<p>Don't sound too perfect packaged in your application. don't make it completely about what you have done and all your great past accomplishments. make it about what you plan to do in the future, what you plan to accomplish. that's what stanford wants to hear about.</p>
<p>be silly sometimes, talk about mistakes, just be a real person. </p>
<p>alright, if anybody want's more advice from a current stanford student, just post here. </p>
<p>(by the way, Stanford is so worth the intense admissions process. good luck)</p>
<p>and oh yeah, make sure you pick a major other than undecided. having a clear vision impressed my admissions officer.</p>
<p>I'm guessing that many college freshmen are unsure of what they want to do with their life, and I'm assuming colleges see it as being more worthwhile to admit people who don't waste the faculty's time studying something they might not stick to.</p>
<p>This post is a huge relief, as I also focused on my goals in life and professional plans. Most of the other applicants probably did the same too, so I'm crossing my fingers~</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Stanford has said time and time again that listing your major as undecided will not count against you.</p></li>
<li><p>Just because people got into Stanford doesn't mean they know jack about the admissions process. Hell, if anything, it probably makes them think they know more than they do. This is coming from the horse's mouth.</p></li>
<li><p>Dude, picking a major on your freaking application doesn't show that you have "clear vision." Besides, I'd bet you a princely sum that whatever "clear vision" you have for your life changes at least three times over the course of college alone.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>i'm not sure what you're problem is docketgold.</p>
<p>I just remembered how helpful the current students were to me when I was going through the admissions process, so I wanted to return the favor to the new batch of seniors. what i'm giving is just my best advice, obviously i'm not an admissions officer so I have no way to know for sure about what I'm saying.</p>
<p>and it was straight from my admissions officer's mouth that he liked how I had a "clear vision" because I chose a specific major. To all the current stanford appliers, that's the advice I'm passing on. =)</p>
<p>good luck and hope to see you guys next fall! i won't be posting anymore cause i have a ton of studying to get to</p>
<p>Docket, people who are talking about their clear visions for college aren't just posting their intended majors on the common app. We are talking about those visions and what we plan to do in the future in our essays as well. Obviously Stanford doesn't care about what you fill into a blank, but if you can convey to them, through your essays, what you plan to do in the future, it may help you out.</p>
<p>
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oh yeah, make sure you pick a major other than undecided. having a clear vision impressed my admissions officer.
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<p>
[quote]
it was straight from my admissions officer's mouth that he liked how I had a "clear vision" because I chose a specific major.
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<p>I don't see how you can interpret what he said any way other than selecting major = clear vision. Whether you or I agree with it is another issue, but that's what he said.</p>
<p>And yes, I'm aware that he probably tried to show his vision elsewhere in his application. </p>
<p>@coming home: The reason I said what I did was because everything I've ever heard Stanford say, both when I applied and afterward, is that it doesn't matter what major you put on your application, if any. I'm not saying either of you are wrong, I'm just putting the opposite view out there so people don't come here, (possibly) get the wrong impression, and leave thinking they HAVE to pick the right major or their chances will be hurt. </p>
<p>I think you'd be surprised how much credence is given to what you say here when people know you go to Stanford. It sounds cheesy, and maybe even a little bit arrogant, but I think its true nonetheless and it's something you have to be careful with.</p>
<p>I didn't mean what I said as an ad hominem attack. But I do mean what I said. Trying to convey some sense of vision or drive in your application is great--but you don't want to overdo it. Admissions officers know what they're reading and who it's written by, they understand that you have a lot of living left to do. If you make an application that's TOO driven, it could suggest to them that you aren't as open to new experiences as some other candidates, and because of that they might think you aren't the best fit for Stanford. It's something that needs to be finely balanced, that's all I'm saying.</p>
<p>I agree that not picking a major will not effect your chances of admission at all. I still hold on to the belief that if communicated properly, your vision for the future may be beneficial to you in the process.</p>
<p>My son may have been one of the lucky ones, but he definitely didn't show a "clear vision for the future" and he got into Stanford early action.</p>
<p>I believe Stanford saw that he had potential and given the right environment, he was capable of accomplishing great things.</p>
<p>I think a small number of the applicants pursue the "vision of the future" strategy. Anyone who gets into Stanford is special in some way or another and will most likely do something great with his/her life.</p>