Up until the summer of 2012, I was your typical teenage girl, with my main concern being my cell phone. Albeit, I was a good student and truly cared about my grades, but the rest of my cares were about my own needs. As a sophomore, I was asked to be part of Fund a Field, an organization whose main goal is to raise money to build soccer fields in unstable and poor regions of the world. At first, it was...

Stanford students possess an intellectual vitality. Reflect on an idea or experience that has been important to your intellectual development. (250 word limit.) What makes me stand out from all the other A+, 4.0 GPA valedictorians applying to Stanford? All of my life, I’ve been ahead of my peers in math, and it has been an ongoing experience that has benefitted my intellectual development. In elementary school I found myself extremely bored in math class. My mind was far ahead of...

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. (250 word limit.) Hello Roommate! Everyone has a passion, right? It’s only normal that you and I, as roommates, know each other’s passions. My greatest passion in life is horseback riding. My mare, Janie, has been in my life since I started riding when I was...

Name your favorite books, authors, films, and/or musical artists. Books: The Great Gatsby, The Pact, Lock and Key, Twilight Saga, The Host Authors: Nicholas Sparks, Jodi Picoult, Sarah Dessen, Stephenie Meyer Films: Water for Elephants, Shutter Island, Bridesmaids, Superstar Musical Artists: Lorde, F.U.N., Bella Ferraro, Macklemore, Imagine Dragons What newspapers, magazines, and/or websites do you enjoy? Newspapers: USA Today, Ledger Dispatch Magazines: Vogue and any other fashion magazine Websites: chalky.com, facebook.com, ted.com, kayak...

What matters to you and why? As cliché as it may sound, being involved truly matters to me. Whether it be in my own community or thousands of miles away in Uganda, I want to make a difference in other people’s lives. I could even go to the extent of saying that it is a passion, no, an obsession of mine to constantly be giving back. I believe that doing this community service is almost selfish in a way...

Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences. (150 word limit.) For three years, I worked at the only Triple A, 4-Diamond bed and breakfast in Amador County. My duties included checking in guests, taking breakfast orders, managing the gift shop, assisting with housekeeping, and being a preparatory chef in the kitchen. I worked after school and on the weekends.This experience taught me how to interact and work with adults at a young age. Learning skills...

I would have added a little...

Definitely become involved with a volunteer club or...

I applied for 30-40 scholarships my...

Most teachers really enjoy being asked to write rec letters. Throw...

People are very interested in the...