<p>Stanford is my dream school. My scores are comparable ( SAT 2260 ), several 5s on AP tests, but I know i need to be able to stand out. I'm a pretty good athlete, varsity football and basketball, team captain for football, but I'm a white male from Iowa. Not too many white males from Iowa get into Stanford haha. Anyways, my passion is helping people. I do a lot of tutoring and mentoring at-risk youth and have been on several global medical mission trips with my family. Will this impress admissions? What are some other ways that I can demonstrate this passion and hammer it home with my essay? Also, is it worth my time to practice on SAT to raise that score or would time be better spent on ECs/enjoying my senior year of high school? Would really appreciate your help! :)</p>
<p>vinny, it all sounds good. Now the key is to make clear in your essays <em>why</em> Stanford is your dream school. In what ways is Stanford uniquely situated to maximize your academic and personal development–and, just as importantly, how can YOU uniquely contribute to the Stanford community? </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>