2022-2023 Harvard

[wysdoc]

Summary of the various Harvard tracks: Choosing an MD Track

2022-2023 Harvard Secondary Essay Prompts

1. On average how many hours per week did you devote to employment during the academic year?

2. If you have already graduated, briefly summarize your activities since graduation. (4000 characters maximum)

3. If there is an important aspect of your personal background or identity, not addressed elsewhere in the application, that you would like to share with the Committee, we invite you to do so here. Many applicants will not need to answer this question. Examples might include significant challenges in access to education, unusual socioeconomic factors, identification with a minority culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. Briefly explain how such factors have influenced your motivation for a career in medicine. (4000 character maximum)

4. (Optional) The Committee on Admissions understands that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted applicants in various ways. If you wish to inform the Committee as to how these events have affected you and have not already done so elsewhere in your application, please use this space to do so. (This is an optional essay; the Committee on Admissions will make no judgment based on your decision to provide a statement or not.)

5. The interview season for the 2022-2023 cycle will be held virtually and is anticipated to run from mid-September through January 2023. Please indicate any significant (three or more weeks) restriction on your availability for interviews during this period. If none, please leave this section blank.


Good luck to everyone applying!

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[cvspopcorn]

maybe a dumb question, but for their prerequisites, would bio lab courses qualify as "lab experience with corresponding coursework" or be considered "independent lab based experience"? I've only taken upper level lab courses that are separate from lecture courses, and I'm not 100% sure how they'd be classified here. tia!

 

[allezlesbleus10]

OOS! received secondary 3 min ago

 

[Dumplingz]

Is there any benefit to submitting HMS secondary early/within 2 weeks? Since they're not rolling admission, it seems like as long as you submit before September, when interviews begin, there isn't much of an advantage to early submission.

 

[rodneyzwm]

would anyone mind posting the prompts? same as last yr?

 

[allezlesbleus10]

On average how many hours per week did you devote to employment during the academic year?

If you have already graduated, briefly (4000 characters maximum) summarize your activities since graduation.

If there is an important aspect of your personal background or identity, not addressed elsewhere in the application, that you would like to share with the Committee, we invite you to do so here. Many applicants will not need to answer this question. Examples might include significant challenges in access to education, unusual socioeconomic factors, identification with a minority culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. Briefly explain how such factors have influenced your motivation for a career in medicine. (4000 character maximum)

The Committee on Admissions understands that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted applicants in various ways. If you wish to inform the Committee as to how these events have affected you and have not already done so elsewhere in your application, please use this space to do so. (This is an optional essay; the Committee on Admissions will make no judgment based on your decision to provide a statement or not.)

The interview season for the 2022-2023 cycle will be held virtually and is anticipated to run from mid-September through January 2023. Please indicate any significant (three or more weeks) restriction on your availability for interviews during this period. If none, please leave this section blank.

@wysdoc

 

[JML_22-23]

For the "Were any courses listed on your transcript completed online?" question, are you listing every course that you took online due to COVID? My university was online March 2020-December 2020 so all my classes for those semesters were offered online only.

 

[MyStateofMind]

For the "Were any courses listed on your transcript completed online?" question, are you listing every course that you took online due to COVID? My university was online March 2020-December 2020 so all my classes for those semesters were offered online only.

Yes. I think regardless of the circumstances under which these online courses were taken, it should be listed.

 

[paul30]

OOS received for funsies

 

[icedoutbihhx]

like the rest of yall im shooting my shot lmfao (OOS, recieved)

 

[blueviolin012]

Are you guys answering the question about personal background/identity? I wanted to talk about my experiences being a woman POC, but it isn't particularly a minority culture that I'm a part of so I'm unsure if I should include it.

 

[MyStateofMind]

like the rest of yall im shooting my shot lmfao (OOS, recieved)

Good luck to all of us. I can't believe what we all did just to get to this point. It's only the beginning of the cycle and I'm already exhausted...

