When the odds are against you...

I'll let you in on a little secret...

Getting into any top school is hard. Yes. There's absolutely no denying that. And yes, it's true that a good many of us have amazing SATs and ACTs and APs and IBs and GPAs and PSATs and SAT IIs  and ABCs and 123s. And then there are the extracurriculars, and the volunteer hours, and the amazing internships, and the leadership roles in this that and the other thing. There's the running comment of "How did I get in here? Everybody has either started an orphanage in Africa or is working on research that will cure cancer or redefine modern-day physics!" And while some of this is in jest, there's also some major truth to it.
But.
When the odds are against you, do not, I repeat DO NOT decide to not apply or not even try because you think you are not good enough to get in. GO FOR IT. I know first hand how much many people struggle to succeed, and let me tell you what I've learned: Stanford is an amazing school. They want diverse and unique individuals, not just people who have gotten all the right test scores and have done all the right activities. They care about the personal strengths and character in their classes, and it's not all about the "perfect" application. That secret, when you realize the truth of it, is such a glorious thing. Because for a person coming from the non-traditional background of a high school student, it can literally be something from your wildest possible dreams.

The living proof

Many people are not given the same opportunities others are. Guess what though? Just because you may have had to face some difficult times does not mean you do not have the world ahead of you. Yes, I know you've had to work harder to be successful. There's a statistic somewhere out there that says children from poorer backgrounds have it 44% harder to succeed in everything, since they do not have the privileges their peers who live comfortable have. I'm not talking the rich here- I mean the average middle class.
The beauty of Stanford is that they can recognize motivated people, and people who have developed resilience and determination. You may not have a 2100+ SAT or 4.0 GPA or be the president of anything or have a zillion volunteer hours because you may not be able to keep all that going. But the admissions counselors will recognize your skills and accomplishments, because in a way your accomplishments are not as easily measurable as some of your peers' are.

My story

Yes, I do know this on a personal level, and am not just making stuff up. I know how hard it is to stick to school when your life is falling down around you (or seems to be). I am living proof of how Stanford truly values character and people, and not truly just numbers. While numbers are important as well, I know for a fact that if that was what was important to Stanford, I would not be writing this right now.
I went to public schools my whole life. The one I graduated from was actually mostly comprised of  middle to upper income households, and as I lived with my godparents my senior year, I have to say my senior year was very stable financially. But that wouldn't have happened if I hadn't made some of my own decisions.
I grew up on a farm originally, in a single-wide trailer. I had a mom and step dad and three half brothers: two, three, and ten years younger than me. I went to a small county school of about 100 people per grade from Kindergarten to freshman year. Life had some major ups and downs, as things with my parents were never great. It was like a sinusoidal wave; there were crests when things were great, and there were troughs when I was separated from the family and kept locked out. Even now, I am still coming to terms with all that happened.
After my freshman year, my family became homeless. My parents cut off all ties with everyone outside of our nuclear familiar unit. For six months, we were homeless. During this time, I was home-schooled through a program at an alternative high school. It was the kind where the majority of the students are just barely struggling to graduate, and are in and out of juvie and have substance abuse issues. My parents, to my frustration, wouldn't let me return to public school during that year for a variety of reasons.
April 2010 found my family moving into a new house. We knew no one, and being a new student was difficult. My new school had some minor gang issues. I was finally able to take my first AP class, although I could only take two since I had a lot of other graduation requirements to take, being a transfer student.
Halfway through my junior year, things started to hit a trough again with my parents. It grew to a point that it had never reached before. I will spare the details, but will say that it was never physical abuse.
Long story short, I decided to file a Child in Needs of Services case, which is very similar to a CPS case in Washington state. My mother fought the case. The Commissioner who presided over my case couldn't believe it. He suggested emancipation, and my mother agreed. That was July 22, 2011. Not quite a year ago yet.
At their request, I have not talked to anyone in my family since.
Since then, life has been much improved. I literally can't say how much it has. I went to yet another school, but being a new student was worth it this time. Prior to my senior year, I'd never been in a club or had volunteered; I'd never been allowed to. My world all of a sudden opened up before me, and it was so exquisitely breath-taking.
There have been major emotional struggles, but I've been able to grow a lot through this.

