I share a laboratory with an old Volvo station wagon, discarded lumber, and a family of daddy longlegs. My garage is a home within a home. Two pale fluorescent tube lights hum and glow, illuminating layers of plastic shavings and steel dust coating the floor and countertops. Thumbtacks pin penciled drafts and diagrams of boats, cars, and cannons to the unfinished walls. Their physical counterparts lay hidden away in stained cardboard boxes stacked high to the ceiling. I spend hours...

Stanford students possess an intellectual vitality. Reflect on an idea or experience that has been important to your intellectual development. I struggled against the imminent silence. As I talked and clicked through a PowerPoint presentation about design theory at the Digital Art and Design Club’s first meeting, I glanced around the room and found that my words were falling flat. Though I remained painfully composed, my heart sank. I trudged through the last slides and ended the lesson. Despite...

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. Hey roommate! Sorry for the mess. I’m usually pretty organized, but I had to leave in a hurry to pick up some stuff I left back in San Jose. Grab a few folders and bins if you need them to get set up! I don’t mind sharing...

What matters to you, and why? Whenever I travel downtown, I pass by a clinic called the Manila Dental Center. I’ve never stepped foot inside, but I always notice the logo on the signage they have out front. It’s composed of a large, red, rounded “M” with a yellow “D” and backwards green “C” nestled beneath its apertures. It’s rather cramped and nothing much about it says “dentistry”. This unfortunate mess could be solved by simply forming...

(Stanford short answers) Name your favorite books, authors, films, and/or artists. (50 word limit) Books: Catch-22 – Joseph Heller, Cat’s Cradle – Kurt Vonnegut, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl Films: 2001: A Space Odyssey, Interstellar, Fargo, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Pan’s Labyrinth, Exit Through the Gift Shop, Jiro Dreams of Sushi Musical artists: The Strokes, Portugal. The Man, The Shins, Nujabes, Streetlight Manifesto What newspapers, magazines, and/or websites do you enjoy? (50 word limit) Magazines: National Geographic, The...

Please submit a one page, single-spaced essay that explains why you have chosen Carnegie Mellon and your particular major(s), department(s) or program(s). This essay should include the reasons why you’ve chosen the major(s), any goals or relevant work plans and any other information you would like us to know. For freshmen applying to more than one college or program, please mention each college or program to which you are applying. Because our admission committees review...

(UC Prompt, Topic also used for ApplyTexas Prompt C) Describe the world you come from — for example, your family, community or school — and tell us how your world has shaped your dreams and aspirations. I share a laboratory with an old Volvo station wagon, discarded lumber, and a family of daddy longlegs. My garage is a home within a home. Two pale fluorescent tube lights hum and glow, illuminating layers of plastic shavings and steel dust coating the floor and...

(UC Prompt 2, Topic also used for ApplyTexas Prompt B) Tell us about a personal quality, talent, accomplishment, contribution or experience that is important to you. What about this quality or accomplishment makes you proud and how does it relate to the person you are? I struggled against the imminent silence. As I talked and clicked through a PowerPoint presentation about design theory at the Digital Art and Design Club’s first meeting, I glanced around the room and found that...

(ApplyTexas Prompt A) Describe a setting in which you have collaborated or interacted with people whose experiences and/or beliefs differ from yours. Address your initial feelings and how those feelings were or were not changed by this experience. When I was seven, I played militia man #2 in the 1st grade rendition of the American Revolution. (I wasn’t cut out for Patrick Henry.) In lieu of muskets, we held broomsticks, and paper hats substituted for tricornes. In the 6th...

In these essays, I focused mostly on my two main involvements: graphic design and Nerf blaster engineering. My passion for building and hands-on work demonstrated my ability to think about engineering problems. Graphic design heavily guided the concepts that used to unite a lot of the ideas in separate essays. I also recycled much of my essay content so I really only had to write about a few topics in order to complete all of these. I was straightforward with...

The best thing you can do to get a good recommendation is to participate in class. It allows the teacher to know more about your perspectives and...

Pursue whatever you interested in! If you want to learn how to code, travel around the nation, or read up...

I felt that I lacked the great volume of volunteer hours and leadership positions to be accepted into...

Stanford's location made me feel at home. The weather is fantastic all year long. It's...

The main factor in choosing colleges to apply to was financial aid. I live in California, so the most affordable choices were UCs. I also...

I did have to take out a few federal loans to pay for college. There are a lot more sources to...

My favorite course so far has been "How Stuff is Made", which is a mechanical engineering course focusing on manufacturing methods...

Currently, I'm involved in the Stanford Student Space Initiative, which is an amazing club for anyone...