<p>I am curious
how I
could possibly increase my chances of admission in any possible way. I
have
read the Stanford University website through and through. Stanford claims on their website to not take into account any
type
of demonstrated interest, and they do not even have a mailing list for
me to
make my name known. They do not offer any type of interviews.
I would like to know any tips
possible that could help my chances. First of all let me give you some
of
my statistics so that you know that my dream of attending Stanford is
not
ENTIRELY far-fetched. In our school that DOES NOT rank, I would most
likely
be ranked first. I have a weighted GPA of approximately 4.3. I am a
member
of the National Honor Society. To date, I have taken 5 AP tests with an
average score higher than 3.5 allowing me to call myself an "AP Scholar
With
Distinction." On the SAT Reasoning test, I scored 720 Verbal, 740 Math,
and
770 Writing. I have taken three SAT II Subject tests (scores of 620
Math
Level 2, 660 U.S. History, and 700 English Literature). I have
considered
retaking the Math Level 2 test because although I scored a fairly
respectable 620, my percentage score was "higher than 29% of college
bound
seniors who took the test." Please tell me if that would be a fruitless</p>
<p>waste of time.
Beyond academics I am deeply involved in extracurricular
activities at school. I have been voted to the Honor Council (a student</p>
<p>based organization that acts as judge and jury for all "honor offenses"
such
as plagiarism) all four years. I have been a member of Spanish club all
four
years of high school and as a Junior I was voted Presidente of El Club
de
Espanol, and I hope to reestablish that position next year as well. I
am a
member of the sign language club. I will be on Model U.N. next year, not
to
pad my stats, but because one of my favorite teachers asked me to do it
as a
favor (plus it ought to be a fun experience doing Model U.N. at
Georgetown
next year). I am committed to sports as well. I played basketball for
our
state championship team this year, and I received All-District honors
Sophomore year and Junior year. I am also a co-captain of our school's
swim
team. We placed fourth in state this year and last, and in my
individual
events I have placed 3rd in state, and 7th in state, and in team relays,
I
have been 2nd, 3rd, and 4th in state. I also played varsity soccer as a</p>
<p>junior mostly because my friends were on the team, and I thought it
might
help me get in shape for the basketball/swim season, but I just ended up</p>
<p>with a grade 3 sprained ankle and a slow start into my basketball and
swim
season.
I hold down a job as a lifeguard and swimming instructor
at
the local high school's natatorium working an average of 30 hours a
week. I
am involved in community service through my school, and it shows up
mostly
as a result of my committment to basketball. I also played select basketball last summer and my team qualified for national competition (but did not attend the tournament), and this summer I played in another type of summer league. I am a volunteer counselor
at
my basketball coach's weeklong camps, which are several times a summer.
Other factors that may hold bearing on my college
applications
are the fact that I hold a dual citizenship (American and Swiss), my
mother
is a naturalized American but retains her Swiss citizenship, and my
father,
before he died, held a Ph.D in chemical engineering from a German
University. I generally visit Switzerland at least once a year, but I
have
never picked up enough of the language to call myself fluent. My entire</p>
<p>family speaks a dialect of german called schweitzerdeutch only found in
areas
near Zurich. There is a very defined tension between my Swiss family
and
their American son.
I don't know if that is any type of "hook." But, who knows?</p>
<p>Shoot it at me straight guys...</p>