Profiles of typical Stanford students 

[font=Cambria]Any college or university is only as good as the people who call it home. As a recent graduate of Stanford University, I can say for sure that being surrounded by talented peers and esteemed professors is one of the most inspiring parts of the undergraduate experience. [/font] [font=Cambria]So you might be wondering, what is the typical profile of a Stanford student? While it is impossible to boil us down to any particular “type,” two qualities many Stanford students share are passion and innovative spirit. Below are some examples.[/font] [font=Cambria]Along with my acceptance letter, Stanford awarded me a scholarship to carry out an independent research project. I was interested in traveling abroad and studying language so I designed a project that allowed me to do research in Beijing. Stanford encourages students to pursue independent study and original research in areas of interest. Indeed, this is how Silicon Valley – the cradle of innovation for our state and even our nation – was built.[/font] [font=Cambria]My cousin, who just graduated from Stanford last spring, has always had a strong affinity for the arts. During her time at Stanford, she worked with her classmates in a startup company in India designing and testing medical technology to reduce the mortality rate of premature babies in third world countries. This project allowed her to combine her talent in design with a desire to improve society.[/font] [font=Cambria]With neighbors like Facebook, Google, and YouTube, Stanford campus teems with the entrepreneurial spirit of Silicon Valley. Since graduation, several other classmates have started new ventures ranging from website design companies, to mobile phone financial services, to documentaries, to television shows, and even fashion labels. [/font] [font=Cambria]Yet another example featured in today’s local newspaper is the team of Stanford engineering students who have designed a solar-powered car that will race in an international solar car competition this week in Australia. They, like many other Stanford students, are taking their passions outside of the lecture halls, studios, and labs and into the real world. [/font] [font=Cambria]Though it has been a full decade since I was a high school senior, I still remember the many pressures of high school and how easy it can be to lose focus on what’s really important. Some students get bogged down in maintaining high GPA, while others are good at so many things that identifying one passion seems hard. [/font] [font=Cambria]Think about it this way: if you had $10,000 to do something amazing, what would you do? If you are stumped about your true life calling, answering this question might give you a clue. Certainly, Stanford looks for passionate, engaged individuals who will use their college education as a platform to follow their passions and make an impact on the world. [/font] [font=宋体]如果你无法听见你内心的声音，你对这个问题的答案可能会给你点思路。当然，斯坦福致力于寻找有激情的个人，这些人将用他们获得的教育作为平台来追寻他们的热情，影响整个世界。[/font] [font=Cambria]                   [/font] [font=Cambria]                                                                                                                                                                                                                        by   Evan Brown[/font]