquiries and stress out about decisions (lol)! Absolutely NO chances!!! Thanks everyone and best of luck with college decisions!
Hi 
where is everyone else applying to?
applying for chemistry!
Is this the only thread?
Hey guys! Quick question. I’m applying RD and will not have taken any subject tests. Harvard says that these tests are “normally required” but you don’t have to submit them if you want your application reviewed without them. Am I at a disadvantage if I don’t have any submitted?
@ap012199 No, you will not be at a disadvantage.
Cool. My test scores are already relatively low for Harvard. My mom went there though and works as an interviewer so that may hold a little weight. Expecting a rejection, though.
Hey! Is anyone sending both the optional essay and a writing portfolio?
@Arsey9 just the optional essay. Where does it talk about a writing portfolio?
@ap012199 You can choose to send extra supplements like in the arts, music, and writing. Harvard discusses it on their website
Do you guys think sending in a poem I wrote about my feelings about my culture (so it is, technically, about me) would work for the optional essay? I’m at a loss for what to put there (although I’m probably just going to end up using my Princeton essay, I don’t feel like it reveals much information about me other than the fact that I can be very philosophical at times .-. which may be a problem for Princeton, but hey). Although I’m applying for engineering (and that’s what my Common App focuses on), I’m also a writer and I do a lot of writing extracurriculars, so I think this would provide some balance, but I’m not sure if it’s too out there.
@Arsey9 I am! I just PM you
@scarletwitchx I was going to put my creative writing pieces as my optional essay as well but I was advised to follow the rules and keep the supplemental pieces strictly supplemental. So you should write a regular essay for the optional essay and then maybe send in ur creative writing piece through the status portal if you want.
Hello, I have a question about the writing supplement. I submitted my application last week, but am starting to worry a bit. For both my common app essay and the supplement I examined the same issue of identity, but went about it in two completely different ways with one being how I hid my identity and the other coming to terms with it. Will this be viewed negatively by adcoms since they’re similar subjects? I think both highlight different aspects of me, but since it’s the same fundamental topic I’m not so sure.
@hamsters2314 I am in no way an expert, but I would say that for future applications, try to show all sides of you. Writing about the same subject twice only shows one side of you. Maybe everything will come together and form a good application, but I wouldn’t worry about it anymore because you can’t do anything now! But just keep this in mind for future apps:)
Would it be blatantly obvious if I were to submit my supplemental piece from my Pton application as my optional essay for Harvard? I feel that it properly shows me as a person…
@MBH2017 It depends on the essay haha! I submitted the same essay for both!
How long were your optional essays? did everyone reuse essays for other colleges? what did you guys write about, if you are comfortable sharing?
I submitted one of my ND essays for my optional Harvard essay
I chose to write a letter to my roommate for the optional essay and it’s about 550 words I think