Harvard College needs no grand introduction. Its name is synonymous with academic excellence, ambition, and an unparalleled legacy of producing global leaders. As expected, the competition to gain admission is intense—Harvard’s acceptance rate hovers around 3–4%, making it one of the most selective colleges in the world.
But beyond the numbers, there’s one area where applicants still hold power: the supplemental essays. These essays give you the chance to speak directly to Harvard’s admissions committee—to show them who you are beyond grades and test scores.
So, how do you write a compelling Harvard supplemental essay in 2025? Let’s dive in.
What Are the Harvard Supplemental Essays?
In addition to the Common App essay prompts, Harvard invites applicants to submit one or more supplemental essays. Officially, these essays are “optional,” but nearly every admissions advisor—and indeed, most successful applicants—will tell you that skipping them is a mistake.
These essays offer the opportunity to share what hasn’t been captured in your application elsewhere. Whether it’s your values, your background, or your future ambitions, this is your space to add depth to your story.
Fun Fact: In recent years, over 90% of admitted students submitted a supplemental essay. That’s no coincidence.
Harvard Supplemental Essay Prompts for 2024–2025
For the current admissions cycle, Harvard continues to offer a mix of open-ended and specific prompts. Applicants may respond to one of several questions—or submit an essay on a topic of their choosing. There is no word limit, but the file size must be under 2000 KB.
Here are the 2024–2025 Harvard supplemental essay prompts:
- An unusual circumstance in your life
- Travel, living, or working experiences in your own or other communities
- What would you want your future college roommate to know about you?
- An intellectual experience (course, project, book, discussion, paper, poem, or research topic) that was especially meaningful to you
- How you hope to use your college education
- A list of books you’ve read in the last 12 months
- Reflect on a time when you or someone you observed had to choose whether to act with integrity
- How you would contribute to Harvard’s mission of educating citizen-leaders
- What you would do with a gap year or time off during college
- Harvard welcomes students from diverse backgrounds—share something distinctive about yours
You can also write on a completely original topic.
How Long Should Your Harvard Supplemental Essay Be?
While there’s technically no word count limit, most strong responses fall between 500–700 words—long enough to develop an idea fully, but concise enough to keep the reader engaged. Aim to say something meaningful and memorable—not everything about your life.
Pro tip: Don’t try to cover too much. Focus on one story, one trait, or one moment, and build around that. You can revise and refine your draft admissions essay after your ideas are on the page.
Get more help: How to start an admissions essay
Choose a Topic That Adds to Your Narrative
The supplemental essay shouldn’t repeat what’s already in your Common App essay. Instead, it should add a new dimension to your application.
Did you write your Common App about your love of robotics? Then consider using your Harvard essay to explore your community service work, your heritage, or your goals for the future. If you focused previously on a challenge you overcame, this is your opportunity to show what motivates or inspires you.
Use the essay to “zoom out” and complete the picture of who you are.
See more: Choosing an admissions essay topic
Show Harvard Who You Are—Through Action and Detail
Avoid generic statements like “I’m a hard worker” or “I’m passionate about helping others.” Instead, let those truths shine through your actions, stories, and vivid details.
Here’s an example of telling:
Practicing the violin every day taught me the importance of perseverance.”
Now, here’s showing:
Each morning before school, I sat on the edge of my unmade bed, violin under my chin, fingers aching as I repeated the same four measures until they sounded less like notes and more like something I could feel.”
The second version helps admissions officers experience your story. It’s immersive—and it builds trust.
Align with Harvard’s Values and Mission
Harvard’s mission isn’t just about educating brilliant minds; it’s about shaping citizen-leaders—people who will make a positive difference in the world.
If you’re unsure which prompt to choose, consider one that allows you to showcase:
- Intellectual curiosity
- Community involvement
- Commitment to integrity
- Ambition for impact
- Diversity of thought or background
Demonstrating these qualities doesn’t mean sounding perfect—it means being authentic, reflective, and self-aware.
Be Sincere. Be Yourself.
Harvard admissions officers aren’t looking for perfect essays—they’re looking for real people. Write with honesty, even if that means exposing a moment of uncertainty, failure, or growth.
If you try to write what you think they want to hear, your essay will sound like everyone else’s. If you write from the heart, your essay will stand out—even if it’s imperfect.
Before You Submit: Polish with Proofreading
A typo won’t ruin your chances—but careless writing might. After all the effort you’ve poured into your essay, make sure your final version is flawless.
At Vappingo, we offer professional college application editing services to help you submit your admissions essay with confidence. Whether you need help tightening your grammar, refining your tone, or simply spotting the small things you missed, our editors are here to help.
Final Thoughts
The Harvard supplemental essay isn’t just a formality—it’s a powerful opportunity to speak directly to the admissions committee. It’s your chance to highlight what makes you unique, what drives you, and what you’ll bring to the Harvard community.
So write boldly, revise carefully, and don’t forget to be yourself—because that’s who Harvard really wants to meet.