Video summary

reading the common app main essay that got me into harvard

Main summary

Key takeaways

Educational

Main Ideas / Concepts Conveyed

Admissions background & credibility

  • Loa says she was accepted to Harvard and Union College.
  • She reports being waitlisted at Duke and UBEN (as written in the subtitles; likely meant to be another institution).
  • She emphasizes she’s still shocked and doesn’t know exactly why she was admitted.

Why she chose her application schools

  • She applied to 14 colleges.
  • She frames this as a strategic choice—not “better” than other students.
  • As an international student, she selected schools with:
    • Lower acceptance rates (described as “low admissions” / “low acceptance rates”)
    • A greater likelihood of financial aid, since she wouldn’t be able to pay tuition without it.

Role of the Common App and the main essay

  • She says the Common App is an important part of the application and believes it helped her.
  • She argues the Common App main essay is crucial because it’s where applicants show:
    • who they are
    • what they value
    • their personality
    • the kind of writing/voice they bring (which signals identity)

Writing approach and process

  • She suggests starting early.
  • She describes her process:
    • She began around May
    • She wrote drafts by working in a park
  • She notes the first draft is hard because of the blank page, but finishing gives relief and momentum.
  • If you don’t know how to begin, she recommends:
    • writing paragraph-by-paragraph
    • listing the ideas you want to cover
    • if you know your opening and ending, write those first and then fill in the middle

Tone, style, and authenticity

  • She used a poetic style because it matches her personality.
  • She advises tailoring the tone to your natural strengths:
    • if you’re funny, write in a more funny way—but don’t overdo it
  • She reiterates that the theme and essay should feel true to your heart and represent you.
  • She says you can change your essay theme over time—adjusting is fine as long as it still represents you.

Perspective: treat it as creative exploration

  • She encourages viewing the main essay as a free, freestyle opportunity to explore parts of yourself—not just a stressful requirement.
  • The essay gives freedom over:
    • topic
    • writing style
    • structure
  • Her takeaway: use it to build connection and communicate meaning beyond just being understood.

Methodology / Instructions (Detailed)

Plan your school choices (international student lens)

  • Apply to colleges that:
    • you’re genuinely interested in
    • offer strong financial aid
  • Don’t frame your selection as “being better”—frame it as matching your practical needs and goals.

Focus on the Common App main essay

  • Treat it as the place to show:
    • your values
    • personality
    • what you care about
    • your writing voice/style

Writing workflow

  • Start early
  • Expect the first draft to be difficult
  • Begin by deciding:
    • how you want the essay to start
    • how you want it to end
  • If you don’t know your full draft yet:
    • draft paragraph-by-paragraph
    • write down the different ideas you want to address
  • Build drafts gradually:
    • once you have something on the page, subsequent drafts become easier

Writing style guidance

  • Choose a style that matches you:
    • poetic if you naturally write poetically
    • funny if that’s your voice
  • Don’t overdo humor—keep it controlled.

Authenticity checks

  • Keep (or change) your theme based on what feels true.
  • Ensure the essay represents you and your heart—not what you think admissions wants.

Mindset

  • View the essay as creative exploration, not just a stressful requirement.

Essay Theme and Key “Lesson” Conveyed in the Reading

  • The essay centers on language and misunderstanding:
    • A word used as a goodbye initially feels warm and connective.
    • Later, the speaker experiences a cultural and linguistic clash, where language can divide rather than unite.
  • The “coming-of-age” arc:
    • She feels judged and misunderstood due to her identity and language.
    • She internalizes rejection and self-doubt, feeling her purpose drifting.
    • She regains connection through expression (poetry/reading/mediating), emphasizing shared human understanding—even when others don’t fully get her.
  • Ending message:
    • The speaker highlights connection across borders and contrasts, and resilience driven by the desire for others to feel rather than only understand.

Speakers / Sources Featured

  • Loa — the speaker; the applicant who reads her Harvard Common App main essay and shares admissions/process tips.

Original video