reading the essays that got me into harvard! + college essay tips and tricks

OPEN FOR TIMESTAMPS
0:00- intro
0:25- plagiarism disclaimer
1:17- essay prompts
3:19- main essay
6:57- optional essay
9:24- essay tips
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/ sonyarenuka
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www.youtube.come/c/SonyaRenuka
hello! after a few requests, i filmed this video! i hope it can give you insight into what sort of essays helped me get into harvard. all of these tips are entirely my own and are what worked for me in the college application process, but they may not work for everyone. leave a comment on what sort of videos you'd like to see in the future!
faq:
what college are you attending?
harvard!
did you hire a counselor/do you recommend a counselor?
no, i personally did not. my essays were proofed by family, friends, and a couple of my teachers. as for recommendations, i think everyone is different and as long as your counselor is abiding by the law and you feel it is the right move for you, go for it!
do you get to go on campus in the fall?
i will be going on campus this fall under harvard's restrictions.
music: mark generous- orange and pomegranate
if you made it this far, comment your favorite superhero!

[@pranathipothala6800]

I was admiring your essays and all of sudden realised you come from a telugu background - That made me so happy and it was an inspiration for me being a Telugu girl

[@abhiavasarala5704]

OMG, even I am a Telugu guy, from Hyderabad, India. Aspiring to become a Harvard Student ✌

[@arara__]

Im from Andhra Pradesh and I'm Telugu too!!! Love you queen

[@aaravash92]

I am from karnataka but I speak Telugu too

[@aaravash92]

@@abhiavasarala5704 hey can we discuss about colleges on IG? Drop your IG

[@likhitaallada4300]

Even I am a Telugu girl

[@ramahkandi1146]

Your optional essay is amazing and very touching.

[@SonyaRenuka]

thank you!

[@meisdcmira2411]

who knows how can i send my essay to harvard any help please

[@Naveen-tq7cg]

@@meisdcmira2411 you can apply through the common application or the coalition application! Harvard's website will have all the answers, though there's only two days to the deadline...

[@lovelott21]

I loved your optional essay! I love the thought and the creative factor put on the output! 🥺💖🌸

[@hueningkaj]

Watching this at the beginning of my junior year planning on applying to Harvard, thank you for making this!!

[@kelliandthekids7901]

You have such great essays, thank you so much for sharing them. I wish you the best of luck!!!

[@SonyaRenuka]

thank you!

[@cpt.cap-not3418]

You just exactly showed things that I was searching for😭❤️ Much Love ❤️ Hope you have a significant career

[@ebuberoseanne2184]

Lovee your optional essay girlll

[@Jacqueline8]

Your optional essay was inspiring, thank your for sharing :)

[@saakshiiii]

Just 4 min in the video and I am in love with your work you really deserve Harvard or Harvard deserved you Lots of love and All the best for future From India ❤️

[@sarahwayd4292]

Thank you so much for sharing your experience and advice!!

[@SonyaRenuka]

thanks for watching!

[@lululopez7729]

Why don't you have more subs?? You're amazing!

[@hannahbottarel1379]

Queen of the common app 🥰

[@SonyaRenuka]

MY FAV!! 🥺

[@AlleEsor28]

These essays were beautiful!!!!!

[@SonyaRenuka]

ty!!

[@samriddhisingh5340]

luv your essays...

[@dramasandkpop46]

Damn🌝 you deserve harvard girllllll!!!!!!

[@SonyaRenuka]

thank you, you’re all so kind

[@SonyaRenuka]

ty!!

[@daejxvu]

Yk I’ve always wanted to go to college, but I wasn’t sure which college I should go for. But I have high hopes and faith to make it to Harvard or Yale depending on where my life takes me. I’m a hard worker and am very dedicated but know what there is always a chance it won’t work out and already have back up options available!

[@yohanserarias8904]

This is the video most like me 🥺. My favorite part was "Relax"

[@SonyaRenuka]

happy to hear :)

[@GlobalAssignmentHelpAustralia]

Very helpful video for college students, keep going 🔥

[@ohmpatel8308]

no wayyyy. I started writing the optional essay for Harvard couple weeks ago and I open with the same lunchbox story, but I go a different route with it lol

[@stobit2519]

So did you get in?

[@arianavillasenor4135]

^ did you get in?

[@ohmpatel8308]

@@stobit2519 I ended up writing about something else. I got deferred. Find out again in a week

[@kyle7833]

@@ohmpatel8308 did you end up getting in?

[@amysabeen6192]

@@ohmpatel8308 hi how did it go?

[@srilakshmi5369]

Hey :) it shocked me when you said you were from Hyd! I've been living in Hyd my whole 16 years of life, with short three-day trips to temples in the south- nowhere else. For some reason, hearing that someone with the same hometown as me in such a big college inspired me so much and I'm literally looking up to you with big puppy eyes

[@yanzheng4120]

Amazing young women! You got me inspired too!

