<p>
[quote]
If I were an adcom, I'd pick someone with an essay like this and inferior stats over someone with perfect stats any day. The essay shows so much more personality than being a valedictorian w/ a 4.0 and a perfect SAT score.
[/quote]
Not to take away from the essay or anything, but honestly, I would take the val/4.0/2400 anyday. Stats count for a huge part of an application, and while this essay might help the applicant tremendously, it will not do so to such an extent that a val/4.0/2400 is rejected.</p>