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Stanford University
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69 reviews for Stanford University
Stanford is an incredible place to go to school. I went here for undergrad VERY hesitantly, because I wasn't thrilled about the campus (I wanted really old brick buildings), and was afraid that my fellow students would be stuck up. I went, and loved it so much that I'm back for grad school.
Stanford is a remarkably friendly place. Most of the administrators actually WANT to help you. If you have an idea for something you want to implement: a club, a team, a class, people will bend over backwards to help you make it happen.
Although Stanford students are brilliant, they're also a lot of fun, and think up endless mischief together. Also, since they don't spend ALL their time studying, the campus atmosphere is much less intense than many other top schools. The atmosphere is also enhanced by the fact that over 90% of undergrads live on campus. This means that really good parties happen on campus a *lot*, and that campus is the center of just about everyone's social life. That makes for a very dynamic environment. Dorm life is good, too--RAs actually care about their residents, and fun dorm activities abound.
One possible downside of Stanford is the location. Palo Alto isn't nicknamed "Shallow Alto" for nothing. It's excruciatingly trendy, which is annoying. But if you know where to look, there are some terrific, affordable hole-in-the-wall gems frequented by students. Not to mention, you're about 40 minutes from Half Moon Bay, 45 min from San Francisco, 45 min. from Santa Cruz, and surrounded by incredible hiking and biking--from grasslands (2-5 min. away, tops) to redwood forests (15-20 min. away). This opens lots of possibilities for great weekend trips.
To be sure, Stanford isn't for everyone. But all kinds of people love it--from fashion model look-a-likes to athletes to musicians to nerdy introverts like yours truly. It really is a special place--and it feels wonderful to be a part of Stanford.
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Oski's first review was "flagged by the Yelp community," and subsequently removed as "[Yelp's] Support team has determined that it falls outside our Review Guidelines (http://www.yelp.com/fa...) because it lacks a first-hand experience. For example, you can't give a deli a bad review because your co-worker complained about his chicken salad. Your reviews must be about your personal experiences, not someone else's."
What did my initial review say? "Removed Review: Subpar, even for a junior university."
I stand by this, but will include additional commentary to provide my first-hand experience.
I've had the misfortune of having to come here more than a few times and am always much more excited to leave than I am to arrive. If you want to go to a school that looks like a Taco Bell, this is your place. With only a few exceptions, this school produces graduates who are about as socially maladjusted as the googly-eyed tree that Stanfurd calls its mascot.
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I attended this year's commencement ceremony as a special guest and have come away in awe as to the professionalism of this University.
From President John Henessey's Office to all the support staff who planned and worked at this year's commencement, everything was executed to perfection.
If government could execute as flawlessly as Stanford, there would be no deficit.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/15/2009
Outstanding first class University. I go to Stanford approximately a dozen times a year for… Read more »
Some people say Stanford is a good school. Some people also say the holocaust never took place. $tanford will never compare to CAL! Gooooooooo Bears!
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Went here for one year to get a piece of paper that says I'm officially a Master. The experience here was absolutely incredible. The facilities were second to none (I made sure that I made use of the olympic swimming pool, professional tennis courts, world class driving range and golf course, great beach volleyball courts, and much more.
You go here for the education, but if you don't make use of the facilities, SHAME ON YOU!!! I got to take incredible classes and attend seminars from the leading professionals in the environmental field (alternative energy, materials), as well as attend "once in a lifetime" seminars including the Dalai Lama, and many others.
If you have the chance to attend this university, do not sleep while you are there...you can sleep when you are dead. There is too much to experience here (I haven't even talked about sports and the tiki garden) to let it slip by because you were too busy sleeping or studying.
This University will change your life...if you will give yourself a chance to be changed.
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My rating is neutral based on my experience of the campus as a visitor during Big Game, and it's nice and boring, but well landscaped. Hoorah.
