<p>For the Harvard supplement, is the optional essay really optional? How many people who get accepted don't include the optional essay? The supplement explicitly says that not writing one doesn't hurt your chances, but is that really true?</p>
<p>From people in past years who have gotten in from my school, said they didn't write one ~_~</p>
<p>I'm not sure if I'm going to write one.</p>
<p>I was wondering this too.</p>
<p>you should. when dealing with apps in most cases, optional = mandatory.
i'm only speaking on behalf of the average harvard applicant. but if you're super duper special (ie world class musician, cured some disease, nationally ranked in tennis) i guess you wouldnt have to write it.</p>
<p>I didn't write one. Neither did either one of my current roommates at Harvard. (None of us cured any diseases, were world class musicians, or are any good at tennis, either).</p>
<p>I'll ask around a little, but seriously- when they say it's optional, THEY MEAN IT'S OPTIONAL. I believe it's meant for people to communicate something that they couldn't get across on the rest of the application or the first essay. I'm sure in many cases it could be helpful. But mandatory? Please.</p>
<p>Thanks Admiral, tell if you have any other news. <3
I hope it's optional, because I kind of feel like doing TOO much can be bad sometimes.</p>
<p>Yeah, I didn't do an optional essay either, nor did most of the people I've discussed with [so far only one of the girls from across the hall actually did], but yeah the reason it's optional is b/c they only want you to supply them with more information when you feel like not enough has been shared, so unless you have something profound you wish to share, it's not really necessary to write another essay, and thus you might as well use this time to work on perfecting your application.</p>
<p>Sorry to revive this thread after so long, but if I had a unique extracurricular that I wanted to expand on and mention specific instances from, should I use the optional essay to do this? I'm writing my Common App on an experience that was really life-changing for me. Also, is there a recommended maximum length?</p>
<p>This sounds like exactly the kind of thing you should use for your optional essay. And don't they have a recommended length in the app? Like 500?</p>
<p>No I don't think they have a recommended length for the optional one. </p>
<p>OP - to be honest, I would write one if you can think of something about your personality that hasn't been shown - and I'm pretty certain there will be something. In this application you want to show them as much positive stuff as possible about you, and the optional essay is a good way to do that. Sure, lots of people get in who didn't - but if you can think of something to write a short essay on, why not?</p>