Julian D•••••••
- Robotics
- Class of 2026
- Indiana, United States
About
Tony Stark Wannabe; Love Robotics, Cooking, Politics, and the Planet!
Academics
Advanced coursework
Advanced coursework
What do you think set you apart from other applicants?
I believe my essays were critical. I spent dozens of hours brainstorming a compelling theme for my personal statement and avoided cliche topics like sports injuries or extended metaphors.
What summer activities would you recommend for high school students?
I recommend finding something you are genuinely interested in and committing to it rather than copying others. For me, it was building projects in my basement workshop; for others, it might be pottery or backpacking.
How did you go about getting strong letters of recommendation?
I focused on building strong relationships with a select few teachers starting in my sophomore or junior year. Simply getting a good grade isn't enough; you need to actively participate and talk to them about your life and interests.
What are your insights regarding AP courses and exams?
I took 12 AP exams, which was too many and resulted in a lot of stress. You don't need to take every AP class just for the label; I believe I still would have been accepted into Stanford with half as many.
How did you manage the stress of the college application process?
The most important thing is to not procrastinate. I set aside 30 minutes every day starting in September to work on essays, which allowed me to recycle and edit core pieces for different schools.
What are some common misconceptions about college admissions?
A major misconception is that the process is purely merit-based. It is much more random and nonsensical than people think, and the results are not a reflection of your self-worth as a human being.