When you look at the credits of a major motion picture comedy or at the writer’s room of your favorite late-night show, you will likely find many names pulled from the influential alumni community from one school in particular: Harvard University. This is no coincidence. Harvard is widely considered among the most prestigious universities in the world and seeks out students with a good sense of humor! They also adore students who show incredible grit!

Back in 2018, Ivy Coach reported on an article from The Harvard Crimson, unpacking some of the mysterious processes governing who gets in through the gates of this elite Ivy League school. As it turns out, two primary components of the “personal” score assigned to every applicant are their perceived humor and grit. Even though the 2023 Supreme Court ruling outlawing race-based Affirmative Action in elite college admissions has undoubtedly (slightly) shaken up how Harvard conducts their admissions process, the high premium placed on humor and grit isn’t going anywhere!

Why Does Harvard Value Humor and Grit in Applicants?

When Harvard’s admission officers perceive that an applicant has a good sense of humor, it communicates a few key things: that the student will be able to adjust to the difficulties of a rigorous college lifestyle, that the student has the creativity to tackle anything thrown their way, and that they will mesh well with other members of the Harvard community. Whether Harvard’s prominence in the entertainment industry is the deliberate result of this admissions priority or just a happy by-product is beside the point. The fact is that students with a sense of humor, as communicated through the wittiness of college essays, the reflections of recommenders, and the positive tenor of their interview, have a competitive edge over the students who never crack a jocular smile.

Grit, on the other hand, is more challenging to pin down but equally as important as humor. We’ll start with what grit is not. Grit does not measure how hard a student has worked to achieve in school or impact their community. Counterintuitively, the kids who boast about the long hours spent on homework or spent applying to an opportunity come across as less talented than those for whom good grades and high extracurricular engagement come easily. Why would Harvard seek to admit students who will struggle to keep up once on campus?

Instead, grit measures the difficult circumstances a student has overcome to achieve greatness. The students who worked a job after school to support their families show grit, as do the kids who faced high levels of racial adversity (which should be showcased in the admissions essays, regardless of what SCOTUS says! Thanks, Roberts Loophole!). Harvard admissions officers want to admit highly diverse cohorts of students. The first-generation, low-income students who excelled in school despite their trying circumstances are exactly who Harvard goes crazy for!

How to Demonstrate Grit and Humor on Your Harvard Application

Why not hit Harvard’s admissions officers with the double-whammy of an essay topic that shows how you persevered through difficulty while maintaining good grades and a happy-go-lucky sense of humor? On the other hand, the last thing a promising Harvard applicant should do is emphasize their expensive foreign travel trips, pre-collegiate summer programs, expensive internship opportunities, or humorless response to a difficult circumstance when writing their admissions essays or sitting for an interview with a Harvard alum. You’ll come across as humorless, privileged, and unlikable!

Striking this crucial balance is easier said than done. But don’t throw in the towel — Ivy Coach is here to help! 93% of our package clients have earned admission to Harvard over the last five years because we know what personal characteristics to emphasize on your child’s college application to make them stand out.

If you’re interested in optimizing your child’s case for admission to Harvard University, fill out our complimentary consultation form, and we’ll be in touch.