So a person who has great stats but bad EC's has basically no chance right?

Colleges and Universities A-Z Stanford University
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<p>From what I can tell on this board, Stanford is a very merit/leadership/EC based school rather than an academic one. Like they REALLY want to diversify their student body. Is this true?</p>

<p>I have a 2350 SAT, a 3.95 GPA, and am by the end of this year will have taken 15 AP classes. Problem is my EC's are pretty bad. All I did was NHS and my only leadership position was at church. I skateboard but I don't think that counts as an EC. The only strong point is 300+ volunteer hours. I added a note on commonapp about how I was busy taking care of my mother/sister and had no time to go to clubs and stuff but I don't think that will cut it. </p>

<p>What do you guys think?</p>

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<p>You skateboard? So do I!!!!!!</p>

<p>haha, I obvioufsly didn't list it as an activity, but I am applying for some skateboarding scholarships, which are really cool and you should do some as well. PM or e-mail me if you want more info.</p>

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<p>Since you are such an academic person, didn't you do science/math/humanities competitions though? that might give you a chance, for example, if you qualified for USAMO or IMO.</p>

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<p>Honestly, Stanford might be willing to understand. But from what I've seen, stats and ECs don't matter at all for Stanford compared to the essays. They just use stats and ECs to make sure you wont be an unproductive bum and that you can handle their coursework, but it is really the essays that matter most to them, and if showed them you'll add diversity or have passion, then you have a good shot. There's nothing to do now. Just wait it out.</p>

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<p>Bear in mind that the difference between a 750 and an 800 is often 1-3 problems. Once you get past a certain score on the SAT it doesn't help you a great deal.</p>

<p>I would say Stanford weights what you do outside of the classroom and essays strongly. For two reasons: they want to see that you use your intellect to achieve something other than grades and test scores AND they want to see that they can actually put someone in a room with you (i.e. you are not the teacher from Ferris Bueller's Day Off, going "Bueller...Bueller...Bueller" but are actually someone that another person would be comfortable living with).</p>

<p>I see no problem listing skateboarding as an EC. If anything it's a really good EC, because it sets you apart from many of the I-am-president-of-BLANK-society that does BLANK. Depending on the degree to which you are passionate about skateboarding (do you skate once a week or more?), I would write an email to your adcom explaining that it slipped your mind to add skateboarding on the EC section of your application.</p>

<p>I am sure you are someone that satisfies the two things I specified above. Essays/ECs are your way of showing it. If you are lacking in ECs to which you are passionate about, then I am sure you found a way of revealing what your passionate about on your essays, which is just as good.</p>

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<p>Yeah hipster, I happen to have had (back in the day) a very similar profile to yours. My "EC" was itself academic, and consisted of doing lots of academic reading in my spare time, which few of my classmates engaged in. It didn't get me into Stanford, but I can tell you that I also didn't have much to say on the topics Stanford assigned its essays on.</p>

<p>Guys, I'd not be so harsh on people who don't do a bunch of EC's in high school...they can be very normal people, and don't have to be CS majors who don't sleep, read CS theory for fun, don't shower, and spend every moment thinking about their GPA's. I refer to "So, I wish you good luck, but I put your chances around nil if you haven't done anything to distinguish yourself." Granted to this poster, you have a good point, which is that Stanford to my experience also doesn't SEEM to favor these kinds of applicants. </p>

<p>Also, as a note, just because someone is good at math or science doesn't mean he/she is interested in competitions and such. Sometimes, a mathematician is just a plain abstract mathematician, and the place for these guys to shine is among top faculty once they're into good schools. </p>

<p>"From what I can tell on this board, Stanford is a very merit/leadership/EC based school rather than an academic one."</p>

<p>Well, I will say Stanford has terrific faculty and opportunities for academics. They just don't admit the most academic student population they could. They admit a balance, it seems -- some really really academic students, and other students for other reasons. As always, by academic, I mean students who'll aim to do outstanding work in a field, research, go to grad school, etc. Not just "good students," which is usually a given in most good schools.</p>