But just for fun, with advance apologies for plagiarism, let's just compare samplings of 1-star reviews from Stanfurd:
"I would not go back if you paid me."
"Worst decision I ever made."
"The campus is beautiful, the girls are not."
"Stanford is a place without a soul."
"A big disappointment."
Whew. Also, half the reviews for Stanfurd are from visitors who think the campus is pretty, whereas almost all of Cal are from enthusiastic students. Are Stanfurd students not enthused enough to seek out and review their school? Just asking is all...
Now for Cal - the ONLY one-star review is a freakin' mistake.
"omg. you can rate schools on here?"
Honestly, read the reviews for Cal and see the spirit that place embodies. And if you're deciding between the two, Yelp reviews should tell you as well as anything else what the students think of their school. I think it's actually pretty cool that you can see these kinds of opinions in review form in one place. Go Bears!
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I admit, I grew up with the blue and gold across the bay (Cal Bears) but moving to the Silicon Valley, I have come to admire the red and gold and the tree.
I have visited the campus for business and to check out their free lectures on space, religion and art http://events.stanford..., Roblos dance studio http://www.yelp.com/bi..., Canton art museum http://www.yelp.com/bi..., art galleries http://www.yelp.com/bi... , sculpture gardens and art tours.
After 4pm and on the weekends, the parking is free.
The surrounding areas are a madhouse with traffic and parking when there are games and public events at Stanford. They are always building, must be nice to have money and rich and generous alumnis. Love the vibe on this campus.
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I come for the succulent succulent gardens with various species of cacti from around the world. Quite amazing to see the so many cacti in the Bay Area! I have had several photo sessions here, as the weather is always great!
Saying Stanfurd has a beautiful campus is like saying your favorite color is beige.
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2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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3/25/2009
LMI is an acronym for "Low-moderate income". You know, where the rest of us live. Read more »
My favorite part of the visit is easily missed. There is a semi-enclosed round stone bench on the exterior western part of Memorial Church. We did not sit. The inscriptions* on the ground held my interest:
~ For the troubled may you find peace
~ For the despairing may you find hope
~ For the lonely may you find love
~ For the skeptical may you find faith
~ 1941 Frances C. Arrillaga 1995
The architecture and grounds are beautiful and grand, but this circular bench is a serene piece of sanctuary.
* Photos have been uploaded.
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I wanted to go to school in a city.
I wanted to go far away from home.
I wanted to attend a small liberal arts college.
But then I got that acceptance letter from Stanford and I just didn't know how to say no. (Plus, Macalester's head of music....CREEPY!)
I love Stanford. Don't get me wrong by my 3 star rating, but my Stanford experience is atypical. I am not an engineer. I'm not even premed. I'm a music major. This means that I am a member of a small, almost hidden department. We're more like a co-op than an academic department, more a family than a system of professors, grad students, and undergrads. I love my department, and I shudder to think what my life would be like if it weren't for the people there who I have met.
And the weather! Who can beat the weather? Certainly not the Ivys, and definitely not backwoods Ohio where I almost ended up for four years. I don't mind the architecture, and the sculpture garden is magnificent.
So why only three stars? You ask. Well, here's the deal. We are a research school which means about 50% of the faculty should never be put in front of a room a students. Some of these people simply can't teach. Furthermore, there is a whole line of red tape that has to be followed before anyone can do anything. For instance, my friend and I put on an opera this year, but to get funding we couldn't just say "We're music students. Stanford is lacking in an opera program. We're going to create one." Rather, we had to come up with some "real academic" (actual words of the undergraduate research adviser assigned us) reason for this particular opera (Hansel and Gretel) to be at Stanford. We did it, and it was fine..but it was also unnecessary.
Oh yeah, and I'm tired of the condescending attitude toward the humanities majors. Sure, we probably won't have jobs straight out of school...but we also know how to think abstractly...so there!
