Chance me. Stanford is my dream school!

Colleges and Universities A-Z Stanford University
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<p>I am a Senior soon to apply at Stanford. Stanford has been my dream since freshman year and I would give up all earthly possessions to go there! I am from a city of about 100,000 in Iowa and attend a very non-competitive high school. I am extremely ambitious and very social but my academic stats are not the best. I am very involved in extracurriculars which may be my greatest strength. </p>

<p>Academics:
3.85 gpa unweighted
Top 5% of my class
I have not taken the ACT or SAT yet because I have had a tournament or competition every time so far.
Most rigorous course load at my high school; Block schedule; AP classes by the time I graduate including Biology, US government & Politics, Statistics, English Lit & Comp, and Macroeconomics. Plus honors classes every chance I had. I earned an A in all AP classes and honors classes. I got a 4 on the AP govt test.</p>

<p>Extracurriculars:
4 year varsity Cross country and 2 year captain
- 1 time state qualifier and some award for team in the state with highest GPA
4 year varsity Track Distance and Mid Distance 2 year captain
- 2 time state qualifier
4 year varsity Speech and Debate (This is my focus) and President, Special Distinction NFL
- Fall State Public Forum Runner Up, Alternate to Nationals in Foreign Extemp Speaking, National Circuit elimination round qualifier (Glenbrooks and Golden Desert), I expect to qualify to the Tournament of Champions and Nationals this year.
National Honor Society President
Ecology Club Volunteer
School Announcements
Thinkers Throwdown Co-Captain (quiz bowl team)
SIYAC (State of Iowa Youth Advisory Council): a non-partisan Youth Advisory organisation. We are a government chartered group that advocates youth issues to State Congress and leaders. We also run a lot of service projects and are featured at a statewide youth leadership conference. I am running for a leadership position in it probably legislative affairs chair
Teens for Tomorrow: Executive Council member of this youth philanthropy group in my community. We research, question, and ultimately award various non-profit organizations grants totaling 10,000 dollars. This gives me a lot of volunteering hours and is a very rewarding experience
worked for 2 years at a local grocery store.
worked off and on with a political consulting firm
I plan on committing and volunteering with a presidential campaign ( still havnt decided which party hah)
Selected from my community to attend the National Youth grantmakers summer leadership conference.
Selected and attended the Iowa American Legion Boys State where I was the Deputy Treasurer and Auditor of State.
3rd Place in Area for the American Legion Oratorical Contest
I'm planning to start my own club which will be centered around getting youth involved in government and voting. </p>

<p>Recommendations:
Teacher who I have not decided on yet
Former Iowa House Representative and state GOP chairman
SIYAC coordinator</p>

<p>Overall I am somebody who honestly lives life to the fullest. I love politics and improving my community and state. The most meaningful compliment I have ever received was "you strike me as somebody who takes every opportunity you have an runs with it"</p>

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<p>this is gonna be kind of misguided since you don’t have an SAT/ACT grade, but I’d say you have a small chance of getting in. Your stats are decent, and your ECs are unique although they show little passion, which stanford looks for. Being from Iowa could actually help you with geographic diversity, although overall I’d put this as a high reach</p>

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<p>^How can you determine the passion the OP has for his activities just by the list? Seems rather silly.</p>

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<p>Don’t have the politicians write recs for you unless you’re on a first-name basis. Stanford will not be impressed with a form letter from a politician who off-handedly knows you.</p>

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<p>@Francaisalamatt: I meant his activities aren’t very focused and do not convey a passion for a particular area or subject matter. I’m sure he’s passionate about all of them though</p>

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<p>Shocker, a highschooler with unfocused passion! A teenager without an idea of what they want to do in life! Yes yes that’s definitely grounds for rejection.</p>

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<p>^god forbid, you -didn’t- know what you were going to do with your life out of the womb?
That ain’t gonna end up for you.</p>

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<p>*well. Aint gonna end up well for you.</p>

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<p>Sure, not grounds for rejection, but definitely not grounds for acceptance, either.</p>

<p>It’s an objective fact: the overwhelming majority who are accepted have some kind of focus or passion. So it’s somewhat right to say that lacking such doesn’t bode well for one’s chances.</p>

<p>That said, I think the OP has a good chance. It’d be easy to leave off some of the activities, or focus on specific ones, and create a really cohesive app.</p>