Harvard Application Essays: A Strategic Guide

Deciding to apply to Harvard can seem like an intimidating task at first, especially as you’re trying to brainstorm what will make the perfect supplemental essay topics. What you might not know yet is that each supplemental essay is a chance for you to show how you’ll align with Harvard’s identity and fit in as a Harvard student. In order to make sure that your supplemental essays demonstrate how you’ll be a great addition to Harvard, here are some of Harvard’s core values to keep in mind as you brainstorm:

1. Sustained academic excellence and genuine intellectual curiosity

Harvard is renowned at a global scale for its intellectual rigor, and one way it ensures that this standard is upheld is by admitting students who have genuine intellectual curiosity about the world around them. Harvard students aren’t the ones who are chasing grades just to get an “A”; they’re pursuing topics that challenge them for the sake of learning. What matters is a commitment to pursuing learning independently, seeking out tough questions, and exploring new areas. Students can support their curiosity through programs like the Rising Scholars Program, which allows students to start taking courses the summer before their freshman year, and the Intellectual Vitality initiative, which promotes civil discourse and deep thinking both in and beyond the classroom by hosting panels, debates, and conversation groups.

2. Leadership and initiative with impact in school, family, and community

At Harvard, leadership and community is a central value, beginning from the moment you step on campus and move into your residential neighborhood– known as a “Yard.” Later on, students live in Houses, which serve as the bedrock for their community at Harvard. Harvard is striving to educate students who are going to step out into the world and enact change, so they’re looking for applicants who can identify needs in their communities and seek to help resolve them or support others. On campus, leadership is cultivated through programs like the Mindich Program in Engaged Scholarship, which allows students to take classes that bridge the gap between learning and applying knowledge, and connects students with resources for further research. Likewise, the Center for Public Service and Engaged Scholarship integrates service into the daily life of many Harvard students.

3. Quality over quantity in activities and meaningful contribution to communities

While some students think that having a long, packed resume will impress admissions readers, what Harvard values more is deep, sustained engagement. Meaningful involvement shows that you truly care about what you do– that you’re not just doing it to check boxes or appear successful. On campus, this is reflected through programs like BLISS, where students interested in the social sciences commit to living on campus to continue diving deep into their field of study for nine weeks, or a variety of other opportunities for students to commit to what means most to them.

How to Write the Harvard Supplemental Essays (2025-2026)

Harvard has long recognized the importance of enrolling a student body with a diversity of perspectives and experiences. How will the life experiences that shape who you are today enable you to contribute to Harvard? (150 words)

This essay is trying to gauge how you’ll be able to continue growing at Harvard and fit in as a mature student ready to tackle the fresh challenges of a college experience. As you write, try to keep the following guidelines in mind:

1. Choose one specific experience that truly shaped your worldview. Listing multiple will be confusing, given the tight word count. Going deep on one is better than trying to include many here, so choose wisely and make sure it goes beyond the surface.
2. Show that this perspective will enrich your life at Harvard, be it in classes, at student groups, or even in your dorm or House. Connect this experience clearly to the future so that your admissions reader is able to picture who you’ll be as a student on their campus.
3. Tie your experience to 1-2 Harvard contexts like a concentration (what Harvard calls majors), public service program, or first year seminar. Explain this connection clearly so that you avoid the curse of name-dropping.

Describe a time when you strongly disagreed with someone about an idea or issue. How did you communicate or engage with this person? What did you learn from this experience? (150 words)

This prompt is trying to understand how you’ll align with Harvard’s core values of intellectual vitality, debate, and curiosity. Here are some tips on how to nail this supplemental essay:

1. Pick a substantive disagreement where you listened to the other person and learned something from them. Don’t try to show how the other person was wrong or paint them in a negative light; this isn’t about showing that you were right. Instead, focus on your ability to listen and engage, even in tough circumstances.
2. Name one thing you did that lowered the temperature and moved the dialogue forward. Again, don’t try to demonstrate how the argument intensified; civil discussion is about being able to find a common ground, and this is your time to show how you’re capable of doing that.
3. Explain how you shifted your approach to hard conversations and how you will model civil discourse on campus. Try to explain how you moved beyond the discomfort this disagreement may have caused you, highlighting your ability to grow and adapt.

Briefly describe any of your extracurricular activities, employment experience, travel, or family responsibilities that have shaped who you are. (150 words)

This is a unique opportunity for you to round out your application and touch on something you haven’t yet had the chance to talk about. Make sure that whatever you talk about hits the following points:

1. Pick something specific that you haven’t covered yet. Don’t choose something just because you think it sounds impressive– remember, Harvard values genuine engagement and depth more than resume-padding.
2. Highlight your impact. What did you accomplish with this activity? What did you learn from it? How did it help further your growth?
3. Name one transferable learning outcome that you would bring to Harvard communities. This could be either tangible (a skill) or a mindset/perspective shift that’ll shape how you interact with others.

How do you hope to use your Harvard education in the future? (150 words)

Harvard is all about raising a student body that will go on to innovate, lead, and change the world around them. You’ll want to demonstrate how you’re ready to participate in this culture of leadership and innovation by making sure your supplemental essay follows these suggestions:

1. Start with a clear problem you care about, then the role you want to play in solving it. This problem can be global or local– just make sure that you have a connection to it, and that it’s specific. Don’t go too broad.
2. Tie 2–3 precise Harvard resources to that plan. How will your concentration help prepare you to tackle this problem? Maybe you’ll want to pursue research that works towards solving this problem, or hone your leadership skills through a public service opportunity. You want to prove that you’re able to do significant future-facing thinking about how you’ll make use of Harvard’s opportunities for goals that extend beyond yourself.
3. Show next steps you would take on campus and the first outcome you'd aim for. This is crucial, since Harvard wants to see that you’ll be able to use your education on a broader scale.

Top 3 things your roommates might like to know about you. (150 words)

This Harvard supplemental essay is great for showing off your personality. Here’s how you can do that successfully:

1. Share one quirky habit or joy that reveals values and how you show up for others. The rest of your supplemental essays will touch on your achievements and activities, so take this moment to also demonstrate how you can write about something in a creative and focused manner– this is as much a writing question as it is a question that’s trying to learn something about you.
2. Add one concrete way you contribute to a living space, i.e. cooking, organizing study sprints, playlists. Be specific and don’t be afraid to demonstrate a certain part of what makes you unique.
3. Keep it specific and kind. Show humor or warmth– this is how you can show a new side of your personality! Don’t force yourself into trying to think of what an admissions reader will find funny. Be yourself and authentically engage with the question in a personal way.

Conclusion

Good luck on your draft! As long as you keep in mind Harvard’s core values, your supplemental essays will stand out as you demonstrate how you’ll be able to be a valuable addition to the Harvard community in the future.

At Essay Cafe, we offer comprehensive essay reviews to make sure your essays are your biggest advocates in the admissions office. If you’re unsure about your essay strategy or need a trusted second opinion, you can request a review or book a live 1:1 session by creating an account here.

Curious about how to write the rest of your supplemental essays? Check out more advice here on how to write essays for top schools like Columbia, Princeton, and Yale.