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Sigh. Just thinking about this place and everything it has going for it makes me sigh. Nestled away in a world-class metropolitan region. Pristine campus. (People say it looks like a giant taco bell. I see nothing wrong with a giant taco bell.) Perfect weather. Fun, smart, laid-back people. When I visited, I just knew that this was going to be the perfect setting for the best four years of my life.
So if everything was so perfect (except for the quarter system, but I'd be willing to over look that), then why only one star?
Bitter grapes, you say?
OH YOU'D BETTER BELIEVE IT!!!!!!!!
*sniff sniff* This was the only school I really wanted to go to and the only one that I got rejected from. So instead of spending four years as a happy Stanford student in the sunshine, being the yuppie that I've always dreamed of being by going to downtown Palo Alto and hanging out at trendy coffee shops, I froze my ass off at a middle of nowhere B-rate Ivy League school which sucked every ounce of pride and ambition out of me that I ever had. And for what? NOTHING!!!!! Nobody in California takes Dartmouth seriously because it's not 'local,' so now I'm working for Starbucks!!! AAARGH!!! I have every right to be bitter, goddamnit!!!! Screw you Stanford!!!
:'-(
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Stanford represents everything good about the Bay Area, California, and, dare I say it, America:
-Great weather.
-Smart, innovative people.
-Beautiful landscaping and architecture (even Taco Bell emulates it).
-A great brand (even anti-capitalists are a generic brand, so quit already).
-Among the world's past, present, and future leaders in every industry.
-Athletic people: Tiger Woods, Jim Plunkett, John Elway, John McEnroe, etc.
-The best of the best.
I am not at Stanford yet, but am applying. I want to be an alum because I want it on my resume and to be part of my history because it says I worked hard and achieved; because they house world-class professors; because the campus is beautiful; because I want to make my people proud; and lastly because I want to learn from the best.
Stanford is surely one of America's treasures, scratch that, one of the world's treasures.
Cal is cool but it is annoying to see their posts saying Stanford is expensive. As if Cal is not. If they were fair they would admit it is just as expensive to be educated at Cal, but that the lion's share of the student bill is shouldered by California's taxpayers. This includes current and former Stanford students who sometimes make enormous amounts of money to shoulder the burden of Cal students' education.
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Strictly from and outside - in perspective....and based on my limited exposure outside of campus life, classes, etc etc.
Went here a number of times and just didn't care for the place. The campus, IMHO just seemed more like a monastery than a university of young people. The art museum was nice...but again not my thing.
Not to mention I almost got run over by bikes a handful of times. ARG!!
They must be able to sense evil here.
:D
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I have a family friend visiting from Harvard and one of her top sights to see is the Stanford campus since most of her classmates had gotten accepted into the phD program at Stanford. She wanted to check out the competition so I obliged.
We visited around 7PM or so which actually is the prettiest time to go since the sun is setting (it's not too hot) and the parking is free ("A" parking is till 5 or 6 PM).
The only thing I like about the campus is the main driveway when you're coming from University Ave. I like the two gates that welcome you (they should have a Stanford sign or something though), the palm trees that beckon you to enter the campus and then the roundabout at the end of the driveway. The buildings and arches are grand, as well as the Rodin sculptures and gold embossed mural inside. But other than that part of the entrance, the rest of the campus is mediocre and an average uni campus.
It serves well as a good tourist attraction.
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My bf LOVES going for walks here. We are both from LA, and I think this is the most beautiful campus we have ever seen. There are very interesting structures and buildings to check out and you can enjoy it without having to pay the insanely expensive tuition!
I do like the free or low cost talks and shows that I have attended here. I really enjoyed their annual Pow Wow a couple of years ago and was able to buy a beautiful painting from a local artist for relatively cheap.
