Viewing My Stanford Admissions File | How I Actually Got In
Summary
TLDRIn this video, the creator shares their journey of being accepted into Stanford University. They reveal the process of obtaining their admissions file, which includes ratings and comments from interviewers and application readers. The video takes viewers through the notes they took during a 20-minute virtual review of their file, discussing their academic records, extracurricular activities, and personal essays. Despite not having a clear understanding of how they were accepted, the creator reflects on the belief someone in the admissions office had in them, inspiring viewers to believe in themselves.
Takeaways
- 🎓 The video creator is a Stanford University freshman who shares his experience of accessing his admissions file.
- 📄 He obtained his admissions file through a FERPA request, which allows students to access their educational records.
- 🏢 The process involved a virtual meeting since he was not on campus, where an office representative read his file aloud.
- ⏰ He was given a 20-minute time slot to take notes, highlighting the time constraint of the review process.
- 📝 Notes included biographical info, GPA, test scores, and other application details, suggesting these are key factors in admissions.
- 🔍 The 'SU-6' notation next to his GPA was speculated to be a recalculated GPA by Stanford, indicating unique evaluation methods.
- 🏫 His high school's rigor ('MD') and perceived diversity ('DIV') were noted, hinting at the importance of educational background.
- 📊 He received ratings from multiple readers on various factors like high school rigor, support, and extracurricular activities.
- 🗣️ Interview ratings and comments were also part of the file, emphasizing the role of personal interviews in the admissions process.
- 💭 Comments from application readers were mixed, with some suggesting he was 'on the fence', showing the subjective nature of evaluations.
- 🤔 Despite some uncertainty from evaluators, his acceptance indicates that something in his application stood out to the committee.
Q & A
What is the purpose of the video?
-The purpose of the video is to explore how the creator got accepted into Stanford University by examining their admissions file.
What is an 'admissions file'?
-An 'admissions file' contains an applicant's submitted application materials, ratings, and comments from interviewers and application readers, which are used to determine admission decisions.
How can a student access their admissions file at Stanford?
-A student at Stanford can access their admissions file by making a FERPA request through the registrar's office for student affairs.
What does FERPA stand for?
-FERPA stands for the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, which allows students to access their educational records.
What is the process for viewing an admissions file at Stanford?
-The process involves making a FERPA request, then either visiting the office in person or having a virtual meeting via Zoom to review the file, with a time limit of 20 minutes and no electronic devices allowed.
What does the term 'SU-6' possibly refer to in the context of the admissions file?
-The term 'SU-6' might refer to a recalculated GPA that Stanford uses for evaluating students' applications.
What does 'MD' mean in the admissions file?
-In the context of the admissions file, 'MD' likely stands for 'Most Demanding,' indicating that the student took the most challenging courses available in high school.
What are the ratings given by the application readers and what do they signify?
-The ratings given by the application readers are on a scale that assess various factors like high school rigor (HSR), support (SUP), extracurricular activities (EC), and self-presentation (SPIV), with 1 being the best and 5 the least favorable.
How many application readers typically review a Stanford application?
-Typically, two application readers review a Stanford application, but sometimes a third reader may also be involved.
What is the significance of the interviewer's ratings in the admissions process?
-The interviewer's ratings, which assess intellectual vitality, depth and commitment, and character and self-presentation, provide additional insights into the applicant's qualifications and can influence the admissions decision.
What does the term 'POE' mean in the context of the admissions file?
-The term 'POE' is not clearly defined in the script, but it might refer to a 'Point of Entry,' suggesting that there wasn't a clear standout factor for the applicant's admission.
What is the role of the full committee in the admissions process?
-The full committee reviews the applications after they have been evaluated by the readers, and they make the final decision on whether to accept, waitlist, or reject an applicant.
Outlines
🎓 Introduction to Stanford Admissions File
The speaker begins by expressing excitement to review their Stanford admissions file, which is represented by an empty folder for the video. They explain that as a student at Stanford, they requested access to their admissions file under FERPA, which allows students to access their educational records. The process involved a virtual meeting due to the speaker not being on campus, during which an office representative read the file to them over Zoom. The speaker was only allowed paper notes and had a 20-minute time slot to review the file. They also mention that some information might be redacted over time. The first page of notes includes biographical information, GPA, and test scores, with a mention of 'su-6' and 'md' as potential internal Stanford metrics.
