<p>Is it alive and kicking? Or is it non-existant?</p>
<p>Someone? Anyone?</p>
<p>Some specifics might, you know, be helpful. It's not as though you've suggested an incredibly broad topic or anything.</p>
<p>What about intellectualism at Stanford do you want to know?</p>
<p>What prevails - pre-professionalism or the types who like to learn for the sake of learning?</p>
<p>Idealistic types will probably say the later, but I'd say the former is probably predominant, but I'd feel comfortable saying that'll true at any college the world over.</p>
<p>Not at St. John's ;).</p>
<p>But are the students uber-competitive and supercharged or are they normal smart, funny, down-to-earth kids who love balancing work and play (no matter what one's definition of play may be)?</p>
<p>I know what you're trying to get at. How would you generalize the student body yadda yadda. But I really don't think you can do that.</p>
<p>What I meant by my above comment was that the majority of people would probably say that your average Stanford student is less hardworking and more 'naturally smart' than your average student at another top school. But when the curtains are drawn and the door is shut most people will probably let it slip that the real way they see the average Stanford student is the 'duck syndrome'--on top of the water they look cool and collected but under the water their furiously paddling to stay afloat.</p>
<p>I think the duck characterization is probably closer to the truth--the true average, if you will--but both are pretty vast generalizations for a student body of over 6,000. Truth is, when you get on campus, your view and how you picture the "average" student will be pretty constrained by the type of people you're around, the type of student you are, etc. Basically, your experience is dictated not by any prevailing or preexisting social norms, but by your own behavior. </p>
<p>There are plenty of people down to party all the time, and there are plenty of people willing to study 24/7, but the majority of people are found somewhere between these two extremes. Your experience will be dictated by which group you align yourself with.</p>
<p>Stanford students especially are quite fond of selling themselves as much more relaxed, etc. than students at other schools--especially schools of comparable academic caliber. But in reality you can get the "Stanford experience" anywhere you go to school, I think people just come to Stanford expecting it so much that it almost turns into a self fulfilling prophecy.</p>
<p>That was great. Thanks! :)</p>