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Oh the farm... why did they decide to build it so far from Caltrain. Yeah, back in 1891, I'm sure it wasn't a big deal, but for the last 20-30 years they should've known better. Now everything feels suburban, a little slice of Pasadena, and it's darn near impossible to get downtown to a proper bar. WTF??? Why keep building green buildings when you could just do some basic planning and reduce a good chunk of traffic and make your entire campus' quality of life better and preserve more open space? Sounds like something Cal would do. I'm glad some institution in NorCal is teaching us how to live life like we're from the slower lower. And let's face it: home grown UCLA and USC, heck even Riverside, aren't a match for how badly this campus is laid out. Ugh.
Extra star for finally fielding a decent football team this year.
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Of all the top tier schools, Stanford is perhaps the least diverse in terms of its student population. A sizable chunk of the students are born and raised Californians, and the vast majority of the students, Californian or otherwise, remind me forcibly of computers. Yes, computers; good at calculating, good at recording data and spitting it back out, but incapable of thinking outside the box or creatively drawing new conclusions. They have few interests outside of class, few goals beyond the stereotypical concept of success, and just very few facets in general. Add to this general social ineptitude, and you can imagine what an interesting and enjoyable group of people I found myself amongst.
Unfortunately, a huge number of undergrads are premed, or at least wannabe premed, and they swamped the giant science classes, excelling at test taking but failing at learning. The Biological Sciences department, which offered very few (and quickly) filled classes with fewer than 150 students, fed into this mindset of mindless regurgitation. I cannot fault the actual material that was taught, but often it was taught in a manner that was far from optimal. This applies particularly to the core classes that all majors must take.
The lower level classes in chemistry, math, and physics were much the same, and often featured monotonous drone-like teaching. Now, when I reached the higher levels of chemistry, I finally found some well-taught science, and was able to evade the hordes of premeds. On the whole, I was quite pleased with the chemistry professors I learned under.
Classes in the humanities were much superior, and also more likely to be intimate in size. Still, I found that the English courses I took were barely a notch above those I took in high school. Admittedly, I attended the best high school in the country, but not even that fact can fully excuse the English department. Some of the more esoteric classes were excellent, but the standard topics were approached in a less than challenging manner.
Beyond academics, I must say the campus is absolutely beautiful (with gorgeous weather), the facilities are vast, and the living quarters are above average. The larger dorms are in good condition and reasonably sized, the coveted Row Houses are phenomenal, and my time spent in the vegetarian co-op Synergy was fabulous. There, I was finally able to interact with people of real substance, while learning how to manage an entire house without outside supervision.
I despise Palo Alto greatly, as it is a soulless, ugly place with nothing to do, overpriced, mediocre food, and chain stores for as far as the eye can see. Living off campus was quite expensive, and parking on t campus was a huge and very expensive ordeal (and the parking bitches are THE WORST I have encountered anywhere; I wish them eternal suffering).
I would not go back if you paid me.
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It's actually spelled "Stanfurd"...just sayin...haha you can guess where I went to school ;)
In all fairness though, it's an absolutely gorgeous campus, a campus on which I attended summer camp year after year for much of my childhood and adolescence! I grew up in Menlo Park, so I'm pretty used to seeing red everywhere. Their summer sports and teen camps are great; you get a lot of freedom, lots of running around on campus in your swimsuit and jumping in the fountains, which is really all a kid wants to do in the summertime :)
Also, I LOVE their Continuing Studies courses! SO fun, the topics are so novel and intriguing, and the teaching is stellar! Definitely check out their course listings, they have such awesome titles as "Living Well with Stress: A Guide for Thriving (Not Just Surviving)". This summer I took a course taught by Gary Gach called "Practical Buddhism" and it was wonderful! I totally was Buddhist by the end of the class. We learned about the main variations of Buddhism, and also practiced many different techniques for meditation, even walking meditation! The prof offered to do an optional 30 minute guided meditation session before each class, which was so nice of him, this is actually how I started my meditation practice last summer. I've been on a spiritual path ever since :) Gary Gach actually wrote the textbook we used, and he even asked us for our suggestions on it, as he was in the middle of writing the next edition. It seems like Continuing Studies classes are mostly composed of older folks from Stanford and the surrounding community, and it makes for a really chill atmosphere. I met some very nice people who were there out of sheer interest and genuine spiritual curiosity, and that always makes for a great class. I'm so happy I signed up for Practical Buddhism, it was a great class, great group of people on a beautiful campus in the summertime, we really became a "sangha" ;)
Anyway so I still hate Stanfurd, especially your football team...but academically speaking there is actually quite a lot of interchange between Stanford and Cal (naturally, since they're both great schools) so I can't truly hate on them...Stanford definitely deserve 5 stars. BUT, as a Cal bear, I simply must say...take OFF that red shirt! Take off that red shirt!! Hahaha jk jk...
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Oh my god oh my god oh my god omigod OMG OMG OMG!
I was going through some old floppy disks (YES, the 1.4 MB kind) and OMG OMG OMG I actually found the personal statement that I wrote when I was 17 years old and submitted with my application to Stanford! Here's an excerpt of my response to the question of how you think you will contribute to the Stanford community (directly copied and pasted from the Word document):
"... and while my ambitions are high and my goals will always sit slightly out of reach, when it comes down to it, I can only bring my personal beliefs, my morals, my self-enforcing laws, and myself to the Stanford campus and community. And while that does include a passion to succeed and an innate desire to achieve, I do realize that I am human, and at the end of the day, I'll still be the same Chink I have always been eating the same Big Montanas I have always known and loved."
I know I'm a Cal alumnus and I'm supposed to hate Stanford with an unbridled passion, but I WAS ADMITTED INTO STANFORD UNIVERSITY EVEN THOUGH I TALKED ABOUT CHINKS AND ARBY'S IN MY PERSONAL STATEMENT.
3 HIGHLY DESERVED STARS.
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Go see the Sculputre Garden. The place is free to get into...You have to see the Gates of Hell at least once.
Hey Stanfurd, Cal got 4.5 stars. You guys are a 1/2 star behind. Lookee here: http://www.yelp.com/bi...
You guys better man up or Oski will come on down, lift his hind leg on the Tree and relieve himself. I'm calling for a #2 but he decides on his own.
Yeah, the place is beautiful...like a retirement home. All it needs are golf carts to get around.
BTW, Yelp needs to add some extra $ signs for this particular review.
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Graduated with 100Gs worth of debt, a raging eating disorder, and no job oppportunity in site.
Whoohooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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My alma mater's no doubt changed in the years since I graduated. And since I went to undergrad in just one place, I don't know how Stanford compares with other colleges. But here's my two cents anyway...
CONS
- It looks like Taco Bell.
- It's pricey (then again most colleges are these days)
- If you prefer an urban vibe close to the action, Stanford isn't for you. It's fairly isolated out in suburbia.
- The perfect weather can get dull. Students reading Nietzsche while sunbathing in the grass, frisbees whizzing by --- it's just... wrong somehow.
- When I was there, the student body was a bit heavy on ambitious pre-professional careerists, a bit light on serious intellectuals who loved learning for its own sake. Not that the latter were rare -- they just didn't dominate as they might have at a liberal arts school like Reed (where my smarty-pants sister went).
PROS
- Stanford's very residential, esp. for undergrads. Dorm life's not for everyone, but having all your classmates on campus makes it easy to arrange study groups and to socialize in general. I also had unusually awesome roommates whom I love to this day.
- My Stanford classmates and dormmates are still among the coolest friends I have (including my handsome and brilliant husband!) It's a cliche but people really do meet lifelong friends and potential spouses in college. So you might as well surround yourself with brainy and interesting people. Stanford has lots of those.
- The student body is wonderfully diverse! No really! I esp. appreciated the religious diversity after 12 years of SF Catholic schools. Also, compare Stanford's 10% black undergrad population with Cal's miniscule 3.6% http://www.stanford.ed... https://osr2.berkeley....
