<p>Hello I'm applying to Stanford and the UCs. Currently I have written two essays, but am unsure about which one to use. I would like some non-09ers to read both essays, provide opinions on what needs to be fixed or what needs improvement, and decide which one is better. One essay is in the vicinity of 800 words, while the other is just under 500, so I don't know if the first one will strike the college admissions people as very interesting. Thank you in advance.</p>