The most accurate AI grader for Harvard essays.
Kolly was built and calibrated on hundreds of thousands of essays from students who actually got into Harvard University and the rest of the T20.
Harvard essay prompts for 2025-26
Copy the prompt you are answering into the prompt field above, then paste your draft, so the readers grade the answer against the question it has to answer.
These are the most recent Harvard prompts Kolly has verified, checked . Harvard may have updated them since, so check Harvard University admissions before you submit.
Extracurriculars & Identity
Briefly describe any of your extracurricular activities, employment experience, travel, or family responsibilities that have shaped who you are.
150 words max · Required
Roommate / Personal
Top 3 things your roommates might like to know about you.
150 words max · Required
Diversity & Contribution
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?
150 words max · Required
Disagreement & Engagement
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?
150 words max · Required
Distinctive Background
Harvard has long recognized the importance of student body diversity of all kinds. We welcome you to write about distinctive aspects of your background, personal development or the intellectual interests you might bring to your Harvard classmates.
150 words max · Required
Intellectual Experience
Briefly describe an intellectual experience that was important to you.
150 words max · Required
Roommate Note
Top three things your roommates might like to know about you.
150 words max · Required
Future Aspirations
How do you hope to use your Harvard education in the future?
150 words max · Required
All Harvard supplemental essays, with word limits and the published source.
How Kolly grades a Harvard essay
The grade covers the same six dimensions as every Kolly read: hook, theme, detail, authenticity, reflection, and writing, each scored from 0 to 5. The big number is a percentile that shows where your draft lands among accepted essays of the same type from top US schools. Harvard readers, like their counterparts at peer schools, read fast and form an impression in the first paragraph. The verdict quotes the line that lands and names the weakest moment, so you know what to fix first.
Why Kolly instead of a ChatGPT read
ChatGPT and other general models grade against writing in general, which is not what Harvard readers do. Kolly grades against essays that got in, and four readers argue over the draft before they vote, so a polished answer that says nothing specific gets called out instead of praised. The quick read is free without an account. A free Kolly account adds the full review: a stronger scoring model, notes on each paragraph, and a fix-it plan.
Grading your personal statement?
Use the main college essay grader for a Common App essay that goes to every school on your list. For acceptance rates, test scores, and cost, see Harvard University admissions.