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3 Tips to Write Your Stanford Roommate Essay

College Essays

Are you preparing your college application for Stanford University? If so, you've probably heard about the Stanford roommate essay, which you must complete as part of your application. The Stanford roommate essay is a unique essay that asks every applicant to write a letter to their future roommate.

In this article, we'll talk about what the Stanford roommate essay is, show several Stanford roommate essay examples, and offer tips for making your response stand out from the thousands of other Stanford applicants.

What Is the Stanford Roommate Essay?

The Stanford roommate essay is one of four essays you must write as part of your Stanford University college application.

Let's take a look at the actual text for this essay question:

"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 Stanford letter to roommate prompt has a minimum of 100 words and a maximum of 250 words. Other than that, there are no specific guidelines for how you should answer the question.

What Is the Stanford Roommate Essay Question Asking (and Why)?

Since Stanford doesn't give any specific examples of what they're looking for in responses to the Stanford roommate essay prompt, you might be wondering what you should write about for the question and why they're asking it in the first place.

The Stanford roommate essay is definitely unique—and you should take that as license to write about topics you otherwise wouldn't in your college application.

The admissions committee includes this prompt to get an idea of what you're like with your peers, as well as how you'll fit in with Stanford's student body. This prompt is an opportunity to show a different side of yourself than what you emphasize in the rest of your application.

The question isn't concerned with your plentiful extracurricular achievements or spotless academic record; rather, it's asking about what you do after you're finished studying or practicing. What do you like to do when you're just relaxing? How do you spend your free time? How do you interact with your peers? What are the quirks that make you you ?

Asking this question gives the admissions committee a better picture of the whole you, rather than just the student who will be attending class.

This essay question is a great opportunity to talk about unique aspects of your personality and interests that weren't showcased in the rest of your application. If you have a special talent for, say, sketching woodland creatures in latte art, this essay is the time to share that.

If you've always wanted to write about your love for video games, your Stanford roommate essay is the time and place to do so.

Stanford Roommate Essay Examples, Analyzed

Stanford roommate essays look very different from other types of college application essays. It's not often that you read about a student's aptitude for a frog impression or their addiction to Bubble Trouble in a college essay.

Let's take a look at two different Stanford roommate essay examples (both of which resulted in admission to Stanford) and see what made each of them stand out.

Stanford Roommate Essay Example 1

This Stanford roommate essay example comes to us from Reddit user u/ChunkySpaghettiSauce . ChunkySpaghettiSauce wrote this essay as part of his 2016 Stanford application. He was accepted to Stanford.

Dear Future Roommate,

First things first: my Starburst is our Starburst.

Feel free to grab some (but don't touch the lemon) off my desk whenever. I hope this works the other way around too.

I have my own quirks as do most people. For starters, I can do a hyper-realistic frog impression. (Don't worry, I'll chase out any frogs that happen to hop inside.) Also, I prefer socks and sandals over sneakers because I like having a breeze around my toes.

You'll often find me reading old issues of Model Airplane News or munching on weirdly delicious food combos such as strawberries and black pepper. I hum minor-key Bach fugues while studying but sing Disney songs in the shower. I can probably make you groan with terrible interdisciplinary science jokes. For example, what happens when a mosquito bites a mountain climber? Nothing; vectors cannot cross scalars.

Beethoven is my jam and l often subconsciously start humming along to his symphonies. I may even start trumpeting "BAAA DAA DAA DUMMMM" when the brass comes in. If I start humming or trumpeting while you're studying for your o-chem final, tell me and I'll stop.

If you don't mind biking out on 3AM donut runs (lemon cream filled is my favorite, by the way), we'll get along just fine. Here's to four years of groaning over p-sets and doing everything we can to keep fun alive, even if it appears to be on life support during finals week.

Let's take a look at what makes this essay great.

First of all, the writer includes very specific details that make him easily identifiable and relatable. After reading this essay, you get a great idea of what the student would be like as a roommate. You can picture him having a bowl of Starburst on his desk and storing his bike at the foot of his bed.

Above all, your Stanford roommate essay should paint a full picture of who you are as a person.

This essay does an excellent job of describing the writer holistically. In addition to talking about his academic interests, it shows what he's like after the problem sets are completed and the homework is turned in.

The juxtaposition of the phrase "four years of groaning over p-sets" with "everything we can to keep fun alive" shows that the student will not only work hard but also take part in Stanford's campus life.

The writer peppers in specific examples, such as his favorite flavor of donut, which add realism and personality to the essay. By the time you're finished reading it, you get the feeling that this essay couldn't have been written by anyone else but its original author.

Stanford Roommate Essay Example 2

This Stanford roommate essay example comes to us by way of a HuffPost blog post.

TO MY FUTURE ROOMMATE:

IF YOU HAVE EVER—

l. Kidnapped your best friend at 3:00 a.m. with a bunch of buddies and taken him/her for an emergency milkshake run?

2. Made snow angels in the nude on the school ski trip when it's 0 degrees outside?

3. Told tourists that if they "pee in the ocean," they'll attract great white sharks?

4. Re-enacted Monty Python and the Holy Grail in its entirety before your history class?

5. Taken apart your broken MP3 because you are sure that you can fix it?

6. In the middle of the summer, dressed up in all of your ski clothes, gone to the nearest 7-Eleven to buy ice blocks and joined your friends to slide down the nearest grassy hill, all the while complaining how cold it is?

l. Memorized the first half of Whitman's Song of Myself , because there was nothing better to do?

2. Spent three days arguing with your friends about the socio-political ramifications of the word "Chick?"

3. Stayed up until 5:00 a.m. because the conclusion of your English paper just wasn't right?

4. Received a parking ticket because you had to respond to a piece of racist graffiti in a public bathroom?

5. Spent the entire day at a cafe re-reading a book by your favorite author?

6. When you were a second grader, explained to a classmate's mother why you thought screaming at her kid was inappropriate while she threatened to spank you for being so insolent—

THEN WE'RE GOING TO GET ALONG JUST FINE!

You can tell right away that this essay isn't your normal college application essay. The writer is playing around with structure, tone, and voice.

The Stanford roommate essay is a great place to break from traditional essay rules. You don't need five fleshed-out paragraphs here; you can write in a way that feels authentic to you as an applicant.

Remember, this essay is written to your roommate, not to your parents or your teachers. You talk differently to people your own age than you do to people of other ages. Your writing should reflect that.

Another thing that this essay achieves is specificity. Each of the incidents the writer describes is vivid and real. Instead of saying that he or she "works hard on an English paper," the author describes staying up until 5:00 a.m. to correct the assignment. Instead of saying that he or she loves spending time with friends, the essay describes a specific incident that perfectly illustrates that point.

Being specific adds authenticity to your work and fleshes you out as a person.

Finally, the author does a masterful job of peppering in information about his or her habits as a student in a fun and playful way. For instance, the anecdote about taking apart the MP3 player indicates curiosity, a trait highly prized by the Stanford admissions committee.

Similarly, the anecdote about staying up late to finish an English paper shows that the student works very hard and cares about grades and the quality of submitted assignments.

Potential Topics for Your Stanford Roommate Essay

We know what your Stanford letter to roommate essay shouldn't be: a long-winded, formal recollection of your greatest achievements as a high school student. But what should you write about then? Let's take a look at potential topics for your Stanford roommate essay.

#1: Your Unique Quirks

Your Stanford roommate essay is a great time to show off your unique quirks.

Do you do 30 pull-ups before going to bed each night? Meditate each morning? Always slightly underbake your cookies?

Whatever the quirk, the Stanford roommate essay is a great place to share it. Bonus points if it's funny!

Don't just think about the quirk itself but the motivation behind it: do you do 30 pull-ups because you're looking to increase your strength to try out for college intramural sports? Do you underbake your cookies because your grandma always did it that way?

Adding that extra spin to the description helps to round you out and gives an extra opportunity to share more about your interests and motivations.

#2: Your Relationship With Your Peers

The admissions committee wants to get a sense of how you'll fit in on Stanford's campus—not just in the academic classes but in the overall community as well.

The Stanford roommate essay is a great place to discuss your relationships with people your age.

You can talk about how you interact with your classmates. Maybe you formed a relationship with another student who you always stayed late after band to practice with. Or maybe you formed a homework club with other students who also sucked at Latin.

You can also talk about how you interact with your friends. You can share funny stories about ordering too much food while going out to eat, or how you guys always get front-row seats for the latest Marvel movie.

Remember, the examples you pick should show that you're a well-rounded and fun person. If the rest of your application focuses on your academic achievements, then you'll want to talk about something different in your Stanford roommate essay.

#3: Your Favorite Things to Do Just for You

The rest of your Stanford application will indicate your academic and extracurricular achievements. This essay is a great place to show what you do for you .

Maybe you spend every Friday night building out a new board game or write fanfiction on Tumblr. Maybe you're teaching yourself Photoshop or like watching YouTube videos about photographers. Maybe you read lots of fitness blogs and are chasing a new marathon PR, even if you don't run track on your school's team. Maybe you just watch a lot of Netflix.

Whatever you like to do for fun, the Stanford roommate essay is a great place to share it. Talk about how you spend your down time and what you like to do to relax.

3 Essential Tips for Writing Your Stanford Roommate Essay

While your Stanford letter to roommate essay can and should look different from the responses of your peers, there are certain tips you can keep in mind when completing the assignment to ensure that you produce the highest quality essay possible.

#1: Be Specific

Your Stanford roommate essay should paint a very specific and vivid portrait of who you are as a person.

The point of a college essay is for the admissions committee to have the chance to get to know you beyond your test scores, grades, and honors. Your Stanford roommate essay is your opportunity to make yourself come alive for the essay readers and to present yourself as a fully fleshed-out person.

Don't try to emulate what you think the committee wants to hear or try to act like someone you're not.

Stick to telling real stories about the person you really are, not who you think Stanford wants you to be. The more details you can add, the more real you'll seem.

#2: Be Real

Don't worry about sounding impressive in your Stanford roommate essay. The admissions committee isn't expecting every student to spend their time Googling strategies for world peace or outlining their best-selling novel (unless that's what you're actually doing).

Don't try to make yourself seem more important than you actually are. If you try to make things up to sound better, you'll come across phony and insincere.

The admissions committee would much rather read about the real you—the one who spent 20 hours writing and recording a theme song for your volleyball team—than a made-up person who you think the admissions committee wants to see.

#3: Proofread

It should almost go without saying, but you want to make sure your Stanford roommate essay is the strongest example of your work possible. Before you turn in your Stanford application, take time to edit and proofread all your essays.

Your work should be free of spelling and grammar errors, so don't forget to run your essays through a comprehensive spelling and grammar check.

It's a good idea to have someone else read your Stanford roommate essay, too. You can seek a second opinion on your work from a parent, teacher, or friend. Ask them whether your work represents you as a student and person.

Then, have them check to ensure you haven't missed any small writing errors. Having a second opinion will help your work be the best it can be.

Remember, even though your Stanford roommate essay should be fun, it still needs to be well written!

What's Next?

Wondering what a good SAT score is? Check out our post on how to set your goal score based on the schools you want to get into.

Wondering what you should do to make your application stand out even more? Check out this guide to four amazing extracurricular activities and learn why they're so important to colleges.

Trying to decide between taking community college classes and AP classes? Wondering which one looks better on college applications? Read our guide for a complete overview of both .

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Hayley Milliman is a former teacher turned writer who blogs about education, history, and technology. When she was a teacher, Hayley's students regularly scored in the 99th percentile thanks to her passion for making topics digestible and accessible. In addition to her work for PrepScholar, Hayley is the author of Museum Hack's Guide to History's Fiercest Females.

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College essay resources

Stanford university supplemental roommate essay guide and examples, work on school supplements.

Brad Schiller

Stanford admissions officers are always thinking about admitting the most successful class that they can. Even when they ask “fun” questions, such as their classic "Roommate essay." Despite our use of scare quotes, this question actually can be a lot of fun. Our big concern, as college essay coaches , is that you don’t take Stanford seriously when they say they want to “get to know you better.” That’s a trap .

While your essay can indeed be light-hearted and joyful, admissions officers are grading it just like they do any other — for evidence of your potential to succeed. Follow our steps below to make this one count. (And for answers to all your college essay questions, see our College Essay Help Center .)

Here is Stanford University's classic supplemental "Roommate essay" : "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. (100-250 words.)" This may seem like a fun and easy essay to write, but it's not as straightforward as it appears.

What not to do: Solely be interesting 

The trap with this essay is to take the question too literally. Come room-assignment time, nobody is going to be reading this essay to help them match you with the perfect BFF. That’s why you should steer clear of solely saying something interesting about yourself . 

Here are some real no-no examples we've seen from the over 35,000+ students we've coached :

• A student's love of bongo-playing and how they look forward to playing bongos with their roommate.
• A student's background in Boy Scouts, backpacking, and bringing interesting artifacts into their room.
• A student's experience in karate and how they hope to spar with their future roommate.

