Crimson staff writer

Erica X Eisen

Latest Content


Portrait of the Artist: Behind Van Gogh's 'Self-Portrait Dedicated to Paul Gauguin'

Whatever it is that accounts for the particular allure of Van Gogh’s “Self-Portrait Dedicated to Paul Gauguin” at the Harvard Art Museums, there’s no denying that it is a hard painting to forget. But many visitors may not know is that the painting has a history with richness to match: a ruined friendship, a missing museum, a Nazi art auction. This is that story.


'Mother Courage' Not Epic Theater

In the Harvard-Radcliffe Dramatic Club’s production of “Mother Courage,” which ran at Farkas Hall from Oct. 30 to Nov. 1, playwright Bertholt Brecht’s fire was reduced to little more than a meager flicker.


"Penelope" is an Exciting Odyssey

Directed by Jacob A. Brandt ’14, "Penelope", which runs from April 25 to May 3 on the Loeb Mainstage, gleefully collides the sublime with the ridiculous, transporting a mainstay of world literature to a banal, seedy modern-day setting. In the able hands of its four main actors, the Harvard-Radcliffe Dramatic Club’s production pulls off the play’s comic elements without passing over the sense of unease at the play’s heart.


Upcoming Highlights from Arts First

The Crimson previews choice events from Arts First 2014, May 1-4.


An Enchanting “Midsummer Night’s Dream”

Perhaps fitting for a play that deals so much in dreams, director Mikhaila R. Fogel ’16’s production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” which ran through April 20, offered college-age viewers a fantastical glimpse back to their childhood in the ’90s (and its attendant fashion nightmares). Though not perfect, the Hyperion Shakespeare Company’s utterly committed performances and campy take on classic theater made for an enchanting show that more than overcame its flaws.


"The Pillowman" Not for the Softhearted

With precise performances and minimalist flair, Lily R. Glimcher ’14’s production of "The Pillowman" captures with equal success both the comic and the creepy aspects of the play. The result is a show that is simultaneously hard to watch and hard to tear oneself away from.


Should your main essay be the Common App essay or the college essay?

The main essay that is read by all colleges you apply to through the Common Application is your Common App essay, so be sure to make this very strong and broadly applicable. The Common App essay is typically something that talks about your personal experiences, something that has happened in the past that has influenced you, for example.


I will be visiting college campuses soon. Do I need to have on-campus interviews?

On-campus interviews are not required. In fact, there are a great deal of schools that do not offer them. Even those that do have on-campus interviews often do not have them year-round. In general, schools will contact you for alumni interviews in your area. Below is a list of some schools, broken down by whether or not they offer on-campus interviews:


How many people are accepted off the waitlist each year?

This number varies from school to school and from year to year—sometimes hundreds will be admitted, but sometimes none will. Harvard's dean of admissions, William Fitzsimmons, told The Crimson earlier this year that in recent years, Harvard has accepted between zero and 228 waitlisted students.