Most everyone has faced some adversity in their pre-college life, whether modest, like getting cut during auditions for the school play, or severe, such as being diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. Recounting a story about how you overcame an obstacle or failure is a common essay topic, and it can be compelling regardless of the severity of the obstacle.

According to Harvard College admissions statistics, about 11 percent of admitted students are from outside the United States. Though getting into Harvard as an international applicant is very competitive, experience abroad can successfully set international students apart.

Culture—whether it be ethnic, family, religious, or geographic—is not something you can easily list on a résumé. Yet for many students, it is an integral piece of the puzzle that makes them who they are.