Harvard Essay Examples from Admitted Student
ISHAN
Harvard has long recognized the importance of enrolling a diverse student body. How will the life experiences that shape who you are today enable you to contribute to Harvard?
My parents immigrated from two very different regions, and our dinner table became a place where cultures met—sometimes smoothly, sometimes not. Switching between languages and customs taught me to notice differences but also to search for common ground.
That awareness shaped how I volunteered at a neighborhood library, helping children whose families had recently arrived navigate the computers for homework or job searches. Many felt intimidated, but I learned to explain things step by step until the task no longer seemed overwhelming. Later, I created simple guides in English and Spanish to help with common library tools.
I bring this same perspective to group projects at school, where I try to make sure quieter voices get heard. At Harvard, I would contribute by fostering inclusion through student organizations or informal conversations, because I’ve seen how small bridges can make big differences.
Briefly describe an intellectual experience that was important to you.
I didn’t think economics would interest me until I stumbled across an article about how bike-sharing programs affect local businesses. Suddenly, supply and demand wasn’t just theory—it was about coffee shops, bakeries, and neighborhoods I recognized.
Curious, I started exploring more. I analyzed data sets I found online, like average rents compared to public transportation access.
The patterns fascinated me. I brought one project into my statistics class, where I used regression to test whether new bus routes influenced rental prices. It wasn’t perfect, but it showed me how math could explain real-world tradeoffs.
That spark led me to ask more questions—why concert tickets cost what they do, or how policies shape housing supply. Economics became less about graphs in a textbook and more about understanding people’s choices. At Harvard, I want to keep pursuing research that connects data to daily life.
Briefly describe any of your extracurricular activities, employment experience, travel, or family responsibilities that have shaped who you are.
Every Saturday morning, I help run our town’s food pantry. My job usually starts with unpacking donations and ends with distributing groceries, but the most meaningful part is talking with the families who come in.
I’ve met parents working two jobs who still make time to ask how I’m doing, seniors sharing recipes for unfamiliar vegetables, and children who light up when they pick out snacks. Those small interactions taught me that service isn’t about grand gestures—it’s about showing up consistently.
The pantry also gave me practical skills, from organizing inventory to coordinating with volunteers. But more than that, it showed me the value of community. People who might never meet otherwise come together around a simple goal: making sure no one goes hungry. At Harvard, I want to keep building connections that are grounded in empathy and shared purpose.
How do you hope to use your Harvard education in the future?
I hope to use a Harvard education to explore how economics and technology intersect to shape policy. I’m especially interested in how data can inform decisions about housing, healthcare, and environmental issues.
At Harvard, I would take courses like Using Big Data to Solve Economic and Social Problems, which connect classroom knowledge to real-world applications. I’d also be excited to participate in research groups such as the Harvard College Economics Lab, where collaboration is as important as analysis.
Equally important is the chance to learn from peers with very different backgrounds. I imagine late-night debates in the dorms or spontaneous discussions after lectures, where new perspectives challenge my own assumptions.
In the future, I want to work at the intersection of data analysis and policy, helping design systems that are both efficient and fair. Harvard would give me the tools to do that.
Top 3 things your roommates might like to know about you.
First, I come from a big extended family, so I’m used to noise and company. Don’t be surprised if I call home and end up passing the phone around to cousins, grandparents, or whoever happens to be visiting.
Second, I’m a bit of a trivia nerd. I love random facts—like why flamingos are pink or how subway maps are designed. It’s not unusual for me to fall down a rabbit hole online, so feel free to pull me back to reality if I start rambling.
Third, I try new hobbies even when I’m terrible at them. Last year, I learned to bake bread (most loaves came out like bricks), and I’m currently teaching myself guitar (my neighbors aren’t thrilled). I might not master these things, but I always enjoy the process—and I hope you’ll join in.