<p>I'm only a sophmore but have been thinking hard about getting accepted into Stanford for years now. I have good grades (mostly A's and a few B's, never a C), always get commended on standardized tests, took the SAT in seventh grade (and got a 1540, which is hardly spectacular but I was only in 7th grade), and do a few extracurriculars. However, lately I have been reading up on how hard it is to get accepted (and I know it is very hard, they have a 6.6% acceptance rate). Because of this, I have been freaking out a little. Okay, a lot. I don't do a billion clubs (although I should), I don't have perfect grades, I won't say i'm not high up in my classes but I'm not the smartest kid there (there are over 4,000 students at my high school). I'm not the most organized person, either. Stanford has been my dream since I was 8 or 9 years old, and what I'm hoping is that I can use my writing to better my chances of acceptance. Writing is my passion, and they say to do what you love and do it very VERY well- is it possible that if I become a published writer, my chances of acceptance will be increased? I'm very worried about this.</p>
<p>Why is Stanford your “dream”? What attracts you to it? If you can pinpoint specific aspects of the University which you like and identify why it would be a good “fit” for you, then you’ll be a better (and more competitive) college applicant. </p>
<p>I would advise you to forget about Stanford for now. By the time you apply, Stanford will likely be rejecting about 95% of applicants (this year’s acceptance rate was 5.7%), many of whom will likely be very qualified. Focus on becoming your best self: academically by doing your best in school, extracurricularly by doing what you love and doing it really well, and personally by being a genuinely nice person. Once you have done this, acceptance to college will fall into place. Also, get a sense of your goals and aspirations. When you begin your college search in about a year and a half, focus on which schools would be good “fits” as opposed to those about which you have been dreaming. I would highly recommend reading this article:</p>
<p>[Applying</a> Sideways | MIT Admissions](<a href=“http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/applying_sideways]Applying”>Applying Sideways | MIT Admissions)</p>
<p>If you’re into writing competitions, you may want to look into The Concord Review ([Varsity</a> Academics | Home of the Concord Review, the National Writing Board](<a href=“http://www.tcr.org%5DVarsity”>http://www.tcr.org)). It’s the only journal that publishes the academic work of high school students and is very prestigious.</p>
<p>If you are in sophomore and already have a few Bs, your uw GPA is likely below 3.9 which is below average for Stanford. Try to work as hard as possible to bring up your GPA in junior which is most critical.</p>
<p>Also the key is not to do a billion extra curricular activities because colleges know its a ploy for admissions, especially if you start them in your junior year. Try to bring your GPA up, study for the SAT/ACT, and devote yourself to a few activities that you are interested in and good at. Best of luck.</p>