[@hershey1373]

Same experience with the lunchbox thing in elementary school 😂

[@samdoesntknow]

Your essays are mind blowing. Hi to a fellow desi

[@heather-ou2lk]

for the activity essay r we supposed to write in story form or kind of just expand on an activity we listed in the activity list?? pls help!

[@varad4u]

Please make a video on how to apply !

[@vanshikadhaka9282]

Girlllll!!! Did I hear marvel!!. you're a hommie now❤️❤️😂😂 Btw ur essay was amazing 👍👍👍

[@gemzzblitz2250]

Thank you for this ❤️ and your amazing

[@SonyaRenuka]

ty for watching

[@gemzzblitz2250]

@Sonya Renuka thank you for being honest and very informational , and being the gracious person you are , seriously amazing ❤️

[@varshapatibandla485]

OMG YOU'RE TELUGU TOO??? YES REPRESENT FOR US SHAWTY!!!!

[@nel3901]

Please make a video about your Amherst essays!

[@SonyaRenuka]

i submitted the same main essay!

[@senpai6464]

Hi, I don't have any knowladge about writing essays and I want to practice writing essays so it will be perfect (I hope). But What should I do? I am comfused. I feel helpless :/

[@aditishrivastava6290]

thanks a lot!

[@theresaibonye5398]

Hi. You’re essays are really great. I’m applying to Universities right now and I have to write a couple of essay too so this was very helpful. How long did it take you do write these essays?

[@davidpage411]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/foepnGeFnZalZ5Y

[@zommyokoro4599]

Great vid

[@riya9310]

Please please make a video on extracurricular that would be so so so helpful 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@grassgrees6728]

thank you!

[@sahasra2289]

WAIT UR TELUGU OMG THIS JUST GAVE ME HOPE 😢😢😢TQQ

[@Isha-ot6tc]

If I am applying to different universities and their essay prompts are same or similar, is it legal to sumbit the same essay to different universities? Also, my favorite superhero is WonderWoman.

[@naiaramenezes8303]

The lunch story 😭😭 the exact same with me and I forced my parents into giving me “normal food”

[@alexanderbroose3027]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/nX-lo5d7lKiFbpI

[@PravKathi]

i didn’t know this was universal 😭

[@vedanjali8131]

Can you please please please please please please please make a video for dorm tour when you get settled. 🤙🏻✌🏻

[@SonyaRenuka]

planning on it!

[@rhacore.]

ur essay is so beautiful,, i hope u gain more subscribers ^_^

[@snehalk.4608]

Plz make a vdo related to extracurricular activities.

[@rubhoob3431]

Never let anyone make you feel bad about yourself.

[@SonyaRenuka]

words of wisdom!

[@yagurl154]

Can you make a tutorial on how you organized or created your spreadsheet

[@SonyaRenuka]

i included a brief description in another comment!

[@alexanderbroose3027]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/aYjYoqKwq9N0jJY

[@vert6260]

You are so underrated ! Ps: my favourite super hero is spider man !

[@norabing2461]

Thanks so much... I'm from Bangladesh... I was really anxious about the essays but thanks to you,..appi😍😍

[@obaidulkhan9538]

Fall 22??

[@humairaabutalib2369]

omg girl i’m also hyderabadi! i’m trying to get into harvard for clinical psychology (phD)

[@atypicalanisha5781]

Very inspiring!

[@sazzadhossainfuad2328]

You are so pretty 😊

[@hershey1373]

I feel that i don't really have one main topic to write about in my commonapp essay,i have other aspects that i wanna include....should i jus choose 1 idea or try to include all of them?

[@marangthomola1461]

I also have the same dilemma

[@ct626]

Can u pls upload extracurricular essay too

[@abhignaisukametla4476]

You're a telugu girl!!!! Well that's amazing. I'm telugu too and currently aiming for Harvard. Your video has literally given me hope 'Cause most of the time we donot find telugu people aiming for bigger things. ⭐hoping to see ya there -

[@pranavkashmire4734]

heyy can you make a video on filling the common app essay and css profile

[@SonyaRenuka]

there are plenty of tutorials online! i'm not an admissions officer so it wouldn't be my place to do so.

[@zzthelazy351]

I've got a question. what is the common app essay? I really dont understand what i'm supposed to write on that essay. like should we write about our personal experience or not? I hope i dont sound rude

[@roshanmemon5873]

Do you think it's a good idea to include poetry in application essays for ivy league

[@sherylsteinhauer6919]

Do you ever proofread personal statements for prospective students?

[@SonyaRenuka]

comment any other type of videos you'd like to see!

[@aammyasapra7988]

could you read your UC essays?