In conclusion

Now, let me tell you why I told you that long story. It was not for sympathy, no sir. I am the last person who expects sympathy, so don't bother. My attitude is BRING IT ON, which brings me to my point.Just because you think you can't get in, apply anyway. That's the beauty of this stupendous school: it's not all about the numbers. It's one of the top schools in the country, and it values applicants for who they are as people. They take the time to get to know many of the aspects of your life. They want to admit you, and not your statistics.
That's why it's so important to go for it, even when many people around you -even your own parents- think you can't.
Don't let anything get in the way of your goals. You have the power over your own life, and you may be surprised at what happens when you shoot for the wildest of dreams. This time last year, I was literally fighting for my freedom, where my best option if I failed was a community college. Now I'm going to Stanford.
When the odds are against you, don't let them stop you. Let nothing stop you.

Yes, You Can Talk About Pancakes and Sudoku in a College Application Essay

*This is my personal opinion, from essays I've read, and the essays I've written. From what I've read about admissions, and the letters I've gotten from the university. This is why I believe that I got in.*

So, Let's Pretend For a Moment

We're going to pretend I know how I got in. If you want to play pretend with me, feel free to keep reading. Hopefully I can help make things a little easier for you than they were for me.

So. College essays. Yikes. You've done all you can as far as grades and extracurriculars, and now you're at the application stage. You're wracking your brain for that "perfect topic." That topic that will set you apart from the rest. You know that numbers are important, BUT: if people with 2400s and 4.0s can get rejected or waitlisted, then you know there's gotta be something else that those mysterious admissions officers are looking for. What is it?

That Spark

The people at admissions want to know what sets you apart. What inspires you. Why do they want you around; how will you contribute the the unique, eclectic, diverse world of the Stanford campus? And this is exactly what you have to give them. The unique, goofy, stoic, musical, athletic, quiet, loud, whatever sort of person you are. Don't pretend to be someone else: be who you are. Advice I read that helped me a lot? If you're not funny, don't try to be funny. If you are... go for it. I really took that advice to heart.

A Quick Example: Part of a "Letter to my Roommate":

"I sing show tunes in the shower, and I tell math jokes while playing the guitar. Back massages totally make my day. I firmly hold with the belief that children are much cuter when they're not your own. I eat pancakes at dinnertime, and I think that creamed spinach should not exist. On the other hand, I am totally fine with cottage cheese."

Silly, whimsical, light-hearted, and all true. Don't be afraid to be yourself. Show off what makes you unique, make them remember you. Be as silly or serious as you are. Talk about who you are and what makes you different.

What was something else that made me different? Well, as I alluded to in my "roommate essay," I enjoy math and theatre. In my "What Matters to Me" essay I talked about how the freedom to explore many different ventures was so important to me. That was one thing that set me apart. How do I know this? My admission officer told me as much in a handwritten note:

"Your genuine appreciation for the freedom to pursue many thespian and intellectual interests makes you a wonderful fit for the Stanford environment. I am thrilled for you to bring your love of calculus, math jokes, show tunes, languages and 'poetic gibberish' to the Farm! Looking so forward to meeting you in April!"

Also: Don't be afraid to let other people look at your essays. Some people I know didn't have anyone edit their essays. But for me, having someone else look at them helped, especially for my common app essay. In all honesty, that's the only one I really had people look at and edit, but it was extraordinarily helpful. They clued me in to so many ways to make it better. Of course, now you're probably wondering, "So, what did you write about?"

"What did you write about?" The question I get from all my friends when they heard I got in. The million dollar question. Well, not really, but just about. To be incredibly vague, but hopefully still slightly helpful, I wrote about a person who had influenced me. Were they a particularly good person? No, but they still helped me learn lessons that made me the person that I am today. And I compared it to Cinderella. (No, I was not writing about a boyfriend, in case you were wondering.)

And another pretty important essay:

Intellectual Vitality:


What is intellectual vitality? I honestly don't know. I wrote an essay about it, and I still don't know. But I do know this: I wrote about something I loved. I wrote a story about how I liked to multiply big numbers in my head when I was eight years old. 32 times 28? 896. (Yes, I just did that in my head.) I ended that essay with the passage:

"Over the summer, I went to a drama camp where I sang show tunes, danced the Charleston, and learned Meisner's views on acting, but the one thing I remember most? How dang much I wished someone would come up to me and say, 'Hey, you wanna do some Calculus?'"

