<p>Hi. Trust me, I'm not asking for any specific topics or ideas, just trying to figure out a few things.</p>
<p>For the "intellectual vitality"
I'm asked to write about an idea or experience that has been important to my intellectual development. Can I just take the prompt literally and write about something that has insipred/motivated me intellectually?
(Forgive me, but I'm a bit frustrated and psychasthenic after finding so much advices online&offline and after being tortured by my previous essay...just for sure)</p>
<p>For the "what matters to you":
1) I'm a bit hesitant, as I think there are multiple things that matter to me (A, B, C, D...). Is it advisable for me to write about them all?
2) Should I "risk" to include something like "Stanford's admission also matters"? This idea just popped out and I'm a bit intrigued...</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Yes, just follow the prompt. </p></li>
<li><p>No, don’t give a long list. Pick one and write in some depth about why it matters. A list will be forgettable. If you’re forgettable, you’re dead in the water. </p></li>
<li><p>For the love of God, do not say “admission to Stanford.” It’s not original, and it won’t amuse your readers in Palo Alto.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Thanks very much, You clarified a lot!
Well, for your 2, I want to check if I’m understanding it right:
The core is to be memorable, and an essay with depth is much more likely to achieve this goal. (multiple things→"uh, good…and just good, natural and (perhaps) ordinary" and not feeling much more→"that kid is just common"→dismiss) Since the words are limited, to make depth I should better only focus on one thing so as to elaborate.
Is this the case? :)</p>
<p>Let’s say for the purposes of making a point that the people who read your Stanford application are also going to read 1000 others. Of the 1000 applicants, maybe 75 will be admitted. If they forget about you, you’re not going to be one of the 75.</p>
