For Stanford, I was so lucky enough to interview Arielle! She gives AMAZING answers that are so thorough and the story of her acceptance letter was so inspiring! She also told me that if you need any help or have any questions, contact her at ariellew@stanford.edu, she'd be happy to talk about Stanford life and offer her essay revision services! Thank you so much Arielle!
How would you describe the weather at Stanford? Does it frequently snow? What would advise students to bring when coming to Stanford?
"Stanford is in sunny Northern California, so it doesn't snow at any time of the year here! However, don't let the California tag fool you – it can get quite chilly here, especially at night (4-10°C). We tend to have a rainy season during Winter Quarter, so I'd definitely recommend bringing one heavy rain coat and an umbrella. Fall Quarter tends to feel like a warm Spring and Spring Quarter will feel like a summer– so don't forget your bathing suit...we like to jump in the fountains here!"
What makes this school so special to you? Was it your first choice and your dream school?
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"I'll start with the second question and will admit that Stanford was my absolute first choice/dream school. I'm from Long Beach, a city in Southern California, and wanted to leave home to get the "full college experience" but didn't want to go so far that I would get homesick. I applied to a bunch of UC's that were due before Stanford REA and got into Stanford before I had to turn in my Ivy League applications. I was satisfied with Stanford, so I decided not to apply anywhere else after the fact ¯\_(ツ)_/¯."
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"To the first question, it is impossible to imagine Stanford and other elite peer institutions past their undeniable prestige–and the fact that it was the #1 school in the world, I knew that I would want to study there. But honestly, what makes the prestige is the access to literally, unlimited academic and social resources. It's hard to explain, but you have no idea what don't have access to, until you suddenly do. (Example: Stanford students have free access to any academic journal in existence & faculty that have usually written the theories behind much of what you learn here. I once had a lecturer that worked as a US Ambassador under the Obama Administration!). While this is amazing in itself, the real thing that makes Stanford special is the people. I know it's cliche, but everyone here is truly remarkable in ways beyond academics–the people make the tough times here sufferable."
What was your reaction when you opened your acceptance letter?
"I remember it like it was yesterday...mostly because I recorded my reaction! I remember receiving the email about the decision on the way home, but waited to open it until I got to my desk at home. My parents were nearby (I don't think they wanted to stress me out by standing behind me, lol) and when I read that "Congratulations!" I immediately started screaming and crying tears of complete joy. I remember posting about in social media that night and receiving so much love from my community. I think the best part about the experience was the RELIEF and validation that my 12 years of hard work did actually pay off– it was an emotional roller coaster to say the least."
Personally, would you recommend morning or night classes?
"Night classes aren't widely available here, most classes are 1 or 2 hour intervals between 9:30AM and 5:30PM. If you can avoid it your first year...save the 9:30AM classes for later! I know everyone thinks they'll be able to just get up and do their thing every morning like they did in high school, but trust me– It's better to take a later class and actually attend all the sessions than to take an early class and end up skipping out on most of them! I like do be done with class by 4:30PM (or earlier if possible) so I'm a fan of classes that start at 10:30AM. Those classes give me enough time to wake up, workout and have a good breakfast, while feeling like I'm still using the most of my day!"
What is one important advice you would give to juniors applying to college this fall? Should they focus on their stats, extracurriculars, or their college essays?
"I'll put it to you this way: You have a section to list your stats, extracurriculars, and academic awards for a reason. If you spend your essays rehashing these things to the admissions officer, you are wasting the opportunity to show Stanford who you are outside of your work and accomplishments. The essays are the ONLY place where you have the chance to express who you are as a human being and who you will be as a student on campus– and that is how you differentiate yourself from the rest of the pack. Have competitive standardized test scores, GPA, and take advantage of the challenging course load that you have available to you– but don't stress if you don't have the "perfect" numbers. Realize that officers will evaluate what you've accomplished within the context of what you had available to you, so use the essays to display your resiliency in the midst of challenges or what is behind your motivation to excel. Shortly after I received my acceptance– I also received a handwritten note from my admissions officer in the mail saying that my personal essays were some of the best he's ever read. I don't say this just to brag, but to highlight that well-crafted essays will separate you from the pack!"