<p>I for one am hoping to study politics and history and stanford and love their faculty in both these areas. However, the most common reaction when I tell people this is inquiring why I dont apply to an east coast school reknowned for these subjects. I know Stanford has top programs in these though. Do you guys have similar problems? Do you think Stanford has a rep as a "science school"? Is these a gap between stanfords science programs and the humanities?</p>
<p>good question... does anyone have any insight?</p>
<p>It's much easier to get good grades in humanities at Stanford ;).</p>
<p>Is it hard either way? ;)</p>
<p>Just kidding (more or less). Who cares what people think? They have good faculty, and it's a good place to get an education.</p>
<p>Some people will think that, no matter what, the sciences are the pinnacle of human thought, and that the humanities are more or less a waste of time. Stanford has the IHUM, which was established of the goal of getting everyone at least somewhat educated in the humanities. Sure, Stanford is a science school, as is Berkeley. But they are so much more, and these aren't necessarily more important than the humanities and social sciences (although you'll find plenty of people who most assuredly believe so.)</p>
<p>Stanford's humanities and social sciences programs are mostly top-5. Psychology, among others, is #1. </p>
<p>Stanford's political science is top-three with Harvard and Chicago and history is also top-5. </p>
<p>Stanford has a "rep" of being an engineering school specifically.</p>
<p>Would you like to cite a particular source, zephyr151?</p>
<p>Or perhaps be more specific . . . is it that overall in the field of psycholgoy, stanford is the best (according to someone or some ranking system)? Or is it that in one or many fields of psych, Stanford is considered the best (according to someone or some ranking system)? I have no doubt that someone concerned with getting a broad education in either of those fields would have no trouble at Stanford, but if you wish to throw numbers around about best departments (which are probably graduate departments, which relates to undergrad in a yet unestablished manner in this thread), I would like sources.</p>
<p>Are those numbers from newsweek?</p>
<p>Too lazy too look. But I do remember psychology was indeed ranked #1 by 2006 US News graduate ranking.</p>