50 Successful Harvard Application Essays: What Worked for Them Can Help You Get into the College of Your Choice (Paperback)

by Harvard Crimson (Author) "The putrid stench of rotten salmon wafts through the boardwalk, permeating the Five Star Cafe with a fishy odor..." (more)
Key Phrases: New York, Successful Harvard Application Essays, Chan Tack (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
This collection gives 50 great examples of effective and diverse ways to express individuality in that most dreaded of all tasks for high school seniors--writing the college application essay. Each was used by a Harvard student on his or her application and is followed with analysis by the staff of the Harvard Crimson, who help give perspective on what works well, what is a necessary evil, and what detracts from an otherwise compelling essay. With pointers on avoiding common essay pitfalls and stepping back to evaluate strengths applicants never realized they had, Fifty Successful Harvard Application Essays is an inspiration for every student trying to find the one thing that sets him or her apart from the crowd.


About the Author
The Harvard Crimson is the daily newspaper of Harvard College in Cambridge, Massachussetts. Its staff consists of over three hundred students who share a love of journalism and writing.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (July 2, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031220647X
• ISBN-13: 978-0312206475
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #556,013 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book if used correctly., June 30, 2005

By	Joshua P. Rogers (Bronxville, NY USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I remember when this book came out and I was in middle school! Reading it then the essays seemed intimidating, but by the time I applied to College I was really ready to digest the book and compose my own essay. The best thing to take away from it is the tone and depth of the essays, don't just copy them or use the same idea and change the diction. I had the pleasure of working on the second edition of this book which comes out in September (I got to write a critique of one of the new essays), so I might be a little biased. Yet, as a Harvard Student that has worked in the admissions office, I can now say that these essays are good examples of what is expected and that the critiques are on the level of those you would receive from any admissions officer or guidance counselor.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exactly what I expected, January 23, 2005

By	Manjari Mukherjee (Mountain View, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The famous saying "a picture is worth a thousand words" can be applied to essays as well. I can understand other reviewers' low opinions of this book, but the book's title--50 Successful Harvard Application Essays--is spot on in terms of the book's content--what did you expect?! For those students applying to the elite level colleges, this book is a rare first hand glance at essays that gained approval from the admissions offices of the most selective college in the country, and can be very useful in determining the style, substance, and introspection expected in writing these incredibly important essays.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Helpful for All Applicants, July 26, 2000

By A Customer

No book can teach you how to write an essay or how to find that essence of yourself that will appeal to colleges, but this book can provide a helpful guide. My son isn't applying to Harvard, but he's been struggling with his essay for weeks. A close reading of this book gave him several ideas he had never considered because he thought colleges wouldn't be interested. He also found the comments by Crimson staffers to be intelligent and helpful. He was so complimentary about the book that I took a look at it myself and found the essays to be a wacky and captivating read, even for someone not applying for anything!