Hey guys… Stanford is my dream school.
At the same time, I really do not prefer to “compete” at all…
I just hope everyone helps each other even in the college application process… but maybe it sounds too dumb.
To be honest, I do not have any remarkable achievements.
I do have some hobbies, but I am not as good as the professionals who already published their works as high school students.
I do play a sport, but I am not as great as making a national champion or even win a single regional award.
I just naturally avoid competing and any forms of a process that one has to be eliminated for another to be accepted.(I know… it sounds really ironic for me to say these things in this moment, I am in the middle of the competition in the modern world just by the fact that I am attending a high school, having a higher ranking than someone in my class) I feel like a hypocrite, but you know, living in this modern world, every moment is competition.
Stop mumbling but revealing what I have at this moment, I am in top 10% in my class, have a couple of small regional awards from 9th and 10th grade, and am a founding president of a small club in my school. While witnessing great achievements and extracurricular activities of prospective Stanford applicants in the college confidential forum, I always feel like I need to do something more to be compatible with an average Stanford applicant, but then I always face my dilemma of fearing the competition from the first time. I naturally do not like the concept of competition at all.
How should I overcome this dilemma?
I beg your advice.
Read the article “young gifted and not getting into Harvard” on nytimes.com, then realize that article is 10 years old now and competition is even stiffer.
Then build a well-balanced college list of safety, match, and reach schools you can afford.
I probably can get into my state school with my GPA, test scores, etc…
But am I being too greedy, that I really hope to go to Stanford because I so much prefer the warm weather…?
I am afraid of trying UC schools as I am an out-of-state, therefore, financial aid will be minimal…
why don’t you look at other schools in warmer places besides stanford? uofmiami, emory, uscali, uf, and pepperdine, are all in warm(er) environments and are all easier to be accepted into than stanford. stanford is the #1 dream school in america, so you’re not alone.
“Warm” weather is not a good reason to apply to Stanford, the hardest, or among the hardest, schools to gain admission to in the country. Stanford and the UCs aren’t the only schools in California and Northern California isn’t necessarily warm.
There is no financial aid for out-of-state applicants to the UCs. Don’t apply if your family can’t afford to pay the out-of-state cost of attendance.
If warm weather is one factor you’re looking for, by all means look at colleges in warm climates.
If you would like specific suggestions for warm-weather schools to check out (and run the Net Price Calculators on), post your GPA, test scores, intended major, and any other relevant info.
What never fails to make me sad is this kind of posts where a kid knows what his or her “dream school” is but can’t articulate why except… well, it’s Stanford or Harvard or Yale or Princeton or MIT or a “warmer weather”… You beg my advise? Then first tell us why Stanford is a great “FIT” for you as a starter. Stanford isn’t the only school that enjoys a warmer weather, by the way.
@AroundHere I just read the article you mentioned, and I truly appreciate you.
The article just made my day better… and at least I can smile 
Thank you
@TiggerDad Hi, I am sorry for not fully explaining. Stanford is my dream school because students there know how to work hard without harming each other, but while helping each other for growth. I heard that works at Stanford are rigorous, of course, but the general atmosphere is student helping out each other for the success of both. Furthermore, I have never been treated as equal as other students from my peers in my school because I am tiny. I am a tiny girl with a shortcut hair. I am also really thin. Many people think I am a freshman and treat me as if I don’t deserve to express my opinion even before they get to know what kind of person I am, what I am interested in, and how I love to debate philosophical thoughts. But I thought if I go to Stanford, not only the great weather I love but also the quality of general population will not make preassumption that my mental age would be somehow be proportional to my small body, even before they listen to what my passions and dreams are.
However, I am also not free from the mistake of making a preassumption that most of the students in my state university could be someway similar to the kids around my age. Could you advise me if I am thinking too immature? I seek your advice.
@kalons Thank you, sweetheart. I really appreciate your advice and sincerely consider applying the schools you kindly mentioned.
@TiggerDad I do not prefer to publicize my information online. But I could message or email my stats to you. Would you mind taking a look at my stats…?
I still have NO IDEA why Stanford is a good fit for you. It doesn’t matter what stats you have or what ECs you have, so you don’t need to send them to me. Other than the “good weather,” you still have some explanations as to why Stanford (or, for that matter, any other school) is a great fit for you. What you’ve described is generic that applies to hundreds of other schools, in fact, every school in California. You’d need to think beyond “good weather” as your criteria for your dream school. Stanford or any other top schools as a “brand” school isn’t good enough. In fact, “brand” school approach to your college application usually end up failing more than succeeding.
For an another top school in a warm climate and that has a very cooperative rather than competitive atmosphere - check out Rice.
No matter which top school you apply to, you’ll do best in the application and interview process if you present yourself as competent and confident.
As a former interviewer for Harvard, those applicants that could have left a good impression on me would have been those who knew WHY Harvard. The same applies to Stanford or any other schools. You need to be able to articulate when pressed with the question, “why Stanford?” “Great weather” as an answer is your quickest ticket to an outright rejection. From my experience as a Harvard interviewer for 5 years, amazingly 100% has failed to articulate that simple question. None of the students that I had interviewed over 5 years has been admitted to Harvard. Zero. Surprised? Shouldn’t be. Harvard and Stanford are two of the hardest schools to get into to begin with. All they need is an easiest reason to get your application file to a dumpster. So, when asked, “why Stanford?” go ahead and answer, “great warm weather” and see how far you’ll go with your chances at your “dream school.”
When my son was searching for his “dream school” this past year, I made sure he researched each school inside out and get to know exactly what programs that each school offers to match his academic and EC needs. I have no doubt in my mind that this search for “fitness,” and his articulation of it by means of essays, was the key to his successful acceptances to seven top schools. So do yourself a HUGE favor by forgetting about your dream school because, as far as I know, there are absolutely no schools out there that give a hoot about your dreams. The only people who care about your dreams are your parents. What schools care about the most is whether your’re a great fit for their schools.
@TiggerDad Thank you sir, I will deeply reflect my college lists based on your advice.
@milee30 thank you for great recommendation!
Stanford is a great school, but if you were my kid I’d strongly advise you not to get too invested in any one school. Spend some time finding a couple of schools that you would be happy to go to and that you are very likely to get in and afford. And then apply to Stanford, knowing that it’s a crap shoot and if it doesn’t work out you’ve still got some great plans.
If living in CA is your dream, check out schools like Scripps, Occidental, LMU, U of Santa Clara, USC, Chapman, Cal Lutheran… depending on your probable major and stats.
Bottom line - you don’t need to stop thinking about Stanford, but you do need to start thinking and getting excited about some other options.
Just wanted to mention that some of the most formidable people I’ve ever met were tiny women. Never let this stop you from doing anything.
This thread doesn’t reflect the seriousness of purpose and willingness to compete that Stanford or any tippy top will look for. It’s not just why Stanford fits you, what you want. It’s why YOU fit THEM, what they look for, what they expect.
I don’t think you have an idea what that is. It’s not dreaming. It’s not wanting the weather. So, if you’re serious (and I’m not sure about that, sorry,) go back to the source, what Stanford itself says, learn all you can- including what it means to be your best, what it means to meet what they want, what that is. Because they do the choosing, as in any competition.
You sound like the type of person who would thrive at a Liberal Arts school. If you’re not a highly competitive person, you won’t be happy at a competitive school.
@coolguy40 Thank you!