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agtech and research being conducted everyday, we have the power to change what is wrong--and what has been outdated--since its inception: the food system.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

Hey there roomie,

I’m excited to meet you! First, a “taste” of what to expect with me as your roommate. While I was born and raised in [Place Redacted], I grew up immersed in Persian culture. This means two things: one, you can count on me when it comes to tea time, and two, my deep appreciation for saffron will fill our dorm with the aroma of Persian cuisine. I hope a taste of my cooking can tempt you to join me on my quest to try every Persian restaurant within biking distance of campus. Trust me, once you’ve sampled Bamieh, Tadig, and Khoresht Geimeh, you’ll be craving more!

When not knee deep in mouth-watering cuisines, we can catch one of Bahram Beyzaie’s plays, tour Stanford’s esteemed Cantor Arts Center, or hit up the farmer’s market on California Ave. Let's find the perfect spot to study, relax, and chat about books in Stanford’s myriad libraries, cafes, and gardens; although in my experience, no matter where we go, our fun is only limited by how far we let our imaginations take us. Pick a random Tuesday, and a lunchtime discussion with my friends might veer from what we’re reading to the supreme court to the paradoxes of time travel. If the abstract and bizarre intrigue you, and you often find yourself talking more than you're eating during lunch, then I know we’ll get along great.

Sincerely, Your Future Roommate, Melina

One of the things I could talk about for hours on end are my foster dogs. Some of my favorite fosters have been the special needs and seniors. I love seeing how much they progress from the first day I get them to the day they go to their forever homes. Willie came to me after being shot, hit by a car, and abandoned in the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. He was paralyzed from the mid-back down, incontinent, and covered in wounds from dragging his legs. For almost three months, I taught Willie how to be a dog again and nursed him back to health. He was given a wheelchair, plenty of diapers, and we worked on physical therapy exercises every day. Pretty soon he was able to walk miles at a time. When I dropped him off at his adopters, his wounds were healed, and he was the happiest I had ever seen him. Mumbles came to me after being found on a Native American Reservation. He was deaf, 6 weeks old, covered in ticks, fleas, and feces, and scared of the world. After a few thorough baths, we began working on sign language commands. Two months later, when he went home, he had mastered over 7 hand signals. People ask me why I don’t keep all my fosters, but there are plenty of wonderful adopters in this world but not enough foster families who will help dogs recover from their worst moments.