[@snehalk.4608]

Extracurricular activities.

[@riya9310]

EC

[@pranavkashmire4734]

heyy plz make a video on how to get a fee waiver for college appplications and also fee waiver for sat exam[since it has a lot benefits]

[@SonyaRenuka]

sorry, i do not have information on that. i suggest searching on google or contacting a college counselor or school counselor.

[@360wheelz5]

"Desi" girl haha love that

[@aimenmoten2240]

This essay was great and your tips are superrrr helpful!! Wish I had seen the spreadsheet thing before :(

[@SonyaRenuka]

awww ty! good luck!!

[@alexchege4242]

I can help you write your essays, dissertations, assignments, and exams. Please contact me on ([e-mail])

[@subodhbadal1627]

You should also write your essay in a description or comment so people like me can read themself. : )

[@sakshisurve9668]

What are you pursuing in harvard university?? I mean for which course you have enrolled yourself in Harvard university???

[@anvianikeshgoswami1795]

heyyy,,IK its a very wierd ques but like if we go to HARVARD or any other college like is it really different from university or like we have to do both of them ....please answer...thanks for tips yarr

[@ishanvisvanath3089]

You don’t need Harvard,Harvard needs you

[@Nagaraj-ll7uy]

u r right bro

[@lauraferguson5366]

You should do a video on your ecs

[@SonyaRenuka]

i have my ECs included on my other video!

[@riya9310]

@@SonyaRenuka are they the only one or you did more than it

[@yusraibrahim7121]

girl i already planned my essays even though im a freshman in hs 😭

[@kevaughanneely5580]

Optional Essay 💯💯💯💯

[@juliettetrabal]

WAIT are common apps obligated?? To have? I wasn't thinking of submitting common app just because in my commonwealth we dont use it

[@sujatadas2738]

Pls tell me how to prove those extracurricular activities

[@edsradio5817]

Can you review and edit my saqs for college, please (Preferably if your good with essay writing - leave an email please)8

[@Madamefirstlady]

Bro ive read your essay on harvard class 2024 essay💕

[@SonyaRenuka]

sorry could you link me to this?

[@sadikasultanalabonno9150]

awesome

[@obaidulkhan9538]

Glad you shared your essay, All I wanted to say uf they copy then eventually they will get their punishment but if applicants like you doesn't provide the idea of personal essay writing to the world then we will be in great trouble cause many country doesn't have that much access so the best thing about you guys are you can help us a lot with this essays Stay tuned for us

[@shraddham9821]

Q : Are you a south Indian ??

[@nourdarwish3123]

Do you have to write different essays for each school you apply to or can you send the same ones to all the schools you apply to ??

[@jasmine-fw4yq]

it all depends. if you notice that many of the schools you’re applying to have similar prompts you can just reuse them and adjust accordingly!

[@Parker_161]

Here is your new subscriber.

[@manyamishra4920]

can anyone please tell me where I can find essay prompts for ivy league universities for international undergraduate applicants?

[@sialmfao]

As a punjabi girl.. the lunch story rlly touched me

[@seasons1146]

i cant believe an essay as expressive as this can get scholarships. if this essay was sent to any uni in my country it would have been rejected so fast for not being "academic enough". im very surprised.

[@davidandhisyoutube6774]

these essays are usually only 650 words, you can't write you're life story nor have an advanced story with these limitations. in fact, trying to make it all come together within those limits is harder. many argue that it is ineffective when writing about yourself because of that limit. but this young lady went above and beyond with these essays because with those limits the story made sense and told the admission she wasn't like every other student. every admissions goal is to diversify their students' personalities by how they would suit their school. she showed that which is all that matters

[@mariajones8304]

Academic enough? It’s a short assay about her to grab attention! Not a spacious novel. She includes academics and other stuff in her resume. That is just so they will get a little idea of who she is, it’s not supposed to be complicated or anything

[@ahmadjaved4263]

Hi, harvard has kept the SAT optional for the upcoming intake. I have taken the test but it’s not that high. Do you think it’s a good idea to keep it in my application?

[@value2887]

No

[@ahmadjaved4263]

@M S thank you. Are you a Harvard alumni or a student? ( out of curiosity)

[@ritugupta5682]

@@ahmadjaved4263 I definitely wouldn't include it if it's not at least at the 25th percentile of their admit SAT scores

[@ahmadjaved4263]

@M S haha well I Have already applied... let’s me see what happens

[@ahmadjaved4263]

@@ritugupta5682 haha no it’s not that low... anyway thank you and let me see what happens

[@seemashelke6022]

Is the topic for all the essays (main, optional, intellectual experience and extracurricular) free choice?

[@Nagaraj-ll7uy]

only optional essay give u chance to write essay on ur choice

[@alexanderbroose3027]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/bIG1e3t4o9aqnM0

[@abbywoozproductions4685]

Is there a way for you to send me a screenshot or link to the spread sheet you used for college essays to keep organize?