TIPS
- Pick classes for the professors, not for the reading list. You have your whole life to read books. But you have just a few years' access to the geniuses on Stanford's faculty.
- Study in groups. This can be hard when you're competing on a curve. But your fellow classmates can be excellent teachers. Plus you learn more and turn in better work after you've explained concepts aloud and answered your peers' questions.
- Pick classes where you turn in lots of little papers, quizzes, and problem sets, rather than classes where your whole grade depends on one or two high-stakes papers or final exams. I found it dilutes the stress a bit, and if you mess up one assignment or test, you have time to recover and get a good grade in the end.
- Don't avoid the international teachers just because of their accents. Different students have different tolerance levels for accents, but I found accents surprisingly easy to adjust to, and some of my international profs were great once I got used to them.
- Take advantage of the undergraduate research opportunities http://www.stanford.ed... It's a great way to get obsessed with one topic in depth and to know at least one professor very well (later they can write you a rec letter). Stanford awards undergrad research grants (I used mine to buy books, but others used them for fieldwork, airfares, etc.). There was also a summer research camp where we could get a head start on our honors theses. Researching and writing that thesis prepared me for grad school like nothing else.
- Read this book http://www.amazon.com/... -- The author, a statistician by training, interviewed 1600 undergrads over ten years and used the data to learn what makes students successful and happy. It's a quick read and full of practical tips. It came out too late for me, but I so wish I had it when I was in college!
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I attended Stanford for my Master's. I picked it purely because it was, well, Stanford (I know, how deep and meaningful). I had never visited the campus or even the bay area for that matter. I came in with high expectations of academic rigor and that there'd be a lot of land (no issues with parking like I experienced formerly at UCLA--where I attended for undergrad).
Since UCLA's landscape was much more vertical, I appreciated Stanford's campus for how widespread it is. However, I must admit that I am much more fond of UCLA's majestic buildings and consistent weather. On the other hand, Stanford does have the dish and other amazing places to run. As a runner (I run 3-4 miles every day), Stanford's campus and the surrounding areas offer many choices o balance your routine because it offers hills as well as flat trails.
Going from a public school of 40,000 to 6,000 was a total paradigm shift. For one, whenever I called anyone at Stanford, a real person would pick up. I have never had to listen to an automated machine to select an option and then proceed from there.
What stood out about Stanford and the bay area in general for me was how friendly the people were. In fact I liked the people so much I accepted a job up here and have not left. I don't plan on going back to southern california (where I grew up and went to school). I truly believe that Stanford was what got me to love the bay area so much. The people and faculty here are warm, helpful, and affable. I can't say enough good things about the students who attend Stanford and Bay Area folks. Of course, my opinions only extend to the graduate programs here becase I did not interact with any of the undergraduates.
Why didn't I give it 5 stars? TWO WORDS: Student Loans =/
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I went here (for a masters degree), but don't remember anything...$50k later I call myself an alum.
The campus is beautiful, the girls are not.
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Okay, Stanford is a beautiful campus. It's quiet. Nice kids...a lot of dorks, smart athletes (well, smarter than the average athete). Great facilities, weather, atmosphere, staff.
Some areas smell soooooooo pretty...like jasmine and orange blossoms.
It's pretty. It's pretty expensive. However, I'll send my kids to Stanford should I ever have any. It's just lovely!!
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Loved it for a lot of reasons and they don't give you enough space here to go into it. But here's a summary.
First of all, I have to disagree with the most informed sounding review here that claims nobody is ever depressed, etc etc. Stanford is a very happy school, which tends to be a plus for most people visiting and attending. But obviously, when you go to a big school with really intense folks, you're going to meet a lot of people who have quite a bit roiling under the surface. If you really want to be around people with problems, then I know you can find them. (There are always a few in SLE and the places SLE tends to feed into. I speak from experience).
