I feel it’s more of a crapshoot in that the results are very subjective and depends on who is reviewing your applications. I say this even though my kid got into Stanford REA. For example, if I were reviewing the applications, I probably would have reached different decisions for around 25% applications at top 10 colleges, not including of course my own kid’s application because in that case, I will be biased. I think there is no right answer but it’s just the way I feel because so many kids’ accomplishments are similar yet different that just like beauty is in the eyes of a beholder, different people can differ in their evaluations of the applicants and find certain applicants more likable. In other words, I believe the acceptances reflect certain values and likings of those who review the applications.
Guys, I didn’t say that it was a crapshoot. I said many people refer to it as a crap shoot because decisions are not predictable for most people
@websensation I find that if you make your application compelling enough, the “luck” factor drastically decreases. For instance, you could write an essay so good that no matter who read it, the adcom would think it was truly great. On the GetIntoStanford subreddit, an admitted student said that the key to getting in was “to be so good they can’t not admit you”.
@MatthewW12 Yeah I know, I just wanted to address the concept as a whole.
Whether we like it or not, with a less than 5% acceptance rate, getting into Stanford is a mix of qualification and luck. If they accepted every student that was qualified, then their class sizes would be 6x what they are now. Once you met their test score requirements, have an exceptional essay, awesome EC’s, everything is up to luck. So in short, Stanford admissions is really just a crapshot.
@Top10Squad Yes, no question you can increase your chances through a great essay but when we read another person’s essay and evaluate it, we see things the way we are, i.e., we interpret and react to the essay based on our own emotional and life experience makeup. An essay could be beautifully written but I rather admit an applicant who I think wrote a very honest essay, so what I am saying is what is an exceptional essay varies depending on the reader. So it’s not that I disagree with you but I just do not believe there is an essay so good that no matter who reads it, that person will be admitted. Therefore, it’s not a total crapshoot but a decent amount of luck is involved in that the person who reviews your applications is “attracted” to the qualities displayed in your essays and applications. Therefore, it’s really like picking Ms. Universe out of so many well-qualified contestants. For example, many times I felt that contestant number 2 or 3 should have been Ms. Universe rather than the winner. Just giving an example.
Like Stanford Dean once said, if Stanford needs 2 great tuba players and there are 5 great tuba players, the remaining 2 great tuba players are not going to get admitted no matter how good their essays were. It’s pure luck that you were great in tuba rather than in violin because Stanford would had a need for 10 great violinists and only 12 great violinists applied, in which case you, the great violinists, would have had a better chance to get admitted.
which other schools are you guys applying to?
@MatthewW12 George Washington, Rice, Columbia, Harvard, American University, NYU, Boston University. Will probably apply to more because I need more match schools
@MatthewW12 International here, so only Stanford, MIT, Harvard, Columbia, Cornell, UCB, UCLA, NYU (legacy) + UK schools.
Nice to learn about you guys a little more.
I’m applying to Stanford, UCLA, UCB, UCSB, UCD, Johns Hopkins, Harvard, Yale, Brown(?), Dartmouth or Cornell(?)
Intended Major: Biology, maybe minor in theater/philosophy. Idk, my interests are all over the place lol
@MatthewW12 Where are your safeties?
Stanford is a dream come true. Not sure if it’s worth applying at all though. also to address the person who expressed concern regarding applying ED, one of my friends applied early to JHU, got in, but didnt get a financial aid package that he was okay with and was allowed to apply to other schools after contacting the office.
@pinkbarbie I’m also applying to some state schools. Sac State, Chico, East Bay
Anyone else 100% certain they’ll be applying to Stanford REA?
@itzperez Me.
By the way, I just wanted to bring up something about the vibe in the forum. I recently scrolled through the discussion threads for REA 2020 and 2021 (yes, I know I have no life) and there was a huge difference in the communities. The 2021 applicants seemed super supportive of one another, encouraging each other and answering questions. The 2020 pool was almost a polar opposite, with people putting each other down, constant chancing, and people saying that an A- would hurt an application and other BS facts like that. There were even some fake accounts created simply to torment applicants. It was toxic.
In our discussion, I hope we can create a positive environment similar to the 2021 discussion. Here’s to all of us getting into Stanford 2022 next year!
@Top10Squad love your comment! Yes, let’s make this thread awesome!! 
class of 2021 applicant here, lol this is wild that the thread’s already started for next year
We are an eager class…
@Top10Squad I couldn’t agree more
lol everyone is starting to make class of 2022 threads