📊 Analyzing Ratings and Comments from Application Readers
The speaker discusses the ratings and comments from their application readers and interviewer. They explain that applicants typically receive ratings from two readers, who assess various factors such as high school rigor, support from recommendation letters, extracurricular activities, and self-presentation. The speaker's ratings were a mix of threes, indicating average performance. They also received an overall evaluation rating of 'two minus' from one reader and 'three plus' from another, suggesting they were a middle-of-the-road candidate. The speaker speculates on the potential impact of a third reader and the slight differences in overall evaluation ratings between the two readers.
🗣️ Interview Insights and Application Reader Comments
The speaker shares insights from their interview with a Stanford representative, noting that not all applicants receive an interview. They received positive ratings on a scale of one to six, with one being the best. The speaker reflects on the topics discussed during the interview, including their activities and interest in languages. They also summarize comments from their application readers, who provided feedback on their essays and extracurricular activities. The first reader's comments were more detailed, while the second reader's were more summarized, with a note that the speaker's point of entry (POE) was unsure, indicating no clear reason for acceptance.
🏆 Conclusion and Reflection on Acceptance
In conclusion, the speaker expresses uncertainty about the exact reasons for their acceptance into Stanford, noting that neither application reader seemed overly enthusiastic. They reflect on the possibility that something occurred between the readers' evaluations and the committee's final vote that led to their acceptance. The speaker acknowledges the support they received from someone in the admissions office and the importance of believing in oneself. They end the video by encouraging viewers to subscribe for more college-related content and express gratitude for the viewers' interest.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Stanford University
💡Admissions File
💡FERPA
💡Biographical Information
💡SAT Scores
💡Application Readers
💡Interviewer
💡Extracurricular Activities
💡Intellectual Vitality
💡Imposter Syndrome
💡Committee Vote
Highlights
Introduction to the video about the creator's Stanford admission process.
Mention of the creator's current status as a freshman at Stanford University.
Description of the admissions file and its contents, including ratings and comments.
Explanation of the process to request access to the admissions file under FERPA.
Details about the virtual review of the admissions file through a Zoom call.
Restriction on electronics during the review and the 20-minute time limit.
Potential redaction of information in the admissions file over time.
Notes from the admissions file including biographical information and GPA.
Explanation of the 'su-6' notation possibly referring to a recalculated GPA.
Mention of 'rigor' indicating the level of difficulty of high school classes taken.
Discussion of 'div' possibly referring to diversity.
Details on SAT, subject test, and AP scores included in the admissions file.
Interesting note about 'korea nisleywy' and its potential significance.
Description of the ratings system used by application readers.
Explanation of 'rtg' as a testing score rating.
Details on 'hsr', 'sup', 'ec', and 'spiv' ratings and their possible meanings.
Mention of a potential third reader for the application.
Interviewer's ratings and comments on the applicant's intellectual vitality and character.
Summary of the interview highlighting a well-rounded narrative and pursuit of excellence.
Comments from the first application reader on the applicant's essays and extracurricular activities.
Second application reader's notes focusing on the applicant's essays and leadership qualities.
Final thoughts on the uncertainty of the admission decision and the importance of believing in oneself.
Encouragement to watch more college application related content on the creator's second channel.
