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How to Answer Stanford's Last Two Summers Question

How you spent your last two summers.

3-50 wordsRequiredShort answer2026-27
Stanford University's wording, checked October 26, 2026
“How did you spend your last two summers?”

How to approach it

  1. 1Concrete facts; jobs and family duties count.
  2. 2Fragments are fine here. A compact list reads better than full sentences squeezed into 50 words.
  3. 3Include the unglamorous parts: a job, siblings, a long drive, a book.

A structure that works

One way to shape this answer. It describes moves, not sentences: the words have to be yours.

  1. 1Summer one: the main things you did, as plain facts.
  2. 2Summer two: the same.
  3. 3One small, human detail that a résumé would leave out.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Apologizing for an ordinary summer.
  • Listing only programs and leaving out how you actually spent your days.

The checklist our grader uses for this question

When you check your Stanford answers, this answer is read against these 4 areas. Each comes back Met, Partly or Missing with a quote from your draft as evidence, and together with the 3-50 words limit they set its readiness verdict.

AreaWhat a reader looks for
Answers the questionThe opening sentences answer what was asked, plainly, before background or a hook; every part of a multi-part question is answered.
SpecificIt uses a concrete name, detail or image instead of a general statement.
Something newIt shows a side of the applicant that the rest of the application probably does not.
Stanford's askConcrete about what the applicant did; ordinary summers (jobs, family) are fine if told specifically.

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Questions

How long is Stanford's "Your last two summers" essay?

3 to 50 words.

Is it required?

Required. Stanford's full set of questions is on the Stanford supplemental essays page.

Can I reuse an essay from another college for this prompt?

You can start from material you have, but rewrite it for Stanford's exact wording: answer every part of this question, and cut what it does not ask for.

Can Statementory write or improve my answer?

We never write or rewrite it: colleges ask you to affirm your essays are your own work. Our checker reviews it against the checklist on this page, quotes your own words, and asks the questions only you can answer.

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