Hey all, I’ve been thinking about applying to Stanford and MIT for a while now, but I feel that my reasons for applying to them are pretty generic. In a college, I’m looking for a strong emphasis on tech, but I may want to explore interests in the humanities in college. I also want availability of opportunities such as research, internships/jobs, clubs, etc. I feel that for someone like me who wants to go into STEM and wants a job in Silicon Valley eventually, those two schools would be good for me. but these reasons can apply to a lot of colleges and universities. For current or past Stanford/MIT students, what were your reasons for applying and choosing Stanford/MIT? What’s it like to study there, and what are the people like? Thanks for your help!
Are you trying to justify your reasons for applying to them? Why? Apply. Also apply to better matches. Check the Net Price Calculators to see whether your family can afford them.
I guess the best of putting it is to find reasons for applying to these schools specifically. What do MIT and Stanford have that other schools don’t? I don’t mean to say that Stanford and MIT aren’t prestigious: of course they are. But, there are other schools that have opportunities for research and internships, good engineering and humanities programs, and strong senses of community too. I can afford both schools, and I have applied to some schools as matches and safeties. Thanks for your response and help!
My son is applying to both. Have you visited? Visiting and talking to students about the programs and life on campus gave him very specific ideas on why he liked them though they were really different reasons beyond the thread of his STEM interests. If you can’t visit in person the MIT blogs are really helpful at getting some insight on how things work there. Stanford will hook you up with an email pen pal if you want to talk to someone virtually.