This was the hardest essay for me to find a topic. And then I realized: I just had to write about something I loved. Write about something you love, and write it in a way that will capture your audience. Tell them a story, paint a picture, let them see why this is your passion, and why you love it so much. Let them know what makes you tick.

A Quick Summary

• The people at admissions want to know what make you, you. 
• If you're not funny, don't try to be funny. If you are... go for it. 
• Talk about who you are and what makes you different. 
• Just write about something you love. 
• Tell them a story, paint a picture, let them see why this is your passion, and why you love it so much. 
• Let them know what makes you tick.

An Interview? But it's not a job...

I know I should write one more post about admissions before I actually can start talking about other things (after acceptance, personal experiences after moving in, why Stanford is awesome, etc.).  So now is a good time to talk about my admissions interview.

I'm going to put this out there right away.  DO ONE.  Here's why.

For me, doing an interview was the natural choice.  As I briefly touched on in my last post, I'm a face-to-face sort of a person.  I express myself much better orally and verbally than I do in writing.  I decided I was going to go to whatever lenghths necessary to get interviews...which really meant driving.  I went 77 miles (one way) to my Duke interview, 54 miles one way to my Harvard interview, and 60 miles one way to do my Yale and Princeton interviews (which were about an hour apart).  For me, it seemed worth it.

By the time I got to my Stanford interview (my 5th and final interview), I was "practiced" and prepared.  Plus, instead of driving all the way to the Twin Cities or some hoity toity private school, my Stanford interview was in the next town over (about a 15 minute drive from home), in the local Caribou Coffee that I frequent a couple times a week...I was in my element.

Before I continue my story, here's my general overview of college interviews as a whole--what happens, and what to do.

• College interviews generally have two components: you tell the interviewer about yourself, and they answer any questions you have about the college.  Your interviewer will likely state this upfront at the beginning of the interview.
• That being said, come with four sets of information mentally prepared:
• General information about your activites that highlights your passion and accomplishments (don't feel as if you have to blurt out everything...spend the bulk of your time on what's most important to you).
• Any big achievements that you've had in the time between when you submitted your application and your interview (for example, I mentioned my standing as a National Merit Scholar, which I didn't know for sure at the time I applied).
• Any special academic passions or reasons you want to pursue a specific major.
• Specific questions for your interview about the college and their experiences there (Interviewers often volunteer because they love the school, and are eager to discuss their stories...they often have a great picture of what makes their school special and what makes it stand out from any other colleges).  If you have any unanswered questions about the college's culture, this is the time to ask them!
• Interviewers have a form to fill out and send in to the admissions office, so they typically will ask about test scores/GPA/class ranking, as well as what you do with your time and your goals.
• Your interviewer will likely take notes for their report.
• Interviews can be set up in a variety of locations...I had two at a school, one in an office at a college, and two at coffee shops.  If you are at a coffee shop, the interviewer will probably offer to buy you something (take advantage of the free drink, and THANK THEM!).
• Dressing up is good, but obviously find a suitable outfit...it's not school, but it's not prom either.  I believe I wore a pencil skirt, flats, and a nice shirt to all of my interviews.  Looking professional pays off.
• An obvious sense of self-confidence goes a LONG way.  Eye contact, a firm handshake, and body language say as much as any words coming out of your mouth.  Also, don't be afraid to be proud of your accomplishments.  Don't be cocky, but also graciously accept any compliments you receive.
• If your interviewer asks where else you're applying, answer...but otherwise it probably isn't a great idea to spend time talking about other schools.
• An interview is about the only time you'll have to informally talk about exactly why you're applying to Stanford (or whichever school you're interviewing for).  It's the best time to show that you've done your research, and to directly communicate why you are attracted to Stanford (or wherever) and why it is a good fit for you.  I talked about how I was keeping a very open mind about my college admissions, but that I knew that even if I didn't go to Stanford for my undergrad, that I'd definitely apply for grad school because of the wonderful reputation of their graduate biology and genetics programs.  That went a long way with my interviewer.

I'd never met my interviewer before that day.  He bought me a drink, and we sat down and talked for about an hour and a half.  Honestly, it didn't seem as long as it actually was.  I intruduced him to chai tea lattes, and he introduced me to TED (honestly, how did I not know about that before??????).  I shared with him my interests and outlook on life, and he smiled, took notes, and carried on a good conversation.  He said that he thought I'd be a perfect fit for Stanford.

