'chance me'

Colleges and Universities A-Z Stanford University
1

Another conventional ‘chance me’ , currently a junior in high school.

GPA (weighted): 4.33 (but I heard Stanford doesn’t really give a crap)
Class Rank: unknown until senior year, but estimating about top 10% based on previous data
SAT: 1520
SAT IIs: taking Level II and Molecular Bio in May

Essays (already mostly written):

  1. what matters to you and why: couldn’t leave my ethnicity out of the application, talked about fighting and learning and growing for human rights in iran
  2. intellectual vitality: lol I talked about skin care and cosmetics
  3. roommate essay: said I like weightlifting and binging on ghardelli raspberry & dark chocolate squares, I like memes (I also may have used the phrase “hahaha” and “<3” in there too LOL)
  4. common app: still trying to decide whether I talk about being with my mom or what I think when I walk everyday.
    short questions: just trying to be my weird self I guess

I’m rich as heck and live in Northern VA so like, yeah. Not poor. Though I used to be.

extracurriculars:

  1. philosophy club
  2. research project : “investigating pHEMA hydrogel nanoparticles as a novel pulmonary adenocarcinoma therapeutic”
  3. haven’t really won competitions rip me
  4. national math honor society but I low key don’t like math that much oops

teacher recommendations:

  1. getting it from my current AP lang teacher
  2. maybe ill get my second one from my research teacher.

so yeah
what do you think

2

Interesting. . . maybe the research project, gpa, and SAT will help you out. But Stanford is pretty random, just don’t get your hopes up or get too attached to the idea of attending, because you will be crushed if you get rejected

3

You have approximately 5% (plus/minus 5%) of gaining admission.

4

Did you apply early?

5

You don’t really know what they look for, do you? You note two ECs. No, make that one: phil club. If you have a research teacher, the project sounds academic, not EC. Intellectual vitality is not about skin care. So…?

6

@SlansterPeach yup.
@lookingforward I ended up completely changing my essays and who I asked for my teacher reccs. ended up talking about Iranian art as a reflection of political intellectualism and asking an ap lang teacher for a recc. ended up doing a lot more ECs related to my field of interest. its all good.

7

Stanford rejects 2/3 of applicants with perfect test scores, so yeah it’s pretty random. They do look for very unique things in your profile, like a kid who spent a year in HS sailing in the Pacific and collecting data on garbage accumulated; or the volleyball/basketball all-state player who happens to be a debate champ. I didn’t make these people up, I know the parents of both kids.

Your grades and scores are probably ok though something SAT 1550+ would put you more in the median. What you will need to come up with are activities and things about yourself that make you unique. If you somehow had a role in the participation in the Green Movement or something along those lines, that would be a start. Just an example of something unique.

8

Well, that’s a few kids. There’s a lot of conforming expected, too.
Sorry, OP. Didn’t realize this is an older thread.
Best wishes.

9

@ProfessorPlum168 yeah, one of my extracurriculars was translating microscope manuals into Farsi for Iranian children and another was fundraising for Yemeni children. I also started my own cosmetic business.

10

@ProfessorPlum168 hopefully those end up being perceived as unique. at this point I’m not super worried about college admissions, its all good :slight_smile: