50 Successful Ivy League Application Essays

Showing a Personal Connection with the University
“I remember distinctly the topic for Stanford, which was pretty open and 
flexible. It was to send in a picture and write about its significance for you. 
I sent in a picture of my sister and her son. She had gone through Stanford 
while raising a kid. I picked this because it related to Stanford, but also be-
cause I was able to talk about how I want to get the chance to experience 
Stanford in a different way...a way my sister was never able to.”
—Selina Cardoza, Stanford University