Aren’t these interesting stories from unique students? It might be cool to live with someone who could play a solo music piece for you late at night, right? Or someone to take you exploring the local woods. Or someone who’s ready to spar with you at any moment like Steve Martin's character in the 2006 The Pink Panther.

The problem is that the person reading this essay won’t actually be your future roommate. None of these kinds of topics — unless handled the right way (see below) — is liable to move your application from the “maybe” pile and onto “admit them now!”

Still being graded: Keep the essay basics in mind

Stanford wants to know whether you’ll be successful at their school and within their particular campus community. Every question they ask on their application is about sussing this out — whether it’s your personal statement or a 100-word note to a future roommate. 

Asking a playful question is a way to get to these answers about your potential in a playful way. 

Therefore, you want your answer here to reflect 1 or more of the 5 traits , just like any other essay would. In fact, talking to a future roommate is a great place to showcase 3 of the 5 traits:

• Intellectual curiosity — things you’re interested in and like to explore.
• Contribution — how you give back and create community.
• Diversity of experiences — your unique background and life story that will expand the horizons of those you interact with. 

This essay could probably also reflect Drive (aka grit or perseverance) and Initiative (unwilling to accept the status quo), but the other three are a more natural fit.

Finally, as with everything else college essay-related, make sure the topic you talk about is recent to your experience. If you saved the world while you were in middle school, skip it, and write about something less spectacular that you did more recently. 

Have fun, too: Brainstorm answers that would show yourself off to a future roommate

With those basics in mind, let’s have fun with this, because the Stanford admissions team definitely would like this one to be on the lighter side. 

Begin by brainstorming a whole bunch of outside-of-the-box, off-the-beaten-track, off-the-wall topics about yourself that would answer this prompt. Allow yourself a good 15-20 minutes here. 

Give yourself a little break — creativity flourishes in a little break — and then come back to it again (maybe 5-10 minutes). This time, use the 3 of the 5 traits above (intellectual curiosity, contribution, and diversity of experiences) to expand on your brainstorming (another 10-15 minutes). Do any other interesting facets of your personality or experience spring to mind?

Once you’ve put in about 30 minutes of brainstorming, you should have some great topics that are authentic and fun from which to choose the very best one that will also strengthen your application . 

The whole picture: How will this answer reflect on your entire application? 

As you may know, Prompt recommends working on each application college by college (not essay by essay). Admissions teams read each application as a whole, so that’s how you should write them. With small, creative essays, you want to think about using them smartly as little pieces that bolster your overall application. 

Take a look at what else you’re telling Stanford about yourself. Which of the 5 traits are you really focusing on? Do you have any weaknesses you might want this essay to compensate for? How have you “branded” yourself?

For example, if you’ve written a lot about contribution , perhaps writing a personal statement about your community service work, this essay could be a way to show how deep that trait goes with you. You could talk about informal ways that you bring groups of friends together and help nurture strong friendships, and how you hope to do that at Stanford, too. In this scenario, you’re using this “fun” question to show a more light-hearted, but equally valuable aspect of one of your “serious” traits. This essay will help amplify your brand as a contributor. 

Or, using the same example, perhaps this contribution person might worry that their community service essay leaves out other exciting things about themselves. You want to make sure that you showcase all the impressive, unique things that you might bring to the table (i.e.: Stanford’s campus), and this little essay could be a great way to highlight one of them. So, if you have a deep interest in film, you could use this essay to showcase your intellectual curiosity in a fun way. You could talk about your love of horror movies, how you pursue that interest with friends today, and how you hope to join the Stanford Film Society and plan horror movie marathons for your roommates. In this scenario, you add to a serious trait of yours with a more off-beat interest that nonetheless also showcases intellectual curiosity. 

BTW, hopefully by now you see that the three examples of “what not to do” above all could be great essay topics. But only if they showcase college potential and fit with the rest of the application. 

How to write it: Straight-forward, action-driven, concrete

Now to the writing. Stick to these 3 precepts, and you’ll knock it out of the park: 

• Straight-forward. College essays do not call for “beautiful” writing . They call for simple, clear sentences that an admission officer can understand while reading quickly. 
• Action-driven. Since the point is to show off your college potential, you need to talk about things that you’ve done, whether that’s reading Wes Craven’s autobiography, planning an excursion to a screening of The Exorcist with your friends, or writing up your horror review on LetterBoxd .
• Concrete. Relatedly, point to things you’ve done, and things you’d like to do at Stanford. Philosophical musings are great, but they take up valuable space and don’t contribute much to your application. 

For example:

Our bongo-playing student might write an essay here that stays away from waxing effusively about how “alive” they feel when they play. Instead, they can focus on:

• What they do to keep bongo playing in their life on top of a busy high school schedule — ex: practice 15-minutes every morning, no matter what; and sign themselves up for orchestras and musical groups so they can showcase their talent with like-minded peers;
• What they plan to do to keep bongo playing going in college — ex: planning to bring their bongos to their dorm; will be auditioning for Stanford musical groups; and 
• It will all tend to demonstrate intellectual curiosity and contribution . 

Our backpacking Boy Scout student should stay away from talking about the woods themselves, and instead focus on:

• What it takes to backpack every Tuesday and lead their fellow Boy Scouts on a new hike;
• A note on their engagement on a trails app like AllTrails, ensuring that unsafe trails are noted for other hikers
• What they plan to do to keep backpacking and staying in shape once they get to campus — ex: have a goal of hiking all of the top trails around campus during freshman year or joining the campus outdoor activities group; and 
• It will all tend to demonstrate contribution and intellectual curiosity . 

Our karate student should refrain from writing too much about Japanese culture itself, but instead focus on their particular relationship to it:

• How they practice karate because it gives them a feeling of connection to their culture — and can also be light-hearted and fun, helping them to destress;
• How they convinced others at their school to join in, making stressful days more fun for many of their classmates; 
• How their grandmother loves that they’ve brought this traditional aspect forward in their lives, and it serves as a point of connection between generations; 
• How they plan to continue this tradition at Stanford; and 
• It will all tend to demonstrate diversity of experience as well as contribution . 

Our students successfully transformed their interesting and unique experiences into compelling Stanford roommate essays. Now it's your turn! And, now that you know what really matters, be sure you also have an absolute blast while doing it. 

Want more help writing your Stanford supplemental essays? Check out our college essay coaching packages .

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5 Successful Stanford Roommate Essay Intros

• essay topic
• college application essays

On top of the personal statement, Stanford also asks for 3 additional supplemental essays. One of them, and probably the most well-known Stanford essay prompt that appears year after year, is the letter to your future Stanford roommate:

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. (100 to 250 words)

What is an admissions officer looking for in this essay? What can you talk about or what  should  you talk about as a roommate? How personal should you get? Here we have 5 essay intro examples from the most recent application cycles to help you grapple with your writing:

To my future roommate,

I hope this reaches you in good condition and not found underneath a mound of boxes or pinned underneath heavy furniture; in which case, my deepest apologies (and no need to thank me for the exercise). Keep reading .

2020foshofro

Dear Roommate,

Have you ever tried archery? There’s this feeling of complete silence in the mind and body, of harmony between finger and eye and feet, of unity and peace and focus. When I stand in front of my straw-bale range, watching the trees for wind, I’ve learned that the isolation is, truly, the most beautiful gift I can give myself. View full profile .

My name is Tannar, and I cannot touch my tongue to my nose.

I’ll start out by giving you the candid details about my eighteen years upon this wonderful spaceship called Earth. Most notably, I’m known to be a ruthless player of board games (Settlers of Catan in particular), I enjoy exploring the great outdoors, I love Christopher Nolan films (Interstellar, Inception, etc), and one of my most exciting adventures took place on a fog cloaked Mount Thielsen. Continue reading .

I love rainbow sherbet. Why? Because it’s made out of so many different colors! Though this cold sweet refreshment is perfect on a sweltering day, its assorted colors are what truly make it special. Read on .

Aloha future roommate,

I hope you are a rather humorous individual yourself, because you’re in for a pile of pun… sorry, that was weak. On a more serious note, though, I’ve lived a pretty peculiar life, resulting in quite a few rather quirky habits: Read full essay . 

———

Interested in reading these students’ full personal statements in addition to their full responses to the Stanford Roommate supplemental prompt? Unlock all of them in one go with our  Stanford Roommate package ! 

Our  premium plans  offer different levels of profile access and data insights that can help you get into your dream school. Unlock any of our  packages  or search our  undergraduate profile database  to find specific profiles that can help you make an informed choice about where to apply! We have 60,000+ successful college application files uploaded by college students. See how they got in, and how you can too!

About The Author

Frances was born in Hong Kong and received her bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University. She loves super sad drama television, cooking, and reading. Her favorite person on Earth isn’t actually a member of the AdmitSee team - it’s her dog Cooper.

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How To Write Stanford Room Essay With An Example

Introduction

If you are applying to Stanford, you must have probably heard about Stanford’s popular roommate essay, one of three supplemental essays required to use. The roommate essay is infamous for its unique premise—write a letter to your future roommate—that many applicants find challenging to tackle. 

The roommate essay causes uncertainty among Stanford students because it is entirely unlike most essays that college applicants are generally asked to write, including the Common App Essay . Rather than presenting the typical challenge or extracurricular activities, the roommate essay allows applicants to talk about more daily or “normal” aspects of their lives.

You get a valuable opportunity to reveal something about your personality and interests beyond the usual resume-building fare.

This chapter will look at what qualities make a Stanford roommate essay stand out and discuss what students will want to avoid. We will also go through a successful essay from one of our students, break down exactly why it works, and help you understand what lessons you can take from this example.

Check out: How To Get Into Stanford 

What can you write in the roommate essay?

With an acceptance rate under 5 percent , it is easy to say that Stanford has their pick of astonishingly qualified applicants. By adding the roommate essay prompt, Stanford is looking to see what qualities besides outstanding academics and extracurriculars you will bring to campus: in other words, how students will contribute and fit into student life. 

In drafting the essay as a note between roommates, Stanford asks you when they are relaxing by themselves or hanging out with friends at the end of the day.

Because it’s directed towards a peer, it is more than fine to use an informal, fun tone in writing this essay. This is a great space to include offbeat elements of humor—but only if they represent your personality. You should sound like yourself. Stanford even states on their website, “ We want to hear your voice in your writing. Write essays that reflect who you are and write in a natural style. ” 

We want to caution you against writing only about what kind of roommate they would be. I know it seems easy to spend 250 words describing your sleep schedule or management habits, but we ensure that this kind of essay is a sign that they have taken the prompt too literally.

Remember that Stanford indicates something about itself as an establishment, even as it asks you to do the same. It’s saying: community matters here, and people matter. Social skills matter. Who are you, and why should we let you into the school and the club?

Similarly, writing about how your child can’t wait to share typical Stanford experiences like lazing about beneath the California sunshine with their roommate doesn’t reveal much about your child other than…well, that they want to go to Stanford or getaway their Midwestern winter. As such, we recommend staying away from platitudes like “I can’t wait to sit together at football games” or “I look forward to studying for finals together.” 

Instead, you must focus on personal, intimate details about yourself to write a standout roommate essay. Think: what would your close friends know about them that others wouldn’t? You can also use help from an English essay writer to help you draft content for the essay.

For instance, maybe you are a gaming nerd and always talk about video games. Perhaps you like to sit under the stars late at night when your parents are sleeping, and sometimes you tinker with an electronic skateboard in the garage. Or maybe you cannot go to bed without laying out your clothes and essentials for the next day—and perhaps you have some unique kind of well-known costume among your friends. These are the kind of minute details that are less likely to make it into the usual personal statement but reveal glimpses into your personality.

• Here are some questions to help you brainstorm what those details might look like:
• What about you would surprise other people? This could be an interest, a habit, or a goal.
• What’s in your room that no one knows about? (And is it something appropriate to share on a college application?!)
• What daily routines do you have? Is there something you can’t go without in the morning or evening?
• What do you like to do for entertainment or to relax (other than extracurricular activities)?
• Do you have a code or unique way of talking to your friends?
• What is your favorite inside jokes?
• Where do you and your friends go to blow off steam?
• What are you most excited about sharing with a new friend or roommate?
• How do you know when you’ve clicked with someone? What’s the sign that you two are now true friends?

Once you have brainstormed some exquisite personal details, you should write out the motives or reasons behind these habits. In other words, your roommate essay should not only give Stanford a sense of what you are like in your day-to-day life but also provide a larger structure or context explaining what those details say about them.

Also, parents should always give their children some distance when letting them prepare their college essays, especially here. This is a common social topic. A parent standing on top of their child will result in a challenging, awkward, and uncool essay. 

Tell your child to get feedback by encouraging them to read the essay with older friends, admission advisors, counselors, or favorite teachers. But this might be one where you need to step away to let their personality shine.

