I’m hesitant to write down a list of books I have read for my supplemental essay. I know this can reveal a lot about your interests and intellectual curiosity, but I’m not really sure how this can set me apart from other candidates? The vast majority read and everybody has an area they find especially fascinating. What exactly does this tell admissions officers beyond ‘they read quite a lot and are particularly interested in x,’ which presumably would apply to most applicants? Would I be better off just writing another essay?
Let’s imagine William Fitzsimmons is applying to college. And, with each of the books he listed above, he also wrote a 25-word sentence describing what he most enjoyed about each book. Well, that might reveal a heck of lot MORE about his inner qualities, his intellectual passion, maturity, social conscience, concern for community, tolerance, inclusiveness, character and love of learning than just submitting another essay. It would also set him apart from many other students because his list has depth and breadth, it has one foot in the past and another in the future.
Now, what does your list of books say about you?
If your list of books just shows that you read one genre, or read only books that pertain to your interest (let’s say economics), then it’s not going to show dimensionally, so maybe you shouldn’t opt for this approach to your supplemental essay. But, for student’s who have an eclectic list of books, it might make them stand out in the crowd.
Thanks @gibby! How does this sound to you? (I won’t group them like this in the actual application but some of the titles do not really indicate what the book is about.) Is it too focussed on Maths and History (I intend to major in Maths and pursue a minor/certificate in History)? I guess there’s still quite a bit of time to read more books and have a broader range, but should I perhaps focus on writing more essays?
Books in French:
Les Miserables Tome I (Fantine) – Victor Hugo
La Petite Fille de Monsieur Linh – Philippe Claudel
Books about Maths:
A Mathematical Olympiad Primer – Geoff Smith
Mathematical Groups – Tony Barnard and Hugh Neill
Boolean Algebra and its Uses – G.F. South
Syymbolic Logic – Lewis Carroll
Game of Logic – Lewis Carroll
Hexaflexagons, Probability, Paradoxes, and the Tower of Hanoi – Martin Gardner
How Long is a Piece of String? – Robert Eastaway and Jeremy Wyndham
The Number Mysteries – Marcus du Sautoy
Books about History:
The Oxford History of the French Revolution – William Doyle
Elizabeth I – Christopher Haigh
Nicholas and Alexandra – Robert Massie
A People’s Tragedy – Orlando Figes
Towards the Flame – Dominic Lieven
Miscellaneous Non-Fiction:
The Better Angels of Our Nature – Steven Pinker
An Introduction to Political Philosophy – Jonathan Wolf
Fiction:
Lolita – Vladamir Nabokov
Anna Karenina – Leo Tolstoy
Moon Tiger – Penelope Lively
I would cut the list in half and write a 25-word sentence for what you enjoyed most about each book – but don’t post it on CC for others to see, as it just invites plagiarism.
Would you select a few books from each subset so as to preserve the breadth and seem more balanced, or focus on books relevant to my intended concentration?
It’s difficult to say without reading the 25-word sentence you have written for each book. (Please don’t send me them, as my schedule does not permit me to work with student’s on their essays/supplements.)
FWIW: Harvard does not recruit by intended major. All students are admitted to the college as Liberal Arts Majors, and choose a major, called a concentration, during their sophomore year. Wikipedia defines Liberal Arts as
With that in mind, you should probably include a sampling of everything. That would require eliminating some books in the math and history area – but again, it all depends on what you say in your 25-word sentence for each.
I was in your position last fall.
I completed a book list and wrote a sentence or two about each book on the list. Then, I reevaluated my decision, wrote an essay on a topic of my choice, and it ended up being one of the best essays I’ve ever written.
My advice to you would be to do the book list. See how much you like it, see if it’s something that would set you apart from the rest of the applicants, see if you feel totally confident that you are showing Harvard your best self. If the answer is yes, then by all means, submit the book list. However, if you have any doubt in your mind, write the essay.
sansculottes: I think your booklist conveys a ton about your personality. Your book list is not a list 10 or 20 other applicants would come up with. Before reading it, I would have told you to write the 25-word sentence, too, and maybe you should anyway, but it’s almost unnecessary. Or you could consider writing a sentence or two about types of books you like – Hugo and Tolstoy are an obvious pair, especially given your nonfiction reading, but how do Nabokov, Claudel, and Lively slot in? Does Nabokov relate to your maths side? What do you get out of Charles Dodgson’s books on logic? Why are you so interested in revolutions?
You could also do what oxoxhawja3xoxo suggests. That would be fine, too.
Sorry for bumping this thread if it isn’t allowed, but I joined this forum specifically for this haha.
I too am writing the Harvard essay and would appreciate advice on a list of books I am planning on reporting (I did alot of reading) and whether I should do this one or attempt another essay.
MODERATOR’S NOTE: @Nedcone Bumping the thread within a reasonable amount of time is allowed, however you hijacked the thread, which is rude to the original poster. Start a new discussion with your question.
