Harvard University has released its supplemental essays for the 2026-2027 college admissions cycle. The Ivy League institution, which had taken on the mantle of all of higher education in its fight for Affirmative Action (in 2023) and against federal oversight and funding cuts (in 2025), already has had to make some adjustments to its supplemental prompts in recent years to respond to a rapidly changing admissions landscape and political situation. How have they continued to adjust and readjust with their prompts this year?

Several years back, in addition to The Common Application essay(s), Harvard asked applicants for one long essay prompt, a short prompt, and a list. This year, like last year and the year before, the long prompt and list are gone. In their place are five, that’s right, five 100-150-word essays (although Harvard directs applicants to use roughly 100 words). None of these prompts amount to a traditional “Why College?” essay, as Harvard is the only elite school out there that isn’t insecure about its desirability among applicants and thus is less worried than other schools whether applicants articulate a deep knowledge of institutional specifics, while other prompts in the supplement probe how applicants view their places in a diverse community.

2026-2027 Harvard Essay Topics and Questions

1.Harvard has long recognized the importance of enrolling a student body with a diversity of perspectives and experiences. How will the life experiences that shaped who you are today enable you to contribute to Harvard?

This prompt is Harvard’s most overt response to the Supreme Court’s ruling. While the Supreme Court struck down the legality of Affirmative Action, Chief Justice John Roberts, in his majority opinion ruling against Harvard, wrote, “At the same time, as all parties agree, nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant’s discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise.”

This essay prompt is the manifestation of the loophole Chief Justice Roberts penned in the majority opinion. In response to the Supreme Court’s decision, the since-ousted Harvard President Claudine Gay said, “The Supreme Court’s decision on college and university admissions will change how we pursue the educational benefits of diversity. But our commitment to that work remains steadfast.”

Oh yes, it does, as evidenced by this Harvard essay prompt in which applicants are required to thoughtfully reflect on the diversity in all of its forms that they hope to bring to Harvard’s community. And, remember, it doesn’t have to be racial diversity. It can be religious diversity. It can be diversity of thought. The question is intentionally open-ended. And any student who feels their lived experience has been impacted by their identity or beliefs should rightfully take advantage of this prompt to underscore how they will contribute to the diversity of Harvard’s student body!

2. Describe a time when you strongly disagreed with someone about an idea or issue. How did you communicate or engage with this person? What did you learn from this experience?

This prompt first arrived during the 2024-2025 admissions cycle, and has stayed with us into 2026-27. Could it perhaps be because of Harvard’s on-campus tensions due to the rise of antisemitism? We’ll let you be the judge!

For this essay question, Harvard’s admissions committee wants to see that students are malleable to changing their opinions when presented with views that differ from their own. They also want to discern if a student will be respectful of those who present opposing views.

After all, that’s the whole point of a liberal arts education at a college with a diverse community: learning from professors and fellow students. What they most certainly don’t want, and what the institution grappled with for much of these past three years, is students who will shout hateful, divisive rhetoric from Harvard Yard. That doesn’t solve our world’s intractable conflicts. Engaging in respectful dialogue just may.

3. Briefly describe any of your extracurricular activities, employment experience, travel, or family responsibilities that have shaped who you are.

Harvard has long asked for students to write about one of their extracurricular pursuits. Applicants should just make sure not to repeat an activity here that they wrote about in any other essay that Harvard’s admissions officers will see. The activity should also be included within the activities section on The Common Application.

And while so many Harvard applicants do love to brag in response to this essay prompt by, for instance, writing about how much money they raised for a charity, Ivy Coach’s students applying to Harvard would never make such a mistake. After all, a big reason Ivy Coach’s students so often earn admission to Harvard, as 92% of our students have in the Early Action round over the last decade, is that they present as entirely likable. Admissions officers want to root for our students.

4. How do you hope to use your Harvard education in the future?

A few years ago, solely international applicants to Harvard were presented this essay prompt but over these last four admissions cycles, it’s being asked of all Harvard applicants. It’s an opportunity to showcase precisely how a student hopes to change the world in one super specific way through the hook they’ve ideally presented in their activities and storytelling.

5. Top 3 things your roommates might like to know about you.

It seems Harvard has taken a page from Stanford University with this latest essay prompt. Stanford has asked applicants to write a note to their future roommate for many years.

For this essay, it’s vital that all three things applicants share demonstrate intellectual curiosity and/or kindness. The responses can’t just be silly. Too many applicants answer this question with responses that offer no insight into how they think or wish to change the world. And that’s a wasted opportunity.

Ivy Coach’s Assistance with Harvard University Essays

If you’re interested in Ivy Coach’s help optimizing your case for admission to Harvard by presenting the most powerful storytelling possible, fill out our complimentary consultation form, and we’ll be in touch to outline our college counseling services for seniors led by Ivy Coach’s own Chad Faber, a former Harvard undergraduate admissions officer.