<p>I think at a place like Stanford, alot of it really comes down to the essays. All the applicants (or the seriously considered ones) are going to have rigorous course loads, tons of extracurriculars, etc. It really comes down to how well you market yourself in your essays. Not by showing that you are accomplished, but by showing Stanford that you are a unique individual who will add something to the college that no other individual they have looked at possibly could add. I think it’s an incredibly hard thing to do, but probably one of the most important.</p>