Why Stanford REJECTED me, the 'perfect' student

I've cracked the code. Now if only I could go back in time to tell my high school self how to get into Stanford...
But at least I can help youuuuuuuu

~A few things I forgot to mention:
- I took these courses at a local college: Calc 3, linear algebra, differential equations, discrete math
- My 4.8 GPA was the highest ever in my school district's history

Thanks so much to my subscribers who asked me to make a Patreon :) ...

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~📧 S A Y H I H E R E

U S E F U L L I N K S (these will be continually updated on new videos!) ~
~🔢MATH COMPETITION RESOURCES
Books...
For MATHCOUNTS:
For AMC10/12 or AIME, Math Olympiad:
- Any Alexander Soifer book (example): Mathematics as Problem Solving
...........................
Books are excellent resources, but you can also just jump into prep with *effective* practice using problems you find online!
Links...

~📚RECOMMENDED BOOKS

~🎥RECOMMENDED DOCUMENTARIES (crazy college stuff. Bro, I enjoyed watching these so much, almost too much lol)
1) Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal
2) Try Harder!

~📸 EQUIPMENT

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Tags:
#stanford #dreamschool #college #stem #collegeapplications #collegeadmissions #prosandcons #collegelife #university #school #studentadvice #student
how to get into Stanford
Stanford rejected me
what not to do
don't do this on your college applications
dream school
college admissions, college applications
STEM university, engineering
affirmative action

Current sub count: 1,822

[Nikblor]

Colleges aren’t looking for over achievers. They are looking for people who are specialized and have actual interests

[whoknows]

My guess is that you did so much throughout your time in high school that you really didn't establish an identity for yourself. Stanford wants to know what makes you special, and while your resume is EXTREMELY impressive, I literally can't say anything about who you are other than the fact that you're a total over-achiever.

[cjboffoli]

I just wanted to chime in as a former development officer for Dartmouth College, with inside knowledge of the inner workings of the Admissions process at elite colleges. The truth is that you were clearly a very strong applicant who likely could have succeeded at Stanford. But is just comes down to a numbers game. Very simply, Stanford has only 2, 000 or so seats (or fewer if you consider previous admits who defer and carry over from previous cycles) for incoming freshmen and cannot accommodate the 40, 000 or so annual applicants. Elite colleges are seeking to assemble just the right class, much like putting together an intricate puzzle. They are laser focused on diversity. From there it's a certain amount of legacy, foreign students and a balance of representation from US regions. They are looking at just the right number of athletes, musicians, scientists, writers, artists, future CEOs, etc. Recent scandals aside, the Admissions process generally is conducted with a high level of integrity. Applications are read and rated multiple times, by different members of the Admissions office. Applicants are assigned a letter grade (A: for admit, P: for possible, R: for reject) and then a fraction, with the top number (on a scale of 1-10) a rating of academics and the bottom number a rating of extracurriculars. All of the possibles get discussed in committee. Your application was likely given a lot of thought and consideration. Admissions officers are looking for students who have not peaked in high school but who seem to be all potential. They are not looking for kids who have achieved a lot because they have had every advantage. The essays do matter. The alumni interviews matter. Recommendations matter. It is not enough to have a lot of AP classes. They need to be the "right" AP classes. Strong test scores are a must, clearly. The goal is to make each class better than the last. Bottom line, most of the exceptional applicants who apply to Stanford probably are qualified to attend. But they simply cannot accept everyone. Some excellent candidates sadly must be turned away. It is possible to do everything right, to work incredibly hard, and still not be able to overcome the odds. I'm sorry that you did not make the cut but I hope you will understand all of the above and not take it personally. I also hope that whatever school you matched with will be a great experience for you, despite this disappointment.

[wamyy]

Forgot to explain my HS transcript in the video, but this was the breakdown of the most advanced classes I took:
- Sophomore: AP Calc BC, AP Stats, AP Gov
- Junior: Calc 3, linear algebra (with local college), AP Chem, AP Physics, AP Lang, APES
- Senior: discrete math (local college), differential equations, AP Spanish, AP Bio, AP Psych

[Pandoraable]

This is crazy. How is a 17 year old supposed to know exactly what they want to do in life much less know who THEY are?

