<p>I'm applying to Stanford and they have like 5 questions like: "What historical event would you have liked to have witnessed?" and "What problems are facing society?", "Describe yourself in five words"etc. Do these really matter? Because I'm tempted to have a little fun with them</p>
<p>Yale has “answer these questions in a sentence” type questions. Princeton even has questions to be answered with just a word or a phrase. I think it’s a good place to bring out your personality and voice more, but don’t get too silly with them.</p>
<p>Thanks, but what I really want to know is if these questions have any real bearing on the admissions process. I just feel like the five words can’t really do anything for me. And as for “What books/magazines do you read?”, should I put what I really read, including Harry Potter and the Redwall series, or should I BS and put Dostoyevsky (however it’s spelled) and classic writers that make me seem smart? Basically, should I tell the truth or keep with the spirit of the application process and beef up my image?</p>
<p>Adcoms will tell if you’re lying and being pretentious. Be yourself! You want them to admit you, not a made-up version of you. I promise you, colleges will still want you and will probably appreciate your honesty.</p>
<p>Trust me, I have been doing my applications by being myself, but to tell you the truth it doesn’t always work out. I am being 100% honest when I say that the biggest challenge in my life was getting an A in AP Bio and it really did shape who I am. But unfortunately, I’m not going to write an essay about working hard in school.</p>