 

[deleted1135362]

4,000 characters for the gap year question seems like a lot. How in depth do they expect us to go? I am just going to be doing research in lab.

 

[swimmyfish]

I noticed last year that there was an additional question to apply to the HST program--does that not exist this year? Also are there additional questions for MD-PhD?

 

[lcm.md.mom]

I noticed last year that there was an additional question to apply to the HST program--does that not exist this year? Also are there additional questions for MD-PhD?

I'm wondering the HST prompt also!

 

[themagictaco]

I'm wondering the HST prompt also!

HST prompt is still there

 

[wysdoc]

HST prompt is still there

“Is still there" where?
I count on you guys, the actual applicants to feed the information to me to share because I can’t see the portals.
But you know, sometimes an extra question will pop up for you based on what you select. (Choosing HST - vs- Pathways - vs - MSTP)

 

[Analog_Emeritus]

“Is still there" where?
I count on you guys, the actual applicants to feed the information to me to share because I can’t see the portals.
But you know, sometimes an extra question will pop up for you based on what you select. (Choosing HST - vs- Pathways - vs - MSTP)

HST Prompt:
Instructions: The HST MD program draws on the combined resources of Harvard and MIT to provide a distinct preclinical education tailored to preparing students for careers as transformative physicians who will shape the future practice of medicine. Our students come from the full spectrum of disciplines including biological, physical, engineering and social sciences. HST classes are small, commonly include graduate students and have an emphasis on quantitative and analytic approaches. The unique HST pre-clinical curriculum prepares students well for the HMS clinical education while also emphasizing disease mechanisms and preparing students to solve critical unmet needs in medicine and healthcare (ranging from novel diagnostics and therapeutics to applications of ‘big data’ and systems engineering). Please focus on how your interests, experiences and aspirations have prepared you for HST (rather than identifying specific HST faculty or research opportunities).
4000 Characters

It only shows up once you've saved your response to HST v. Pathways on the first page.

 

[PlayNoGames]

Is there any benefit to submitting HMS secondary early/within 2 weeks? Since they're not rolling admission, it seems like as long as you submit before September, when interviews begin, there isn't much of an advantage to early submission.

To my understanding, screening and interviewing are still on a rolling basis. The only difference is that notification of acceptance is not rolling but are instead all released at the same time. With this in mind, I think there still is a benefit to submitting early.

 

[ProteinShakeshack]

Is it weird if I don't answer any of their optional essays except for gap year...?
I could force a diversity essay into the third prompt but my diversity essay is far from being a significant challenge or identification with minority culture.

 

[swimmyfish]

How many characters is the COVID question?

 

[oatly]

How many characters is the COVID question?

4000 characters

 

[daleyB]

Is there no additional MSTP essay about why we chose our "program of study?" They had that prompt last year but I don't seem to see it.

 

[deleted1135362]

Is it weird if I don't answer any of their optional essays except for gap year...?
I could force a diversity essay into the third prompt but my diversity essay is far from being a significant challenge or identification with minority culture.

+1 on wondering this. Have people heard of accepted students who didnt submit the optional essays?

 

[leslieknope_810]

n=1 but I have a friend who left the diversity essay blank and got an interview! So leaving it blank definitely isn't an auto-reject

 

[snowman888]

When it asks to list online courses, should remote, live classes (where I actually get on zoom with the professor) also be listed there? Or just classes that were asynchronous?

 

[MyStateofMind]

I listed all classes where I was not there in person in the classroom with peers. Thus, all remote, live classes I included as "online". This includes all the pandemic induced online classes, as well as a summer course I took where the prof just made the class online.

 

[crunchwrap360]

OOS Secondary received

 

[purplepea]

OOS Secondary received

broo. lol. I'm checking threads and cuz your comment is on like a gazillion diff threads I thought my computer was glitching because it was showing me the same thing. HAHA

 

[deleted1017183]

submitted 7/11

 

[DrUranium]

For "If you have already graduated, briefly (4000 characters maximum) summarize your activities since graduation.", should what we plan to do in our gap years be included?

