With almost 150 years of history, Stanford University stands as one of the top schools in the nation, with a commitment to knowledge, leadership, and pioneering research. Stanford offers unparalleled opportunities for students to excel in fields like education, medicine, business, and the humanities. With an acceptance rate of only 4%, Stanford has one of the most competitive application processes of any U.S. school. Every aspect of one’s application has an impact on their admissions, including their supplemental essays. These essays are a student’s chance to stand out from the crowd and show Admissions Officers they’re a good fit for the Stanford community. To help students have the best chance of acceptance, here’s InGenius Prep’s guide to the Stanford Supplemental Essays 2024-2025.
Want help with your supplemental essays? Book a free strategy call and begin your admissions journey today!
Stanford Supplemental Essays 2024-2025
Short Answer Questions
What is the most significant challenge that society faces today? (50 words)
Crafting a compelling essay in just 50 words is no easy feat. Admissions Officers at Stanford are eager to understand your thinking process and what truly drives you. Are you a student who is willing to participate in conversations about current events or attend lectures featuring the eminent guest speakers that Stanford regularly hosts? Instead of trying to figure out what you think the school might be looking for, ask yourself if there’s an issue that you’re genuinely concerned about.
Pick a challenge that resonates with your background or academic interests. The more personal, the more meaningful your essay will be. You’ll be able to talk much more genuinely about something you’re actually familiar with rather than exaggerating your knowledge on a topic you’ve decided you care about on a whim. Add a brief anecdote exemplifying your personal connection to the matter. If you have space, you might be able to dedicate a sentence or two to how you would use your education and work towards a resolution.
PRO TIP: Avoid society’s addiction to technology and global warming. We see these answers way too often!
How did you spend your last two summers? (50 words)
Stanford wants students who spend every opportunity they have learning, growing, and making an impact. With so much free time, Stanford wants to know how you spend your summers without the restrictions of a school schedule. You only have about 25 words to dedicate to each summer. That’s barely anything! Don’t waste space rambling about a new TV series you might have discovered last June. Think about the most meaningful parts of your summers and activities or experiences that you might not have had the chance to mention in the rest of your application. Is there a new hobby you picked up?
PRO TIP: Don’t worry about writing in full sentences. Prioritize getting the content in there!
What historical moment or event do you wish you could have witnessed? (50 words)
Make sure that you carefully divide the 50 words to set up the context for the event, what happened, and why you have chosen to write about it. Avoid common answers such as the French Revolution or World War II because the odds are that multiple students will do so. Pick a topic with a personal connection that matters to you. If you have a personal connection to a historical event—such as your family being deeply impacted by its occurrence or aftermath, this could add a unique perspective to your writing. You may also choose an event deeply related to your academic or extracurricular interests. For example, if you’re a photographer, maybe you want to have witnessed the first photograph ever being taken in the 1800s.
Briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities, a job you hold, or responsibilities you have for your family. (50 words)
You shouldn’t spend any more than 25 words naming and describing the activity or responsibility. Admissions Officers want to know less about what you do daily as part of the involvement and more about how you’ve made an impact and how much the role has shaped your perspective. The key focus of your response should lie in explaining why it holds such importance to you. Has this experience enriched your connection to your community? Is it connected to your interests and goals? Is there a direct connection between your ideal career and the role you played while participating in this particular extracurricular? Anecdotes are important in getting your point across successfully. Think about instances that emphasize why this activity matters so much to you. Why does it stand out over your other experiences?
Your choice of extracurricular should reflect the type of experience that holds the most meaning to you personally—because, after all, this is your college application. Admissions Officers don’t want an essay outlining seemingly impressive activities that you think they want to hear. Your response should provide more information about who you are and what you enjoy. So, reflect on how this activity has shaped your perspective and the role it plays in your aspirations.
PRO TIP: Do not write about an activity listed at the bottom of your Activities List. If it’s important enough to write an essay on, then it should be listed higher on your activities list. If it’s not, then pick a different activity.
List five things that are important to you. (50 words)
There’s no correct answer or level of depth you must reach—the point of these essays is for the school to learn more about you. You could write about a photograph, a movie, or even something abstract, such as your faith. Is there a family member you love spending time with more than others? One thing to note is that you should avoid writing about cliché topics, as you’re attempting to stand out among a very tough applicant pool. Don’t spend too many words rambling about what is meaningful, and focus more on the why. Admissions Officers want to understand your reasoning behind placing value on certain ideas or experiences over others.
PRO TIP: Brainstorm by jotting down the first things that come to your mind! After filling out a page with your list, narrow down your options by highlighting the ones that will bring the most value to your application!
