[JohnR34231]

I always started with the question "What do you know about Stanford?" I was hoping to hear some of the same passion about the school that I have. The answer the 16 year old gave me was that she knew that Stanford was a top 10 school, and she wanted to be accepted by all 10.

To me, that was a sign that she was on an ego trip and not serious about attending Stanford. I included that in my review, and she, along with the others, did not get in. 

I think she gave an honest answer that's probably typical of being a very goal-oriented 16 year old, and I think you are way off base in deciding that "passion about the school" should play any factor in deciding whether someone is academically qualified and likely to contribute to the Stanford community.

The way I understand it, there are thousands and thousands of applicants who are academically qualified and likely to contribute to the Stanford community. So in trying to decide among those applicants, I don't have a problem with passion about the school being one of the deciding factors.

[JohnR34231]

I always started with the question "What do you know about Stanford?" I was hoping to hear some of the same passion about the school that I have. The answer the 16 year old gave me was that she knew that Stanford was a top 10 school, and she wanted to be accepted by all 10.

To me, that was a sign that she was on an ego trip and not serious about attending Stanford. I included that in my review, and she, along with the others, did not get in. 

I think she gave an honest answer that's probably typical of being a very goal-oriented 16 year old, and I think you are way off base in deciding that "passion about the school" should play any factor in deciding whether someone is academically qualified and likely to contribute to the Stanford community.

The way I understand it, there are thousands and thousands of applicants who are academically qualified and likely to contribute to the Stanford community. So in trying to decide among those applicants, I don't have a problem with passion about the school being one of the deciding factors.