Sample College Essays - Stanford:
Briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences.
I spend most of my time after school in my school’s robotics organization. The ability to work as a team and create a robot to compete from scratch is something very satisfyingwhile smiling and laughing with close friends. Through hard work and long hours, the organization has continued growing and progressing, becoming a top contender in the city. We often pitch in to order pizzas on the 4 hours or longer meetings on Saturdays. We not only build robots, but give back to the children of the community by helping out at the elementary and middle school level by volunteering at RoboCom, their competition., and hosting a “Noche de Ciencias”, a science night, to encourage children to enter STEM fields. The variety of events we participate in and activities we do as an organization makes me enjoy the stressful mechanical failuresand late nights I spend at school.
Name your favorite books, authors, films, and/or artists. (50 word limit)
I love reading and re-reading The Martian because it’s the perfect mix of witty remarks and science. Pulp Fiction is without a doubt the best film, no ifs, ands, or buts about it, the all-star cast, uniqueness of events and portrayal make it so memorable I’ve even memorized Ezekiel 25:17.
What newspapers, magazines, and/or websites do you enjoy? (50 word limit)
National Geographic provides easy to read, quick abstracts about new developments and discoveries like the space-time ripples and sister-planets. Engineering.com exposes me to the new advancements in engineering and solutions that are showing up all over the world. Both websites let me read up on relevant information to kill time.
What is the most significant challenge that society faces today? (50 word limit)
Overcoming ignorance is the most pressing challenge today. Many issues are created because individuals are ignorant rather than educated about other peoples’ ideas, culture, and opinions. Being knowledgeable about social issues would lead people to make rational and logical decisions, rather than impulsive decisions caused by the fear ignorance creates.
How did you spend your last two summers? (50 word limit)
I’ve spent my summers trying to improve myself by participating in 2 HOBY leadership conferences in 2015, a local and an international one, losing my voice in chants and bettering my leadership skills. This past summer I attended RYLA campwhichfocused on teamwork and was quite a work out.
What were your favorite events (e.g., performances, exhibits, competitions, conferences, etc.) in recent years? (50 word limit)
Basketball games allow me to express my competitive nature in a loud environment, often resulting in me losing my voice or being shushed by others.Watching the game, I am on the edge of my seat as it’s a quick paced game with amazing plays.
What historical moment or event do you wish you could have witnessed? (50 word limit)
I wish I could see the completion of the Great Pyramid of Giza. Witnessing the finished product of the first great engineering feat of the world and seeing the magnificence of the pyramid would inspire me to believe any project is possible with hard work and thorough planning.
What five words best describe you?
Affable
Reflective
Energizing
Bold
Competitive
Stanford students possess an intellectual vitality. Reflect on an idea or experience that has been important to your intellectual development. (100 to 250 words)
In high school, nervous freshman look up to the seniors often as role models for better or for worse and in my case, it was for the better. Alan Flores Lopez was the smartest hard-working and fun guy to be around; he was nerdy yet athletic, quiet but a chatter box, and he told me his secret. He broke many records at the school and district level, his genius was called unmatchable, and when I asked him if he thought anybody will break his record for highest SAT score, he said, “Yes… you can do it, if you work hard enough.” He let me know his secret, he told a little freshman how to top the smartest individual to walk those halls, all I had to do was work hard enough. It was simple, but implied so much more and went further than just getting a higher SAT score, it was the secret to being successful. I took his advice and got to work, I could have strolled through my classes, never studied and done only the bare minimum, but I wanted to work hard, I wanted to be like him but better. When it came time to take tests they weren’t his same exact tests, but I didn’t care, I had realized that beating his scores didn’t matter, it was reaching my goals and surpassing my own expectations by being the best version of myself I could be that matters, and that’s what I work on every day.
Virtually all of Stanford's undergraduates live on campus. Write a note to your future roommate that reveals something about you or that will help your roommate -- and us -- know you better. (100 to 250 words)
I often don’t spend much time at home as I am very active and try to do as many things as I can in a day before going to bed. Some days I might wake up and disappear until the evening because I’m either playing basketball in the rec center or hanging out with some new friends or tackling any activities the university and/or city has to offer, all of which my roommate will be invited to since I believe the more the merrier. But also, there are some days when I might not leave the room. I might have to study for an upcoming test or work on whatever work I have pending, or I might want to be lazy for a day and not get out of bed other than to get snacks. I was also raised watching movies and taught to appreciate great film classics, many of which I will re-watch and want to share with others, including my roommate. All in all, some days I will not visit the room, some days I will not leave, it all balances out to a usually even time spent in and out of the room. I like to share my experiences and culture, especially through food, and thus, I will share my Hispanic traditions and cuisine with my roommate as long as he has a healthy stomach to digest the chile.
What matters to you, and why? (100 to 250 words)
My family and friends always come first. I learned that there are certain obstacles that one will face, and sometimes, you won’t be able to do it alone. The family relationships and friendships that I have built mean more to me because of what they have done to me. They have given me comfort, support and sometimes a kick in the rear when needed. My friends have helped me overcome some family issues and my family has given me advice about troubles in friendships and although neither will be perfect, they will help you when you need them the most. My older sister fits in both categories, but I consider her friend first because of how close we became in our friend group, “The Krew”, and because friendships are optional and often stronger than family bonds that might be forced upon a person. Nevertheless both groups are invaluable to who I am today, their through difficult times made me value them more than anything. I know friendships might come and go, but on the journey of life I will never forget or depreciate those who helped me. I can only wish to repay them by showing them how much they matter to me. Without them I may not be here or might not be the person I am today.