Stanford Roommate Essay, Example

Let’s have a look at a real-life example of an excellent roommate essay, and observe how an idea of how these concepts can be applied.

The actual Stanford roommate essay prompt:

Essentially 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. (100–250 words)

Here’s what our student, Angelica, wrote:

Dear Future Roommate,

When first meeting me, most people describe me as “quiet.” I’m glad I have this chance to tell you that this isn’t the case. Don’t get me wrong: I know how to relax with a good book and a cup of tea, and—don’t worry—I always wear headphones when I study. My family and close friends will tell you that once you get to know me, I have plenty to say.

As an aspiring psychology and philosophy double major, long analytical conversations are my jam. People fascinate me, so I love to talk with my friends about what everything from our favorite cereals to our phobias says about us (by the way, that would be Rice Krispies and spiders—any interpretations?). If you don’t feel like sharing, though, it’s fantastic. I make sure to journal every night before bed and write down my dreams when I wake up.

You could say I’m a sucker for human expression. I would be delighted if you ever want to go to a museum or take a poetry class together. I’m looking to try new things in college, though, so if you’d instead bond by going rock climbing or to a comedy night (or whatever you’re into), I’m game.

I look forward to learning about what makes you you

What's great about Angelica’s essay? Let’s cut it down: 

Paragraph 1: Angelica’s essay starts by immediately laying down a hook: outsiders think she is quiet, but that isn’t the case. Not only does this grab the reader’s attention and lure them to keep reading, but it also sets up the rest of the essay by creating a structure for Angelica to explain how she is not what she seems. See how she also manages to hide in a few specific details of things she enjoys. 

Paragraph 2: Now, we start to get an idea of who Angelica is. Though she does choose to write about how she enjoys something fairly common—long conversations with friends—she makes it unique to her by grounding the activity in her interests in psychology and philosophy. By writing about her daily habits of journaling and recording her dreams, we get a picture of her as someone who naturally loves analysis and interpretation, even outside the scope of academic work.

Note: though we have demonstrated why the roommate essay is a valuable space to discuss interests other than academic or extracurricular ones, if your child can tie such interests or activities to their personality in a completely natural way, as Angelica did, it’s outstanding. It’s proof that their intellectual passions are organically related to their personal and private lives.

Paragraph 3: In this paragraph, Angelica does a great job of moving seamlessly through a sequence of ideas. First, she further explains why she loves long analytical conversations: she is interested in human expression. Not only does this first sentence help explain the previous paragraph, but it also sets up space for her to discuss other subjects and activities she enjoys, like art and creative writing. In turn, by framing these interests as possible activities with her future roommate, Angelica can naturally write about how she hopes the college will be a place to try new things. 

Paragraph 4: A standard one-line to demonstrate that she is keenly interested in learning about other people. This sentence seems completely honest and in line with what she’s already shown us about herself.

Why it works

Angelica’s essay works because she uses intimate personal details to create a larger story about who she is. She gives the reader a sense of what she likes to do and why these things matter to her. Through this, we come to understand her personal qualities. In reading Angelica’s essay, we get a sense of her as initially reserved but ultimately chatty, interested in other people, analytical, creative, and open-minded.

Angelica uses an easy, conversational tone with the occasional dash of light humor. As such, her essay doesn’t read like it’s trying too hard to be something it’s not and instead just sounds genuine.

She also takes advantage of the prompt to show humility and friendliness. Her parentheticals show a sweet but not put-on awareness that it won’t just be her interests and biases that drive the new roommate relationship.

As with other successful college essay examples, Angelica’s essay also shows us that writing a compelling roommate essay doesn’t have to involve detailing a super obscure or quirky interest or activity (though that’s lovely too). Instead, it demonstrates that something ordinary can be interesting so long as your child can show why that topic reveals something important about who they are. 

Final Thoughts

The roommate essay gives a unique opportunity for you to demonstrate that they will bring more than just a fabulous resume to Stanford. Though many applicants initially find the roommate essay challenging, many students often report that it is among their favorite college essays once they have completed writing it. With lots of brainstorming, attention to detail, and self-reflection, you can find something unique to say.

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How to Write the Stanford Roommate Essay

This article was written based on the information and opinions presented by Johnathan Patin-Sauls in a CollegeVine livestream. You can watch the full livestream for more info.

What’s Covered:

How to approach the stanford roommate essay.

• Topics to Cover in Your Stanford Roommate Essay 

Stanford University is known for a lot of things, and their roommate essay is one of those things. Each year, Stanford puts out an essay prompt asking you to write a note to your future roommate. This prompt isn’t very common, so there is a lot of room to get creative with your response. 

This essay question allows a lot of room for brainstorming. Think about it—you can tell your future roommate anything. Questions like this aren’t meant to be taken too seriously. They’re meant to show your fun and creative side. 

Remember all of those awkward first impressions you’ve made in your life? If you’re anything like me, you probably went home and wished you could do them over. Well, this is your chance. You have complete control over your response to this essay. So, what would you say to your future roommate? 

Telling Stanford might sound daunting, but what would your response be if your friend asked you this? Reframing your audience is a great way to approach this question because you would give your friend an authentic answer. This is a great tip to help get the ideas flowing. Of course, the Stanford admission’s committee will be the ones reading your response, so make sure it is appropriate. 

Topics to Cover in Your Stanford Roommate Essay

1. living habits.

This essay is all about who you are in your home. The topics you could write about are endless. If you want to go down the more serious route, you can do that. There are a lot of students who write about their gender identity, sexuality, culture or home life. If that’s the most important thing you want your roommate to know, then definitely talk about that. Afterall, you will be living with this person in a fairly small room. 

If writing about your sexuality is important to you, then that is a great topic to write about, but it’s important to understand the difference between sexuality and sex life. This essay is not the place for you to write about your sex life. If you’re writing about something you wouldn’t tell your grandma, it might be best to choose a different topic. 

2. Hobbies and extracurricular activities

The roommate essay is a good place to show admission what kind of student you are going to be. One option is to write about how you’ll be involved on campus. Stanford wants to choose students that are going to come onto campus and get involved with everything the campus has to offer. They want someone who adds value to the community. Asking yourself how you would do this is a great way to begin your response.  

3. Academic plans (with a fun twist)

A great approach to this essay is linking your academics to something fun. One of the most successful responses to this essay was from a student who wanted to be a chemistry major. They wrote about learning how to bake a chemically complex cake for their dad’s birthday. 

Another response was from a business major who wrote about losing all of his life savings when he was teaching himself how to navigate the stock market. Both of these topics showed the student’s academic interest and tied that into their personality. 

Looking for more Stanford essay tips? Check out our full Stanford essay guide .

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

The Admissions Strategist

How to write the stanford roommate question & other supplemental essays 2020-2021 (examples included).

Stanford University is notoriously difficult to get into. In fact, it is one of the most selective schools in the country, accepting just under 5% of applicants .

Does that mean you have no chance of acceptance?

Of course not!

But what it does mean is that every piece of your application matters , including how you answer questions on Stanford’s supplement. This year, Stanford has five short answer questions, each with a word limit of 50 words, and three short essays which need to be between 100-250 words.

This supplement is found in Stanford’s Questions section of the Common Application and the Stanford Application Questions section of the Coalition Application.

In this article, we’ll guide you through each of the supplement’s questions and essays to help boost your chances of success !

Tips From Stanford University

Before we get into the individual questions, let’s take a look at the advice from Stanford University itself.

Click above to watch a video on Stanford Essays.

When it comes to writing essays , the university’s website recommends:

• Writing in a natural style
• Writing essays that reflect who you are
• Beginning to work on the essays early
• Asking parents, teachers, and friends for constructive feedback (including if the essay sounds like your voice)

Stanford emphasizes that these questions and essays are an opportunity to get to know you, saying, “We want to hear your individual voice in your writing.”

The tips below will give you inspiration and guidance as you complete the Stanford Supplement, but the most important thing is for you to write about topics that are meaningful to you in your own unique voice.

Now, we’ll take a look at Stanford’s questions one by one, starting with the short questions, which all have a 50 word limit.

Stanford Supplement Short Answer #1: Society’s Most Significant Challenge Essay

This is the first short answer question that appears in the Common Application. It reads,

What is the most significant challenge that society faces today?

This question gives you a chance to let admissions officers know what you’re passionate about. The possibilities abound, but consider the following questions to help you get started:

• When you listen to the news, what issue makes you want to take action?
• What issues have you protested in the past?
• When you’re in conversations with friends, what are your most heated discussions about?
• If a genie appeared and offered to fix one problem in the world, which one would you solve? How would you fix it?
• How controversial is the subject you’re thinking of? Try to avoid anything too contentious, as you never know who will be reading your application.

The goal is to think of an issue that genuinely bothers you and that you would like to change.

• You can talk about an issue that relates to something else in your application. This could be an activity or even a future career.
• Consider presenting a solution or discussing how you’ve explored this issue on your own time. This could have taken the form of watching documentaries, reading books, or viewing TED Talks on the subject.

To give you an idea, the two short bullet points above total 62 words. So 50 words is really not much. The nice thing is, this means you don’t have to worry about writing a formal introduction or doing anything fancy. 

Start by introducing the challenge and why it’s so important to you. If you have words left, briefly offer a solution too! Regardless, get to the point quickly and succinctly. 

Society’s Most Significant Challenge Essay Example

Here is a example of what this essay could look like: 

Many citizens resort to stereotypes and generalizations when speaking about others. The Internet, and especially social media, makes it easier than ever to absorb a set of beliefs without encountering criticism. If citizens left their bubbles more often, eliminating discrimination and prejudice would be a much easier proposition.

Stanford Supplement Short Answer #2:Your Last Two Summers Essay

As the second question on the Common Application, this question asks,

“How did you spend your last two summers?”

As one of the short questions, it retains the tight 50-word limit, so you won’t be able to talk about everything that happened during both summers. Try to focus on information that doesn’t appear anywhere else in the application.

Rather than selecting an answer that you think would impress admissions officers, think about what stands out to you the most. The following questions may help you get started:

• How did you spend both of your summers? Was there anything in common between the two?  This could be something as concrete as the same job or as abstract as studying.
• Does your family have a vacation that they take every summer?
• What did you do to relax over the summers? Did you read, spend time outdoors, play games, create artwork, or play an instrument?

Again, skip the introduction and focus on the most important details. If you have a particular difficulty or hardship, this is also a good chance to mention it. You shouldn’t explicitly say that you are disadvantaged, but if you have circumstances that are a significant time commitment during your summers, this is a chance to explain it. This can include:

• Taking care of a sick or disabled relative
• Working to support your single-parent household
• Moving from one home to another due to parental separation

With only 50 words, you’ll also want to edit your grammar and spelling to perfection.

Your Last Two Summers Essay Example

For an idea of what this essay could look like, see the following example:

I served free, healthy lunches to kids at the library and saved their parents a little money. Additionally, I helped mom with a business law class for a job she’s pursuing. I was fascinated with the intricacy of laws that must be enforced to maintain a fair market.

Get personalized advice!

Stanford supplement short answer #3: witnessing a historical moment essay.

This is the third question of the short questions on the Stanford application, and the one that allows for the most imagination and creativity. It reads,

“What historical moment or event do you wish you could have witnessed?”

For this question, try to avoid topics that you think many other students will address. Popular events include Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech and the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Unless you have a short personal story or detail that relates to the topic, try to pick something unique. Given the number of words allowed, you’ll have just enough time to briefly summarize the historical moment and explain why it’s so significant to you. With the space you have available, try to provide personal details and insights into who you are. The following questions may help you:

• Is there a specific story or event that occurred in your city?
• Does your family have a tale they tell about a relative or ancestor?
• Was there a defining event or events related to the significant challenge you mentioned above? 

As you write the question, ask yourself why you chose the specific historical event and what significance it has to you. 

Witnessing a Historical Moment Essay Example

To help get you started, here is an example:

My life needs historical context. Aunts, uncles, second-cousins, and the seamstress down the street fled to escape the war. Both grandpas fought in it. One died in it. When they wave their South Vietnam flags alongside the American one, I wonder what they endured during the communist takeover of Vietnam.

Stanford Supplement Short Answer #4: Extracurricular Activities Essay

The prompt from Stanford reads,

“Briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities, a job you hold, or responsibilities you have for your family.”

Before you get started, glance over the rest of your application, and take a look at the other questions included in the supplement. While you can, and should, be working to create a cohesive story, you don’t want to repeat anything. Keeping that in mind, what’s an activity or work experience that won’t be featured anywhere else?

Another goal for this question is to personalize your application as much as possible. Thus, try to think of an activity or work experience you have that is unique to you. Talk about something meaningful that other students might not be able to write about.

If you do decide to write about a more common experience or organization, brainstorm some personal details that make it unique to you. You should always strive to write something that only you could write.