 

[nucleotide]

For the first question, is it asking how many hours we devoted to employment in the past year (if it was a gap year?), or how many hours we typically devoted to employment during the academic year when in college?

 

[wysdoc]

For the first question, is it asking how many hours we devoted to employment in the past year (if it was a gap year?), or how many hours we typically devoted to employment during the academic year when in college?

They're asking if you had to work during college

 

[nucleotide]

They're asking if you had to work during college

thank you!

 

[CH3OH-CH2CH3OH]

For "If you have already graduated, briefly (4000 characters maximum) summarize your activities since graduation.", should what we plan to do in our gap years be included?

I graduated a semester early (fall semester of my app cycle) and included my activites for the spring semester. Defo would include your gap year activity

 

[CaptNemo]

The background/identity question; I have an essay about how I'm passionate about the intersection between humanities and medicine. Fit here, or are they looking only for diversity/SES stuff?

If there is an important aspect of your personal background or identity, not addressed elsewhere in the application, that you would like to share with the Committee, we invite you to do so here. Many applicants will not need to answer this question. Examples might include significant challenges in access to education, unusual socioeconomic factors, identification with a minority culture, religion, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity. Briefly explain how such factors have influenced your motivation for a career in medicine.

I talked about my first-gen immigrant status through the aspect of cooking with my family and my volunteering and then related cooking to my engineering degree and accomplishments in that field. I didn't exactly relate it back to my overall motivation for a career in medicine, but I did relate these aspects of my diversity to how I want to support people at Harvard. I honestly think that if you can take your essay and relate it back to the life choices (e.g. degree, family background you grew up in) that drew you to your fascination with the intersection between the humanities and medicine, then you should be fine right?

 

[orioson]

Just noticed their LoR requirements have 2 science faculty and 1 non-science faculty. I have 4 LoR's but none are from a non-science faculty (just science fac and research PI). Does anyone know if the non-science faculty LoR is a hard requirement? Don't want to waste my money on their secondary if it will auto-reject

 

[deleted1139574]

Just noticed their LoR requirements have 2 science faculty and 1 non-science faculty. I have 4 LoR's but none are from a non-science faculty (just science fac and research PI). Does anyone know if the non-science faculty LoR is a hard requirement? Don't want to waste my money on their secondary if it will auto-reject

Man these LOR requirements are ridiculous. Why can't medical schools standardize it. Also, how do they know if its from Science Faculty or not anyway?

 

[deleted1139574]

Is there any benefit to submitting HMS secondary early/within 2 weeks? Since they're not rolling admission, it seems like as long as you submit before September, when interviews begin, there isn't much of an advantage to early submission.

I agree to this as well, doesn't look there is much benefit to early submission since is non rolling but still want to do before September

 

[skeptastic]

Any older non-trads have advice on how to approach the gap year essay? I've done so much since graduating 1,000 years ago that summarizing my activities would feel like repeating my application. Select a few activities that stand out to me and highlight them? Use all 4,000 characters and go crazy? Thanks for any help, and I understand if it's tough to help. These schools typically accept many more traditional students, so I get that the prompt is not geared toward a fellow like me haha.

 

[deleted1017183]

Any older non-trads have advice on how to approach the gap year essay? Iv'e done so much since graduating 1,000 years ago that summarizing my activities would feel like repeating my application. Select a few activities that stand out to me and highlight them? Use all 4,000 characters and go crazy? Thanks for any help, and I understand if it's tough to help. These schools typically accept many more traditional students, so I get hat the prompt is not geared for a fellow like me haha.

In this case i'd probably talk more about the "why" behind your decisions, and expand on the most prominent ones. Just an idea.

