<p>How many students-total, are at stanford?
How many engineering students are at stanford?
How small is the school?
What are typical class sizes?</p>
<p>Merci-------</p>
<p>er, google? we're not YOUR research assistants. </p>
<p>... Rather, like all good undergrads, we're pining to RA for a prof...</p>
<p>SILENCE! YOU ARROGANT BRUTE!.</p>
<p>^ Right...</p>
<p>Anyway, this link should help. Scroll down to the overall undergrad profile to see a complete breakdown of undergraduates at Stanford- that should, and probably will, answer all of your questions.</p>
<p>merci beaucoup--</p>
<p>lki:</p>
<p>we're pining to RA for a prof? really? whoops, have I missed something...</p>
<p>eh, 'pining' was something of an ironic commentary on how easy it is to find a prof to do research with.</p>
<p>Also, perhaps, a feeling that spending twelve hours a day in the library trying to find out whether international law actually works has sucked the soul out of my body. Next, I ought to start pontificating on the postmodern implications of dualism. But I won't! (isn't that willpower?)</p>
<p>Uh... back to answer the class sizes question, many lecture classes are fairly large with upwards of 150 people; Human Behavioral Biology (which is awesome) had 600something students. It is possible to get class participation in lectures, but not so much in chem/bio.</p>
<p>In this case, office hours are a great time to talk to the professor. Sections (with maybe 15-20 people) are also great for discussing with your peers.</p>
<p>In many departments, upper division classes tend to be smaller, and you will also encounter seminar-style classes. I highly advise taking an introductory seminar to get the experience of working more closely with the professor and classmates.</p>
<p>I'm pining to do research with a prof...how likely is it that one will take in a freshman, say spring quarter if you ask nicely :)?</p>
<p>pretty good. i knew many freshmen who did research at least by spring. anyone who wants to and puts effort usually can.</p>
<p>Agreed. I barraged the entire neurosurgery and neurobiology department faculty with emails asking if I could talk to them about doing research, and I got about 6 replies =p Aside from email, you can ask a professor whose class you've been in, or go to departmental research recruitment sessions (a lot of the time, grad students will recruit here).</p>
<p>what kind of stuff would freshman do? I'm planning on starting research ASAP (especially because I'm thinking of working in R&D). I mean almost anything is fine but I don't just want to spend my time cleaning flasks and burettes if you know what I mean.</p>
<p>LoL I would say that depends on the lab. Some are large, some are small and intimate. Some primary investigators think new people should do grunt work (like cleaning flasks) but others find it more important to teach the young basic, important skills. Set up meetings or correspond by email with labs that interest you so you can find out what kind of lab you're looking at. Just be honest and ask "what will I be expected to do? what will I get out of working in this lab? what opportunities will I have?"</p>
<p>Thanks. :)
I don't mind some 'grunt work' as long as its not all I do. I mean I don't want to waste all that time and gain no new skills (I already know how to clean flasks thank you)</p>
<p>haha yeah I don't mind some grunt work if I get "real" research experience also. thanks for the replies; I think I ask questions about research a lot, but I really appreciate hearing good stuff from different people :)</p>
<p>^not only you bluephish :) What are you thinking of majoring in?</p>
<p>chemistry :) unless I discover I actually hate it and I love something else haha. you?</p>
<p>at my stanford send-off party there were about 12 or 13 stanford frosh, and we had to introduce ourselves and say where we're from and what majors interest us. i'd say about all but 2 or 3 (one being a transfer student) said "Maybe this or that, but i have no idea."</p>
<p>wow there were only like 8 kids at our send off party and they said that ws a good turnout...</p>
<p>Aw. There were maybe 15 or so at mine; I'm from Orange County, CA. But I soon discovered that there are a ton of people who didn't go but still attended Stanford. So I'm sure you'll meet more people from your area when you actually get to Stanford =]</p>