Lastly, you want to be analytical and reflective about the experience. Consider:

• Why is this activity or experience so meaningful to you? 
• How has it impacted or shaped you as a person?
• What have you learned from this experience?
• How did you contribute to this activity, and what does it tell admissions officers about how you will contribute at Stanford?

Whatever you decide to write about, it should be an activity that you’ve spent considerable time and energy on. If your chosen topic didn’t impact your growth or personal development, then you should choose another. If possible, select an activity that resonates with the narrative of your application:

• If you’re someone who wants to study engineering, perhaps you could talk about your time serving as design head of your FRC team.
• If you love politics and want to major in political science, consider discussing the time you canvassed for a local politician or solicited signatures for a petition.

As always with these short questions, you only have 50 words, so focus on the most meaningful and memorable details. 

Extracurricular Activities Essay Example

Here is an example of what an essay might look like for an applicant interested in one day becoming a doctor:

While I run to get the door for a visitor, a nurse hurriedly hands me a lab sample to deliver. Smiling, I walk down the hall, plastic bag in hand. I like stressful days when I’m working as a family birth center volunteer at the local Methodist Hospital.

Stanford Supplement Short Answer #5: One Thing at Stanford Essay

The last of the short questions asks,

“Name one thing you are looking forward to experiencing at Stanford.”

Hopefully, as someone who has already decided to apply to Stanford, you already have a basis for this question. However, much like the last topic, it’s important to not pick an obvious answer.  While valid reasons for attending Stanford, this is not the place to gush over how good a school it is or the fact that your family lives down the road. The admissions committee is already aware that Stanford is an exclusive school or that you come from California. You should dig deeper.

The good news is that this doesn’t need to be complicated. Here are some questions to help you think about this question:

• What makes Stanford special, especially compared to other top schools?
• Is there a community, event, or club that you’re especially looking forward to experiencing?
• Is there something academic you’re particularly interested in, such as a research project or class?

This is the last question with a limit of 50 words, but all the previous advice still holds. Be judicious with your word choice, don’t bother with an introduction, and focus on one idea.

One Thing at Stanford Essay Example

An excellent answer to this short question could look like this:

As someone who loves a variety of topics, I cannot wait to take advantage of Stanford’s quarter system. Whether taking beginner ceramics or computational biology, having the opportunity to explore all of my passions would be invigorating.

Stanford Supplemental Essay #1: Driven to Learn

This is the first of Stanford’s three short essays. All of them have a word count of 100-250 words. This one reads:

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.

As this is the first of the short essays, you have a few more words, but not enough to craft an entire formal essay, complete with an introduction and conclusion. You’ll still need to get to the point quickly

As you can tell from the prompt, Stanford is looking for students who are hungry for knowledge, self-motivated, and eager to actively participate in classroom and campus life, so choose a topic or experience that makes you feel enthusiastic.

• Is there a type of homework assignment you actually love to do?
• Is there an idea you’re constantly reading articles or watching videos about?
• Have you encountered a problem or concept that you just can’t stop thinking about?

The first step of the essay should be describing the experience, then explaining why this idea is so exciting to you.

Because of the prompt, it is important that the topic you choose is something you have spent your own time exploring, as this is one of the things that demonstrates a genuine desire to learn. The tone of this essay should also be enthusiastic, as you want to clearly demonstrate your inquisitive nature and passion for your education.

Driven to Learn Essay Example

As the first of the short essay questions, take a look at this example:

At the end of freshman year, I enrolled in AP Chemistry. I didn’t think much of it; I was used to picking the hardest classes offered. Over the next few weeks, I was bombarded with warnings from wary upperclassmen about what was supposedly the hardest class in school. The teacher even had a meeting to scare the freshmen away. Refusing to let up, I planned on teaching myself some of the content before the next year started. I was mesmerized from the first chapter. As the author explained VSEPR theory, I was amazed at how the simple geometric shapes I’d been learning since elementary school could explain the repulsion between electron clouds. That summer, I read two chapters a day in pure awe. Chemistry was the first science class that challenged me to visualize abstract concepts on a completely new scale while incorporating the problem solving and logical deduction that I loved from math. During labs, I felt a genuine sense of purpose. Rather than following a list of directions, I brought theory to life by testing the properties of chemical reactions. Science was no longer about memorizing facts; it became discovery and application. Chemistry was my first experience blending math with science. Now that I’ve been introduced to physics, biology, and calculus, the interconnectedness of these subjects inspires higher pursuits within me. There’s so much more to learn in the world, and I want to use chemistry as my window to see it.

Stanford Supplemental Essay #2: Stanford Roommate Essay

Everyone is nervous about sharing a room with a stranger, but don’t think about this question that way. Instead, take this as an opportunity for you to influence who you spend the first year of college with. As such, the tone of this should definitely be more casual. Here is the question:

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. 

While you definitely want to maintain perfect grammar and spelling, this is a great place to inject humor, personality, and fun information about your living habits. Remember, you’re supposed to be addressing a fellow student, not an admissions officer. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• What should your roommate know about you?
• What are your hobbies? Do you like to cook? Play a sport? Build robots ?
• Are you a lover of the outdoors, but will always be careful not to track in dirt?

Whatever it is, this is an opportunity to reveal an aspect of your personality that really wouldn’t fit anywhere else in the application.

Make it unique, interesting, and memorable, while keeping it within the 100-250 word limit. Try to go offbeat here – this is the perfect chance to add to your application without worrying about narrative. 

Stanford Roommate Essay Example

This is a great, quirky example written by a student:

Hi roomie! If there’s anything you should know about me, it’s that I’m kind of like a dog. Hold on, let me explain: I love going on walks, frolicking in the water, and needlessly exploring. Feel free to join me in finding the best study spots or taking a few laps in the rec pool. Chicken wings and getting in the car make me happy. I’m always up for late-night drives and boba runs. I love kids. I’m always in a good mood after facetiming my little cousins or volunteering in an elementary school or library. If you listen to music, I’ll start humming (or howling) along. I’m a sucker for piano, and I can have High School Musical or Gustav Holst’s Planets Symphony stuck in my head at any given moment. I exude positivity. If you need a pep talk before a big test or a confidence boost when taking a fashion risk, I won’t hesitate to cheer you on. We’ll experience a lot together, so I hope you do the same. I just want to make people happy. I’ll always be your friend. We’ll have our disagreements, but I can’t hold grudges. I’m a first-generation American and college student, so a lot of things will be new to me. But like a wolf, my life has always been about adapting to my surroundings. Being here is already a symbol of leading my “pack” of younger cousins to higher education. Puns aside, I can’t wait to meet you!

Stanford Supplemental Essay #3: What’s Meaningful to You

This is the last of the short essay questions, so congratulations!  You’re almost done. This reads,

“Tell us about something that is meaningful to you and why.”

This is a very broad question, and you only have 100-250 words to answer it. However, since it comes at the end of your application, there are definitely a few different ways to approach it. Ask yourself:

• Is there an activity you care about that you haven’t mentioned yet?
• Did you really like one of the topics you brainstormed for a previous question, but it didn’t seem to fit quite right there?
• Is there a person, object, tradition, religious ceremony, experience, concept, or memory that really explains who you are?

The goal is to tell admissions officers something they don’t already know about you, so be sure to clearly explain why this is meaningful. How has it impacted your life and shaped you as an individual?

Don’t feel pressured to choose something grand or esoteric. The best responses to these questions are personal, speaking to your character, struggles, challenges, or ambitions.

What’s Meaningful to You Essay Example

This response is about seizing an opportunity to give back to a community, successfully highlighting several attributes that were meaningful to the writer.

When I learned my Boy Scout Troop would officially disband within the year, I knew I had to do something. Unflinchingly, I decided to run for the position of Senior Patrol Leader (SPL) on the platform of returning my troop to its former glory.  The biggest issue was diminishing scout attendance, so I collaborated with my Patrol Leader Council to create weekly meetings filled with activities such as water balloon fights, 3-on-3 soccer tournaments, and model rocket launches. Next, to build interest in troop events, I organized a two-night campout at Six Flags. Finally, to ensure troop involvement, I employed email marketing, encouraging members to rekindle their interest in Boy Scouts. Finally, after a six-month term as SPL, I increased Scout participation sixfold, successfully postponing the troop shutdown for a minimum of two academic years and allowing nine additional scouts to earn Eagle, with six more to graduate in 2019.  As an Eagle Scout, I found a community that has guided me toward becoming a better citizen. Boy Scouts has shaped me into the young adult I am today. In becoming a SPL, I reinforced the primary principles of the scout law within me: being trustworthy, loyal, and helpful.

Conclusion: Writing the Stanford Supplemental Essays

As you complete your Stanford Supplement, keep a few key things in mind:

• Don’t be repetitive
• Write in your own unique voice
• Be specific, and try to provide answers that are unique to you
• Polish your spelling and grammar to perfection
• Ask other people you trust to read your essays and give you feedback

If you follow the tips here and do your best to showcase your unique personality and writing style, you’ll increase your chances of being accepted to Stanford!

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How to write Stanford's Roommate Letter

Of all the creative college application supplements out there, perhaps the most deceptively simple is this infamous prompt from Stanford University:

“Letter to your Roommate -- 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. (100–250 words)”

Many students interpret this as a straightforward assignment and write something generic, missing the larger opportunity to strengthen their application. To help you brainstorm for this essay, let’s break down the prompt into what it's not vs. what it is .

What the Roommate Essay is NOT:

It's not a roommate preference survey.

Many colleges and universities will send their matriculating students a roommate preference survey to help Student Services make more optimal roommate pairings. This survey includes questions like, “What time do you like to wake up and go to sleep?,” “What is your preferred studying environment in your room?,” and “How often will you be in your room during the day?” Using the Roommate Essay to share your cohabitation ground rules and preferences is probably the most common way students misinterpret this question! In general , the responses to these questions will be generic and non-specific - we want to make sure that the Roommate Essay highlights your unique personality and interests. 

it's not An actual note to your future roommate

To dispel a common misconception, your future roommate will never see this essay (unless you show it to them!) if you end up matriculating at Stanford. Your audience for this essay is the admissions committee, not a fellow high school senior.

What the Roommate Essay IS:

This essay is a chance to share something new about yourself..

College essays are like mini-interview questions, and you only get so many chances to showcase what makes you special. Though academic rigor is obviously important for Stanford admissions, almost equal importance is placed on selecting students who will thrive in and enhance Stanford’s unique campus culture. Many students have unique interests, hobbies, and experiences that don’t fit elsewhere in their college applications, but are still important for the admissions committee to get a holistic picture of that student. The Roommate Essay provides a rare chance to show the committee who you are (beyond your grades and test scores) and how you’ll be a valuable contributor to the Stanford community.

But how do you fit all of that into just 100-250 words? First, you want to pick out which of your awesome traits you want to highlight. Think about the following questions to kick start your brainstorming:

• What would your friends and family say makes you special?
• If you had a completely free day, how would you spend it?
• What habits, rituals, or quirks do you have?
• Do you have a “life motto” or words you live by?
• What kind of things do you have on your walls/your desk at home?
• What could you give a talk about for 20 minutes, without any preparation?

The framing of your unique trait/experience/habit is the crucial difference between a generic essay and one that helps your application come alive, even with the exact same initial topic. For example, if the only thing Student A can say about their habit of waking up early is that they have to do it to be on time for school, the most we can say about them is that they are punctual for their commitments. On the other hand, if Student B writes about how they leap out of bed every day at 5:30am to catch a glimpse of the rare owl species that lives in the tree behind their apartment complex, we suddenly have a vibrant picture of a bird-loving individual who is so motivated by their passions that they are willing to wake up at odd hours. Think back to your personal statement - how did you use storytelling to convey the message you were trying to communicate?

Next, think about why it’s important for someone to know this fact about you. Do you enjoy sharing your early morning adventures with others? Does this example represent a larger joy of exploring your surroundings that you look forward to continuing at Stanford? The key is to relate this trait to how you will engage with your fellow students and the Stanford community.

Finally, it’s time to structure this unique part of your personality in the form of a letter. Common ways to start and end this essay include “Dear Roommate,” and “Sincerely, (your name),” but don’t be afraid to show off some personality in the salutations! Keep the body of the letter concise (remember your word limit), and don’t forget to address your roommate from time to time using the second person point of view (at least one of the pronouns “you,” “we,” or “us” should appear in your essay). 

Done correctly, the Roommate Essay is a unique opportunity to show the Stanford admissions committee who you are at heart - don’t be afraid to share your true self!

Samantha H.

Samantha attended Stanford University, where she explored the role of synaptic proteins in visual system development for her honors thesis research. She graduated with a BS in Biology conferred with honors and with distinction. She is currently pursuing a combined MD/PhD at Harvard Medical School and MIT in the Health Sciences and Technology program.

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How To Top in a Stanford Roommate Essay (With Example)

The Stanford letter to roommate is one of three supplemental essays required to apply. It allows you to write a note to your future roommate. We can all attest to how difficult such a task may seem. Imagine writing to someone you have never met – where do you even start?

