<p>Graduation Year: 2010
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Asian (Indian)
State: Oregon</p>
<p>School: Small international school
GPA: 4.0 (unweighted)
Class rank: 1 out of 20
SAT: 2400, 12 essay
ACT: 35 composite, 8 essay (I think most schools will disregard this in favor of the SAT score?)
SAT Subject Tests: Math 2, Chemistry, Biology (I plan to take these soon)
Courses: IB diploma candidate</p>
<pre><code>* IB English HL
* IB History HL
* IB Biology HL
* IB Math HL
* IB Chemistry SL
* IB Mandarin SL (I've heard that this makes my application unique... does it?)
* (IB) Theory of Knowledge
</code></pre>
<p>Recommendations: At least good, probably pretty good.</p>
<p>Extracurricular activities:</p>
<pre><code>* Model United Nations - 4 years - Founder, President/Ambassador all four years
* Student Government - 3 years - Founder, Public Relations Officer
* Boy Scouts - 7 years - Eagle Scout
* Jazz Band - 3 years
* School Newspaper - 2 years - Founder, Editor-in-Chief
* Interact Club - 1 year - Founder, President
</code></pre>
<p>Awards:</p>
<pre><code>* National Honor Society
* Eagle Scout
* AMC 10/12 school winner - 3 years running
* National Merit Semifinalist (projected - PSAT 223)
</code></pre>
<p>This summer, I will be working at a renewable energy company. I will also be working as an intern at Portland State University, researching solar energy.</p>
<p>I know that Stanford's admissions are not particularly quantifiable, and somewhat unpredictable, but please give me your honest appraisal of my chances. Thank you!</p>
<p>I think you’re a marvelous student, but scores won’t get you anywhere without real direction. And honestly, I didn’t really see a real direction until your final four lines. If renewable energy and sustainable development are your passions, you might want to make your application revolve around it a bit more than just two lines on your “Work experience” list.</p>
<p>Your app looks awesome at first glance. Great grades (snaps for you, fellow IBer ;D), sick test scores, excellent ECs.</p>
<p>What you lack, like others said, is direction and true passion for one or two things. Yes, you’re very involved in your ECs and have great leadership ability, but you need to SHOW HOW THESE ECs RELATE! Right now, with a bunch of random clubs, it seems a bit like you’re simply padding your app. </p>
<p>You need to make sure that you show why you joined/started these activities, show HOW YOUR ACTIVITIES RELATE TO EACH OTHER, why you joined, and how they have benefited you. Show depth and passion for one or two issues. What do your activities in school have to do with your research? It’s important for you to package yourself well and present yourself as a candidate of QUALITY NOT QUANTITY. Do not be afraid of leaving something out.</p>
<p>How do you do this? Attach a resume on the Common App detailing your responsibilities and reasons for starting those clubs. Ask your recommenders to highlight your reasons for wanting to start these clubs (which were definitely not for your college app…right?). </p>
<p>Also, essays, essays, essays! To Stanford, this is the most important part of the application. There’s a reason they want three.</p>
<p>Thanks for everyone’s input! I understand the concern that my EC’s do not really relate to each other. As far as I know, I didn’t found/join them solely for college applications. I don’t think I was even thinking about applications when I joined those clubs. </p>
<p>I don’t necessarily love doing ALL of those clubs, but I am really passionate about a couple. MUN, for example, is something that’s really important to me. As a freshman, the program really opened my eyes to global politics and current world issues. I couldn’t believe how much stuff we’re missing every day. As I got older, I made it my goal to help younger students have that same experience.</p>
<p>Would my passion for MUN be a good topic to write about on the essays?</p>
<p>It’ll certainly be a good topic if you make it look interesting. However you should try to write it in a way that expresses how those lessons have made an impact on you, not just what you’ve learned through these activities. </p>
<p>Another way to handle this may be to write your essays in such a way that upon reading it, the Adcom can relate to you as a person and the things you’ve done, and they’ll automatically make that connection. </p>
<p>Well, the best way I can tell you this is by example. I’m a debater and I’ve also done quite a bit of field research regarding socio-economic stuff. So to make it all seem personal, one of my essays was about how I “Think too much”; about how I tend to ask questions whenever and for whatever reason, even if it’s when I see a beggar on the streets, people on crowded public buses (I live in a equatorial developing nation) or simply watch the news.</p>
<p>…all in all, I tried to come off as a guy who would debate/research/study because he really does want to know about everything around him and how the world works.</p>
<p>So… are you saying that maybe I should write about something that the admissions committee can imagine easily? Kind of like putting themselves in my shoes?</p>
<p>The best college essays are the best stories that give insight to the person you are. Place them in your shoes or take a step back and sit with them in the audience as you watch yourself on the movie screen… whichever it is, you have to connect with these people and say, “I’m a REAL person, and that’s what I’ve done what I’ve done…”</p>
<p>…that’s something that a lot of people don’t do anymore. Lots of people think that it’s all about coming off as the most accomplished or the smartest…</p>
<p>Don’t write the essay from the perspective of “a day in my shoes.” Every year tens of thousands of kids write that essay, and the adcoms say that they see it way too often and please don’t write an essay like that.</p>
<p>I’ve been trying to find the Stanford Common Application supplement, so I can take a look at the essay questions… but it’s nowhere to be found. Can anyone tell me the essay questions from last year?</p>
<p>Hey ur stats are pretty good but are u going for the class of 2014 cause if u are we are gonna be in the same class but i would still advise for u to write an essay that describes u and only u. they really want to know how u can help them and not how good u are…</p>