Transcripts
i'm ready
[Applause]
ah his eye what is that well
looks like i get to see the shutting gun
in action
hey guys what's going on it's your boy
back at it again
with another minecraft video and today
we're gonna take a look at how i got
accepted to stanford
for those of you who don't know i
currently attend
i currently attend stanford university
and this year
i am a freshman you know ever since that
faded day when i got my acceptance
letter
i always wondered to myself why
today we're going to answer that
question so in my hands right here
is my stanford admissions file it's
actually just an empty manila folder but
we'll pretend there's stuff in here so
in addition to my actual application
which i filled out nearly a year ago at
this point
my admissions file has ratings and
comments from my interviewer
as well as ratings and comments from my
two application readers
basically this has all the answers as to
how i got accepted into stanford in the
first place
before we dive in and see what this is
all about
i'll explain how i first got my hands on
this
again this is just an empty folder that
i'm using as a prop for this video
to my understanding you can request
access to your admissions file as a
student at
a number of different universities but
i'll explain the process for stanford
because
that's the school that i attend at least
virtually
the first step is to actually make the
request to go
see your admissions file so i had to
make a ferpa request through the
registrar's office for student affairs
ferpa stands for family educational
rights and privacy act
and essentially under ferpa a student is
allowed to access their records for the
school that they attend
which is what i did by making that
request so back in the before times
students would typically go to the
office and read through their files
while a person watches over them to
make sure that they're not up to any
funny business i guess
i wouldn't really know though because
i'm
still at home
[Music]
since i am not currently on campus i
actually had a
zoom call with someone from the office
who read my
admissions file to me while you're
accessing your admissions file
you're not actually allowed to have any
electronics with you
and you're only allowed to take paper
notes and this is the same whether
you're in person
or virtual you're also only allotted a
20-minute time slot to view your
admissions file
whether you're in person or virtual so
it was definitely a challenge to
listen and write as much as i can at the
same time so
that i could you know take as many notes
as i could i've also heard from other
students that
information on your admissions file gets
blacked out and redacted over time
so there could be some information on my
admissions file that i just
do not have access to because it's
blacked out already
but again i wouldn't really know because
i
had my admissions file read to me but in
any case
in my hands i have all the notes that i
was able to take in that 20 minute time
slot
so let's take a look through it and see
what was going on in their minds
when they decided to accept me all right
let's get on with it so my first page of
notes consists
largely of more biographical information
like my name my gender my ethnicity
where i live where i went to school the
majors i applied as
that kind of stuff i also have my gpa
written down
and next to it is su-6 followed by
another number that i unfortunately
didn't get down
from what i've heard other students
speculate this
su-6 could refer to another kind of gpa
that stanford recalculates for
students when looking at their
applications but again
i don't know what my sq6 was because
i couldn't write down fast enough you
know unfortunately
i still haven't mastered the showering
gun yet next i have
rigger which says md and most students
agree that md
means most demanding and this
essentially means that
i took the most demanding classes i
could in high school
next i have written down div which could
mean diversity
there weren't any numbers or anything
else written next to it so
i don't really have much to go off of
for this i also have my
sat scores subject test scores and ap
scores
something i thought was really
interesting was that on my first page of
notes i had written down korea
nisleywy again since i had my admissions
file read to me
i don't know what the actual format of
my admissions file looked like
but the fact that nisley y was one of
the first things that popped up is
definitely really interesting
it could mean that they thought this
would be something that could help my
application
but again that's just pure speculation
i just think the placement of where they
made that reference to nisley y is
really interesting
moving along to my second page of notes
this is where i have written down the
stuff that my
interviewer and application reader said
my understanding
is that at stanford all applicants get
at least two application readers
sometimes three and they rate you on
a number of different factors and then
afterwards
your application is sent to a full
committee for
a final vote where they decide whether
they want to accept you
waitlist you or reject you so i'll read
you guys the ratings that my application
readers gave me
all right so i have rtg which is a one
my understanding is that
rtg refers to your testing so your
various test scores
and i would think that i got a score of
one because i
scored highly on the sat i only have one
number for
rtg but for the other factors i have my
scores separated by reader one and
reader two
for reader one i have hsr with a score
of three
from what i've read online there seems
to be a pretty general consensus that
hsr stands for high school rigor which
looks at things like class
size and your school's reputation so i
suppose i got a rating of three for hsr
because
i didn't go to a particularly well-known
or high-ranking school
you know it was just a normal public
high school then i have
sup with a rating of three sup probably
stands for
support which essentially looks at your
letters of recommendation
then i have ec with a rating of three ec
basically just looks at your
extracurricular activities
then i have spiv with a rating of three
from what i've read online spiv probably
refers to
self presentation and intellectual
vitality
so i would guess that spiv is looking at
your character
as a student and as a person in general
then i have an overall evaluation rating
of
two minus and for my second reader i had
the same ratings for
hsr sup ec and spiv
but for my overall evaluation i had
a three plus and next to my overall
evaluation rating for my second reader
it says r2 slash r3 so that could mean
that there was potentially a third