Unlike other college essays, which require you to discuss contemporary issues, this one presents to you a chance to describe yourself to your future college roommate. Well, I know some can fill booklets when asked to write about themselves while others can only go as far as writing their name and stopping there.

Either case, this Stanford letter to roommate essay writing guide is for you.

Key Points on a Roommate Essay Stanford

Besides excellent academics and performance in extracurricular activities, a letter to roommate brings out the personal qualities that the student is bringing to school. It shows their contribution to student life and how they will fit in.

There are vital considerations that will get your Stanford roommate essay accepted. These include:

• Tone and language

For Pete’s sake, this is a letter to a roommate, not a university vice-chancellor! Therefore, you should use fun and casual tone in writing this essay. Don’t scare your future roommate away with an official, stern, and unwelcoming tone.

• Be yourself

When you want to write a note to your future roommate, do not force or make up any character that is not yours. Ensure that you use your voice in your writing and let the result reflect who you are, and write in a natural style.

• Do not be ‘selfish’ in your letter .

By this, I mean that you should not only write about what kind of roommate you are going to be. Describing everything about you may stir up some sense of egoism. Ensure that your letter shows your contribution to the community or social life in general.

Stanford essays that worked followed the guidelines stated above. You can look up Stanford roommate essay examples available online to familiarize yourself with these three concepts better. If that’s not enough, you can seek professional writing help and get your paper done in a split of a second.

Stanford Letter to Roommate Example

Dear Future Roommate, I am excited to tell you about myself already. I have a high affinity for friends, and that’s why I can’t wait to see you so that I can also know you in person. My friends here call me ‘skinny,’ not because I am skinny – I am huge! An elephant is my sister for that case. Don’t mind my body size; we can comfortably share a bed for your information. They call me skinny because I love using the word skinny in almost every sentence that I make – you’d have noticed that already. There’s more behind ‘Skinny’ that I am sure you’ll be thrilled to know. My passion for journalism has aroused a curious person in me. I will inquire almost about everything – even why you are reading this letter in the first place, yet you do not know me. I am kidding. I am an outgoing person with a great love for friends. I feel like greeting everyone I meet along the streets. And just before I forget, my greetings are endless. I can say hi to you as many times as possible. But don’t worry, I am not that noisy as a parrot. Talk about food, and you’ve touched the nerve-center of my heart. The kitchen is one place I hold so dear to my heart. I am carrying along my kitchen apron and cap. If you want to know about any recipe, ‘Skinny’ has got you covered! I may not know about all the cuisines but trust me, I can juggle my way around them all and present some mouthwatering meal to anyone. My fingers are itching to tell you about my appetite for sushi but let me hold that for now. I look forward to learning about you, too, roommate! Sincerely, Magdalene.

From the sample above, we can deduce how to structure a Stanford roommate essay and get it accepted.

How To Write Stanford Roommate Essay

• Paragraph 1

Magdalene begins her letter with a bait that will hook the roommate to her as soon as possible. By introducing herself as ‘Skinny,’ she is already creating a rapport with the roommate. It’s not difficult for one to miss out that she is an amusing person with a deep sense of humor – the elephant is my sister. The last line of the first paragraph excites the person reading it to find out more about this ‘Skinny’ who is the opposite of her nickname.

• Paragraph 2

Here, Magdalene sneaks into what she loves doing and her character. She merges her academic field (journalism in this case) with her general nature. One can deduce that her passion for journalism and her everyday life are related. Instead of sounding too official, she brings it out in a light and humorous way.

• Paragraph 3

She now talks about her hobbies in this paragraph. Her roommate will know from this that Magdalene is a foodie and a master chef in the kitchen. From this, the roommate can be able to relate her hobbies to those of Magdalene.

• Paragraph 4

She closes her letter by showing interest in getting to know her roommate too. You can see that she is calling her ‘roommate’ already.

Looking at the many ‘dear future roommate’ college essay examples gives you a more in-depth insight into what is expected of you. Nonetheless, you can use an essay writing service with the best essay writers and get a top-notch letter ASAP!

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How to Write the Stanford Roommate Letter (Essay)

Who should read this post: anybody applying to Stanford in 2019-2020. I will look at the writing situation of this oddly tricky prompt and summarize the approaches taken by three successful applicants as I wrap up this post. Read on for more.

Ah, the Stanford Roommate letter, back for another year. It’s one of the three Stanford prompts, and it’s framed as a letter to your roommate. But it’s still a supplemental “essay.” Go figure.

When you compare all of the other things Stanford wants you to explain, introducing yourself to your future roommate seems kind of lightweight, particularly given that it is one of three key supplemental essays Stanford requires. So why is this roommate prompt back for yet another year? Because somehow it works. For Stanford.

As the most difficult college application in the country, with an acceptance rate that will drop below 4% within three years, based on current trends, Stanford, has a big problem: tens of thousands of applications with grades in the solidly 3.9 and 4.0 range, unweighted, most with stellar test scores and a thicket of activities. The Letter to Your Roommate clearly helps them separate applicants, from one simple fact–this prompt has been on the docket at Stanford for over a decade. And it is a particularly tricky kind of “essay.”

It’s so good in fact that they have barely even changed the wording on this prompt since it launched, way before Barack Obama started a run for President. Here it is:

2. 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.

Your Audience and Writing Situation for the Stanford Roommate Essay

Let’s get one thing out of the way now: While Stanford does suggest that you can swap letters to your roommate when you first show up at your dorm to see who you will be sharing your living space with, your real audience is obviously not your roommate. It’s your application readers.

So a big challenge is how “formal” to be. Trying to write as if this really were just to a fellow student who by happenstance becomes your roommate is a mistake. But so is writing as if you are practicing a speech in front of a middle-aged judge.

To clarify your audience, most of my clients who have gotten into Stanford have had the opportunity to read their roommate’s letter, and they have also universally treated this as a bit of a joke, a slightly embarrassing moment that they quickly leave behind. For the obvious reason that one of the first things your roomie sees is part of your ploy to get Stanford admissions. It’s a “So that’s how you pulled it off” moment. They, like you, were casting about for some kind of “humanizing” details and some humor that would help them pick the lock to Stanford admissions. And then you maybe have to laugh off some personal quirk you decided to put upfront in your letter.

The best essays have some serious ideas in them, but framed and carried by some level of humor. A recent winner ended with a promise to have a My Little Pony decorative party. No doubt this was laughed off when the letter was read. And of course you can be too informal. For example, the language itself is not really the place to put to much informality, Dude. You get my drift, Bro?

So instead of thinking about this as really being to your roommate, think about it being to a hipster landlord who perhaps middle-aged but still sort of with it, and this landlord tis trying to find the smartest and most interesting people to pair up as roommates. In addition to offering some sense that you have an interesting personality and are maybe going places in a hurry, you also need to remember that part of this is what you want to share about yourself as a (prospective) roommate. If you want to discuss your frequent bouts of inspiration and in the process explain that these times tend to come late at night and that they simply must be accompanied by blasting music to drive your manic creativity, you may come across more as a self-absorbed jerk with no respect for your roommate’s peace, quiet or sleep than as a quirky and interesting artistic savant.

Seriously. I get this look at how enthusiastic/quirky stuff all the time in Stanford Roommate Letters, then have to ask the young author, Hey, how would you feel if your roommate blasted, say, some Bach organ music at 110 decibels at any hour of the day or night? Of course, I also see these very serious letters. Some are good, but few are great. After all, the performance here is about writing to somebody your age (with a chaperone) and that really, really serious take may not work out. You don’t want to come across as Stuart Smalley, for reals, folks . So if you are not someone like Greta Thunberg, with street cred like hers, try at least a bit of humor.

Feeling stumped? Let’s look at some successful examples, summarized.

Essay Ideas that Worked

So what kind of Roommate Letter does get one into Stanford? These three worked:

Essay Number One: Breakfast Cereal

I am not posting these essays in full, but here is a summary of each– please keep in mind that copying these ideas is a bad idea. These are just a representative examples of the range of ideas that I have seen be successful . Your own ideas need to be germane to you, but these may give you permission to write about things you had not considered . . . You can and should share these essays with a range of people, and dial it back, or pump it up, as necessary.

Stanford Roommate Essay 1 –This successful applicant decided to write on his approach to breakfast, specifically, his experimental approach to breakfast cereal, for which he uses two bowls. He alluded to his friends’ view that his cereal obsession is truly eccentric by offering a somewhat tongue-in-cheek explanation of his drive to constantly experiment. Why should be accept cereal that is too mushy or too crunchy, and what happens if you combine a constantly evolving range of cereals? Into this approach, he was also able to drop references to digitizing information for a student-run organization at school to improve it, and doing lab experiments on polymers . . . which were successful. His refusal to accept mediocre cereal became a platform to suggest he experiments to improve everything. Obviously, this could become just a little too cute, but the applicant had a sense of seriousness as well as a sense of humor in this only slightly tongue-in-cheek essay.

Stanford Roommate Essay 2 –This essay started with a homage to the refresh button on a web browser; by the end of the opening paragraph, this opening discussion of the refresh button had expanded to a kind of philosophy for life itself–his motto: refresh, renew and start over with a new perspective whenever you face a roadblock or feel a lack of inspiration in life. In paragraph two, he segued to his passion for scheduling and calendaring software. By now you are perhaps thinking, as you read this, that this is too mundane and, indeed, lame for a Roommate essay, but this applicant went on to explain how he runs a calendar for real events that are fixed to specific dates, which allows him to get tasks done on time, but that he also has an aspirational calendar, in which he imagines things he will do, and by doing so, and putting them on the calendar, makes them happen. That he in fact has several hundred calendars devoted to dreams and aspirations.

And some of these had already become successful at the time he wrote his Stanford essays, and he was able to name-drop things, like the a nonprofit he launched, bringing sports to underprivileged youth, and the trip he pulled off, solo, to Peru and the internship he landed at a financial advising firm for which he continued to work for years. And all of these activities were the subjects of other essays, so he was able to reinforce some of his activities and parts of the Common App main essay he wrote . . . gentle reminders for the reader are always a good thing. Imagine your poor college application reader in, say, hour 8 of reading data, activities, essays . . . and assigning a ranking, all in about 15 minutes. Or ten. You never want to repeat activities verbatim on your essays, but a bit of a reminder never hurts.

Stanford Roommate Essay 3 –This applicant wrote about . . .rapping. And this for a prospective business major and entrepreneur who has no plans to go into the music industry. At this point.

Interestingly, rapping is very much a minor activity for this applicant, who has not really composed all that many raps. But the essay had authenticity, because this applicant had done some rapping, genuinely loves the genre, and got together with a friend to write a rap aimed at deflating tension between the applicant’s school and a cross-town rival, then made a video in which the applicant and friend visited the cross-town rival “sharing the love” as they rapped about making peace. They posted it and got some support online.

This is the background of the essay, which talks more about liking to rap and the process of creativity. This applies to the roommate essay because of rap as a private-hours activity, engaged with at home, and the activity in this case was altered on my advice from blasting rap at all hours to having a set of Beats headphones constantly on the applicant’s ears or around the applicant’s neck, ready to use at any time. . . in the dorm room. It also quoted from that peace rap in a couple of places, and the focus overall was on an interest in creative engagement with social justice topics, which allowed the applicant to bring in a mixed-race background.

You don’t have to be constantly engaged with an activity for it to work in an essay; you just need some level of authenticity, which this had. And as a person whose identity is not totally tied up in Rap or Hip-Hop, this essay also skirted the kind of insider-war about who’s the best, what is legit and what is not in the realm of Hip Hop and Rap. . .Passion is welcome, but avoid editorial content that is not lightened with humor and a sense of perspective.

And don’t forget, for high octane and battle–tested essay development and editing, Contact Me.

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Stanford Essays Examples

Stanford essays examples – introduction.

Located in sunny California, Stanford is a top choice school for many students. In this guide, we’ll look at the Stanford supplemental essays. Then, we’ll review some Stanford essays examples and discuss how they can help you write your own Stanford essay.

Stanford is ranked as one of the best colleges in the US , and for good reason. Students are in control of their learning, whether that means exploring STEM research opportunities or double majoring thanks to Stanford’s quarter system .

It’s no surprise that with Stanford’s popularity, it is a hard school to get into. According to US News, the Stanford acceptance rate is just 4%. The Stanford acceptance rate also ranks Stanford among the most selective schools, so receiving a Stanford acceptance letter is no small feat. 

As you begin the Stanford application process, it can be helpful to review Stanford essays that worked. Then, you can apply the tools from these Stanford essays examples to your own writing.

Our guide to the Stanford essays examples will include:

• The number of Stanford essays to expect on the application
• What matters to you and why Stanford essay examples
• Stanford roommate essay examples, and more!

How many essays does Stanford require?

There are eight required stanford supplemental essays for 2022-23 applicants ..