I knew my interview had gone well, but I didn't know how well until much later.  My interviewer called me about a week after I'd gotten my acceptance letter to congratulate me.  At that point, he told me that out of the 5 students he'd interviewed, I was the only one that he recommended.  In addition, he felt so strongly that I should be admitted to Stanford, that he wrote an additional letter to the dean of admissions on my behalf.  Without that recommendation, I don't know if I would have been accepted.

Moral of the story, say yes to college interviews!  You never know how much impact a positive first impression can have. :)

The Application

The first step of getting in to Stanford is applying.  So let's talk about that application!

First, let me share a little bit of my experience with the application.  I will be the first to admit that I'm not a writer.  I like science and numbers.  And above all, I love speaking.  If I'm going to get my ideas out, I'd prefer to do it face to face.  However with college applications, there isn't much of a choice.  Secondly, I'm a procrastinator.  Big time.  I honest to god arrived at my friend's New Year's party at 11:59 because I was submitting college applications.  I didn't finish and submit the Stanford application until the next evening, just hours before it was due.  In fact, I wasn't even entirely certain that I was going to finish it.  But I did, thank God.  Personally, I found the hardest part of the application was crafting rich and meaningful essays that fit in the spaces provided...I always write long essays and papers, so my personal challenge was paring down my essays so they fit in the online forms without being truncated.

The Common App (commonapp.org) is definitely the way to go when applying to Stanford (I actually don't know if you can apply without using the common app.  Anywho...everything was online, and I only had to fill out my personal and extracirricular information once for all the schools that I was applying to, and then I completed an additional supplement form for each application.  Sweet and time saving deal.

Now, onto the actual content of the application.  Much of it is pretty standart--possible major, test scores, information about extracirricular involvement, some family information, etc.  The essay questions are obviously the most work intensive portion, and require the most thought.  There were two essays that went along with the common app, and the rest were part of the Stanford supplement.  Here are the essays questions, their lenght parameters, and a little bit about what I wrote about for each.

Common App Short Essay: Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracirricular activities in the space below.  (1000 character maximum)
I wrote about my experiences in 4-H! :)

The main common app essay has 6 choices to choose from:
1. Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.
This is the one I chose.  I wrote about my experiences with my dogs--how showing and breeding shaped me as a person, and inspired my academic and career goals.
2. Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.
3. Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.
4. Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence.
5. A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.
6. Topic of your choice.

Stanford Supplement

The Stanford Supplement first asks for a little additional personal information (Social Security #, whether you have ever applied before, regular/early decision, and whether you have any siblings also applying.

Next, there were several questions that simply asked you to list some of your preference in a couple lines (no need to use full sentences).  All have a maximum of 300 characters.
Name your favorite books, authors, films, and/or musical artists.
What newspapers, magazines, and/or websites do you enjoy?
What is the most significant challenge that society faces today?
How did you spend your last two summers?
What were your favorite events (e.g., performances, exhibits, sporting events, etc.) this past year?
What historical moment or event do you wish you could have witnessed?
What five words best describe you?

Then, there were the short essays...at least 250 words, but not exceeding the space provided (2000 characters).
Stanford students possess an intellectual vitality. Reflect on an idea or experience that has been important to your intellectual development.
I wrote about my experiences at Lac du Bois (French camp, part of the Concordia Language Villages), and how it not only helped me grow lingually, but shaped my cultual outlook.

Virtually all of Stanford's undergraduates live on campus. Write a note to your future roommate that reveals something about you or that will help your roommate - and us - know you better.
I framed this essay around my Facebook profile.  I stated how important I believe the pictues on someone's profile are, and described some of the most important moments and pictures on my profile.  I went on to talk about how Facebook, more than just being a biography and a photo album, is a way to connect people, and how I couldn't wait to connect with m roommate!

What matters to you, and why?
I reworked a speach I'd written on scholarship for my school's NHS induction.  I talked about how keen intellect and academic curiosity not only benefits the individual scholar, but also society as a whole.

The rest of the supplement is pretty simple stuff.  They ask you to list all the alumni in your family (I didn't have any, don't worry.  It doesn't seem very important), agree to the honor code, and agree to the additional instructions.  And that's it!

Good luck to anyone who may be a future member of Stanford '17...I believe that you can start your application in about a month!