50 Successful Harvard Application Essays: What Worked for Them Can Help You Get Into the College of Your Choice

This is a fantastic book. As a first-generation student, I had no clue what to expect from a college essay; I had no idea what made an essay good and what made it bad. Although this book doesn't directly teach you what a good essay is, the amazing essays in here allow you to 'absorb' the good writing and use it to your advantage. Vernon (poster before me) is correct here; you still need the grades, the scores, the extracurriculars.. or else the book does not help much. However, if you KNOW you have a strong profile but do not know what to expect from a college essay (like me), then this book is right for you! I can't thank this book enough. I learned good writing only paying $14 instead of something astronomical for those editing services. Ironically, with the help of this book, I got accepted into Harvard's rival school :) [Handsome Dan] out.

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.

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.

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!

I am a rising Harvard senior, and when I applied was not a very good writer - much more the math & science type. I had a great deal of trouble writing my essay until my parents bought me some guidebooks with samples. My brother is applying to college now and having looked at a lot of different books this one is far and away the best. I bought my brother a copy of this Crimson essay book last week and even he, who happens to be a good writer, found it immensely useful.