<p>I was hoping someone would be able to answer a few questions I have regarding Stanford SCEA. Thanks in advance :)</p>
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<li><p>If you are a competitive applicant (2400 SAT, good grades and EC's, research paper, sports), to what extent does Legacy help you in the admissions process? And does it only work for SCEA?</p></li>
<li><p>Essays: It seems to me like Stanford looks for something intangible compared to HYP; Does it give more importance to the essays than these schools? And in your opinion, what does it look for that is different from other competitive schools?</p></li>
<li><p>How much do admissions officers regard competition from within your own school? Do they compare you with those from your school?</p></li>
<li><p>My SAT II Scores: I received a 780 on Math II, 780 in World History, 760 on Physics, and 750s on chemistry and biology. I know that I have the capability of getting an 800 on math if I try again. Is it worth it to take the Math II SAT again? How much do schools look at subject test scores when they are within a competitive range?</p></li>
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<li> Legacy doesn’t help a lot at all.<br></li>
<li> No. They are all looking for the same thing - exceptional students. They just have a different way of looking for those students.</li>
<li> They do look at both your school and your area.</li>
<li> I think it would be a negative to take it again. A 780 is missing one question. What do you think the admissions would think of you if they saw you retook a 780?</li>
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<p>Don’t worry. Focus on the things you can control right now: your essays, your fall classes, maybe take that research paper and apply to Siemens or Intel.</p>
<p>p.s. remember I am just an anonymous person on the internet. No one here can give you definitive advice</p>
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<li>With respect to legacy, here’s what Stanford’s Dean of Admission says:</li>
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<p>“We care about tradition, and we certainly are interested in carrying on the tradition of family, and we celebrate that. It is a factor that we consider among many. It certainly can play a role if the student is extraordinarily competitive. It could be a tie breaker if you looked at all things being equal. It could carry you over. Again, it’s a tip.”</p>
<p>Frankly, I’ve found more legacies in my class than I initially expected there to be. Also, legacy is considered whether you apply REA or RD. </p>
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<li>The widely held belief is that Stanford values essays and intangible qualities more than HYP. Evidence for this is the fact that Stanford’s supplement is substantially longer and more detailed than the HYP supplements. I found these links helpful when crafting my Stanford application:</li>
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<li><p>Your application will be compared to the entire pool. This includes people from your school. But you as an outsider really have no idea what is going to “look better” or be “more advantageous,” in part because you see neither people’s essays/recs nor the pool as a whole. You have no idea what Stanford needs in a particular year. </p></li>
<li><p>All of your test scores are just fine.</p></li>
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<p>Thanks for the responses. Definitely clarified some things for me. The essay is by far the most daunting because I feel like its the only thing I can control in this admissions process. I’m most worried about the room mate essay because I have nooo idea what to say :)</p>
<p>Just be yourself, really yourself. Let your admissions person see who you are and don’t think so much about what they want to see. My son’s essays were so much in his voice and really showed who he was and his passions came through loud and clear. </p>
<p>Also, don’t underestimate recommendations. I think these were what put him over the top. I think they put a lot of weight on the recommendations.</p>