While eight Stanford essays may seem like a lot, remember that not all the Stanford essays are full-length essays, like the two-to-five-page essays you write for class or the 650-word personal statement you will write for the Common Application. Your Stanford essays help the admissions team get to know you. 

Before we dive into some Stanford supplemental essays examples, let’s think about the Stanford essay prompts. Unlike other schools that only require applicants to write one or two supplemental essays , Stanford requires students to answer multiple short answer and short essay prompts.

Put simply, your Stanford essays help the admissions team learn about you on your own terms.  Just wait until you read our Stanford roommate essay examples – how many college applications ask you to write a letter to your future roommate?

There are two types of Stanford essays: short answer and short essay. 

Stanford short answer.

Short answer Stanford essays can only be 50 words max , so they are only a few sentences long. As you’ll see in our Stanford supplemental essays examples, 50 words is not a lot of space. When answering the short answer Stanford essays, you’ll need to learn how to use your words carefully to make a clear and memorable impact on your reader.

Before you’ve read some Stanford essays examples, you may think these types of Stanford essays don’t allow students much room to express their thoughts and ideas. Later, when we look at Stanford essays that worked, you’ll see just how creative you can be when answering the short answer Stanford essays.

Stanford Short Essay

The short essays are slightly longer. These Stanford essays are between 100 and 250 words long , so you can expect these Stanford essays prompts to be more comprehensive than the short answer prompts. As you read our why Stanford essay examples, note that they fall into this category. Instead of being quick snapshots, the Stanford essays that worked will have more of a narrative , taking the reader through a beginning, middle, and end.

No matter if you are responding to the short essay or short answer Stanford essays, make sure you answer the prompts completely. As the admissions team reviews your Stanford essays, they’ll quickly notice whether you successfully answer the prompt . That means if there is a “what” and “why” section of the prompt, your Stanford essay should thoroughly address both.

By now, you’re probably ready to get into some Stanford essays that worked. First, let’s take a look at the prompts behind our Stanford supplemental essays examples.

What are the Stanford essay prompts?

Next up is the Stanford essay prompts. As previously mentioned, Stanford supplemental essays are two lengths: up to 50 words or 100-250 words. 

Since the Stanford essays are so short, you might think they matter less. However, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. Stanford is a prestigious and selective school. So, Stanford Admissions will expect your most thoughtful and well-executed responses to their questions.

Currently, there are three Stanford short essays (100-250 words) and five short answer Stanford essay prompts (50 words max). These prompts are subject to change each year, so make sure you’ve done your research and found the most up-to-date prompts on Stanford’s application and essays page for first-year applicants and transfer applicants .

Note that some of the Stanford essay examples in this guide are from previous admissions cycles. This means that your Stanford application may ask you to complete a slightly different prompt than you’ll see in our Stanford essays examples. While some of the examples included in this guide may not reflect the current Stanford essay prompts, they can still help you complete your Stanford application.

The short answer Stanford supplemental essay prompts (50 words max) include:

• What is the most significant challenge that society faces today?
• How did you spend your last two summers?
• What historical moment or event do you wish you could have witnessed?
• Briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities, a job you hold, or responsibilities you have for your family.
• Name one thing you are looking forward to experiencing at Stanford.

The longer Stanford supplemental essay prompts (100-250 words) include:

• 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.
• Tell us about something that is meaningful to you and why.
• 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.

Before we dive into the Stanford essays examples we’ve provided below, let’s start thinking about what it takes to write a great Stanford essay.

How do I write a good Stanford essay?

Just like there is no easy answer to how to get into Stanford, there is no easy answer to how to write a good Stanford essay. Our Stanford supplemental essays examples are all as different and unique as the students that wrote them. You’ll especially notice this once we start looking at Stanford essays that worked (like our what matters to you and why Stanford essay examples). While these Stanford essay examples all respond to the same prompt, each is unique.

That being said, when you look at different Stanford essays examples, you’ll start to notice they have some things in common. All of our Stanford essays examples clearly and concisely answer all aspects of the prompt. They do so in an engaging and specific voice that reflects some element of the writer’s character. This may include their creativity, humor, intellect, or values.

Overall, good Stanford essays examples will reflect positively on who a student is and why they’d be a good fit for Stanford. Part of Stanford’s vision is making a difference, so don’t be afraid to keep that in mind when reviewing our Stanford essays examples.

Stanford Essay Examples

Now, let’s jump into our Stanford supplemental essays examples. Rather than showing you a random collection of Stanford essays, we are focusing on Stanford essays that worked. Each of these Stanford essay examples is well executed . Each of these Stanford essay examples takes a strong approach to the prompts and shows a clear sense of identity and perspective.

First, we’ll take a look at some short answer Stanford supplemental essays examples. Then, we’ll move on to the longer Stanford essay examples, including our Stanford roommate essay examples and our what matters to you and why Stanford essay examples. 

Stanford Essays Examples- Short Answers

What is the most significant challenge that society faces today (50 words), stanford essay examples #1:.

The deterioration of political and personal empathy. There’s been an aggressive devaluing of inclusive mindsets and common ground rules—the kind of solidarity of purpose necessary to accommodate divergent viewpoints, respect evidence, share burdens, and tackle national/international emergencies like climate change and immigration. We are fumbling—in backwards tribalism—while the world burns.

Stanford Essay Examples #2:

Where’s Waldo books. 

By searching for Waldo, we subconsciously teach children that certain people aren’t meant to belong–they are meant to be hunted. Our brains may be hardwired to notice people who are different, but we are instructed to treat those people differently. 

Searching for Waldo must be consciously unlearned. 

Stanford Essay Examples #3:

Ignorance poses a paradoxical issue: we can’t solve a problem that we don’t know exists.

For fifteen years, I heard gentrification and thought humanitarian. The Oxford English Dictionary had even taught me that gentrification means “positive change.” How can such atrocities become noticed when our perceptions are so skewed?

Stanford Essay Examples #4:

Greed. The root of all evil. To make momentous strides towards improving societal conditions, people and corporations must put aside their greed. Unfortunately, greed – the deep, dark desire for power and money – is the dominant force at work in many aspects of society, making it society’s most significant challenge.

These Stanford essays examples are powerful. Each of these Stanford essays examples is also unique. In each response, the writer uses the prompt to showcase their core values and beliefs. 

You might be surprised how much these Stanford essay examples are able to contain in just 50 words. While this prompt does not contain two separate parts asking “what” and “why,” the above Stanford essays that worked answered both parts anyway. All four Stanford essay examples start by clearly naming the challenge (“deterioration of political and personal empathy,” “Where’s Waldo books,” “ignorance,” and “greed”), then explaining why it is a challenge or what this challenge keeps us from.

Next, let’s look at more Stanford essays that worked for other short answer prompts.

How did you spend your last two summers? ( 50 words )

Stanford essays that worked #1.

Learned to drive; internship in Silicon Valley (learned to live alone and cook for myself!); a government Honors program; wrote articles for a publication; lobbied at the Capitol; attended a young writers’ program; read a whole lot.

Stanford Essays that Worked #2

My goal: Adventure

2015: Moved from North Carolina to Texas (mission trip to Birmingham, Alabama in between), vacationed in Orlando.

2016: Pre-college math program in Boston, engineering program at another university, Ann Arbor, mission trip to Laredo, Texas, vacation to northern California including the lovely Palo Alto.

These two Stanford essay examples are snapshots that capture your life outside of school . Both of these Stanford essay examples choose to forego typical sentence structures for a more abbreviated, list-type presentation. This can give you room to include more experiences from your summers.

While these two Stanford essays examples are good, these Stanford essays examples aren’t the end-all be-all for this type of prompt. To improve your response, you might sneak in a “why” element to your answer. 

You might not wish to just list what activities you did over the summer , as this may repeat the kind of information found in an extracurricular or resume portion of your application. So, try to touch on what you learned or how you grew from these activities.

The second of our Stanford essay examples does this well by framing up their experiences into a unified goal: adventure. We then learn more about this student by the fact that adventure to them means exploring STEM topics and giving back to their church community. 

What historical moment or event do you wish you could have witnessed? ( 50 words )

Stanford essay examples #1.

Valentina Tereshkova’s 1963 spaceflight. Tereshkova’s skill, grit, and persistence carried her from working in a textile factory, through grueling tests and training, to becoming the first woman to fly solo in space. Her accomplishment remains symbolic of women’s empowerment and the expanded progress that’s possible with equity in STEM opportunities.

Stanford Essay Examples #2

In 2001, Egyptian authorities raided a gay nightclub, arresting 55 men. The prosecutors tried them under fujur laws—initially passed by Egyptian nationalists to counter British ‘immorality’ during colonization. 

Watching the prosecution construct homosexuality as un-Egyptian would illustrate the extent anti-Western sentiment drove homophobia and how similar anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric remains today. 

Stanford Essay Examples #3

Most definitely Paganini’s legendary one-stringed performance; one-by-one, his violin strings snapped mid-performance until he was left with only the G-string. Being Paganini, he simply continued to play flawlessly all on that single string!

Stanford Essay Examples #4

Change does not happen without courage. I wish I could have witnessed the courage it took for the four A&T students sit in at the Woolworth’s counter in my hometown. I want to see the light overcoming darkness that created a change to last forever.

These Stanford essays examples show what each writer cares about. They also illustrate how these students connect with the world around them. In each of the above Stanford essays examples, the reader learns more about what the writers are passionate about as well as what they value: perseverance, courage, justice, and beauty.

While these are not exactly why Stanford essay examples, they do showcase what kind of revolutionary or impactful work you might dream of accomplishing with your Stanford education. Never underestimate the opportunity to layer meaning into your essays. Each of these Stanford supplemental essays examples use an external event to show something about an individual student. 

What five words best describe you? (5 words)

Stanford essays #1.

Speak up. Take action. Together.

Stanford Essays #2

Peter Parker meets Atticus Finch

Stanford Essays #3

The light of the world

Although these are the shortest of the Stanford essays examples, they are perhaps the most difficult to write. Summing yourself up in five words is no easy task. Each of these Stanford essays examples takes a different approach, whether that is a few small sentences, a cross of characters, or a poetic line.

When the choice is yours, what do you read, listen to, or watch? (50 words)

Read: The New York Times, Vox, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Quora. Favorite authors include Siddhartha Mukherjee, Atul Gawande, Dushka Zapata, and Zora Neale Hurston. 

Listen: This American Life, The Daily, Radiolab, Invisibilia, U.S. and French pop. 

Watch: The Good Place, Brooklyn 99, YouTube science, baking, and fingerstyle guitar videos.

Read—an unhealthy number of self-help books, re-reading Just Kids by Patti Smith, every one of Audre Lorde’s books… 

Listen to—Danez Smith’s slam poetry (my personal favorite? Dinosaurs in the Hood), Still Woozy, Invisibilia… 

Watch—all the television I was forbidden from watching when I was twelve, POSE, ContraPoints, YouTubers criticizing ContraPoints… 

Read: On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous, The Wendigo, How To Write an Autobiographical Novel, Night Sky With Exit Wounds, Brainpickings.org weekly newsletter

Listen: Shostakovich, Lauv, Atlas, 20-hour-rain soundtrack on Spotify 

Watch: Avatar, Forrest Gump, Schindler’s List, Hachi (if in the mood to cry), any Marvel movie!

These Stanford essays examples showcase each writer’s interests and influences. They highlight intellectual media where appropriate, but they also remain honest. As you write your own Stanford essays, remember to stay authentic. 

Name your favorite books, authors, films, and/or artists. (50 words)

Stanford essay that worked.

I love literature and art that helps me explore my roots and learn to love myself. These works and authors include: The Color Purple, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Maya Angelou, Day of Tears, Hope for the Flowers, and Langston Hughes.

This essay is very similar to the Stanford essays examples above. It gives the reader a sense of this student’s interests and shows what they might engage with on Stanford’s campus. 

What newspapers, magazines, and/or websites do you enjoy? (50 words)

Stanford essays that worked.

I enjoy newspapers and magazines that enable me to learn something everyday. I like National Geographic because it lets me learn more about science. Once it even inspired me to do a self directed project on albatrosses. I also enjoy The Economist as it gives me a well rounded view of today’s politics and economics.

This essay is another of the “content” Stanford essays examples. This prompt, however, asks students to articulate the sites and sources where they turn to find content. 

Unlike our other Stanford supplemental essays examples, this example limits itself to two sources. Generally, we wouldn’t recommend essentially repeating the prompt, as this essay does in its first sentence. Instead, jump right into your details and specifics, and utilize that extra space to tie in something more valuable.

What were your favorite events (e.g., performances, exhibits, competitions, conferences, etc.) in recent years? (50 words)

“December 24th, 9pm, Eastern Standard time.” Rent began. I was sitting in between my best friends. We were losing circulation in our hands from holding on too tight and washing off our make-up with our tears. I felt an immense sense of harmony with the play and it was fantastic.

