what stanford looks for vs ivies/top schools

<p>i dunno why but stanford has always struck me as the odd one out of the "ivies/top schools" category. i feel like stanford is looking for different things in their students and aren't as rigid/number-based in their admissions. one of the reasons is cuz they state that they would rather see a student take classes that are intellectually stimulating and not just take every ap class just cuz it's called an ap class. are these things true? and if so, what is stanford primarily looking for? is it just as much of a numbers game as other top schools or do they care more about other things?</p>

<p>Stanford’s results can be less quantitatively predicted than those of the Ivy Leagues. This leads me to believe they review even more holistically and subjectively than the Ivy League schools.</p>

<p>we cannot know that they care most more than we can predict admissions decisions. we can only look at data and guess
but silverturtle is absolutely correct.</p>

<p>You should be honored that you can just reasonably apply to Stanford. It has a competitive and subjectively based admissions process that I’m sure will surprise many this year. Regardless of your hopes for getting quantification, Stanford is just beyond that.</p>

<p>thanks for the replies! i guess i’m wondering cuz i have a low math score (600) but high english scores (800 writing, 740 reading). i don’t really have the time/money for a private tutor to help raise my math score…and so i was just wondering if that wasn’t AS important to stanford as it is to other top schools. i think i have unique, passionate ec’s (about 5 years of substantial film work under my belt) and that my essays will convey that…is there any possibility at all that stanford won’t care about the low math score or am i still pretty much doomed?</p>

<p>they wont overlook it but they may consider it less. but then again, what do we know?</p>

<p>I know two, who got in last year, who did NOT take APLang nor AP Lit. They were both star athletes on scholarship, and both had a 4.1 GPA.</p>

<p>^lol but the athlete part kinda cancels out the other part!</p>

<p>Silverturtle compiled some great statistics a few months (?) ago. Why don’t we dig those up? S/he compared Yale SCEA to Stanford REA, as well as groups within each pool. That data was limited given the nature of CC, but I think we’re all bright enough here to know not to extrapolate too far.</p>

<p>^i’d like to see that!</p>

<p>i will tell you right now that in terms of numbers, i still have questions of how qualified i am. but hey, i got in over kids who made 2350+ and had perfect GPA’s and didnt get in (according to this forum). Maybe im just an exception, but coming from a Stanford student surrounded by Stanford students, its about fitting in to the exceptional environment here. Its about being passionate and pursuing that passion, and demonstrating your capabilities in your pursuits. That intellectual vitality. Not stupid numbers (I personally hate the SAT. Maybe its just me but it makes me feel like nothing more than a number). So yes. In that sense, I think Stanford pays much more attention to essays and personality than other schools do. and that is what makes it so beautiful…</p>