<p>Hey guys, this is my first thread in Stanford Forum.
What brought me here is the essay on intellectual vitality, and I need your help.
I have this theme:</p>
<p>"Gain at the expense of character is much more costly than any insurance claim could amount to."</p>
<p>I talked about how I let go the couple who hit our car from behind.</p>
<p>Is this topic valid for the intellectual vitality essay? Thanks all.</p>
<p>Maybe I’m biased, but that doesn’t seem to fit the prompt well at all.</p>
<p>I don’t get the intellectual aspect of this. Unless you go into discussing philosophy/ethics or whatever and how that is your passion. Maybe you can elaborate a bit more.</p>
<p>okay so it’s not really impossible to fit this, then?
well yeah that was my concern that it really doesn’t show that much of intellectual side… but it kinda shows my personality, so I was hoping if I could somehow work it… any tips on how to show intellect in this essay?</p>
<p>Do you think about academics?.. do you have a deep interest in a certain field that can pertain to academia?</p>
<p>It’s really straightforward.</p>
<p>The main purpose of the essay is primarily to find which field of academics appeals to you.</p>
<p>If you were interested in Science or Medicine or Math, this could be a good opportunity talking about research you’ve seen or research you would like to do when you go to college.</p>
<p>As for English, Philosophy, Social Studies, I’m not really sure how to approach it, but I’m sure you can put your own spin on it.</p>
<p>okay, thank you. Congratulations BTW Rolandic7, with your Stanford admission. :] any other tips you wanna share in general/essays?</p>
<p>I can only give general tips, based off my own experience. But here they are:</p>
<p>Make sure each one of your essays has a specific goal/purpose you want to achieve</p>
<p>(EX: Intellectual Vitality: Must show passion for certain subject; Roommate: To show your sense of humor and quirky attributes; Why Stanford: Demonstrate thorough understanding of school, programs, research, etc.)</p>
<p>All those examples were some of the messages I tried to get across. </p>
<p>Be Passionate in all your essays; know which essays to be serious in and which to be light-hearted in. </p>
<p>Try to stand out of the population, but at the same time, be yourself</p>
<p>Just some general but very important advice; if you have a clear objective, you’ll know what to write.</p>
<p>Now you just have to write it well</p>
<p>okay. Thanks for the big help!</p>
<p>The main purpose of the essay is primarily to find which field of academics appeals to you.</p>
<p>I don’t agree at all. I wrote mine about a cultural experience I had when I was a kid and how I look differently on it now that I’m older. It’s certainly not an “write about academics that interest you” essay.</p>
<p>(I’m not saying you shouldn’t write about academics, because that’s probably what most people do write about. I’m just saying you don’t HAVE to.)</p>
<p>oh, then in this case, do you think my essay topic would work here?</p>
<p>probably not…</p>
<p>um no. What are you crafting your whole application as? After reading your application, if you could describe yourself in 5 words, what would they be? Try and write your essay that will somehow add to those 5 words.</p>
<p>I don’t think you should go with that…after all, they specifically stipulate that it should be an “intellectual” activity that captures you. and this isn’t solely/primarily an intellectual pursuit.</p>
<p>okay. thanks for all of your advices. i might go against y’all, just because i know how stanford is.</p>
<p>I wrote about words. And what I think of them, and how we use them to percieve our emotions… Do you guys think thats an “intellectually engaging idea”?</p>