This is another variation of the above Stanford essays examples. This prompt, however, focuses on events. The narrative quality drops you right into the moment, which says so much about how this writer felt about the performance by showing an action rather than only explaining with words.

Name one thing you are looking forward to experiencing at Stanford. ( 50 words )

I live by my motto: “Dare!” in all instances of Truth or Dare.

Apparently, so do the students who brave Secret Snowflake. It spotlights what I love most, Truth or Dare minus the truth. Will I attempt to break the jalapeno eating record? Hop into The Claw in sub-zero temperatures? 

One of the reasons this “why Stanford essay example” works so well is its specificity. The level of detail included in this “why Stanford essay example” shows that this writer has done research into what Stanford has to offer. This highlights their enthusiasm and dedication to Stanford over another top college. 

If you aren’t able to take an in-person tour to visit the campus, there are plenty of ways to learn more about Stanford and its campus culture. We have countless webinars to help you get a sense of what life at Stanford is like. Check out our virtual college tour , Stanford University panel , and our How to get into Stanford: My Admissions Journey series to learn more about Stanford.

Imagine you had an extra hour in the day — how would you spend that time? (50 words)

I’d split my hour two ways, investing time in my own wellbeing and in others. Half I’d spend baking treats for friends, which would double as a personal gift, since I find baking—like running—relaxing and restorative. The second half I’d spend answering Quora questions—something I’ve been meaning to pay forward.

At eight, I dreamed of becoming a YouTuber, documenting life in rectangular video. Each year, this dream drew further from reach.

With extra time, I’d retrieve what time stole. Creating comedic skits or simply talking about my day, I’d pursue what I value most—making others laugh and capturing beautiful moments.

These Stanford essays examples show how some prompts are more open-ended than others. There’s an infinite number of possibilities you could explore with more time. However, both of these Stanford essays examples discuss something the writer values. Making others laugh, and giving to others—these are traits of people who will likely want to build community with their peers on campus.

Stanford Supplemental Essay Examples – Short Essays

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. (250 words), stanford essays examples:.

From my earliest days, I have been a storyteller. I have imagined futuristic worlds where climate change has turned plants carnivorous, or where simulation technology has allowed us to learn history by experiencing it. But of all of these worlds that I write into stories, there is one in particular that captivates me:

“Which face should I get? I’m debating between these two, but I think I like the nasal bridge on this one more.”

In this futuristic world, people shop for faces that can be affixed with a head transplant. The people simply browse through a catalog and choose from the available options in the way we might shop for wedding cakes. Following the transplant procedure, one’s previous head is added to the catalog for purchase by the next buyer. 

The idea seems completely bizarre.

That is, until we begin to more carefully consider the present. On Earth, beauty sways society, leading to the emergence of cosmetic surgery as one of the fastest-growing industries. Here, rapid scientific advancement trumps every earthly limitation, and scientists have recently completed the first successful head transplant on a monkey. 

These considerations coalescing, my bizarre idea suddenly comes to life. What is to say that, in 100 years or so, we won’t break the barriers of cosmetic limitations and wear a head that we weren’t born with? The idea terrifies me, but perhaps that is why I am so drawn to it: Science eliminates limitations. It is already eliminating the “fiction” in my “science fiction.”

Many of our other Stanford essays examples explicitly answer the prompt in the opening line. This essay, however, begins by revealing a broader truth about the writer: that they are a storyteller. This is something they embody throughout their essay, allowing the reader to imagine what the writer was like as a child before plunging them into a futuristic idea of their own.

They then connect this with the real-world science that connects to this broader idea. This grounds their interest and imagination with something going on in our world. By the end of the first of our short Stanford supplemental essays examples, we understand that this individual has passions across multiple disciplines. This essay merges science and literature to create a vivid picture of who the writer is and how they’d contribute to Stanford’s campus. 

Stanford students possess an intellectual vitality. Reflect on an idea or experience that has been important to your intellectual development. (250 words)

“Indefinita eres.” Latin for “you are limitless.” I believe that we are all limitless. That with passion, hard work, and resilience almost any dream can be accomplished. And I have a lot of dreams.

My entire life, except for the two years I wanted to be Hannah Montana, I have strived to help others. My dream is to be a leader in bioengineering, shaping and contributing to the forefront of bioengineering research, in order to make a positive impact on the lives of others. Through my endless passion for math, science, and engineering, combined with my resilience and collaborative abilities, I know I will be able to accomplish this.

I have countless other dreams and aspirations as well. I started Latin in 6th grade and I was terrible at it. I decided I would become a “Latin master” to lay a foundation for Spanish fluency in college. I studied hard for four years and by my sophomore year I was extremely honored to earn a silver medal in the Latin III National Latin Exam. I want to run a half marathon (after my sprint triathlon, of course). Through dedication and discipline I have worked from barely being able to run to morning 7 mile runs and will be at 13.1 by April 2nd for the Big D half marathon.

Like other Stanford supplemental essays examples, this piece showcases how much information and personality you can fit into a single essay. This writer chose to focus on an idea versus an experience, which allowed them to talk about multiple moments of growth and perseverance and their variety of passions.

Great Stanford supplemental essays examples will make the most of any prompt. So long as you answer the prompt completely, don’t be afraid to pull together different moments of your life. Just make sure you have a through line to keep everything focused and connected!

Stanford Roommate Essay Examples

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 words), stanford roommate essay examples #1.

In the spirit of inaugurating the life-long relationship I hope we’ll build this year, let me tell you a little about myself.

Hi, I’m Tom. I’m the second child of a comically over-optimistic refugee mother (my Vietnamese name translates, literally, to “celestial being”) and a proud Kentuckian with a deep passion for student-driven advocacy. I have two parents, two stepparents, a nineteen-year-old sister (a junior in Product Design, here, at Stanford), a three-year-old half-sister, two cats, one dog, and a complicated life that spans two households. So, I’m used to sharing space and managing shifting schedules.

I’ve also always been the “Mom” friend. To me, the little things—a chocolate chip cookie when I know a friend has a rough day ahead, words of encouragement before a big presentation, or staying up late to explain a tough physics problem—mean the most. I’ll be there when you need me—be it studying for tests or navigating personal challenges.

I recycle incessantly and am known to snatch cans out of the trash, wash them, and relocate them to neighboring blue bins. I keep a regular sleep schedule, rarely going to bed past midnight or waking up later than 8:30. I’m averse to gyms, opting instead to go for runs in the morning or follow along to a YouTube workout in the afternoon. 

I’m passionate, but also even-keeled. I think life is best taken in stride—worrying has never gotten me anywhere, but flexibility has taken me everywhere. I look forward to an awesome year!

Stanford Roommate Essay Examples #2

Dear Roomie, 

Some disclaimers before we room together: 

1. If I arrive before you, don’t be alarmed by the tissue boxes everywhere. My parents made the conscious decision to expand our cat population despite (or because of) my allergies, and my four cats probably ambushed my suitcase while I was packing. So don’t be surprised if I invite you to one-too-many games of Exploding Kittens. It’s me projecting my fantasies, so please indulge me.

2. Whenever you open a Google Doc around me, change the font to Georgia or Cambria (my personal favorites). If you’re a seasoned Arial user, you’re likely mindlessly going along with what everyone else is doing—I get it. But Arial is objectively a bad font; the only acceptable time to use Arial is if you’re being passive aggressive… and even then, just use comic sans… (Criticizing people’s font choices is only half my personality, I promise.) 

3. You’ll see me embarrassing myself around campus by flailing on the dance floor, doing improv, or in drag, and I hope to see the same from you. I want to get excited about everything you’re passionate about– interests I’ve probably never even thought about before. 

When I’m armed with a bottle of Zyrtec, being my roommate isn’t all bad. I’ll bring copious amounts of Peach Snapple bottles, probably enough to last the semester. You can take as many bottles as you want, so long as you leave me the Snapple “Facts”…. I’m an avid collector. 

Stanford Roommate Essay Examples #3

Hey Roomie! Yesterday was insane. I still can’t quite get over the energy in that stadium after that final play. I guess Berkeley couldn’t take back the axe to cut down these Trees!

I’m writing you this since I have an 8:30 Syntax and Morphology with Dr. Gribanov. I know, it’s early, but that class is honestly worth waking up for. Last Friday, he spent the entire period rambling about why regardless and irregardless are the same thing, but responsible and irresponsible aren’t. Just a fun little thought to start your day.

I’m also writing you this as a quick apology. I won’t be back from Mock Trial until late evening, and then I’ll be practicing for Stanford Symphony auditions. So, if you hear cacophonous noises in your sleep, it’s most likely me. Plus, it’s Mahler Symphony No. 1, so you might not sleep much anyway. Kidding.

These next few days are jam-packed, but I’m craving some much-needed bonding time! I have a proposal: how does a jam session this Friday at Terman Fountain sound? I’ll bring the guitar and plenty of oldies sheet music, you just gotta bring a snack and the desire to sing! I’ve sold a few people already. Join us?

Well, I’m headed to breakfast now. Text me if you want me to grab you anything.

Stanford Roommate Essay Examples #4

Dear Roomie,

Tupac Shakur is not dead. You might believe that he is, because yes, his body is buried somewhere. But many of his messages are still very much alive. So future roomie, if we are going to be as close as I hope (and if you see me rapping “Life Goes On” in my Star Wars pajamas), you should know this about me:

As a biracial person, I have felt extremely troubled for the past few years regarding the social inequalities and injustices in our society. 2PAC says in his song “Changes,” “I’m tired of bein’ poor and even worse I’m black.” He says “I see no changes.”

I want to change this. I want Tupac’s spirit to behold a United States in which everyone has equal access to education and to healthcare. A U.S. where no one is discriminated against based on their race, gender, sexuality, or religion. I have already begun working towards equality, through educational outreach and political volunteerism. I will continue this at Stanford, through participating in peaceful protests and spreading awareness of the issues at hand. This might mean you’ll notice me coming and going a lot or going on frustrated rants about the ignorance and injustices in our society and our world. However, I hope you’re a person who will not only understand my perspective but be willing to march towards equality with me.

I am so excited for this year and the many years to come!

As noted in our Stanford Essays Guide , the Stanford roommate essay shows up nearly every year. These Stanford roommate essay examples show how fun a prompt like this can be to answer. Each of our Stanford roommate essay examples takes a slightly different approach. Some students write from the perspective of already attending Stanford; others opt for a list of important need-to-know facts.

The Stanford roommate essay examples show how open-ended this prompt actually is. If, after reading our Stanford roommate essay examples, you feel like you have no idea what to write about, know that there is no perfect recipe for responding to this prompt. Each of our Stanford roommate essay examples has a unique quality and flair.

A good rule of thumb you can take from our Stanford roommate essay examples is to remember who your audience is. Some essays touch on classic roommate topics, like sleep schedules, activities, and sharing snacks. However, the writer only includes these facts as a means of showing who they are. 

What Matters to You and Why Stanford Essay Examples

What matters to you, and why (250 words), ‘what matters to you and why’ stanford essay examples:.

“You’re stupid!!” exclaimed James. “Well you’re ugly!” shouted Ethan. We were sitting around the dinner table and my brothers, as usual, were bickering. After about two minutes of this, my dad broke into song. He sang, in a mostly on pitch falsetto, “what the world needs now, is love sweet love.” My brothers, my mom and I all rolled our eyes, but of course we kept singing. Then we sang “All you need is love” and “I’ll be there.” After years of this constant playlist, during laundry, dinners, and hikes, I realized what truly matters to me: love.

Love is what makes my life worth living. Whether it be love of my family, of my friends, of my activities, or of my future it makes me excited to get up and start my day. The sense of harmony I feel when dancing in the car with my family, or painting with my friends, or working with my team on our solar car is indescribably fulfilling. Through playing ukelele and singing with my family to working diligently in a lab to create a process that will alleviate the pain of another person, I will have the love that is of utmost importance to me. I will fill my life and the lives of others with love and harmony.

The last of our Stanford supplemental essays examples shows just how honest and vulnerable you can be in your essays. This essay does a great job of showing rather than telling. It gives us a great example of what love looks like to this student and how love continues to be the most important thing in their life.

How to write Stanford Supplemental Essays: 5 Tips!

1. start early.

If you’re worried about getting your Stanford essays up to par with these Stanford essays examples, don’t leave them to the last second. Begin by familiarizing yourself with the Stanford prompts and reviewing our Stanford supplemental essays examples. This can be the first step in your writing process. Next, start brainstorming topics and ideas you can start incorporating into your drafts.

2. Keep an idea journal

Now that you’ve reviewed different Stanford supplemental essay examples and have read Stanford essays that worked, it’s time to get brainstorming. Try writing down the main topics of each Stanford essay prompt, like “roommates,” “important experiences,” or “content I like.” Have a place where you can write down all your ideas as soon as they come to you. That way, when it comes time to start drafting your Stanford essays, you’ll have plenty of ideas.

