Stanford University Admission Essays

A successful movie producer named Samuel Goldwyn once said, “Luck is the sense to recognize an opportunity and the ability to take advantage of it.” As I read this quote recently in a magazine article, I immediately thought of the Manitou Springs High School Key…

Running and I have a complex relationship. Despite the exquisite torture of sprinting two miles around and around in a circle, feeling as if both lungs have collapsed and death by dehydration is imminent, it is unlikely we’ll ever break up: I had never felt…

My fascination with the power of words and their ability to connect people across diverse backgrounds ignited during a transformative experience in a remote Indian village. Teaching English to children bridged our worlds, highlighting language’s capacity to break barriers and alleviate the pain of isolation….

To pass the time in monotonous car rides, my dad would describe an environment from a random point of view. I would guess where he was, or what he was. We called this the Imagination Game. As I grew older, my dad began to recount…

Dear roommate, Fair warning: when you walk into our room, you’ll smell an odd, sweet tanginess. Yet, before you have the chance to investigate, I’ll be jumping off the bed and pouring you a mug of my signature orange oolong tea — the source of…

I clutched my binder and walked to the front of the room. This defense would be tough. A bill legalizing same-sex marriage had never been passed at conference. With a nod, the chair silently granted me permission to speak. My lips parted, the words to…

My skin. Something biologically insignificant, yet socially so powerful. According to The Scientist magazine on February 18, 2002, those visible traits that humans use to define “race” make up only .01% of our genes. Race, biologically speaking, doesn’t exist. But in social terms, race can…

When I close my eyes and allow myself to fully immerse in the rhythm and melody of a piece of music, I am transported to another world where all that exists is the harmony that surrounds me. It is in these moments that I am…

In a school as small as The College Preparatory School (CPS), I often joke that just from looking at someone’s shoes, I can give his or her first and last name and favorite color. Obviously this is an overstatement, but the point is that my…

I shuddered. Chills raced down my spine. My arms and legs were suddenly covered in goose bumps. I read the quote once again. To leave the world a little better; whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition; to know…