Decision: Accepted
I am a normal, boring girl. Stanford was a far-fetched dream. For anyone who isn’t sure they are qualified, KEEP READING ON.
Objective:
SAT I: 1550 (new SAT)
ACT: 34
SAT II: 750 U.S History, 770 Math Level 2
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 4.0
Weighted GPA: 4.429
Rank: 18/445
AP: U.S. History (5), U.S. Government (5), Calculus BC (5), Statistics (5), Biology (4)
IB: n/a
Senior Year Course Load: AP World History, AP Physics 1, IB Math HL Year 2, IB English A: Literature HL Year 2, Intro to Psychology, Study Hall, Peer Mentor for Algebra 1
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.): National Merit Semifinalist, QuestBridge College Prep Scholar and Finalist
Subjective:
Extracurriculars: Interact Club (Co-President), Student Council, NHS, Literary Magazine Contributor (I only submitted essays/poems. I didn’t actually edit or anything), Hip Hop Dance Club, Animal Activism Club, and Journaling/Blogging.
As you can tell, my extracurriculars are very sparse. I only have one leadership position. I also just joined Dance and Animal Activism my senior year. My advice to future applicants - be genuinely invested in a few clubs and really show passion for them in your essays. Don’t be afraid to apply to Stanford; I’m a normal girl and somehow got in.
Job/Work Experience: Zoombezi Bay, which is a water park at the Columbus Zoo. My co-workers would be shocked to know that I got into Stanford. They thought I was very aloof, which honestly is still very true.
Volunteer/Community service: Kumon Tutor, Volunteer at Free Summer Lunch Program (The highlight of my summer - I made crafts with elementary school students. I miss them!)
Summer Activities: Buckeye Girls State, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards Program
Essays (rating 1-10, details):
Common App - 10/10. This essay is why I think I got into Stanford. I wrote about how my family was in the Unificationist Church, which believes Reverend Sun Myung Moon is the messiah/ second coming of Christ. I described how this affected my relationship with my parents, community, and academics. My upbringing in this church also inspired my career goal - to become an education policymaker and make education more equitable for all races, socioeconomic classes, and genders. My last two lines were - While we cannot control where we are born, we can determine our own destiny. I proudly sing along with Nina Rosario from the musical In the Heights: “I am the one who made it out.”
Extracurricular Essay - 8/10. I wrote about Interact Club and how it helped me feel valuable at my school. I was very much an outsider my freshman/sophomore year (which explains the lack of ECs). However, through service, I found a community and learned that despite my limited resources I could still positively impact my community.
Short Questions - 8/10. I tried to be funny, quirky, and light-hearted in these responses. I felt that this helped to balance my application. Also, I actually made a typo - I wrote “FiftyThirtyEight” instead of “FiveThirtyEight”. This goes to show you don’t have to be perfect.
Intellectual Vitality - 9/10. I wrote about my experience at Kumon. Many students didn’t understand why they were learning phonics, specifically diphthongs. I explained that both basic and complex aspects of a subject are crucial to our understanding. Without phonics, we don’t have language. Also, I tied in a prime-generating polynomial as an example of something that’s both complex and basic. It was a stretch, to say the least.
Note to future roommate - 7/10. Very, very casual. I wrote this in one sitting. I talked about these ugly acrylic paintings I make for wall art and how I like conspiracy theories, political debates, and Jane Austen.
What matters to you and why - 8/10. The content was good, but the delivery was poor. I wrote about my parents working at a Japanese grocery store and how this shaped my outlook on unpredictability/ struggle. The last lines - How can I turn my family’s narrative into one of triumph, and how will I repay my parents for giving me more than I ever deserved?
Also, in the additional information, I explained how my Interact Club raised money to build a handicapped seating area at my school. We had a Drive-In Movie night; it was super fun.
Recommendations (rating 1-10, details):
Teacher Rec #1: 6/10. IB English and Creative Writing teacher. He knows I’m a hard worker, but he doesn’t know me all too well. However, he’s one of my favorite teachers. I’m just awkward and can’t make small talk. I think this rec was okay, as he’s a very good writer and is nice.
Teacher Rec #2: 7/10. AP Biology teacher. I really loved this class. I participated frequently and still talk to the teacher. However, our relationship isn’t anything special, just friendly. She’s also a good writer and dependable!
Counselor Rec: 8/10. She is amazing and is also one of the reasons why I think I got in. I think she overexaggerated my accomplishments, to be honest.
Additional Rec: 10/10. Another reason why I think I got in. This recommendation was from my Interact Club advisor. She knows very closely what I have done in Interact, and she made sure to detail everything. We have gone through thick and thin together.
Interview: 8/10. I haven’t had any other college interviews, so I don’t have a basis for comparison. However, I would give it an 8/10 because it was super casual, nothing earth-shattering. Yet, I think my interviewer liked me because I was genuine and self-deprecating. We talked about random things, not much about Stanford or my intended major really. He didn’t even ask “Why Stanford?”.
Other
Applied for Financial Aid?: For sure.
Intended Major: Public Policy Major, Education Minor, Mathematics Minor
State (if domestic applicant): Ohio - Go Buckeyes!
Country (if international applicant): USA
School Type: Public
Ethnicity: Asian (Japan, Korea)
Gender: Female
Income Bracket: I don’t feel comfortable publishing my family’s income.
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): First generation, QuestBridge
Reflection
Strengths: Essays and Recommendations
Weaknesses: Extracurriculars and that one typo (I will never live it down). Also, I was redundant about Interact.
Why you think you were accepted: I was myself, plain and simple. Admission officers can tell if you’re being honest and authentic. Trust in your abilities. Trust in your uniqueness. Do not listen to the disbelievers. They don’t know who you really are. Showcase all the things that make you have the potential to change the world. Most importantly - BE A GOOD PERSON. Everything you do should be intrinsically motivated or for the benefit of others. Never do something for college admissions. I didn’t, and look what happened.
Where else were you accepted: Nowhere else! However, I am still going to apply to 4 more schools. I just need that closure and the ability to compare financial aid packages.
General Comments: You are more capable than you think. Two years ago, I was depressed, anxious, and generally frustrated about life. I wanted to homeschool; I wanted to just disappear.
Yet, I picked myself up. My parents, siblings, and friends pushed me to become better. I improved step by step until all of these steps led to today.
The moment I saw “Congratulations!” I screamed. It doesn’t feel real, and it never will.
To anyone who feels they are inadequate, you most definitely are not. You are amazing. Never, ever forget that.
Stanford2021
