ProjectStanford

Ok, so i first fell in love with this school one year ago when i worked with a Political Science professor during the summer. The campus, the academics, the facilities - everything suits my needs and desires. Now that i am of the age to apply, I am seeking reassurance: will i get in, and should i apply early decision (restrictive)?

Here are some of my stats/extra-curric:
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G.P.A/Courses

10th Grade:
Course Title:1st sem grade/2nd sem grade
Graphics Com: A/A
US. Hist: A-/A
English: B+/A-
Int. French: B+/A-
Int. PreCalc: B+/B+
Int. Chem: B+/B+

10th Grade G.P.A: 3.64 (I know this is low for stanford)

11th Grade:
Course Title:1st sem grade/2nd sem grade
GraphicsC: A/A
U.S Hist 2: A/A
CompGovt: A-/A
English: A-/A-
Int French: A-/A-
Int Physics: A-/A
Int Calculus: B+/B

G.P.A: 3.72

Standardized Test:
SAT: 2100 - 690 C.R, 690 Math, 720 Writing
SAT (2nd Time) - Est. 2150-2230

Math 2C: 740
U.S History: 700
Literature: 730

APS: All 5s - AB calc, U.S Hist, World Hist, English,

Extra Currics:

Varsity Soccer: 10th, 11th, 12th
Varsity Tennis: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th (Captain 11th,12th)
Model U.N: 10th, 11th, 12th (President 11th, 12th)
Acapella: 10th, 11th, 12th,
H.S Chorus: 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
Met. Opera Children's Chorus: 6th,7th,8th, 9th,
Hospital Work: 9th, 10th (200 Hours)
Internship w/Prof (Stanford): Summer of softmore year
Internship w/Prof (Columbia): Summer of Junior year
Think Quest Nat'l Website Comp: 4th Place 8th Grade, 3rd Place 9th Grade,

Other Information:

Ethnicity: Iranian
Languages Spoken: Fluent : English, French, Farsi
Functional: German


Thank you for your time and consideration!
-Darius

FresnoMom

What makes you stand out in the pack? What are you going to write your essays on?

hookem168

Well, I like the fact that you're an URM. And that you're fluent in 3 languages, functional in 4.

Otherwise, your GPA and SAT scores are mediocre :/

ProjectStanford

I definately have some unique qualities; namely, my ethnicity and extra curriculars. I have an excellent essay planned - i mean excellent (its about my last performance at the metropolitan opera, singing next to Luciano Pavarotti and forgetting my lines!) and phenomenal teacher recomendations. I also attended the EPGY (educational program for gifted youth) at Stanford last year. Finally, my summer job this year is truly exceptional - i am working with Columbia grad students on a logitudinal oral history research project on September 11th. 240 kids applied for 3 spots (most were columbia grad students/or undergrad students), and i was selected. I expect to get a really good recomendation out of this from the professor im working with at columbia.

BTW: What does "URM" mean?

Thanks for your advice guys!

Techy233

ProjectStanford, - a URM is an underrepresented minority; namely, Hispanics, blacks, and Native Americans. They're the most sought-out groups in college admissions, although I think that being Iranian qualifies you as "Caucasian." (correct me if I'm wrong, I believe I read this somewhere) Get that SAT to a 2250+ (your SAT II Lit and IIC scores make me believe that you can definitely improve the CR and M sections) Perhaps you can get a strong rec from the Stanford prof you worked with. You also seem to have a few strong ECs, MAKE THEM STAND OUT. GPA is low, but with enough personality and strong recommendations (and a slightly higher SAT score you seem def. capable of pulling off) I'd say you have solid chances.

docketgold

This is just my own personal theory - and I have nothing other than my own gut on which to base this - but I think being varsity athlete in high school can give you a leg up on admissions. Playing team sports or being a captain of a team is gravy.

I don't exactly know why this is. I think it has something to do with the fact that playing a sport sponsored by your high school is something almost every applicant has a shot at doing, it's a pretty similar time/energy commitment no matter where you come from, and it's something they're familiar with and can relate to. When you say you played varsity thus-and-such, it isn't something that needs a whole of explaining. You can list awards you won, successes you led your team to, but at the end of the day you don't have to walk them through the nuts and bolts of whatever it is you were doing. They either know how to play the sport or the person sitting next to them will.

A lot of the stuff people have on their applications - while impressive - requires a lot of context and explanation for true depth of commitment an applicant had in that activity to come through. Similarly, a lot of stuff can sound legit, but in reality isn't much more impressive than tying your own shoes. Once you get outside the realm of the known EC's, you have to prove so much to the AO's about what it is your doing you have very little/if any time left to impress on them your passion, etc. for that activity.

Because sports don't have, or have to a much lesser degree, the above problems, I think they're a big advantage. Bigger than most people give them credit for.

I'd put 5 bucks on you getting in.

ProjectStanford

Thank you guys, i appreciate your advice and support. I think it would be helpful to list the other schools i am applying to just to give you a better grasp of who i am as a student:

By Preference:

Stanford - Restrictive early action
Yale
Princeton
Columbia
UPenn
Dartmouth
UChicago
Georgetown
Johns Hopkins
Tufts

Both of my parents went to G-town, so that is somewhat of a safety. Otherwise, as you can see, my list is pretty ambitious - no harvard though haha.

llpitch

You need safeties. NEED them.

amciw

Yes, techinically, Iranian is Caucasian. Iranians are Aryan, after all.

slipper1234

Assuming a 2200:

Stanford - Restrictive early action: High Reach
Yale: High Reach
Princeton: High Reach
Columbia: Reach
UPenn: Reach
Dartmouth: Reach
UChicago: Slight Reach
Georgetown: High Match
Johns Hopkins: Slight Reach
Tufts: High Match/ Slight Reach

I would add some more matches and safeties just to be safe.

ProjectStanford

What safeties do you guys suggest? Should i consider UCLA or UC Berkley for example - I looked at them and thought the campuses were quite nice?

Also, there's no way Iranian is considered Caucasian - one thing i've been told by everyone is that my ethnicity will help me - which certainly wouldnt be the case if Iranian was considered Caucasian.

By the way, just to give you a little bit more information about me:

Hook: Excellent/ Very Strong (Discussed above)
Essays: Excellent / Very Strong
School: Private / Sends apprx 30 of 119 to Ivy League Schools
8 Last year to Yale, 2 to Stanford, 7 to Brown 8 to Williams, 3 to Harvard, 2 to Princeton rest i dont know...

docketgold

You can consider Iranian whatever the hell you want. You can even call yourself African if you so choose. But you're not a URM.

ProjectStanford

Wow that's brutally honest, but i thank you for your advice above. Anyway, I spoke with an admissions officer (from Columbia) today, and she told me that i should definitely list my Iranian ethnicity in the "other" category. So =P

slipper1234

Still won't count as URM though. Might help a "little" but its not going to help that much. Don't depend on it.

Cervantes

I'm pretty sure Iranian will get a boost, especially considering *some* people's xenophobia about Muslims, but don't count on it being anything dramatic other than you getting a little nudge when compared to a similarly qualified applicant. I'll be brutally honest. There's nothing academically about you that is special. Your grades are middling for Stanford and your test scores are in the bottom half. What is special about you, is some of your experiences and extracurriculars (Post 4). This unique combination of extracurriculars coupled with an excellent essay may just lead you to admission from Stanford. You are very unique. Use that to your advantage, though don't overplay it in a cheesy way.