<p>On the Harvard Supplement it says that you may include an additional essay with your application. It goes on to list possible topics as: unusual circumstances in your life, travel or living experiences in other countries, books that have affected you the most, an academic experience that has meant the most to you, a list of books you have read during the past twelve months. Are these the only topics I may write about/is my additional essay limited to these topics? Also, is Harvard's additional essay one of those "optional" essays that's not really optional, or can I truly just send the essay for the CommonApp?
Thanks so much for any responses.</p>
<p>you can write about whatever you want. the additional essay is optional, so you don't have to write one if you don't want to.</p>
<p>I imagine it would help a lot if you wrote one.</p>
<p>I've always wondered how important that essay is. I think if you can say everything you want to in the main essay, you shouldn't have to write the optional essay - I didn't.</p>
<p>The book/reading list is a gift. It's short, easy to write, and honest. You don't have to dazzle, worry about style, and it is not likely to bore the reader! Also, how about a "day in the life" of you-the slice of life essay? Make it real. Keep the writing clean and short! Less is more in writing, but they are giving you a chance to make your Harvard essay stand out and shine over your common app. efforts. Take the time. Make the effort. It conveys interest in Harvard. Good luck!</p>
<p>For the reading list do you literally just write a list of the books you've read recently?</p>
<p>I wrote a poem. You can really write whatever you like, or nothing at all.. if you write something, at least make it memorable. Make it good. Not writing the extra essay will never hurt you, but writing it poorly certainly will</p>
<p>The application is very flexible. Several of my friends wrote four essays (including the Common Application one), several wrote three, two, or just the Common Application essay. It is up to you!</p>
<p>The problem with the Common App is that it's sometimes hard to really distinguish yourself with the questions it asks (essay excluded, of course). So if there's something else about yourself you're dying to tell your colleges, by all means, use the extra essay to share it. That's why it's there.</p>
<p>I got into Harvard early action and I only wrote the common app essay. However, I was pretty sure that that single essay conveyed what I wanted the adcom to know about me. I didn't think an additional essay would help my application very much because I felt any other essay would be rather anti-climatic because I really but my soul into the one essay.</p>
<p>My advice: if an additional essay or w/e will strength your application, don't hesitate to include it. However, if the additional essay won't add any insight or light into you as a person OR is not as well written/powerful as your common app essay, don't include it! Use common sense! The adcoms are just trying to give applicants another outlet to convey their true selves through paper (a rather impossible task)--- but it is by no means required or even expected. </p>
<p>My best advice is to pour your soul into the common app essay and write something very powerful and commanding that you are proud of. If you happen to have time to write another POWERFUL essay, do so-- but only if it will help you. (I know I'm being redundant)</p>
<p>If you have any more questions or comments feel free to PM me!</p>
<p>great advice, knight_miler.</p>