3. Think outside the box

If you’re having trouble coming up with an answer to one of the Stanford essay prompts, don’t worry. Remember our “what matters to you and why Stanford essay examples?” These questions are at the core of what Stanford admissions is looking for. You’ll include traces of them in every Stanford essay you write regardless of which prompt you answer.

4. Consider what Stanford Admissions will take away from your Stanford essays

For instance, think about the Stanford roommate essay examples. While the prompt asked students to direct their attention to their future roommate. Remember your reader will be coming in with the perspective of an admissions officer, not your potential future roommate. While this may seem like the space to offer up fun, random facts about yourself and your interests, consider how the characteristics you choose to highlight build upon other aspects of your application and Stanford essays.

5. Draft, edit, rewrite, edit, and edit again

These Stanford supplemental essays examples weren’t written overnight. You can’t expect to produce Stanford essays as engaging and effective as our Stanford essay examples unless you put in enough time and effort. Remember, our Stanford essays examples are final drafts. Make sure you get your first draft down on paper as soon as you can so you have plenty of time to edit, proofread, and finalize your essays.

Stanford Essay Examples- Final Thoughts

Applying to Stanford can feel overwhelming, especially given the low Stanford acceptance rate. If Stanford is your dream school , you should do all you can to ensure your Stanford essays shine.  

If you’re looking for answers on how to get into Stanford, think carefully about every aspect of the Stanford application. Knowing the requirements for the Stanford application will be much more helpful than worrying about the Stanford acceptance rate.

Focus on what you can control

So, focus on the parts of the Stanford admissions process you can control, like your responses to the Stanford essay prompts. Understanding the prompts, then looking at Stanford essays that worked, can give you a sense of what Stanford admissions looks for when reviewing applications. Then, you can take the lessons and learnings from Stanford essay examples and incorporate them into your own essays.

Take a look at our how to get into Stanford guide for more tips on the Stanford application process. We discuss how Stanford Admissions reviews applications, the Stanford acceptance rate, the interview process, and more strategies on how to get into Stanford.

As you begin working on your Stanford essays, feel free to look back on these Stanford essays examples. Rather than using them as a shining example you need to model your own Stanford essay after, think about why they worked, the impact they had on you, and how you can incorporate those techniques into your own essay. So remember, get started early, and good luck.

This article was written by Stefanie Tedards. Looking for more admissions support? Click here to schedule a free meeting with one of our Admissions Specialists. During your meeting, our team will discuss your profile and help you find targeted ways to increase your admissions odds at top schools. We’ll also answer any questions and discuss how CollegeAdvisor.com can support you in the college application process.

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Stanford Supplemental Essay Examples

With tips for writing a compelling essay.

Looking at Stanford supplemental essay examples is a great way to prepare for your own  college supplemental essays . Even if you are not planning on attending  Stanford University , you will find that reviewing different college essays will help you learn how to tackle various types of essay prompts so that you can learn to write a better essay. If you are applying to Stanford or any other prestigious university, like the  Ivy League Schools , you will need a compelling essay to improve your chances of admission.

Every year, universities like Stanford get thousands of applications from students with good grades and strong extracurriculars, and only a few of them get admitted. In fact, last year, Stanford had an acceptance rate that was just under 4%. If you want to stand out and be part of those few students who get an offer of admission, you will need to write a college essay that stands out.

Reviewing different  college essay examples  can help you do that. So take a look at the X outstanding Stanford supplemental college essay examples that we share in this blog. We also share a few tips to help you ace your college essays and tackle tricky topics like the notorious Stanford roommate essay. 

>> Want us to help you get accepted? Schedule a free initial consultation here <<

Article Contents 6 min read

Stanford supplemental essay example # 1.

Prompt: 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. (100 – 250 words)

My mother loves to tell me that I was born in a garden. It's not exactly true. Her water broke in our backyard garden, and she didn't feel the need to hurry to the hospital. It's my grandmother who came home from work and found her in the middle of the garden that finally convinced her that her tomatoes could wait while I - the baby she needed to give birth to - could not.

She blames those few minutes for my obsession with agriculture, but I believe it stems from watching her care for her garden. I remember watching her plant seeds as a child and being amazed when actual food started growing out of the ground within a few weeks.

I started helping her out in her garden when I was a child, and we volunteered together for the local community garden. As I grew up, I became more curious about agriculture. I started asking questions in school and researching independently to learn more. It led me to the national agriculture  summer program for high school students , where I got to learn more about the technical aspects of food production and distribution.

That experience reaffirmed the decision that I have made to learn about agricultural economics and sustainability. I am genuinely excited to learn what we can do to improve the current processes in order to make things better for future generations. I believe that Stanford's sustainability program is the best place for me to do that.  (248 words)

Prompt: Tell us about something that is meaningful to you and why. (100 – 250 words)

"Not thanking is Witchcraft, Annie. You have to thank people for their effort". Those are my grandmother's words. She often reminds me that the profoundly traditional Shawna people of Zimbabwe, where she and my parents were raised, believe that not thanking is witchcraft more often than I can remember. 

As a child, I loved my grandmother but thought she was very annoying. She speaks very little English, and my Shawna is not very good, so sometimes it's hard to understand her. She also loves to tell me stories about the village she grew up in, which I have never seen and will likely never see because, according to her, the foreigners have built shopping malls where it was. 

I started appreciating my grandmother when I began learning about oral history in class. It occurred to me that although I was born and raised in the US, I am a Zimbabwean American and most of my connection to my culture comes from her. She always made it a point to cook traditional foods like Sadza for my siblings and me, speak to us in Shawna even when she knew how to say it in English, and teach us about our culture. 

My relationship with her and the stories she shares with us have allowed me to connect with my heritage, and they prompted my interest in African history and cultures. So I'd like to wrap up this short essay by thanking her for teaching me and thanking you for considering my application.  (250 words)

Wondering how to get into a top college with a low GPA? Check this out:

Prompt: 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. (100 – 250 words)

Dear future roommate, 

The first thing you need to know about me is that almost every song is "my jam". You will probably start rolling your eyes every time I say, "ouh, that's my song" by the end of our first week together. Don't worry; I won't take it personally. I will also try not to sing or hum loudly, but I know this will be a serious challenge, so if I get carried away and disturb you when you're studying or just having some quiet time, let me know, and I will stop. 

I hope you're a music lover too so we can listen to some great records together. Yes, you read that right. I said records because I have an old-school record player and a great collection of vinyls that has a bit of everything, including Kendrick Lamar, Madonna, Michael Jackson, and Frank Sinatra.

If music is not your thing, then I'm sure we'll find something else to bond over. I also enjoy reading, shopping, and defending the superiority of DC comics over marvel. I also enjoy trying new things, so I hope you'll be open to introducing me to one of your hobbies. I'm willing to try anything that doesn't involve horses. I know that they are cute and majestic, but one of them scarred me for life, and I am kind of scared of them now. 

I look forward to telling you the whole story one day soon and learning about you. 

(249 words)

Tips for tackling the Stanford roommate essay

Many students find the Stanford roommate essay especially difficult to write because it is so broad and a bit more personal than most college essays. When tackling this prompt, you should remember that even though the admissions committee will be reading this essay, it needs to be written as if it were addressed to a peer. By asking you to write to your college roommate, they have given you a writing assignment, and you need to follow instructions. So your tone should be a bit less formal but still courteous. It would also be best to avoid focusing on academia in this essay.

This particular prompt gives you a chance to humanize your application so take advantage of that. Many students approach this essay the same way they do the " tell me about yourself" interview question , but this is not the same thing. This essay should focus more on providing the admissions committee with an authentic portrayal of your character and personality. You can't share everything in 250 words, so we recommend making a list of everything you'd want to share with an actual future roommate and then narrowing it down to the three or four things that are most meaningful to you.

Check out this video for more college essay tips:

Contrary to popular belief in my home, I cannot wait to meet you! 

There are thirteen people in my house on most days. That includes my parents, eight siblings, grandmother, and two cousins. Most of them assumed that I would have opted to live on my own so that I could have some peace and quiet. I can see why they'd think that, but the truth is that while I enjoy doing many things on my own- like curling up on the couch with a good book and some ginger tea or drawing- I also enjoy being around people. 

One of the reasons I am excited about college is that I get a chance to try new things and meet new people. I like to explore and learn about different cultures, so I hope you'll feel comfortable telling me about where you're from and teaching me about your culture. I am Senegalese-American, and I hope that I'll get a chance to introduce you to some Senegalese food because it is delicious, and I think everyone should try it at least once. 

I don't cook very often, but I love food, so I look forward to checking out all the different restaurants on and near campus. I love to spend Saturday nights on the couch with good company, great takeout, and a good movie. If that sounds like a fun night to you, then I think we will get along just fine. 

Sincerely, 

(246 words)

Conclusion & Writing tips

Your supplemental college essays can significantly impact the admissions committee's decision, so it is important that you do everything you can to write an essay that will not only be attention-grabbing but will also add value to your overall application. This is especially important if you are hoping to  get into college with a low GPA.   So, here are a few tips to help you write a more compelling essay. 

Many promising students don't know  how to write a college essay . If you are one of them, or if you feel that you need some additional guidance as you write your essay, then you should reach out to a  college essay advisor  for support. Or, if you've already started working on your essay, it may be a good idea to reach out to a  college essay review service . These services are offered by admission professionals who will be able to identify issues in your essay that the untrained eye may not be able to. "}]">

Last year, only 3.9% of the students who applied to Stanford were offered admission, so it is fair to say that it is a highly competitive school. You will need an outstanding application to get in. 

Many assume that Stanford is an Ivy League School, but it is actually not. It is, however, one of the most prestigious universities in the United States and the entire world.

Do not underestimate the importance of your college essays. Every year, Stanford gets applications from thousands of students with high GPAs and impressive extracurriculars. Your essays give the school a chance to find out what else you bring to the table.

These essays are relatively short. You’re between 100-250 words.

One of Stanford's oldest and most well-known supplemental essay prompts asks students to write a letter to their future roommates. It is one of the essays that students often find challenging.

Your roommate essay needs to be about you! This essay is supposed to tell the admission committee what you are like as a person, what interests you, and what you can contribute to the Stanford campus. So, talk about your hobbies, habits, and interests outside of academia.

You can improve the overall quality of your essays by having a strong opening, using specific examples, showing instead of telling, and ensuring that your essay is error-free. If you're not sure how to do this, reach out to a college essay advisor for some assistance. 

We recommend starting your essay with a "hook" or something catchy like an anecdote, a gripping or funny fun fact about you so that you can grab the reader's attention from the very beginning.

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• Dear Future Roommate

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.

Dear future roommate,

As much as I had hoped our introductions would be made in person, I am just as glad that we will know each other before we even meet.

Like the people around me would say, I try my best to brighten everyone’s mood. But first, I have to keep myself in high spirits in order to help others, right? So, should you see me practicing yoga, as it is my nightly routine, feel free to join me. I will show you the “garland,” the “prasarita,” and the “downward facing dog,” common yoga poses that help relieve stress and bring peace to the mind. Through these exercises, we can enter a state of positivity while familiarizing ourselves with each other. I understand that going to college without recognizing many people is intimidating, especially when friends may not be around to listen to your thoughts and give you advice, but yoga can help us bond.

Also, I hope you love music as much as I do. Growing up with two instruments, the piano and flute, I have found that music helps me express what I cannot in words. Without music, I am like a shaken-up pop bottle with the pressure trapped inside; music unscrews the cap and provides an outlet for my emotions. Of course, I cannot bring my piano into our dorm, but you can always come listen to me play in the practice rooms; I will be more than happy to perform for you. And if you play an instrument, maybe we can try a duet.

I am greatly looking forward to meeting you. As you can see, I am very open and approachable. Through our year together, I believe I can be a friend you trust.

Sincerely, Jenny

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, stanford roommate essay example.

Hey everyone! So I'm working on the famous Stanford roommate essay, and I'm honestly struggling. Does anyone have any examples or tips for writing a standout roommate essay? I really want to make mine shine! Thank you!

Hey there! I totally understand how the Stanford roommate essay can be a challenge, but try not to worry too much. It's a really great opportunity for you to showcase your personality and let the admissions team see a more casual, fun side of you.

When writing your essay, think of what kind of roommate you'd like to have and what you'd want them to know about you. Focus on your hobbies, quirks, or habits that you think would make you an interesting roommate. For example, maybe you have a love for exotic teas and would be excited to share your collection with your roommate. Or perhaps you have a tradition of going on weekend nature hikes and would love to invite them along.

One way to make your essay stand out is by leaning into humor and presenting yourself in a lighthearted way. Just keep it genuine and true to who you are. Also, remember to keep it concise; you don't want to overload your future roommate with too much information.

Here are two examples in this CollegeVine blog post: https://blog.collegevine.com/stanford-essay-example

Best of luck with your Stanford roommate essay, and I'm sure it'll come out great if you stay true to yourself and write with a friendly, welcoming tone!

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