Stanford is what you make of it academically. Like many large universities, there are too many TAs with incomprehensible English teaching classes. That's too bad. But academic undergrad opportunities from grants to seminars to travel abroad to famous professors teaching undergrads and actually listening to them abound. (And though there is the famous Stanford grade inflation, studying is no joke. I absolutely know people who have failed classes).
I personally had a wonderful time here. I'm editing this, because I said that almost everyone I know had a great time here, and clearly, there are current students who do NOT like it and are vocal about it on yelp.
People at Stanford tend to be happy. (The weather and esthetics of the place alone can do it). My advice to new students is to really seek your happiness and don't give up because Stanford's a large place. But um, word to the wise, if you already know you'd rather be at a small liberal arts school in the North East, just don't come here. Don't even bother. This is California, this is a large university, and it's sunny and warm here a lot. That is all.
Oh and get a car because it's really in the 'burbs, and (coming from a city girl), you're really going to want it by Junior or Senior year.
5 stars because Stanford gave me what I want: wonderful quality of life (during and after), academic opportunities, great job, friends for life, and as someone else has said, a nice boost to my "trophy wife" resume. ha.
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Conversation, Yelp fashion!
Stella T: Mom, I want to go to Stanford.
Mom T: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAA.
She then patted my head and walked away.
I think the fact that I've wanted to go here since I was a little girl says a lot. I just .. ask for a ride up to Stanford and sit up in front of the church and stare. The campus is beautiful. The students are friendly. Albeit nerdy, but friendly.
How about another random conversation?
Me: "Nice laptop bag. Where'd you get it?"
Him: "Yeah, got it at BestBuy's. Cheap, but nice."
Me: "So do you go here?"
Him: "Yeah. Stanford for graduate school."
Me: "Will you marry me?"
Him: "What's your name?"
My theory is ... if I don't end up here, I'll marry someone that does.
I know, I know. I'm naive. But .. I can dream, right?
I went here for a choir concert. The church is beautiful too. Sort of creepy, but pretty. Their bells ring at random intervals of the day. Imagine if you were walking late at night!
I don't know. I love Stanford. Another biased review.
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I am not a student, but enjoyed walking around campus. Good activity for a sunday afternoon, the old chapel in the center of campus looks beautiful along with several other buildings on camups. Lots of Palm Trees.
I thought "reviewing" my school was a little silly, until I saw all the negative reviews listed (curiously, mostly from non-alums).
So for the record, I went to Stanford as an undergrad and stayed for graduate school. I love Stanford, even as I cringe at the numbers on my tuition bill and wonder how much of it is going to what appears to be a quarterly replacement of the plants on the Oval (and that palm tree that just refuses to live in front of Gates). I fell in love with the gorgeous sun-drenched campus the first time I set foot on it. Yes, the place looks like a resort. Yes, the students are preppy and a lot of them sure seem rich. Maybe it's not for you, but If I had a time machine, I'd happy go back and relive life as a Lag freshman all over again. My Stanford experience was wonderful.
Now, if you happen to be on campus for an afternoon, here's what, in the opinion of one local alum, you should do:
* Drive down Palm Drive. See the palm trees and the classic view of the Oval and Quad against the foothills (and if you really liked it, buy the postcard in the Bookstore).
* Walk around the Quad (I particularly like to do this at night). Check out the Burghers of Calais and the fresco on the front of MemChu (yes, it sounds stupid, but everyone calls it MemChu).
* Go to the Rodin Sculpture Garden, outside of the art museum. Buy a sandwich at the Cool Cafe and sip iced tea on the patio overlooking the garden.
* Walk around the Papua New Guinea Sculpture Garden in the patch of trees in front of Roble (also very cool at night, when the sculptures are lit up and, if you're lucky, taiko is playing).
* If Lake Lag happens to be there (it's a seasonal lake, most likely to be around in January), stroll around the banks of the lake. If you're feeling really adventurous, sometimes there's a raft you can take out onto the lake itself. Try and spot some endangered tiger salamanders.