[TheAvoong]

Amy, it’s sad to see you being rejected by Standford. You should apply to MIT for engineering major so you won’t feel regretted. Don’t let your self down, you are a bright and smart person regardless of being not admitted into the Stanford or not.

[jonathancohen]

It's amazing how competitive it is to get into these universities, when even you didn't get in. I am reminded of a friend who was rejected from Harvard, and was told that the reason was that she was so well prepared that she didn't need Harvard, and so they would rather have a bigger impact in someone else's life.
That's why having your story based around a mission you are on is so important. You want the admissions committee to feel like they are helping you achieve that goal also.

[Kaskaderka]

I know it's life, but it feels so discouraging that there are way fewer places in good schools than students deserving these places

[ornji]

Forget them, it’s Stanfords loss not yours 😅

[ellam]

I got into an ivy league school with an incredibly low acceptance rate even though I don’t have nearly as many academic or extracurricular accomplishments as you put on your application and wasn’t top of my class, and I’m like 95% sure my personal essay is what made them accept me. I’m a very confident essay writer and I made sure to give them a strong sense of who I am as a person. I think the writing skill I demonstrated in the essay also showcased my academic strengths a lot more than any awards or accolades would have (especially since I intend to major in english). Ultimately high tier colleges are looking for people who they think will succeed in life after graduation, and showing drive, talent and passion in your area of interest will convince them of that more than anything.

[dwalldwall]

My advice to anyone who does not get into their dream school is to not waste any more of your time on that school. You will likely never learn why you were rejected. Move on. There are many other equally great schools. I am retired now and my experience is that success in a career has very little correlation to the school you attended. I have friends that are incredibly wealthy (and happy) who were average students at average schools. The workplace is the great equalizer!

[patty]

My daughter also has lifelong eczema that has impacted her life. She did write a whole essay about the challenge and how it has shaped her desire to pursue biology and her future. She did get into Stanford. From my understanding (and their input during Admit Weekend) they are really looking to learn more about applicants as a person. What motivates you, what are your passions, and how does that help you to serve others. They take a holistic approach to admissions and want to know who you are and I don't think beyond academics (as impressive as they are) that did not come through from what I can tell in this video.

[selku]

I'm an Indian and I wrote a national level exam scored high but still couldn't get into the institution I wanted but now looking back I think everything happened for a reason and the med school I'm now studying in is better suitable to me than my previous dream insti

[gretq-]

Me seeing this thumbnail: There is no “perfect student”.
Me watching the video: *This woman is the perfect student.*
Love your channel!

[Cormac_]

Good grief! The things you have to go through to get in to an American university is truly shocking and saddening. I am really glad admissions in the UK (or Ireland) isn't anything like this or I would have gotten an ulcer from the stress by the time I was 16.

[wamyy]

What other videos would you like to see? :)

[sweetpeaces]

The fight never ends. Great to see young Asian women speaking up and never giving up. You are not alone.

[zephiris]

As a person who also got waitlisted and finally rejected from Stanford the same year you applied, I would imagine Stanford probably looks for uniqueness to differentiate any given applicant from the rest of the crowd. There will be thousands of students who are strong in academics, and hundreds of thousands who aren’t. Your on-paper achievements certainly put you close to admission, but I would imagine to cross that finish line, you’d need to tell Stanford your plan, and show how Stanford can help you along with it. From which of my friends got admitted to Stanford and which didn’t, it seemed like those who were passionate about one area of study were the ones who got admitted. I would imagine that Stanford would rather admit a person who has a specific field of study ready to peruse because that is just the academic culture at Stanford.

I’m sure you’ll love your time at caltech, and I’m equally sure you would have enjoyed your time at Stanford less. Admissions officers at top schools ultimately check for fit to ensure that the students end up in the place which best suits them. From what I learned of Caltech, it seemed focused on a culture of nerdiness and geeking out over math, science, and technology which seems to fit you perfectly. From what I learned of Stanford, it seemed focused on climbing the corporate hierarchy and goal-driven success. I personally am happy Stanford rejected me because I found myself very happy at the school which fit me best. After all, for every door that closes, another opens.

[mmaranta]

Sometimes emotional intelligence can get you farther in life than pure intellect.

[stardoesstuff]

holy crap you literally did everything