Here’s How to Get into Stanford’s Journalism Program
So I was actually accepted to Stanford’s Journalism Summer Program, but I decided not to go due to my lack of interest in journalism. Of course, I love writing as a hobby, but to me it still remains as just that: a hobby. Here is my essay that got me into the program (along with numerous others, but I’ll save that for another time). This was the main supplemental I think really mattered. I hope that this can provide some clarity for people who are truly interested in the field of journalism.
Why are you interested in Stanford’s Summer High School Journalism Workshop? What are you hoping to gain from the experience? (200-500 words)
Quite often I have been asked why I enjoy writing so much. My answer is simple: Writing is the most powerful and complex form of thought; it takes 3-dimensional forms from the mind and expresses them in 2-dimensional space. Writing and journalism condense complex thoughts into a cohesive narrative, organizing a chaotic jumble of characters and words into a beautiful tapestry with each thread contributing to the final masterpiece. Each colorful strand offers a differing perspective on a story, a unique aspect of a culture, or a snapshot of the beautiful diversity of humanity. By joining The High School Journalism Workshop, I will improve my ability to provide others with stories about the beauty, and sometimes grotesqueness, of humanity in the most informative and straightforward way possible.
I am interested in the workshop because it will give me an experience that no other program can; the staff at Stanford’s Newspaper are extremely talented journalists who have dedicated their lives to the convoluted craft of writing. They expertly take complicated and controversial topics and disentangle them clearly and concisely. Journalists are also responsible for providing others with the stories necessary to inform the public while being alert to diverse opinions and possible alternative perspectives. These are all intricate tasks that must be learned through experience. As a high school student passionate about spreading awareness and truth about issues, the lessons to be learned in journalism are numerous. I hope to gain the knowledge needed to provide others with the same level of stories published in the newspaper.
German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche famously said, “There are no truths, only interpretations.” He was a harsh critic of newspapers and denounced the existence of objective truth. I disagree with him. Objective truth must exist, and through the Journalism Workshop, I have the opportunity to receive the best education from some of the most informed journalists in the country who have made it their mission to spread the truth to others. I aspire to join them in their quest for a more informed and aware society.
Little bit of a more boring article, but I think it will help those who are interested in not only journalism but also just with writing in general. I’m hoping that a friend of mine will write something about his passion. I think it will be extremely interesting to hear what he has to say (he got into the University of Pennsylvania, one of the best schools in the world). Till then.