* Check out the cactus garden, the mausoleum, the angel of grief statue and the Stone River sculpture (all in the same area).
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The beautiful campus is worth walking around, even for folks who haven't heard of it or don't care.
Here's my recommended tour for the time pressed:
Approach the university from University Ave, driving down Palm Drive. Park in the Oval, check out the folks sunbathing/playing frisbee/picnicking/etc. in the Oval, and then walk through the main quad to Memorial Church. Check out the Rodin sculptures on your way, and then check out the church, including all the cool inscriptions in and around it. Then walk to White Plaza, the bookstore, and the student union. After milling around and buying some Stanford paraphernalia, head to Hoover Tower. Pay $2 to go up to the top floor and take in the beautiful view of the campus and the surrounding Bay Area. Then head back to the Oval, and stop by the Cantor Arts museum before you leave. It's got great rotating exhibits, plus a nice permanent exhibit on the history of the school. If you've still got time, go play a round of golf on the world class golf course (at a world-class golf course price :( ), or go for a hike up the dish.
Five stars because it's my alma mater and the school color is the most beautiful shade of red on earth. Plus, the students, faculty, and staff are generally friendly, kind, inspirational, brilliant, fun, and all around wonderful.
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Reasons to Love Stanford:
1) Full moon on the quad: Giant drunken kissing fest in Quad on the first full moon of October. Officially it's for seniors to "welcome" freshmen with their lips, but really it's just an all-out kissing orgy.
2) Exotic Erotic: The only rule is that guys wear one item and girls wear 2. I've seen some of the craziest/ most creative costumes ranging from guys entrusting a simple beer case to house their junk to girls using leaves and sparkles to barely clad their private parts.
3) Freshman year scavenger hunt: Unbelievably fun and crazy, filled with streaking, piercing, and all sorts of "acclimating to SF" activities. Love it!
4) Freshman dorm: Maybe it's the corny side of me, but the whole summer camp aspect of dorm life from bonfires to crossing the line to house meetings all made my dorm feel like home. Awwww.
5) Weather, palm trees, hotties in the dorky intellectual sense that I like oh so much
Oh yeah, and the classes were good too I guess... ;)
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I went here for Clinical Informatics (the design of clinical systems in the field of Medicine and Biotech) and every class was so ahead of the fray. Everyone is talking about web 2.0 and they were teaching web 3.0 System design techniques. Just outstanding education. Any degree, class, or certificate is worth its weight in Gold.
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Well really its an Itunes love fest
http://itunes.stanford.../
If you want a "Stanford" experience, whether you miss it or wonder what you missed, check out the Stanford Itunes initiative for information, guest lectures and more.
From the modern marriage to math and kids....and astrophysics.
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I love Stanford - they gave me a generous scholarship for five years of graduate study (I'm in year 4 of my program), great health insurance, an amazing library to peruse, awesome gym facilities, and cheap housing. The faculty are stellar, the campus is beautiful (why else would a gazillion people from the Bay Area take wedding photos here every weekend?!), and the food is good. What more can I say?!
And for the haters - sorry you didn't go here. Go rate the school you attended!
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Ah, angst. No no Lovebird, we don't do that anymore
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/1/2006
Honestly? The kids (undergrad) are stupid until proven not. (The graduate students, programs, and… Read more »
Words can't describe how awesome Stanford is.
From the breadth and depth of the academic experience, to the warm and welcoming community, and to the friends made, I am thankful to have been a student here, and now an alumna!
Go Stanford!
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I visited the campus several times when I worked near the school. Stanford is a place without a soul. I've seen more life and met far more interesting people at community colleges. A big disappointment.
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Until you've gone to Stanford you can't really imagine the sort of bizzare depression that afflicts people who have everything going for them. The faculty usually develop permanent apathy once they achieve tenure. The undergraduate community is overwhelmed by choice and lots of kids lose their direction. The graduate community is completely out of place and forced to live in an Olympic village type thing.
Worst decision I ever made.
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