50 Harvard Essays

Essays are for reference only. Do NOT copy or imitate anything! 
Plagiarism is severely punished! 
favorite books: 
The three dimensional 
Kaleidoscope fantasy 
Of far-off lands 
And courtly kingdoms 
Of passion and romance 
And high seas adventure 
Is shining with vivid colors 
And singing with non-stop noise 
My journal from eleventh grade not only chronicles a year of my life, but it tells the 
story of who I am. It is the closest I can get to even beginning to answer that difficult 
question: 
Tell them she says just tell them who you are let them know what makes you tick 
tick tick the clock is counting down I can’t wait to get out of here just a far more 
minutes smile and pretend you care tell them who I am in 358 words double-spaced 
12 point font as if I even know as if I could even if I did on a single sheet of paper 
why I cry why I laugh why I want so badly to go to their lovely school 
I guess I do know one thing about who I am. 
I am a writer. 
ANALYSIS 
“Pieces of Me” is an admissions essay with attitude – a personal statement that 
takes a risk. 
Like many college applicants, Pullman is interested in writing. Her essay stands 
apart form the pack because she doesn’t simply tell the admissions officer she likes 
to write. Instead, when used excerpts from her journal to show the admissions 
officer how much she loves to write, how much she depends on her writing to help 
her explain and understand life. 
But Pullman’s decision to include creative writing – i.e. cummings style – in her 
personal statement is not a decision for the meek of heart or the semi-talented. 
Every high school senior has heard stories of college applicants who, in the quest to 
stand out among the hundreds of other essays an admissions officer must sort 
through, submitted an original screenplay, musical composition, or videotape of an 
interpretive dance as their personal statement. In cases like Pullman’s where real 
talent show through, those risks may pay off. For others, a more conventional piece 
with a strong, clear thesis and well-written supporting arguments may be the better 
road to take. 
Of course, no piece is perfect, including Pullman’s. As original as many of her journal 
excerpts may be, Pullman prefaces many of them with somewhat cliché transitions 

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