<p>I often advise people not to write their only essay on overcoming hardship. If you’ve overcome hardships, it’s good to have an essay on that. Some people aren’t comfortable doing that and just let their GC talk about it, but I think it’s usually good to do it oneself also. But, imo, it’s usually good to have that be one of two essays. The way I think about it is that main point of your main essay should be who you are, why you are awesome, and why you will be an interesting or funny or productive or charitable or whatever member of the incoming freshman class. You can accomplish that through an essay on hardship, sure, but I think it’s harder to accomplish “I am a person you want at your college” and “what I have come through to become that person” in the same essay. A hardship-only essay, even one that steers clear of all sappiness, runs the risk of falling into “ah, wow, it’s really impressive how X applicant got through those challenges and became the person they are today. I’m not really clear on who that person is, though, besides a resilient one.” It can certainly be done, but sometimes it’s easier to have both a non-hardship essay (on why you really want to become a fungus biologist and how you love doing field work on funguses in Appalachia or whatever–anything can be interesting!) and one that says “and I have gotten through all these life problems so I have become resilient and that will also serve me well in life, I hope.” I used that two-essay approach myself. It’s not necessarily the best approach, but it’s a good option to consider once you’ve finished your adversity essay and see what you think of it. Harvard’s application always has a “supplemental essay” section, and you, having overcome stuff, can pitch yourself twice. Some people shouldn’t write a supplemental essay, if they’ve covered everything they wanted without it. If you have hardships to discuss, though, a second essay lets you offer both the reasons a person who didn’t know about your hardships would think were why you were admitted and the fact that you also have more depth than that.</p>