Short Essay Questions
The Stanford community is deeply curious and driven to learn in and out of the classroom. Reflect on an idea or experience that makes you genuinely excited about learning.
Stanford strongly values students who challenge themselves and approach learning with enthusiasm and curiosity. Stanford wants to see “commitment, dedication and genuine interest in expanding your intellectual horizons in what you write about yourself.” When brainstorming your answer to the question, remember that you don’t have to limit yourself to abstract ideas. You can talk about a person or a place that encourages curiosity in you as well.
Don’t forget to show, with anecdotes, why you’re so interested in the idea or experience. Dive deeper into the why’s and how’s of the way your excitement increases at the thought of the topic. Since you have the words, talk more in-depth about the ways in which you have explored the issue and how your knowledge has developed over time. The reader should come out of your essay knowing that you’re a student who wouldn’t be afraid to contribute to the Stanford classrooms and wider community, as well as ask probing questions.
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—get to know you better.
The key to answering this question is to keep your tone informal. Of course, you shouldn’t start using slang, curse words, or emojis, but your style of writing shouldn’t be highly academic either. It’s also a good idea to throw in facts about you that you’d actually want your roommate to know. Do you enjoy attending concerts and want to know if your roommate would like to see your favorite artist with you? Do you want someone to play pickup soccer against or start an impromptu musical jam session with? You could also use this essay as a chance to mention activities you want to try out at Stanford. What makes you most excited about moving to campus and joining the community?
While you are writing to your “roommate,” don’t forget that you’re also providing the college with more information on what kind of Stanford community member you’re likely to be. Your answer to this prompt is a way to portray a more fun side of yourself and reveal information such as hobbies and unusual interests that you won’t have the space to discuss in comparatively serious questions. Take advantage of this opportunity to show what you’re really like.
Please describe what aspects of your life experiences, interests and character would help you make a distinctive contribution as an undergraduate to Stanford University.
This is an accelerated version of the “Why our school” prompt that you might encounter with other colleges’ supplemental essays. Think about how you can frame your answer as personally as possible. Do you have a specific plan to take advantage of the Bing Overseas Studies Program? Are you excited to bring new ideas to Stanford’s philosophy organization, the Dualist? You should be able to demonstrate that you’ve done the research on Stanford as well as tie that knowledge to your unique interests when brainstorming your approach to this response.
Additional Tips for Writing the Stanford Supplemental Essays 2024-2025
Now that you’ve taken a look at the prompts for the Stanford supplemental essays, here are a few tips to help your brainstorming process:
• Think about what Stanford offers beyond the name: Even though the Stanford supplemental essays don’t ask an extended “why Stanford” essay, your responses are still used to determine whether you’ve done your homework and whether you’re a good fit for the school. Admissions Officers want to be confident in their decision. If your essays depict you as someone who knows what you’re talking about when it comes to the majors, professors, and research opportunities, you will be more likely to gain approval. Carefully research what the college is looking for and frame your interests in a way that accurately captures your academic excellence, intellectual vitality, and extracurricular activities.
• Don’t waste words: The Admissions Officers don’t have all day to go through your application, considering they have countless others to read. This is why you need to think strategically when writing each response, especially the 50-word answers. Don’t waste words beating around the bush or writing general statements. Aim to be as specific as possible, especially regarding how wider issues hold meaning to you and how the college itself can benefit you, and of course, focus on exactly what the prompt wants to know.
• Context can make a difference: Factors that Stanford considers heavily when looking at your application are your “background, educational pathway, and work and family responsibilities.” If you believe that the context of your high school community can be relevant in the roommate question, definitely mention it. Knowing where you come from and how you’ve taken advantage of the opportunities you’ve had could make a difference in your Stanford application.
Supplemental essays are your chance to speak directly to your Admissions Officer and give them insight into your personality. One of the key takeaways from your essays should be showcasing your enthusiasm and commitment. The admissions process at Stanford is extremely selective, and everything from your extracurriculars to your essay responses should show Admissions Officers why you’re the perfect fit for the Stanford community.
Throughout your responses, be sure to convey your unique qualities and embody the traits that Stanford values. Use all your space effectively; don’t just repeat aspects of your personal statement or activities list. Every one of your supplemental essays should provide some new information. Good luck!
If you’re looking for more guidance on the college application process, InGenius Prep is here to help! Our team of Former Admissions Officers has helped over 6,000 students get accepted into their dream schools! We know what the top schools are looking for and how to craft the perfect application. Book a free strategy call today and start your journey into the most competitive U.S. universities!
