angelsndemons

I am writing a letter to my future roommate at Stanford for their supplement. would it be a bad idea to use this same essay as my harvard supplement (and make it Harvard specific)?

katzeyez

It's best if you write a new one. One that fits Harvard more.

azahra3

There is no such thing as "One that fits Harvard more". As long as it shows who you are, then you are good to go. I would suggest writing a new one though. I wouldn't take any risks.

lioness4

is the Stanford supp prompt: "write a letter to your future roommate?" If so, keep in mind that the schools in similar bands do know what's on their competitors' applications. For example, the Brown q : "What don't you know?" -- everyone knows it's their question. Be careful

gibby

Many students are admitted to Harvard without writing a supplemental essay. What you don't want is to have an Admissions Director say "Oh look, another kid with their Stanford essay, or Brown essay!" If every Stanford applicant also submits their Letter to a Roommate essay, then it gets kind of tiresome for Harvard, especially as they didn't ask for that kind of letter.

I guess the question comes down to: Would you be submitting the "Letter to Your Roommate" because it would add an important element to your Harvard application? Something the Admissions Directors could not find out from the rest of your file? Or, would you be submitting it because you already have something written and don't want to write something else?

ccdaddio

Although it is also a Stanford prompt, the letter to your future roommate is one of the possible topics that Harvard lists.

It seems that this essay is the best way to show something different about yourself than what people get from reading the common app (e.g. more personal side, personality, quirky, less serious, etc).

ccdaddio

Hi,
Actually from the online Common App Harvard Supplement

Occasionally, students feel that college application forms do not provide sufficient opportunity to convey important information about themselves or their accomplishments. If there is something you would like us to know, please inform us below. 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 the books you have read during the past twelve months

gibby

^^^ Thank you for the correction. Harvard's supplement has not changed in over ten years and they have never asked for a letter to a roommate.

Providing a detailed list of books you have read in the last year (and why you liked them) is probably more useful because it demonstrates a love of learning -- something that Admissions Directors are always on the look-out for.