 

[skeptastic]

In this case i'd probably talk more about the "why" behind your decisions, and expand on the most prominent ones. Just an idea.

Appreciated! That's how I started what I currently have. Looking at the previous two posts, I'm now wondering if I should even apply. I don't have a non-science LOR and it would take some work to get one. I'm stubborn enough to get the LOR, be complete much later, and see what happens. I agree that LOR's should be standardized, but admit that the onus was on me to peruse their website and figure out Harvard's requirements.

 

[deleted1017183]

Appreciated! That's how I started what I currently have. Looking at the previous two posts, I'm now wondering if I should even apply. I don't have a non-science LOR and it would take some work to get one. I'm stubborn enough to get the LOR, be complete much later, and see what happens. I agree that LOR's should be standardized, but admit that the onus was on me to peruse their website and figure out Harvard's requirements.

In your situation, if that LOR can be applied across other schools that require one, I would do it.

 

[skeptastic]

In your situation, if that LOR can be applied across other schools that require one, I would do it.

I'm about to check all schools I'm applying to right now to confirm if any others require a non-science LOR. I went ahead and reached out to a sociology professor who is super excited to write one. She offered at the conclusion of the class a few years ago, but I didn't think I needed it because at the time I'd only planned to apply to TMDSAS schools and they want three letters from science professors.

 

[wysdoc]

I'm about to check all schools I'm applying to right now to confirm if any others require a non-science LOR. I went ahead and reached out to a sociology professor who is super excited to write one. She offered at the conclusion of the class a few years ago, but I didn't think I needed it because at the time I'd only planned to apply to TMDSAS schools and they want three letters from science professors.

You can have her upload it to AMCAS when she's ready (add her as another recommender) and then it will be there if you need it, to "assign" to other schools which want or allow more letters.

 

[skeptastic]

You can have her upload it to AMCAS when she's ready (add her as another recommender) and then it will be there if you need it, to "assign" to other schools which want or allow more letters.

Absolutely! That is the coolest thing about AMCAS and how they treat letters.

 

[6d6564]

I don't know how long my gap year essay should be. I've spent the past year doing research full-time so can I write as much as needed but it obviously says "briefly", and I already used it as one of my most meaningful experiences on primary. Should I go into the actual science I work on, or should it legitimately just be like 4 sentences listing major accomplishments? Very lost on what length and level of detail to aim for here (and on other gap year secondaries) so would appreciate any advice.

 

[impostersyndrome3]

I don't know how long my gap year essay should be. I've spent the past year doing research full-time so can I write as much as needed but it obviously says "briefly", and I already used it as one of my most meaningful experiences on primary. Should I go into the actual science I work on, or should it legitimately just be like 4 sentences listing major accomplishments? Very lost on what length and level of detail to aim for here (and on other gap year secondaries) so would appreciate any advice.

I had the same question. I've written similar essays for other schools that were only like 1200 characters, and feel like adding to that would just be fluff. At the same time I'm very hesitant to submit an essay at 1/4 the word count so idk

 

[deleted1017183]

I had the same question. I've written similar essays for other schools that were only like 1200 characters, and feel like adding to that would just be fluff. At the same time I'm very hesitant to submit an essay at 1/4 the word count so idk

have you tried detailing a future/current project that you didn't thoroughly describe in your primary? That would be how i'd go about it.

 

[LocksmithJohn]

I don't know how long my gap year essay should be. I've spent the past year doing research full-time so can I write as much as needed but it obviously says "briefly", and I already used it as one of my most meaningful experiences on primary. Should I go into the actual science I work on, or should it legitimately just be like 4 sentences listing major accomplishments? Very lost on what length and level of detail to aim for here (and on other gap year secondaries) so would appreciate any advice.

I am in the same position as you and am similarly confused. I am thinking of detailing my research plans for the coming year in a bit more depth than I did on my primary or other gap year essays. But this is just how I am going about, I really have no idea what they are expecting here