<p>I suppose this is like a Why Stanford? essay, marking a shift to caring about the applicant's demonstrated interested.</p>
<p>So let's discuss and brainstorm.</p>
<p>I was thinking this essay would be the place to mention any anecdotes about visits or camps held at Stanford. I can also think of that guy in another thread that says he "needs" to go to Stanford because it's in Cali->hydrogen fuel. So similarly, would mentioning stuff about Stanford's location/campus/weather seem too shallow or overused?</p>
<p>Hmmm, they got rid of "the most important extra-curricular activity" essay.</p>
<p>Personally, I think it should perhaps relate to your passion/focus. For me, it's linguistics/language. Stanford has an amazing linguistics program (one of the top ones in the country), with awesome resources like a Computational Semantics Lab and conferences on head-driven phrase structure grammar. And they have a foreign language program that covers languages across the globe (one of the most eclectic programs out there), offering tons of courses on literatures and languages; Stanford even allows you the option of requesting that a language be taught.</p>
<p>I think the whole location/campus/weather topic is overused and superficial. It sort of says, "These are my reasons for going to college!" So I'd go with something more specific.</p>
<p>I really like how Stanford isn't like the Ivy Leagues in the sense that you dont have 300+ classes for freshmen year. You get to know your professors really well and they are all still at the level of Ivy League professors.</p>
<p>Don't talk about the campus or weather. Location might be ok, depending upon what it is you like about the location. </p>
<p>And I'm guessing that the activity sort answer question is still on the Common App... is this the case?</p>
<p>The activity short answer is definitely still on the Common App.
It's strange that Stanford doesn't list it, though(they DO list the long essay of the Common App...weird).</p>
<p>^^ where do they list it? Link?</p>
<p>LOL, I'm the guy that "needs" to be in Stanford b/c of hydrogen fuel!</p>
<p>Odd, I hadn't noticed that their long essay section had changed to the common app ones. Bah.</p>
<p>do anyone realize that anything mentioned in this thread cannot be used in the essay b/c 100 other readers just <em>might</em> use it?
it's more like a what not to do thread instead.</p>
<p>how is that a bad thing....that's one less long essay to write</p>
<p>I bet a lot of science people will write about how they love science and research, and that stanford is a research university... and how its philosophy says that research is a central part of its curriculum or something like that (it says that on their website, I mean). So I guess don't do that, either? hm. I was going to do that... but...</p>
<p>I guess you just have to do your homework and show that you KNOW about the university?
hm....</p>