10 Successful Harvard Application Essays

Several years ago, my mother told me that I was listening to “white people’s music.” And I suppose it’s true: rock ‘n’ roll tends to emerge from the basements of middle-class young white men. I pointed out, however, that its origins go back to the jazz musicians of the Harlem Renaissance. He is also one of the greatest guitarists of all time – dear Mr. Hendrix; may he rest in peace – was black.

My passion for punk rock began in seventh grade, when Green Day’s “Boulevard of Broken Dreams” appeared on my iTunes shuffle. I started to get interested in their other releases, eventually delving into the complete punk discography. My mother, having grown up
in racially segregated New York, he was more likely to listen to Stevie Wonder than Stevie Nicks.

But she had to tell herself that everyone has their own choice. So while my compatriots indulged in the music of Taylor Swift, One Direction and Lady
Gaga, my Hot Topic headphones blasted Green Day, Ramones and The Clash. My young teenage ears drank in the raw and chaotic beauty, an echo of the pain of the past. The pulsing, throbbing vitality of the instruments painted a picture, connecting me to the disillusioned children who launched an epic liberation movement some forty years ago.

Punkers question authority. Aggressively going against the grain, they defend the other side, the one that seemed stifled and silent during the post-Vietnam era. They rejected established norms. They spoke and were not afraid.

I had always felt different from my peers. At my girls’ prep school, the goal was to be blonde and good at soccer. I was neither, which automatically considered me “uncool.” I had a few close friends but I never felt like I was part of the whole.

Then came the punk philosophy, for the marginalized, for those who were different. It was something I could be a part of.

Instead of trying to conform to my peers, I adopted a nonconformist attitude. Just like the prematurely graying antihero in my favorite book, I laughed at all the “imposters” around me. I didn’t appreciate everything that was popular. Uggs? I wouldn’t buy them. Yoga pants? Never. Starbucks ? Well, I could make some concessions.

But I felt more cynical than liberated. I wasted so much energy being different that I lost track of what actually made me happy. I insisted that I didn’t care what people thought of me, which was true. Yet if I based my actions almost entirely on their behavior, how could I deny their influence?

Luckily, as I moved from a private school to a brand new public high school, I was able to have a clean slate. I bought some yoga pants and found them to be comfortable. I listened to a wide variety of music, even those that weren’t 100% hardcore punk. And I was happier.

I revised my punk philosophy: do what you want, whether it fits into the “system” or not.

The lyrics from The Beatles’ “Revolution” sum it up well:

You tell me it’s the institution

Well you know

You better free your mind instead

I think Lennon meant that questioning everything doesn’t mean opposing everything. Challenge for its own sake is unproductive at best, destructive at worst. I believe in the greatest truths of life, such as love and justice. These truths should govern my actions, not what is popular or not. Striving to act according to these ideals has helped me stay true to myself, regardless of what is considered “conformist.”

Maybe I failed in the punk movement. We’ll have to wait and see. In the meantime, I will do what makes me happy and change what doesn’t make me happy. I’ll wear Doc Martens instead of Uggs; I’ll partake in a large pumpkin spice latte; I’m going to watch Gossip Girl; I’ll play my favorite guitar solo over my bedroom speakers.

And it’s as punk as it gets.

From the sarcastic title and fiery opening, I was immediately drawn in. I and many members of our The Art of Applying® team grew up as one of the few students of color in our honors classes, told we liked “white things.” .”

When you write about very specific personal experiences that you’ve had, you can strike a chord and connect with people who have had similar experiences, and you can simultaneously intrigue people who have had very different experiences.

The student’s response to her mother’s assertion and the level of knowledge she demonstrates about the origins and political context of punk rock show that she does not just enjoy punk music passively as a fan; she was curious enough to research and learn about its historical roots, and confident enough to offer a contradictory perspective on what punk music is and who it is and isn’t for.

I enjoyed reading about the journey of how the student’s interest in punk rock grew from an interest to a passion and ultimately an identity. Don’t just tell us about the beginning and end of a personal growth journey; also show us the disordered environment.

The student concisely paints a vivid picture of her status as an outsider at her private school without villainizing the other students. She also uses humor and puns well when she makes a concession to enjoy Starbucks.

A turning point in the essay comes when the student begins to question whether her decidedly nonconformist identity serves her. This shows an even deeper level of self-reflection and personal growth.

Although including quotes and sayings in your essay may shift the focus from your own words to those of a famous person, the student effectively uses the lyrics as a starting point for deeper thinking.

The conclusion is strong in that we see a person who has embraced all facets of themselves rather than stubbornly clinging to a rigid image of nonconformity.

It ends with the same confident, energetic voice that I’ve grown to love throughout the piece, and the final sentences read like a glorious mic drop.

This essay is a great example to learn from if you want to write about how one of your passions spurred personal growth, struggled to fit in, changed your mind about who you are, and/ or to clarify your values.