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<p>By the way, I am not a CS major, and mean no offense to them...the sort I speak of is just one tiny fraction :)</p>

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<p>Stanford13, I did see your point, and noted as much. I just think that the OP could've been doing plenty of other, equally productive things with his time, as compared to doing any EC's he could "show" on his application.</p>

<p>If what you mean is that not having something to <em>show</em> is a disadvantage, sure that seems consistent with my experience. I'm just saying out of respect, I'd not loop everyone who has good grades but didn't do EC's into one category, i.e. "They're all the same, fairly good students but nothing else" UNLESS you're talking purely from the university point of view. Which it appears you were. I was noting that a lot of those who appear the "same" are no longer the "same" once they get to the real academics of college.</p>

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<p>Dammit, you guys think that skateboarding is a legit EC? </p>

<p>I skate and am also a girl, which makes it even more unique (or so I'm told). I suppose there's no way now to let admissions know, right?</p>

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<p>Eh. In the end, I didn't apply because I was fearing I didn't stand a chance. At Yale and Princeton at least you have some chance of getting in with great stats and good essays, but I thought with no EC's or hooks to make me special I was just wasting my money.</p>

<p>But then as I was searching around the board today I actually found someone who skateboarded and had only minor leadership roles who got in. He used skateboarding as an essay topic (Crap, I did this too for my CommonApp), and he didn't have to start a company or play in the x-games. So maybe I should've applied =/ Oh well.</p>

11

<p>
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but it is really the essays that matter most to them

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<p>i don't think ECs and stuff people have done outside of the classroom are weighted less than essays. activities outside of the classroom should have a lot more impact than an essay because what someone DOES is a lot more representative of who they are rather than what they WRITE. but in the end, i'm pretty sure most stanford admits have good ECs and good essays so.......</p>

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<p>
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So maybe I should've applied =/ Oh well.

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<p>Hmm... if they already have someone who skateboards, I am not sure whether they'll want another one. Here is a story about two brothers applying for Harvard. One brother is older, so he applied first. He got accepted. His younger brother had the same stats and same ECs, and stellar essays. He got rejected. He phoned Harvard and asked the reason for denial. Here is Harvard's reply:</p>

<p>"We already have a person like you."</p>

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<p>Did that really happen? I doubt Harvard would actually say something like that to the person's face (especially the guy's brother).</p>

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<p>That really happened. That was Harvard's reply through phone. My point is that all the top schools are looking for, not surprisingly, unique individuals.</p>

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<p>^lol, that sounds like some old wives tale</p>

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<p>^ Wow. Harsh words...</p>

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<p>sounds like it is probably is an exaggerated tale that illustrates a true point...however, I would normally think that if the older brother were successful that they would admit the younger brother for legacy reasons.</p>

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<p>Good story, but does Stanford already have someone who is both Native American and a skateboarder? Oh yeah, and a girl, wanting to be a BME major? </p>

<p>Didn't think so......</p>

<p>haha, jk. About them not having a person like that, not those four facts.</p>

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<p>Well, hipster23 has distinguished himself by academic hard work, commitment and performance - that is his passion.</p>

<p>Being president of a bunch of high school activities is not intrinsically more worthwhile.</p>

<p>And what a joke that a serious university might indeed be swayed by skateboarding more than by 15 APs.</p>

<p>I agree that all the negative assessments of hipster23's chances may be correct, but I think it reflects something disturbingly shallow and anti-intellectual about Stanford.</p>

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<p>I agree with sorghum's analysis, but I actually think he might have a better chance than someone who pursue a BUNCH of EC's. For example, I had tons of EC's, and they were all in very different areas: varsity sports, music, science, community service. I feel like because I did so much stuff, it took away from a clear perception of me and made me seem less real or human. I guess I ended up just looking like a "college-pleaser" (though I actually do enjoy everything I do) So maybe if you do a couple of things and really emphasize your involvement, it could be an advantage.</p>