also, a question for those on here (lurker since i applied), does location have any impact? when i did my alumni interview, the man who interviewed me told me he thought i had a decent shot at getting in simply because nobody applies to stanford from where i am; middle of nowhere south georgia. he said “they get a good bit of kids from atlanta and north georgia, but almost nobody from down here. since they want diversity, i think you have a decent shot.” is there any truth to that? he even said i’m the first one he’s interviewed that wasn’t from another state (my town is close to both florida and alabama).
Throwing another question into the mix since I’m a bit late to the hook party - I’m not stressing over this btw, just curious - is low income (the kind of income that would give me a free ride to Stanford if I got in) a hook if you don’t explicitly mention it in your essays, etc.? It’s obvious if you look at my FAFSA and CSS but Stanford is “need-blind” so…?
An admission officer who visited my school told me that playing a sport is extremely valuable. But, like ECs, they don’t want to see you “be decent” at many sports. Instead, they want you to invest and excel in one.
@Chips99 Quoted from @Multiverse7 “Hook = legacy, athletic recruit, URM, first generation, and possibly developmental or celebrity status”
@futuredoc99 I practice martial arts.
@AznDude525 I’ve heard plenty of people say low income is a hook
Hooks also have to be manifested in your overall application. You can’t just state “I’m poor” and expect that to get you in. If you are able to incorporate your hook into your writings or overall application, indicating how you have succeeded despite being poor or showing how being poor helped you excel in some unique area, then you stand a decent shot of getting in.
The thing is that I’m not even bothering to “state ‘I’m poor’” :))
Also I don’t think a single person on this thread “expects to get in” given all the anxiety lol
Just wanted to know: Where do you guys live? It doesn’t need to be a specific location, I just want to know the general area. After we get our acceptances (hopefully) or rejections, I want to see how big a factor location played. I believe some people mentioned their locations but they are distributed widely across this thread. (I’m not a stalker I promise LOL)
I personally live about 10 minutes from Stanford. It’s literally a short bike ride away from my house.
Cali!
@Chips99 I don’t think it’s that cut and dry. You don’t HAVE to write about being poor in order for them to get that info, forcing one would seem contrived. I think they take into account whether or not your parents have degrees, what your parents do for a living, where your school is,where you live and what your zip code is etc. to find financial struggle. All of those factors can tell a lot more than 250 about working a job after school.
@CiteYourSources That makes sense - thanks! 
As for the location question - I live in Hampton Roads!
Irvine, Cal
Maui, Hawaii
Philadelphia
Kansas City
Houston, Texas
Middle of nowhere, Wisconsin lol
So will everyone here post their results in the final thread?
@GameOfChance I live in Houston too!!!