<p>Just curious.</p>
<p>nope. but that’d be cool.</p>
<p>that would suck…</p>
<p>^
Why? I mean, you’re supposed to be writing to your roommate after all. Unless you’re lying about your personality in order to get in, why would having it read by who it was addressed to “suck”?</p>
<p>Looking back at my letter, I would seem very authoritative and if I were reading it, I’d be kinda put-off by myself and I wouldn’t be sure how to act. Essentially, it would just be awkward knowing that my roommate would have a list full of demands from me, even if the housing department matched us “as they saw fit.” I would much rather have that letter undisclosed in order to prevent something like that happening. After all, housing is a learning experience and no matter how real you were when filling out the application, there’s still plenty of things you don’t know about yourself when it comes down to living with someone.</p>
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<p>That’s interesting, justadream92–I hadn’t considered that. When I wrote mine, I did it with the expectation that the letters might actually be shared after move-in, and I included lots of humor so my roommate would know what my sense of humor is like. I kept it honest for sure though, so I hope I get a great match.</p>
<p>I see … but wait, is this for the actual Stanford application, like a supplement? Or for the housing application after you’re a frosh?</p>
<p>This is part of the Stanford supplement.</p>
<p>Okay, that changes my perspective a little, even though I’d be honest regardless. Just sell your personality. I didn’t have a supplement like that when I applied, but it would be interesting if they used that for your housing app if you were to be admitted (still not in favor of it). I was very cut and dry when I wrote my housing app essay and wanted to get right to the point of what I would like in a roomie and what I would dislike, while also describing my sleeping patterns and social habits. I would imagine that for a supplement, you would want to write in an artistic and unique fashion because at the end of the day, you’re trying to get admitted. It’s slightly different when applying for housing and getting matched with a roommate.</p>
<p>^justadream, the “write a letter to your roommate” question definitely was part of the Stanford Supplement for the Class of 2014, and I believe it has been for several years now. (That’s the one I was talking about, rather than the housing app questions, when I said I’d used lots of humor and wouldn’t mind at all if my roommate got a copy.)</p>
<p>Okay. Now I remember that it said something along the lines of “what would you want your roommate to know about you.” I disregarded the “write a letter” bit and initially thought the OP was referring to housing. Just points of clarity.</p>
<p>Did they change it this year? Because I think they want it to be specifically addressed to your roomate (and I assumed it was as such in previous years).</p>
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<p>I know many 2014 admits who didn’t want their roommates to read their roommate essays and wrote completely different things in their housing applications. Personally, I wouldn’t have wanted my roommate to read my essay either. It’s not that it’s contrived or fake, but it’s just that your appeal to adcoms isn’t really the same as your appeal to your fellow peers. You wouldn’t speak the same way to your teacher as you would to your friends, and college applications aren’t terribly different IMO. The ethos is just too different.</p>
<p>And yes, I think they changed it. I didn’t address mine specifically to my roommate, but rather referred to him in 3rd person (“he should know that…”). Had I seen that prompt, I would have definitely referred to him in 2nd person.</p>