The essay portion of a college admissions application bears incredible weight. The power of persuasion is most invaluable and can often be the deciding factor as to whether or not an applicant is accepted. or rejected.
The overwhelming majority of these essays can be incredibly bland and self-pontificating. But one such essay, written by Harvard hopeful Abigail Mack, is going viral for getting real on what it's like to lose a parent.
Abigail's first choice was the illustrious Harvard University, a school whose reputation precedes itself. After completing the essay portion of her college admissions process, Abigail uploaded a TikTok of herself reading the introduction.
"I hate the letter 'S,'" Abigail laments in her college admission essay. "Of the 164,777 words with 'S,' I only grapple with one. To condemn an entire letter because of its use .0006 percent of the time sounds statistically absurd, but that one case changed 100 percent of my life."
When Abigail was only 12-years-old, her mother tragically passed away from cancer. She expertly uses the letter 'S' as an analogy to articulate her guilt and grief.
"'S' follows me," she continued. "I can't get through a day without being reminded that while my friends went out to dinner with their parents, I ate with my parent."
In the wake of her loss, Abigail poured her heart and soul into her three greatest loves: academia, the theater, and of course — politics. The busier she was, the better she felt.
Although she didn't know it at the time, it was precisely this kind of busywork that put Abigail on the path to discovering her passion. And it's that same passion that has led her to Harvard.
The entire essay is available via Abigail's TikTok account and is read aloud over a series of four videos — each one commanding at least 300K plays.
A fellow TikTok user and Harvard student wrote "as a Harvard student who also had a parent die to cancer when i[sic] was young, this is beautiful. and[sic] WELCOME i[sic] cant[sic] wait to meet you!!!"
Just a few short weeks prior to the acceptance deadlines, Abigail happened to notice a status notification update in her online portal. She decided to film her reaction and the result is sure to leave you wispy-eyed.
Through her inaudible screams and tearful celebration, what Abigail is trying to say is that she received what's known as a "Likely Letter" or a "Letter of Intent." These types of letters are considered rare and only given out in exceptional circumstances.
Harvard University received a total of 57,435 applications for the class of 2025 (Abigail's graduating year) and only 1,968 got in. In case your math is a little rusty, like mine, that adds up to only 3.43%.
Dean of Admissions William R Fitzsimmons said in a statement “Their applications and personal stories revealed a window into their resilience, their intellectual curiosity, and their many positive contributions to family, school, and community. They are truly inspiring.”
In Abigail's own words, she concludes by stating "I don't seek out sadness, so 'S' must stay on the sidelines, and until I am completely ready, motivation is more than enough for me."
Her incredible journey, as well as the story of how she was able to channel her grief into something constructive, will surely serve as inspirational fodder to young Harvard minds for generations to come.
So congratulations, Abigail and welcome to the class of 2025 — you did it!
