I’m a 12th grader in Raleigh North Carolina. My high school GPA is 3.7 and I am taking AP classes next semester. My ACT is 25, SAT 480 Math, 550 Reading, 580 Writing with no extra circular. Hear me out.
I went on a trip this summer in California and toured Stanford University. I fell in love with the campus and the people/atmosphere. I know I would thrive in such an environment and Stanford would be my dream. I have diagnosed severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder which I have not disclosed to anyone except my immediate family. It’s not that I’m embarrassed it’s just I know people are still ignorant when it comes to mental illness and I don’t need that. I’ve been seeing the same psychiatrist for at least 5 years and have tried every med in the book. I’ve had to overcome many obstacles with OCD and don’t have an IEP and have never used OCD in my favor. I don’t know if Stanford, having an OCD center, would be more understanding of this issue and see the obstacles I had to overcome.
For those who understand OCD, my 3.7 GPA is probably comparable to a 5.0 for someone without severe anxiety. I know I could get through Stanford and have enough control of my anxiety and OCD now and know how to cope so thats not an issue.
By the way, the trip was a 12 day trip across the country CAMPING. That shows how far I’ve come with my OCD that used to be so bad I had low Vitamin D levels from not going outside. I told the group leaders this halfway through the trip and they wrote me a review saying they were amazed I could handle a trip like that with OCD and progressed through times where I was uncomfortable like a pro.
Sorry, third reply. I would like to go to Stanford to major in psychology and help people who have the same disease I do to recover (psychiatrist). I believe the people who help the most are those who understand and you can’t fully understand unless it happens to you personally.
Then why are 11% of people admitted to Stanford with an ACT in that range? I could get the ACT up to a 30, thats not the problem. Not to be rude, but you obviously don’t understand OCD.
It will be very low. While they make accommodations, it’s not a hook, and most of the the folks that gained admission with that score are either athletes (Stanford has tons) and/or legacy admits.
If you can raise that ACT, you may have a chance. But the 11% of people admitted in that range probably had spectacular ECs, which you lack. Yes OCD is a serious disorder, I had a classmate who had severe OCD and I witnessed her breakdown in class before. Perhaps you can work this into your essay, but Stanford is a tough school. Oh average, their undergraduate students get less than 4 hours of sleep a night. Do you think you can handle that stress?
Still apply and give it a shot though. Good luck!
Of course you should apply. You would always wonder if you did not. I hope you will feel comfortable sharing your genuine self in your essays. If you do not attend as an undergraduate, your professional goals require further education, which will give you another shot at Standford later in your education.
A tippy top school isn’t just about random admission chances. Part of the review/decision process is to see proof you can handle their level of work in classes with highly prepared peers, for four years, beginning on day one. It’s not about how any applicant loves the environment or feels it might inspire. S will have 40k apps and many driven, accomplished, stress-proven kids to choose among.
Sounds like you’ve worked hard to overcome. But this high pressure environment grinds. It’s important to find the place where you can thrive, from the get-go, master the work and continue to grow…and feel that pride and confidence.
I’m not one who says “apply anyway.” You need to know yourself, your limits, what helps, not hinders. The S adcoms will be vetting you for that, too. Find the right matches. Best wishes.
@ccoryea I have to agree with most of the replies here, the only thing your application would do is inflate the acceptance rate. A certain percentage of applicants probably have your stats but all of those applicants are inevitably rejected. Do not bother applying it’s a waste of money, unless you want to see what a Stanford rejection letter looks like then by all means apply.
I happen to have a link to one if you want, it would probably save you some money: https://t3nsor.files.■■■■■■■■■■■■■/2010/03/stanford_rejection1.png
Hi. I have severe OCD, Tourette’s, Anxiety, you name it. So, before I go forward, I DO UNDERSTAND what it’s like to give up your free time to visit a thousand psychiatrists and neurologists.
I know very well that, my 3.7 gpa and 31 ACt is like someone getting a 36 ACT and 4.0 gpa. But unfortunately, that’s how our world works. We, struggle so much, we go through so much crap, and we cry, work our asses off, to get the same grade as those who put no effort in and score the same as us. Unfortunately, they will give us some credit for working hard, we still need to meet standards.
It pains me to say that it’s hard to get into Stanford with 25 ACT, but it’s just the truth. I know it’s unfair that we are limited, but that’s just how it is.
I really hate to be saying this, but I feel you man. Because I’m in the same position as you.
The range you are citing is 24-29. I hope you understand the lion’s share of those admits are up at the 28-29 end of the range and not down at the 24-25 end.
And, it’s actually 3% of the applicants who get admitted from that range; 11% of the entering class. You can guess that some of them might be recruited athletes.
There are hundreds of other fine universities at which you could get a great education in Psychology and go on to Medical School to become a psychiatrist.
Mchichioco - bless your soul. It’s ridiculous that kids get in great colleges with a crappy GPA, ACT, and SAT just because they can throw and ball through a hoop. Here we are swallowing pills that don’t even really work and climbing through hell and overcoming so much. I get its not how the world works, but if they could “see” it, maybe they’d change their minds. IT’S NOT FAIR!!!
Students with no mental health issues enroll at Stanford and other top schools and end up cracking under the stress. Why do you want to put yourself through that ordeal?
However they do bring up a good point. We already have enough to deal with, Stanford requires very high academics, because there classes are absolutely insane.
Just keep in mind, that going to a great school, is probably gonna put a lot of pressure on you.
And I know for my OCD, Ts and Anxiety, pressure makes life suck more.
So keep that in mind, not only for stanford, but when you’re deciding which school you’re gonna attend and apply too!
That’s not to say to not go for it!
I’m probably aiming for a rigorous academic school anyways. Not sure if that’s me being stupid or too ambitious, but hey, hard work pays off!
A lot of it is, we want to achieve and believe we can achieve what kids with no mental health issues can do. We strive to the he bedt we can, like any other kid. And why should we limit our aspirations because of our mental health? Of course stanford is not realistic expectation for anyone, but we still want to go to the best institution that we think we can handle.
@ccoryea Little homie, someone on the board has already said this in a previous post, and it’s the following: fair is not equal, and equal not fair. Life will be a tough row if you can’t accept some of its basic axioms. Just because you want it, does not make it so…
And btw, athletes average ACT at Stanford is closer to 29. Stanford is what it is, because it strives for excellence in every sector of the institution-- otherwise it would be just Cal-Tech (with all due respect an excellent tech school).
