<p>Thinking about the essay, and I think I'm going to write a short story based on true events in my life. Now, obviously the quality of the work will be a big concern, and I'll have to handle that. But can you guys tell me if this idea is just fundamentally flawed from the start? The short story aspect of it just gives me more creative freedom to do some interesting stylistic things, and allows me to use dialogue because I don't remember exact words. So, yeah, let me know.</p>
<p>A short story? I think it’s fundamentally flawed. This isn’t a fiction contest. It’s a 500 word glimpse of what makes you tick, what interests you. I can imagine there might be a few individuals extant that might be able to pull it off. Unless you’re clearly one of your area’s best writers in recent history, I think your effort to be different has monstrous downside potential. Simple, honest, sincere – not overblown. If an older relative whom you’ve not known, came into town and you were sitting down for lunch, and he says:" Tell me something interesting about yourself". What would you say?</p>
<p>That thing may be the seed of what your essay might be.</p>
<p>Those are my two cent thoughts</p>
<p>The Harvard Supplement has no word limit and has no set prompt. And it is the three of those things, there’s no way it would be perceived as pretentious. It’s a story about how the hidden suffering of a friend of mine changed my perception of pain, its not really very fictional. There is no way that it will be “overblown,” I know what you’re talking about and it’s not that kind of story. I think I come across as humble and sincere.</p>
<p>Many students are admitted to Harvard without sending in an additional essay. If you submit something additional, it should cover a new topic, something that has NOT been mentioned in your previous essays, teacher recs, guidance counselor’s SSR or your list of EC’s. If it’s repeat of something that can be found in the rest of your file, the additional essay will just take the focus off the required elements of your application.</p>
<p>It is something completely new</p>
<p>Then you might be okay. Keep in mind that Admissions Officers have just 10 to 15 minutes to read over your file. Anything excessive in length (over 500 words) is going to demand that readers spend less time looking at the more important parts of your file – your other essays, teacher recs and transcript. Sometimes, “less” is “more.”</p>