[@SonyaRenuka]

i might make that available in the future if i set up a website! it’s really simple, i just put the colleges on the left and the prompts on the right and checked off which colleges had what prompts in the empty space!

[@abbywoozproductions4685]

Sonya Renuka okay thank you!

[@hiyashah2335]

please make an EC video!!!

[@SonyaRenuka]

maybe i will sometime, i have some of my ECs listed in my other vid!

[@riya9310]

@@SonyaRenuka please make an EC video it would be helpful for us

[@anjanasaiju1221]

HI, IM from India and I couldn't write AP s. could you suggest me some dual degree programs?

[@sexyqueen4481]

hey, you said you applied to 23 colleges and had to write lots of essays, if I did the same thing, could I just use one essay and not write different types for each college?

[@SonyaRenuka]

i was able to use my main essay for most colleges, but a lot of colleges require supplemental essays and sometimes those supplemental essays are very college specific so it isn't wise to reuse them, however sometimes you can finesse some of your essays to fit other prompts.

[@samabdalla9533]

wow , obsoletely this essay is the best one i have ever seen , and you are also amazing , intelligent ,beautiful girl , i do love you ,

[@litcomicsproductions5359]

Hey what is the personal essay template exactly?

[@ina_louisaw9020]

❤️

[@KronicNitron]

I wrote 700 words for my additional essay. But it wasn’t thorough as yours. More emotional based and very basic but heavy hitting wit my explanation of my life.

[@carmenalcarilla1385]

You got in?

[@tulexia8841]

Hi I am indo american with a dream of going to harvar I am 12 years old wish me luck. BTW A little backround on me I was born In America when my mom and dad was working there my mom and dad are Indians and since I was born there I am and Indian american

[@zuleika9152]

Hi I have a question! I'm planning to apply for Harvard and Stanford, but I'm from a country in Asia. Do I have to be good at mathematics to get in? I wanna take a science related course but I'm scared that it would require math as well. I'm not very intelligent when it comes to math.

[@proffoctopus66yearsago22]

If you're choosing Science, there wouldn't be any complicated Math involved in your course. At least that's what I think.

[@proffoctopus66yearsago22]

@The Ray R. My previous comment was related to the courses. Anyways, you're right too. There's a lot of discrimination in those regions T-T

[@brotega4500]

Just submitted my REA to Harvard today! And the wait begins...

[@SonyaRenuka]

good luck!

[@user-cw8mf2cc1n]

Did u get in?

[@brotega4500]

@@user-cw8mf2cc1n yess!!! Still can’t believe it

[@user-cw8mf2cc1n]

@@brotega4500 proud of you! Congrats!

[@aceland3819]

@@brotega4500 No way Congrats, upload a video it might go viral

[@ragtop63]

Funny thing about essays, I've never had to write one in my extensive career... ever.

[@betty609]

I started to write an essay and it’s so similar to your main essay i hope they don’t think it as a copy 😭

[@alexanderbroose3027]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/bIG1e3t4o9aqnM0

[@aqualuvie]

Hi,,just wanted to ask did you get admitted into Harvard even though the essay was similar to the creator's??

[@margotbell6068]

dude i'm writing the optional essay right now and i think my word count is WAY over. What was the word count on your optional essay? What do you think is too much...

[@SonyaRenuka]

I personally only wrote about 400 words, but I've seen people write various lengths for their optional essay! Just make sure you're being concise and not repetitive and you're including what matters! :)

[@falcon7636]

Hi there, I’m just wondering about your extracurricular activities during high school, I’m from Australia and nice to meet u.

[@SonyaRenuka]

i have them listed in the beginning of my college reaction video!

[@riya9310]

@@SonyaRenuka are they the only or you did more than it please please reply 🙏

[@hydrocxtie]

Can you tell your stats and extracurricular please?

[@Aryan-te1qz]

Yeahhhhh , INDIAN💓

[@sikesteep]

Can I get into Harvard after 10th please answer, I need this very much right now.

[@madhuriagarwal2294]

After 12th take SAT test

[@pranavkashmire4734]

so did you recieve financial aid

[@tanvipatro2251]

Woah my essay is about telegu lunches too

[@allukumar9473]

Did your classes start? Are they doing it online?

[@SonyaRenuka]

my classes start next week online, but i get the opportunity to stay on campus!

[@allukumar9473]

@@SonyaRenuka I was planning to apply as a transfer student. I have some pretty good credentials, all related to competative programming. But I don't think they are good enough for the ivy leagues. Could you recommend some other colleges that I should apply for. ❤️ from India

[@SonyaRenuka]

there are plenty of online resources to help you find which schools are a good match for you, like niche!