<p>Asian male on the east coast, visited last spring and will probably SCEA
uw 3.90, w 4.54
sat 2340 (800cr, 790m, 750w) only took it one time
sat2s: math2 800, us 750, phys 790, chem 740
psat: 231, chances for semifinalist/finalist idk</p>
<p>challenging course load, took all hns when possible, 4 aps junior year, 3 next year (multivariable calc doesn't count as AP) 4 years of spanish (AP spanish junior year, AP sp lit next year. I got a B in AP spanish though...) 4 years of orchestra.</p>
<p>ECs;
already mentioned orchestra; played viola 7 yrs w/ private lessons
boy scouts; soon to be eagle scout, i've been doing it for 8 years; my eagle project consisted of a total of 120 hours
through boy scouts i've accumulated around 75 service hours, but i also have volunteered at the public library for 40 hours and have started a part time job this summer
Nat'l honors society member
Swimming all 4 years, varsity junior/senior year, swim with a club year round last summer and this summer but i'm not good enough to be recruited haha and i'm probably not interested in swimming for Stanford anyway</p>
<p>You need something that makes you stand out. I feel like i’ve read your story 1000 times. You need something that will make admissions look and say, wow . . i have never seen that on an application. A kid that unique belongs at Stanford. They need kids that THEY’D be lucky to have . . . not the other way around.</p>
<p>^ is true.</p>
<p>I happened to be rejected SCEA with stats not unlike yours. I was part of Boy Scouts for 7 years, played piano for 12 years, violin for 8 years, etc…Looking back at this whole process, I had nothing that stood out (maybe published research), so I deserved to be rejected. All the people I know who were accepted were brilliant at something.</p>
<p>To be accepted SCEA is definitely a huge accomplishment. The acceptance rate is higher for SCEA than RD, but that’s because they’re taking the athletes and the absolute stand-outs (who will probably be cross-admitted to HYPM during RD). All the people I know who got in SCEA are definitely exceptional. Keep in mind that Stanford (unlike Yale) is not too big on deferring students to RD. </p>
<p>Don’t underestimate the personal statements and essays for Stanford. I’d argue that’s what got me in. Looking at my application without personal statements, I looked a lot like every other “high stats + accomplished but not exceptional ECs + no hooks” applicant that would have gone straight to the rejection pile. Take some time to write them well. Sorry if that sounds vague. Personality and ambition matter a lot for borderline applicants to top schools, so make them shine in your app.</p>
<p>A word of advice on your essays, that an admissions officer told me when I went to an info session in my junior year: write about what you can bring to Stanford. Don’t spend the length of the app bragging about what you already did (especially if it’s not that unique). And again, for borderline applicants, I’d say this is a big deal. My regional admissions officer handwrote a note at the bottom of my admissions letter about how much he would love to see me do x and y at Stanford - two things that I wrote I wanted to do in the “why Stanford” essay. </p>
<p>Good luck. It’s really a crapshoot. You never know what they’re looking for from year-to-year to build their class. They need all types.</p>
<p>From here on out, it’s all about your essays. Choose something you’re passionate about, and make sure you have your friends review them. Don’t make them completely cliche and boring, and you’ll stand a good chance.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the responses :)</p>
<p>One question; what’s a hook? haha</p>
<p>I was thinking about writing my CA essay on my graphing calculator. I’m a pretty accomplished programmer, hold a moderator position on a calc community forum, and have been featured a couple times on ticalc.org =/ I think that this is a pretty unique hobby, no?</p>
<p>Also mitigated; were you an Eagle Scout?</p>
<p>a hook is something that makes your chances of admission MUCH greater–such as Underrepresented minority (Native American, Black)…or LEGACY or you’ve done something crazy amazing awesome, or your parents donate a ton of money to the school or you’re really really poor but smart.!</p>
<p>Does turning my calculator into a musical instrument and covering poker face on it count as “crazy amazing awesome” haha? idk whether that’s actually worth mentioning, but i don’t think very many people <em>are</em> capable of something like that…</p>