99 Successful Stanford University Essays

My grandmother moved in. As the oldest grandchild, her health became my responsibility. I meet her every morning with a cup of pills and herbal remedies. I administer injections, her painful shriek as the needle penetrates her skin shatters my heart every time, but her loving hugs always comfort me.

Stanford’s research opportunities at the Hopkins Marine Station near the Monterey Bay appeal to me; more specifically, Professor Barbara Block’s project examining unregulated fishing with new technology. Using my understanding of bycatch gillnets as the main threat to Hawksbills, I aspire to learn more about the consequences of unsustainable fishing.

Young people grapple with limited platforms for open discourse on critical topics like climate change and racial justice. In order to foster greater social progress on these issues, I aspire to provide a space for young storytellers to feel heard and supported by a community of peers.

I led volunteers in community farm maintenance. Harvests went to local families. Off the farm, I learned breakdancing from my brother and YouTube tutorials. Next summer, I attended two piano festivals. Highlight: I asked guest-artist Andrew Tyson if he purposefully moved his eyebrows while performing. He laughed and said no.

I wish I could have witnessed President Obama’s inauguration. This moment was much more than a transfer of political power; it was a transformation for America. Watching a Black man become President of a nation built upon the slavery of his race would have been highly inspiring.

Revolutions begin when a single person incites monumental change through the power of their conviction. While America may not be facing another Revolution soon (although I can’t speak too soon), a different revolution is upon us.

With breakthrough agtech and research being conducted everyday, we have the power to change what is wrong--and what has been outdated--since its inception: the food system.

Biofortification is nature’s CRISPR. We can now use conventional breeding or biotechnology to cultivate superproduce with allosteric inhibitors to slow down the enzymatic release of ethylene, the main cause of food spoilage. Using this technology for the benefit of Mother Nature and not Human Nature, society can repair the food system and minimize food waste.

Unfortunately, consumers exploit technology, and perhaps biofortification will be no different. Technology has caused extreme alterations to America’s current food system, so would it really be smart to introduce more of it in an industry where 98% of the population lacks an understanding of its processes? Honestly, I’m not so sure. With climate change and unpredictable growing seasons, the environment poses a high risk to cause minimal yields of the superproduce, causing farmers to drown in even more poverty than they already are.

However, current solutions to reduce the 1.3 billion tons of food wasted per year haven’t been working.

Stanford set a goal to eliminate waste by 2030. By leveraging new technologies, that goal is now feasible.

And I plan to be a leader in this movement.

Dear future roommate, There are two types of people: the type that can’t keep a single plant alive and the type that can grow anything. Which are you? I was gifted as the latter, which has developed into a slight houseplant addiction. My friends call my room a jungle. Anywhere you turn there is a philodendron or silver pothos or string of hearts. I hope you don’t mind that our dorm room may have quite a bit of green. I can’t wait to explore the cactus gardens and Papua New Guinea sculpture garden on campus. Maybe we could go together? Another crucial fact about me is that I am a ruthless word game player. If you ask me to play scrabble or bananagrams, I will never say no. And I must warn you, you will see my competitive side as I scramble to put 10 letter words together. Every day, I religiously do The New York Times crossword puzzle and sudokus. I know it sounds nerdy, but I would love to do one with you sometime. I am also a podcast person. When most people are driving or relaxing after a day of school, they listen to music. But as much as I enjoy some Stevie Wonder or Broadway musical soundtracks, you will usually find me listening to the newest episode of my favorite true crime podcast or The Daily by The New York Times. I am so excited to meet you!

When it comes to friendship, I often hear that quality is better than quantity. For most of my life, I've been deprived of even the hope for either. Then, I struck gold. Since the cards were first dealt four years ago, I have not only become infatuated with the game of poker, but I've finally felt the warmth of genuine, requited best-friendship. For its own sake, poker is an amazing game. A game of statistics, psychology, and luck, poker keeps objectivity enjoyable; whether through a sneaky play or just bad luck, the mathematically "correct" play is often wrong. You can't master the game. But as much as I'm attached to poker, it would be nothing without the people. Since I started playing, many have come and left the group, with the "regulars" eventually narrowing down to my now best-friends: "[Name Redacted]"—the stone-cold bluffer. [Name Redacted]—the sly psychologist. "[Name Redacted]"—the careful calculator, and [Name Redacted]—the poker guru. It was poker that connected us, but it's not poker that's kept us together. I didn't know such rapport was possible until I met these jokesters: We get along better than most families. I've made other friends along the way. I've grown as a student, as a friend, and as a son in the same period. I have even "matured beyond my years", according to my mom. But nothing has made my life enjoyable like these four friends—through a game most see only in casinos, my once-impossible dreams of authentic friendship have finally been realized.