How this student got into Stanford University

Famously known as the Harvard of the west, Stanford is not ready for one of our best high school seniors, Christian Monarrez. Growing up latino, low-income, queer, and first-generation, Christian faced a lot of challenges, but remained resilient and persistent throughout high school. To document his unique college application process, we interviewed him about his experience:

What’s your major and your interests/ future career aspirations?

At Stanford, Christian will major in Human Biology. He aspires to be a pathologist for its lab-focused setting.

How did you form your college list?

Christian was already set on all the UC’s and 4 state schools near home. For his private schools, Christian had a balanced mix of targets and reaches.

Do you have any advice on forming a college list?

He advised to “not put your eggs in one basket.” Don’t set your eyes only on one school; keep your options widely open.

What other colleges did you get accepted at?“

• San Jose State University

• San Francisco State

• Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

• San Diego State University

• UC Riverside

• UC Merced

• UC Santa Cruz

• UC Santa Barbara

• UC Davis

• UC San Diego

• UC Irvine

• Chapman University

• University of Oregon

• Georgetown University

What do you look for in a college? 

He wants a college that is welcoming and where he can restart.

What made Stanford stand out from the rest?

Christian already had previous lab connections from Stanford since sophomore year, so he wants to continue his research with the same people. He also loves how there are so many undergraduate programs offered as well as the huge number of ambitious, likeminded students. 

What extracurriculars do you plan to do at Stanford?

Christian plans to join Comunidad for health equity and expand its reach to broader communities. He also plans to join ROTC, conduct research, and volunteer.

What was your weighted and unweighted GPA?

Weighted: 4.31

Unweighted: 3.99

How many AP Classes did you take, and what were your scores?

He took AP Computer Science Principles (3), AP World History (5), AP English Language and Composition (5), AP Biology (5), and AP United States History (4).

Did you take any dual enrollment courses at KSJC or at a community college?

He took a dual enrollment course offered at Brown University and Arizona State University, where he raved in the humanities, reading numerous poems and books. Christian also appreciated how it helped him build his English skills for AP English Literature and Composition.

Any advice on AP Classes?

He emphasized the importance of trying to find “what study method is best for you,” whether it be the pomodoro, spaced repetition, or more. He also suggested tailor study methods to each class as each course demands different ways of studying to fully learn material.

What were your ACT and/or SAT scores?

Christian submitted an ACT score of 30 composite, with subscores of 25 math, 27 science, 29 english, and 33 reading. He did not submit an SAT score as he preferred how the ACT was broken up into 4 clear, distinct sections.

How much time did you spend studying?

He spent less than 5 hours a week studying

Any study tips for the ACT?

He recommended taking a practice test and figuring out what topics are your strengths or weaknesses.

What were your main extracurriculars?

In the summer of his sophomore year, Christian conducted stem cell research under the Science, Technology, and Research at Stanford (STaRS) program. In his junior year summer, he furthered his research experience by manipulating numerous genetic sequences to eliminate cellular retinal cancer. He’s also the founder and co-president of the Health Science and Medicine club, where he taught about the different roles of medicine as well as hosted a free CPR course.

How much time did you spend on them?

He spent 30 hours a week in his lab and 5 hours a week in his club.

How have those extracurriculars influenced your future aspirations?

His lab work showed him how diverse communities can come together to work towards a goal, inspiring him to further his lab research. His lab work also compelled him to work for a future in medicine, given that he will be the first in his family to work in the medical field; he aims to help his family trust modern medicine over traditional ones.

How did you rank your extracurriculars?

He ranked extracurriculars by how impactful they were on him; he placed his research ahead of HSM.

Do you have any advice on your extracurriculars?

He recommends taking an internship in something you are interested in. An internship, he says, opens doors and expands your network. As a bonus, if you have an internship at a college, it can help your chances at getting into that college. He also suggests beginning a club in an area you’re interested in because it shows your passion and dedication.

What did you write your essay about and why?

For UC’s, he wrote PIQ 2, 3, 6, and 7, writing about pottery creation, speaking spanish, biological research, and HSM respectively. For his common app, he wrote about his struggles being low-income, Latino, and queer through the metaphor of ceramics. He writes: "At that moment. I wasn't working for 'Monarrez.' I was finally showing respect to Christian." 

Overall, the essay reflected his ability to be resilient and form his own self identity:

How much time did you spend on your essays?

He spent 10 hours a week.

Do you have any advice for writing your essays?

For UC’s, he emphasized to write in simple and plain language; get to the point. He also suggested picking memorable experiences with large impact as essay topics. For asking for advice, he recommended to keep reviewers few, with choosing the advice they give selectively.

Who were your letter of recommenders and why?

He chose Ms. Camarillo to show his academic side, Ms. Kuga for his athletic side, and Dr. Ximena (his lab’s personal investigator) to display his research side.

Do you have any advice for choosing your letter of recommenders?

He recommended to choose people that have seen you struggle and grow. He also emphasized the importance of choosing recommenders that will write about different sides of you.

What awards (if any) did you put down in your application.

He reported school and GPA awards.

What do you think was your strongest part of your application?

He said that his extracurriculars, particularly his lab work and club, as well as his essays made him stand out.

What was something that you were unsure about in your application, and how did you address it?

For private schools, he was nervous about his ACT score. To counteract this, he made sure to bolster his extracurriculars and essays.

If you were to restart your high school career, what would you change?

He wanted to prepare for standardized exams a lot earlier. He also wanted to have a longer time-commitment in his other clubs.

Any final thoughts?

Don’t let colleges determine who you are. Don’t let a single “no” from a college define you. Have fun and be weird during highschool; don’t study 24/7, have fun and go outside!