Hey guys !
I was thinking about using all my stanford short essays as my harvard supplement as I really feel the prompts bring the most out of me in all fields, including my personality, intellectual ability and capabilities. Do you think this is a good idea? Will it offend them? I’m just answering a question in retrospect, Just because Stanford asked the question it doesn’t mean it should offend Harvard right?
Many people recycle essays/ prompt responses - Just be sure to replace the word Stanford with the word Harvard when you cut and paste.
@Nerdyparent nothing is really specific to Stanford in the prompts. I just really like the questions as they’re unique and they bring out the most in me.
Because the prompts are so distinct it’s easy to know that they’re essays written for Stanford initially. I want to know if this will affect me in any way.
bump? anyone?
How are you going to use all 3 of your Stanford essays into one Harvard supplement? It may sound and feel really abrupt with the totally distinctive topics that each Stanford supplement has. I was thinking of recycling my intellectual vitality essay for my Harvard one of my old CA essay that I didn’t end up using.
If they recognize them as based on the Stanford questions, my guess is that they will deem you as too lazy for admittance to Harvard.
@intparent the Harvard supplement asks to write about pretty much anything. There’s no topic that Harvard specifically requires. Also Stanford questions are really distinct and I’m pretty sure anyone would notice them.
@ayyyyyyy Is it okay to post two different essays there though? Or should I write one cohesive one?
I think I’ll just put one essay that I wrote about My Journey learning/experiencing CS and one as a letter to my roommate revealing the most of my intellectuality and my personality respectively.
Careful. Maybe use a story you mentioned and build upon that / connect it to the Harvard prompt (you should be able to do this if you’re qualified). It’s fairly simple. Don’t copy it word for word obviously.
So with your specific example, I sure wouldn’t do it. EVERYONE in college admissions knows Stanford asks the roommate question. Seems like it would be obvious that you are recycling the essay. Don’t you have anything original to say to Harvard?
@intparent But that Harvard prompt too asks for the roommate essay.
Occasionally, students feel that college application forms do not provide sufficient opportunity to convey important information about themselves or their accomplishments. If you wish to include an additional essay, you may do so.
Possible Topics:
Unusual circumstances in your life
Travel or living experiences in other countries
A letter to your future college roommate **
An intellectual experience (course, project, book, discussion, paper or research topic) that has meant the most to you
How you hope to use your college education
A list of books you have read during the past twelve months
Irrespective of that, do you think I could put in 2 small essays instead of a large one?
I want to talk about my experience with CS and maybe something personal.
Just don’t be lazy about this. Realize that this is your chance to shine. Take a Louis XVI approach to this without the arrogance. This supplement is like your Versailles. The details are there and they astonish.
Honestly, you could end up recycling your one of your Stanford essays and no one would even notice, since Harvard’s list of possible topics AND the “talk-about-anything” topic is within your options.
And no, I don’t think you could write 2 essays within the supplement. Even if you did, it would look super unorganized and it just wouldn’t look presentable. Either reuse your best supplement that you’ve wrote or write a separate essay that gives more depth of you as an individual.