Value of Research in Admissions?

Colleges & Universities Stanford University
1

<p>Stanford is my dream school. I go to an early college high school so I’ve been taking general biology at my local community college. My professor let me take on an ecological research project, which entails 10 months of fieldwork being published in 2 scientific papers. Assuming I have the average stats for Stanford (2200+ SAT, valedictorian, 4.0 uw GPA, extensive volunteering and EC’s, etc.) to what extent does this research help my chances of admission? I don’t want Stanford for the prestige. I have a passion for research and its research opportunities are unparalleled elsewhere. I’m trying to get in a lab at UH or Rice this summer (I live in the Houston area). I plan on doing similar research with my general chemistry professor next year, and an summer research program the summer before I apply. So does research help or should I stop dreaming?</p>

2

<p>Stanford clearly states that they DO NOT want students to send in any extra stuff like research paper. The most selective college of the country doesn’t want to overwhelm themselves with tons of paper from students trying to show off. Unless your research are well recognized and world-changing results, they do not care. Many students do research and join activity just to get into the prestigious schools. Honestly, if you are among that type of students, you are wasting your time and will likely get rejected like other 97%. Stanford looks for students with passion and drives. They can tell just from reading your essays so I suggest you to do what you actually love and passionate about. DO NOT do things just to gain admission officer’s interest. Visit the Result forum on CC and you can see thousands of qualified students (captain of multiple clubs, research with top professors, etc…) were rejected. </p>

3

<p>Can’t even ask an honest question nowadays without being berated about passion. I clearly wrote I’m passionate about research. I want to be a researcher someday. I don’t know ANYONE who has gone to a remotely good school. My high school is just now graduating its founding class. I’m just trying to get an idea of admissions at Stanford.</p>

4

<p>@impactechs. If you enjoy research…do it with gusto. Don’t mind the above individual. You can still write about your research in one of your essays or in the supplemental of the Common App…</p>

<p>…what is interesting is…one can never tell whether Stanford will accept a student who shows dedicated passion in learning…while doing some type of research at the local community college or high school without ever winning a competition vs the winner of INTEL or some other Olympiad competitions…it is that intangible they look for…called intellectual vitality!</p>

<p>…so keep doing what you are doing because it is who you ARE…not just to get into Stanford…and it will all work out. Hope this helps.</p>

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<p>@gravitas2. Thank you. That was very helpful.</p>

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<p>@impactechs. You are welcome. And please read through this concise overview of what they are looking for…</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.stanford.edu/dept/uga/basics/selection/index.html”>http://www.stanford.edu/dept/uga/basics/selection/index.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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7

<p>OP - to second @gravitas2…</p>

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<li> Do it because you like it.</li>
<li> That will show through in your some of your essays (there is one just on intellectual vitality) as well as your EC list. But don’t have all your essays talk about that one aspect.</li>
<li> They don’t want you to send them a paper as was stated earlier, but, you can send in one additional recommendation - that can obviously come from that prof. If you build a good relationship with the prof and s/he strongly supports you, then you should sit down with them and explain how important a quality recommendation is (e.g. they may not know how competitive admissions are now a days and may not realize they have to write a super recommendation).</li>
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