<p>j-ro, you KNOW! unclefeezus, how come you're not relaxing over our spring break, huh?!</p>
<p>I'll tell you man, it's a blast. I know about 3 people who are in my hometown right now. Who this be?</p>
<p>haha, just someone in your dorm who was bored, decided to read CC, and found someone in her dorm on here!</p>
<p>Please be honest. How good is the school newspaper? Is it easy to write articles and get involved as a freshman or is it complicated. Also, how is Stanford's Anthropology, Communications, Creative Writing/English Deparments? I keep hearing about how good they are at biology but what about those three. Have you heard anything particularly good or bad about them that i can't read in a brochure? </p>
<p>Also, what's the diversity like. I'm a middle class latino and wanted to know if Stanford's cultural clubs are as active as they claim. </p>
<p>Thanks!</p>
<p>Stanford's cultural clubs are VERY active... perhaps moreso than they claim. I don't know all that much about getting involved with the newspaper (it happens often enough that it can't be <em>too</em> bad) or those three particular departments. I think I've heard really good things about the English/Creative Writing departments... I think with creative writing it might be hard to take upper level classes if you aren't a major... or maybe that was just with one prof? Not sure. Communications is actually an especially strong department at Stanford. Those who do the major because they think it will be easy are often disappointed that it's more legit than they expect. Don't know much about Anthropology... at least I haven't heard any complaints!</p>
<p>thanks. another question, how is the core curriculum? I got into Brown and the one thing i don't like about Stanford is that i'm going to have to take hard math and science classes my freshman year just to meet a general requirement. Is it really tiresome or is it over quickly and easy to meander through the required coarses?</p>
<p>Also, Do they take an AP credit?</p>
<p>The "core" isn't bad at all. There isn't really a core, just distribution requirements so you always get <em>some</em> choice. IHUM 3 quarters frosh year, PWR 1 quarter frosh and soph year each, plus one course in each of the following: social sciences, humanities, math, natural sciences, applied science. Then you also need to take one course in two of the following: gender studies, american studies, ethics, certain international relations type classes. You also need to take a year of language. AP credits can only get rid of the language requirement. (Other than that they can count towards your units needed for graduation and allow you to place ahead into higher level courses) It's really not that bad at all. I actually really loved IHUM winter quarter (fate of reason, prof bobonich is incredible). Also, the same class can fulfill more than one requirement. For example, you could have a pwr 2 (soph year equivalent) introductory seminar that also served as the gender studies and humanities course. I think the requirement is just right. It's enough that it forces you to explore a little bit, yet gives you the freedom to choose what you want to study. It's not too much so that you can still study what you want to study. The only courses that I will end up taking that I probably wouldn't otherwise are the PWR ones... and that's just 2 quarters. A required writing intensive class is pretty standard anyway.</p>
<p>I'll go ahead and say that the Daily is pretty mediocre. a front-page article on pen/pencil policy on HumBio core exams? I think it speaks for itself. But it is very easy to get involved as a freshmen--it is daily, so they need a lot of people writing articles, copy-editing, and so on. I believe you also get paid for some duties. </p>
<p>Stanford's English program has a very good reputation, although Communications is known as a "jock" major. A freshman friend of mine took Fiction Writing last quarter so at least some creative-writing courses are open to underclassmen. </p>
<p>Stanford's cultural clubs are extremely active--the only ones that really do anything.</p>
<p>Are there any places to mountain bike on campus?</p>
<p>i know i've asked this a lot, but i just can't see what finaid stanford is offering me - which is a big part of anyone's school decision (unless $160,000 is just a drop in the bucket for you).</p>
<p>when i log onto axess all i get is this STARS tab. what does that mean?</p>
<p>ebonytear, have you received the admission packet yet? Your financial aid statement should be there.......</p>
<p>i accessed my decision online, today. Apparently the finaid package letters don't come out until the 4th. I was able to access my package for all my other schools online, so I'm a bit impatient. :)</p>
<p>Is it hard to get the ihum of your choice? How does choosing an ihum work?</p>
<p>It's not that hard to get the ihum of your choice. This summer you'll turn in a bunch of forms about housing requests, roommate preferences, etc. One of those forms asks you to list your choices for ihum in order of preference. Most people seem to get one of their top choices if not their top one or two choices. If you don't like what you were assigned you can petition to change ihum lecture and/or section. In the fall you get to choose your top 4 choices for the winter/spring. I think I got my top choice for the fall (or was it #2? don't remember) and got my top choice for the winter/spring.</p>
<p>What is the quality of Stanford housing? How are the dorms? What is the bathroom situation like (*)? How comfortable/livable is it? Any points of comparison, ex. Yale, MIT, NU?</p>
<p>What is FroSoCo?
How is the sense of community? How about collaborativeness? Do people usually work together or separately?
How is nerd culture (aka, people watching science fiction shows, etc)? Is it as subjugated as high school, left alone, or celebrated?
(I have some perspectives on the 2nd question, want more if that's OK)</p>
<p>If i want to do an engineering major, how soon must I declare the major? I'm an international student and I'm a little vague on these things specific to American universities
Thanks</p>
<p>Is there a good link that clearly portrays the core requirements and gives explanations for each of the courses that can be taken to fulfill these requirement? This may be in my admit packet, but I am anxious! :)</p>
<p>How is the advising at Stanford (are advisers competent, friendly, etc.)? When do you first meet your academic adviser? Does he/she help you plan the courses for your major? How often do you meet with your adviser? Are the advisers professors in your department?</p>
<p>I have seen in a few discussions that Profs teaching UG(UnderGraduate) classes do not tend to spend
time with UGs in clarifying doubts , etc.. and their focus is more towards research .
Sometimes meeting the Profs itself becomes difficult and in most cases you are indirectly
restricted to talking to TAs. Is this the case in Stanford ? Do Profs take trouble in teaching the
concepts , clarifying doubts and being "friendly" with students ?</p>
<p>(b) For Engineering ( EE,CS, ... ) which would be the preferred choice among
MIT / Stanford / UC-Berkeley for UG course ?
How good/great is the CS/CSE program ?</p>
<p>thanks</p>
<p>PS: I posted a similar question in MIT , but the response was lukewarm .</p>