reader who took a look at my application
as far as i understand it most
applications get two people to read
through it before it's sent to a full
committee vote
so i'm not exactly sure why there was a
potential third reader for my
application
something i'm curious about is that both
of my application readers gave me the
same scores for
hsr sup ec and spiv
but their overall evaluation ratings
were slightly different
so i'm wondering what made the
difference there perhaps i'll never know
and as for what these numbers mean from
what i've read online
1 means the best and 5 means the least
best
and since my readers gave me overall
evaluation ratings of two minus and
three plus
i would say that i was probably you know
average middle of the road when it comes
to
their accepted applicants but it's not
exactly clear
what their exact rating distribution is
so
that's just a guess on my part next i
have some notes from my interviewer
i know that not all applicants to
stanford get an interview
especially if you live in california but
since i don't live in california
i was fortunate enough to have an
interview so like my application readers
my interviewer also gave me ratings on a
number of different factors
for intellectual vitality i got a three
for
depth and commitment i got a two and for
character and self presentation i got a
three
i've read that for interviews these
ratings are done
on a one to six scale with one being the
best and
six being the least best and scores of
one two and three
are generally what you want to strive
for so it seems like i had a pretty good
interview overall
at least from the perspective of my
interviewer i actually don't remember
too much of my stanford interview myself
but that's probably because it was such
a stressful situation
my interviewer wrote down notes about
all of the things that we talked about
most of which were about different
activities that i had done throughout
high school
we also spent a lot of time talking
about nisley and my
interest in languages in general so
there are a lot of notes about that
from what i was able to write down my
interviewer didn't really have
anything negative to say about me as a
sort of summary of our conversation i
guess my interviewer wrote that i had a
well-rounded narrative and that they
could see that i pursued excellence at
all things that i was involved with so
i'd say that overall
my interview was pretty solid i have no
idea exactly how much the interview
plays into admissions
but in any case i would say that it was
a
push in my favor alright so now i have
some comments from my first application
reader
first they restate some of my testing
stuff as well as the
ratings that i read off earlier i also
wrote down
filipino appearance i have no idea what
the context for that is because i
was trying to write as i listened which
didn't work out too well
but filipino parents they also just
listed some of my extracurricular
activities got nisley y
got quizzable c history bowl c
cross country c i have no idea what the
c means but
it's there very cool c
for cool perhaps also have spiv
c-a-p-e which i'm pretty sure is my
common app
personal essay i actually wasn't able to
write down that many notes for this
but from what i remember my first
application reader thought that my
common app essay was
okay and for ive which i'm pretty sure
is my intellectual vitality essay
they said that i had nice synthesis
they also wrote wm i'm not exactly sure
what wm
stands for but next to it it says family
game night
so i'm assuming it was my essay about
family game night
and for that essay my reader wrote that
it was just fine i also have a
summary from my first application reader
they wrote not jumping off the page
on the fence this is a tough one but
they also wrote that my
intended major leans in my favor and the
the different parts of my application
come together and keep me in the running
phew okay
all right next we have my last page of
notes which is the notes from my second
application reader
for my second reader i have a lot fewer
comments compared to
my first reader my understanding is that
the second reader
also sees the comments from the first
reader so it's possible that there are
fewer comments because
the second reader agrees with what the
first reader said
and just didn't want to write it down to
be redundant but again
that is just my speculation so for my
second reader they also have my readings
once again
and for my essays there aren't really
any comments about them
they said that my personal essay was
about identity
and that my intellectual vitality essay
was about storytelling and language
appreciation
so their comments there were more just
summarizing what my essays were about
but for my extracurricular essay this
reader said that it was standard but
showed that i was a good leader and at
the bottom they wrote that my
poe was unsure i have no idea what
poe stands for it could mean something
like
point of entry so poe unsure means that
there wasn't a clear reason for me to be
accepted
but once again that is just my
speculation
after that the rest of my admissions
file just consisted of my actual
application
as in the application that i sent in to
stanford back when i was applying
and i don't think i need to take any
notes on those so
in conclusion i still have no idea how i
got in
it didn't really seem like either of my
application readers were
super eager to have me accepted so
something must have happened between the
time that they read it
and the time that the committee had the
final vote
what exactly was it that made them want
to vote in my favor
i'll probably never know but you know
that's okay it doesn't matter if they
weren't super excited for me
and it doesn't matter if they were on
the fence about me
someone had to fight to get me into the
school
someone had to fight for me to have a
spot in this class
and that means that they saw something
whatever that something may have been
imposter syndrome aside somebody
believed
that i belong here at this school
even if i didn't necessarily believe in
myself at the time
there was somebody in the admissions
office that believed in me
and i am here now and that's what counts
and that's about all i have for today i
hope you guys enjoyed tagging along
as i took a look through my stanford
admissions file
since you're watching a video about
college related stuff
perhaps you'll be interested in watching
some more college application related
stuff
on my second channel if you enjoyed feel
free to drop a like and hit subscribe
for more content like this
and that's all for today folks so i'll
see you guys
next time bye
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