Rayan28,
Stanford
B.S., Chemical Engineering
An international student attending Stanford University
Features Included
17
Essays
11
Schools
1
Scores
3
Advice
6
ECs
0
Sports
Background
Hometown
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
GenderMale
EthnicityWhite Non-Hispanic
Class of2022
First Gen College StudentNo
Results, Essays, and Advice
Accepted
Waitlisted or Withdrew
Denied
-
Tap/click a school logo above to view essays and advice specific to that school.
Stanford University (Stanford, CA)
Applied for a B.S. in Chemical Engineering
Accepted and Enrolled Legacy: NoSchool Specific Essays
Personal Statement635 WordsChildhood memory, Development of personal values, Family background, Family member’s disability, Overcoming personal struggle, Story central to identityWould my family be a sitcom or a soap opera? If there is any phrase I could use to describe my family life, it would be the "domino effect." A problem or a spark would ignite a fire that would engulf our whole existence. It all started with my birth. While I was lucky to come into the world easily, my twin brother did not have that privilege. He incurred birth defects, one of which cost him nerve control and...Read more...Personal Statement269 WordsArt/acting/singing, Childhood memory, Interest in fine arts, Interest in med/sci/math, Interest in tech/engineering, One moment that changed youHow do you start solving a science/math problem? Most might suggest writing variables or equations, citing units, and all that jazz. But me, being a rebel, choose to sketch a diagram. Funny how that physics and math, epitomes of experimental sciences, actually incorporated some artistic qualities to me. It all started when I was 5; I was sad on my first day at preschool and missing my mother. But when the arts period came, this sadness faded away. My first...Read more...Personal Statement302 WordsChildhood memory, Interest in med/sci/math, Interest in tech/engineering, One moment that changed you, Summer experienceHard pages, fresh ink odor, those were the characteristics of my 12th birthday gift. Throughout childhood, I was infatuated with science. Thinking back, I don't quite remember how this infatuation came about. Was it my obsession with sci-fi films and TV shows? The reverence I somehow held in regards to scientists? I don't know but my entire family knew of this infatuation. For that I got the 600 pages Science Encyclopedia as my birthday present. I spent the following days unraveling...Read more...Personal Statement341 WordsDevelopment of personal values, Extracurricular passion, Interest in med/sci/math, Interest in tech/engineering, Leadership experience, Volunteer/public interest workThroughout high school I felt privileged to be bilingual in Arabic and English. While I used this knowledge to help my classmates with homework and such, I never really applied it on a large scale. That was, until my senior year in high school when I was approached by my teacher to become the main translator for the Afaaq Academic Future Program, which aims to introduce students to the different majors and courses at King Saud University. The position required...Read more...Personal Statement302 WordsChildhood memory, Development of personal values, Family background, Family member’s disability, Overcoming personal struggle, Story central to identitySome people might say college would be their biggest challenge, but I say, bring it on! I have faced plenty of challenges, and I am not afraid. Despite being born to an upper middle-class family, we faced our fair share of setbacks. It got to the point where I started to wonder if I were somehow transported into a soap opera. Each time things started getting brighter, darkness struck out of nowhere. My twin brother was born with serious birth...Read more...Personal Statement547 WordsChildhood memory, Development of personal values, Family background, Family member’s disability, Role model/inspiration, Your sibling’s storyWhy is my brother so different from me, even though we are twins? That question haunted me at five years old. I came home from school each day to the typical sight of my twin brother playing silently on the floor with his toys. One time, however, he was not alone. Behind him stood my mother with an expression of heartbreak and anguish on her face, tears dripping down her cheeks. I confronted her the following morning. After some hesitation,...Read more...Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school262 WordsDear Roommate, While I have not met you, I am certain of one thing, whether you are from Nigeria or Sweden, Canada or Russia, Pakistan or Israel, you will still become my best friend. In fact, I hope you are from a place as different as can be, as only being different from you will make me realize our similarities. As roommates, there a few things we should get out of the way. Firstly, me being a neat-freak will either...Read more...Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school255 WordsWords, how magnificent are they? So trivial yet so important, so basic yet so complex, so harmless yet so fatal. Words can bring down a nation or build it, raise a child or kill him, and inspire love or hatred. Words can mean hell or solace, peace or war, life or death. We imprison words in our sentences, only to have them imprison us for life. We put them in the back of our memory for years, only to have...Read more...Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school262 WordsWhat is the earth’s greatest mystery? Volcanoes? Hurricanes? Or white rice? Growing up, white rice was a favorite of mine. I observed my mother making it countless times, and then one time it hits me at 8 years old. Why and how do hard rice grains turn into fluffy goodness? My first course of action to answer that question was to do an experiment. I heated water at an electric kettle without letting it boil, boiling water is scary stuff...Read more...Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school313 WordsHow can an “Ice” turn into a “curtain” and finally evolve to a “chosen one”? That question is central to my upbringing. During elementary school, I was a quiet and shy child that didn’t talk or show any facial expressions, thus dubbed “Ice” due to this cold demeanor. This ice somehow turned into a curtain in middle school. Probably because it grew bangs that looked like curtains, and evolved finally to a “chosen one” in high school. “chosen one”...Read more...Supplemental Essay: “Why us” school essay318 WordsI was a mosquito of a child. Light, mankind’s oldest, and, probably, most vital form of energy is present everywhere. We however don’t think much about it. Light intrigued me as a child, “how did it work?” I would wonder until reading one of my first ever science books about its discovery. After reading about light, I was further drawn into it like a mosquito, literally and figuratively. However, I also became interested in other areas such health...Read more...Supplemental Essay: Extracurricular activity156 WordsThe Afaaq Academic Future Program (AAFP) proved to be the most rewarding experience I have participated in. In it I was able to utilize my bilingualism to help my classmates find their passions. I had to stand next to foreign faculty in front of a crowd and translate their lectures. It wasn’t easy, but the look on my classmates’ faces made it all worth it. Not only did that experience help me hone my presentation and public speaking skills,...Read more...Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school342 WordsThroughout high school I felt privileged to be bilingual in Arabic and English. While I used this knowledge to help my classmates with homework and such, I never really applied it on a large scale. That was, until my senior year in high school when I was approached by my teacher to become the main translator for the Afaaq Academic Future Program, which aims to introduce students to the different majors and courses at King Saud University. The position required...Read more...Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school258 WordsWhat is the earth's greatest mystery? Volcanoes? Oceans? Or white rice? Growing up, white rice was a favorite of mine. I observed my mother making it countless times, and then one time it hits me at 8 years old. Why and how do hard rice grains turn into fluffy goodness? My first course of action to answer that question was to do an experiment. I heated water at an electric kettle without letting it boil, boiling water is scary stuff for...Read more...Supplemental Essay: Other303 WordsSome people might say college would be their biggest challenge, but I say, bring it on! I have faced plenty of challenges, and I am not afraid. Despite being born to an upper middle-class family, we faced our fair share of setbacks. It got to the point where I started to wonder if I were somehow transported into a soap opera. Each time things started getting brighter, darkness struck out of nowhere. My twin brother was born with serious birth...Read more...Supplemental Essay: “Why us” school essay95 WordsPurdue's current 130 research institutes will provide the breadth of learning I want to pursue. From the Center for Offshore Foundation and Energy Management (COFFEE) to the Purdue Energetic Research Center to the Bindley Bioscience Center, I cannot wait to explore all the research taking place in there and would be honored to work with such distinguished faculty. Outside of the classroom, by utilizing Purdue's almost 1000 organizations, I intend to enrich my college experience. I am especially interested in the Alpha...Read more...Supplemental Essay: Intellectual interest93 WordsChemistry, Math, Physics. Those were all subjects that intrigued me. Throughout childhood, I developed an infatuation with science and math. I don't know how it started but my family noticed it right away. They started buying me science books. From the development of radio to the formation of volcanoes, I loved unraveling every subject of those. High school marked my transition into experimental sciences. Upon my work in the Afaaq Academic Future Program, I discovered my passion for chemical engineering....Read more...Supplemental Essay: “Why us” school essay285 WordsWhile it is said that “school is your second home,” I never felt the sense of belonging in my high school. Sure, I had friends, but I didn’t have anyone to discuss Les Misérables with. The most diverse experience I had in my high school was a Syrian themed party, and we barely did any lab work for most classes. I was always either mocked or praised for reading foreign literature, with some going as far as saying...Read more...Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school385 WordsYou wouldn’t know my whole character. the weird habits I have, some which come in handy, such as cleaning things to distress myself, there is just something so soothing about wiping away stains off dishes and seeing them shine. My mom can’t stop thanking god for the application process, thanks to it our house never looked this clean in years. You wouldn’t know about how I tend to ¬¬sing self-deprecating phrases whenever I do something wrong, even...Read more...Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school258 Words
You’re showing us your “ability to do” in this application. Please describe also how you apply your “powers to things needed to be done.” Explain why you want to joiThroughout high school, I felt privileged to be bilingual in Arabic and English. While I utilized this knowledge to help my classmates with homework and such, I never really applied it on a bigger scale. This changed in my senior year, I was chosen by my teacher to be the main translator for the Afaaq Academic Future Program, a program that aims to introduce students to the different majors at King Saud University. The position required me to stand in...Read more...Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school512 WordsWhy is my brother so different from me, even though we are twins? That question haunted me at five. I came home from school each day to the typical sight of my twin brother playing silently with toys. Once, however, he was not alone. Behind him stood my mother with an expression of heartbreak and anguish on her face, tears dripping down her cheeks. I confronted her the following morning. After some hesitation, she finally gave me the full story....Read more...Supplemental Essay: Unique question posed by school304 WordsI come from a world far away, where women can finally drive, and the people drink crude oil for breakfast. Jokes aside, this stereotype, while holding some truth, is to no surprise, quite extreme. While I was blessed to be born to a slightly upper middle class family, this blessing had its hardships. To be truthful, I faced plenty of those in my life, enough that I started to wonder if I was transported into a 60s drama. Just when...Read more...School Specific Advice
More Essays
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General Admissions Advice
Did you take a gap year? Tell us about your experience.126 WordsMy gap year was part of the KAUST Gifted Student Program Scholarship and constituted taking uncredited college level classes in UC Berkeley. I was afraid that colleges would look down upon me for taking a gap year, but...Read more...How I narrowed down my essay topics122 WordsTry to think of what you want college admission officiers to know about you and what would set you apart from other applicants. It helps if you're already very passionate in something and want to show that...Read more...What I’d change about my application process356 WordsOverall, I am not regretful of my application process, as I got into my dream school (Stanford). However, there were a few things which I would advise other applicants to steer away from: 1- Don't neglect your essays! they are incredibly important, especially if you're applying to a top 15 school. Get comments and feedback on them, show them to your instructors, family members, and close friends. I spent 3 weeks perfecting my Stanford essays, while my classmate who had perfect scores and more impressive credentials than me spent a few days on it. I got in and he got rejected. Don't...Read more...High School Performance
Weighted GPA4.00(equivalent to 4.00 unweighted)RankTop 1%
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