<p>what did you guys write about, for all/any of the three?</p>
<p>Well I wrote about an experience I found intellectually engaging, some things I thought my roommate would like to know, and why Stanford would be a good place for me.</p>
<p>I’ll let you know, if I get in…if I don’t, they were a bad idea and I don’t want to pass them on…</p>
<p>^ I second that.</p>
<p>But definitely - I wrote about the most ridiculous, hipster-intellectual things.
Haha I’ll be sure to let you guys know how this plays out.</p>
<p>my ideas were a little…um…out there lol. It may play to my advantage…or be a HUGE bust lol. we will c in like 6 days…</p>
<p>mine is pretty normal but it can be off-topic (the intellectual engaging question)</p>
<p>the Why Stanford is pretty standard and the roommate is just weird.</p>
<p>I was typical unfortunately. But hey, we’ll see in a few days :)</p>
<p>My intellectually engaging one was about how I met Condoleeza Rice at a speaker tour at my school and a bunch of protesters showed up (and I interviewed them and her for my school paper). Dr. Rice is a professor at Stanford.</p>
<p>My Why Stanford? essay was about how I first heard about Stanford on Veronica Mars, my favorite TV show, using a couple of witty lines from it.</p>
<p>My roommate essay was about all the weird quirks that make up my personality.</p>
<p>By far my most “out there” essays of any school I applied to. Maybe thats good?</p>
<p>Intellectual Vitality topic was about a psychological/philosophical rebirth experience.</p>
<p>Why Stanford: Hardships, hooks, and hopes for what I look to gain from Stanford.</p>
<p>Roommate: Advertisement like posting semi-cliche</p>
<p>However, I’m applying as a transfer so the odds are even slimmer :3</p>
<p>Intellectually engaging one was about how i want to build water treatment plants</p>
<p>Why Stanford: CA; internships; env. engineering programs; one particular professor</p>
<p>Roommate: how my room gets progressively messier throughout the week then i clean it every sunday
:)</p>
<p>Well, decisions come out today. So if I get in ill let you know later 2night.</p>
<p>I just got accepted! I won’t disclose the exact topics… but I think the tone was the most important thing.</p>
<p>My tone in the Why Stanford and Roommate were really playful and quirky. They read like a conversation, not like an essay. </p>
<p>The tone in the intellectually engaging part was much more academic.</p>
<p>And all of my short answers were incredibly quirky ( ; </p>
<p>To future applicants: Don’t be afraid to take risks! Especially if you’re an ORM like me, in-state, and without any hooks. The essays honestly will make the difference - I’m proof.</p>
<p>I agree with ocgirl. Showing humor, personality, and quirkiness worked for me. It’s honestly the only way to distinguish yourself unless you’ve cured cancer, won an Olympic Medal or done something of that sort. Be interesting!</p>
<p>^I have to agree with both bnswm421 and ocgirl92 - I was extremely quirky and unique with my essays as well! And it worked.
Be yourself, and be proud of all the little things that make up who you are! :)</p>
<p>Congratulations to all of you who got in! I’ll remember to let the quirkiness flow when I’m writing my essays :)</p>
<p>I love my room mate one - can’t believe that it worked, but here it is:</p>
<p>Dear Future Roommate, </p>
<p>Everyone has his or her little quirks and obsessions. I have friends who like to respond to questions with song lyrics. I also have a friend who is simply preoccupied with handwriting like a computer. I’m not any different – I love Tetris!</p>
<p>No, I’m not talking about the love of playing a particular game once a while to relax and have a good time. Everyone does that. My passion for this game is unparalleled – I can tell you all the games there are on the official site, the names of each rank (from Newbie to Elite and Champion), and the kind of weekly missions it has. I love the sheer thrill of sending penalty lines to my opponents and watch them KO-ed (Tetris term: Knocked Out) repeatedly. But don’t think that I am a sadistic, overly-competitive person! I simply relish the challenge of performing a T-spin or a T-slot and the brisk pace of the game. I suppose this reflects my character too: I find puzzles and anything that requires unwavering logic under pressure strangely stimulating. You will often see me late at night attacking impossible questions set by my math or chemistry teachers. If I cannot finish that night, then the battle is postponed to the early morning. </p>
<p>So if you see my eyes glued to my laptop, anxious and muttering to myself or triumphant and radiating with victorious laughter, don’t be too surprised. I am probably just playing another Battle-6-People on the Tetris site. You can join me too! I hope we will be able to share our idiosyncrasies in the future :)</p>
<p>Sincerely,</p>
<p>Eva</p>
<p>Veronica Mars ftw!</p>
<p>My intellectual vitality was about a scientific theory that was rubbished but holds value and my experience with it
Why Stanford started with a quote from Larry Page and was a general one
Roommate just listed my interests and quirks, both humorous and serious
I loved my essays and think I did justice to them!</p>
<p>My roommate essay basically listed all my negative qualities…
My intellectual vitality essay was a clipping of the third unfinished paragraph of my unfinished essay (started it 30 minutes before deadline)</p>
<p>wooo</p>
<p>@ultramarine: YES I love Tetris! I’m on that site pretty often on weekends ( ;
Hahaha</p>
<p>Well considering that my essays were quirky, well written, personal, and engaging and I got rejected, I wouldn’t say that it’s the most important thing to do</p>