Stanford Supp. essay "Not quite an enigma"

College Essays
1

<p>Prompt: Virtually all of Stanford’s undergraduates live on campus. What would you want your future roommate to know about you? Tell us something about you that will help your future roommate – and us – know you better.</p>

<p>I am an enigma. I wish I was cool and mysterious enough to describe myself in such a way. I’ve spent too much of my time learning inane tidbits that will undoubtedly serve no purpose in my future. Did you know emus can blink sideways? Well I do. The only benefit to such knowledge is an uncanny advantage in Trivial Pursuit. I love politics, but hate debating on them. Politics are one of the many things that people simply never change their opinion on, no matter how skillfully you craft your rhetoric. I don’t fight battles I know I can’t win. I am proud to say that I am a morning person. I am sympathetic for those that feel the need to lie in bed, mercilessly smashing the snooze button for a few more precious minutes of sleep. I love watching stand-up comedy, and I love short jokes that I can quote to my friends. I enjoy reading, but I’m not a big fan of vampires that sparkle, or magical teens with lightning-shaped scars. I enjoy crime dramas, but constantly gripe about how unrealistic they are. My favorite questions are those without an answer. I like watching street magicians, and pointing out their tricks. I tell myself I’m a good singer, as I abuse the nonexistent eardrums of my showerhead or car stereo. I’m a bit claustrophobic, which may prove problematic if the rumors I’ve heard about dormitory sizes are true. I’m a master of Sudoku, but I can’t play more than one game at a time; it gets unbearably boring. I don’t like poetry simply because the quality of a poem is often equated with how difficult it is to understand the point. I feel that too many people don’t live life to the fullest. My philosophy is this: if life gives you lemons, don’t just make lemonade. Try to find something even better.</p>

<p>I feel that the biggest problem is there isn’t really enough to connect it all together. Agree/Disagree? Any feedback helps.</p>

2

<p>My biggest issue with it is the fact that I can tell that this is a college admissions essay rather than something you would actually write to a future roommate. </p>

<p>Ask yourself, if I was admitted to Stanford and had to write this essay “for real”, would it be this? Perhaps it would, but to me I feel like it isn’t simple/direct enough. This essay should be insanely easy. Be honest, is all. No need to wow them with rhetoric.</p>

3

<p>I 100% agree with the previous poster.</p>

<p>Furthermore, I think you should actually WRITE to a real roommate. If you’re having issues with this… and have some time to kill… act as if you are your perfect roommate and write to you. That will give you practice focusing on one issue and draw it out.</p>

<p>At the end, don’t forget that it is still a college admissions essay, so whatever few things you choose to tell your roommate, make sure they reflect you in a positive college-admissiony light.</p>