<p>I'm deciding between pursuing research like I did in high school or volunteer at a foster center in East Palo Alto. I'm involved in the LBGT community, so gay events and social functions, I'm there.</p>
<p>I'm involved in a bunch of really neat stuff on campus:</p>
<p>The Stanford Progressive (the liberal magazine at Stanford)
Black Ink Review (literary magazine)
Stanford Democrats
and eventually, the Roosevelt Institution.</p>
<p>i'm in the band even though i can't really play (i'm getting lessons though...)</p>
<p>they are pretty crazy, but not as crazy as some of the rumors would have it, and they are really nice and welcoming.</p>
<p>i'm also on dorm government.</p>
<p>bumpity bump bump</p>
<p>bummmp......</p>
<p>How is the debate and forensics squad at stanford?</p>
<p>seconding what someone else mentioned, how are the club/intramural sports?</p>
<p>How hard is it to get good grades at Stanford? Especially for pre-med-ish areas such as HumBio.</p>
<p>humbio is manageable if you study (like everything else)</p>
<p>How is the math department?</p>
<p>The math department is very strong and rigorous. The level of difficulty really depends on the course.</p>
<p>do you know about the debate and forensics teams?</p>
<p>Zephyr- how'd you do on 51 midterm 2?
The math department is indeed good, although some people complain that they're not practical enough. I beg to differ - our linear algebra class basically taught us how google uses matrices to make its search algorithm work...</p>
<p>Lest you think leftism is the only campus outlet, you can also write for the Stanford Review, a moderate to slightly right of center publication that's far better than the Progressive...</p>
<p>As far as debate: I know they're good, and it's easy to join even with no experience. Debating can be significantly different in College to what you might have done in HS - APDA is nothing like poli or ld.
Forensics: i'm not sure, I haven't really heard much about that. I think that most dramatically inclined people find their energies taken up by other outlets.</p>
<p>Intramurals are sponsored by the dorms and are easy to participate in. Club sports are a bit more intense. Some of the best athletes in the country in these sports will join, so tryouts often set a high bar for participation.</p>
<p>Staticsoliloquy talks about his strong involvement with the LGBT community. However, I want to point out that the same clustering that occurs for racial groups apparently also occurs in the LGBT community. I've talked to queers who aren't part of the LGBT 'scene' or don't make an effort to, and they've basically said it's harder to find people for them.</p>
<p>This speaks to a more general underlying truth of things at stanford: people in different racial groups, LGBT, crazy feminazis and various other categories of people will often tend to cluster together. The housing system at stanford, which has numerous theme dorms and allows you to draw in groups (a generally good thing) also abets this clustering. (interestingly enough, athletes do not cluster in the same way).</p>
<p>Even people who participate in SLE - the residential western civ program - tend to return to live in sle dorms as upperclassmen or be staff there.</p>
<p>Hehe, don't forget the devastatingly isolating FroSoCo.</p>
<p>alright, just a question, do stanford accept late stuff? I think the secretary got really mad at me when i told her that because of some slides problem i wasn't able to post mark it on the deadline :(</p>
<p>bah...:(</p>
<p>lki--my midterm score isn't up, although everyone else's seems to be. This is annoying.</p>
<p>lki is pretty right on about the clustering going on at Stanford. I oppose the "theme houses." He is, however, completely mistaken about The Review, that bastion of nutcase conservatism. </p>
<p>Stanford I'm sure will take late stuff, but it only makes you look bad and unprofessional. Best to have everything in on time, if not early.</p>
<p>What is FroSoCo and why is it a bad thing?</p>
<p>static - Would you happen to know what income bracket one would have to be in to get the full ride you have from financial aid?</p>
<p>hey guys i have been gone awhile but now im back so ill tell you all about my experience.
I LOVE STANFORD!!!
omg you guys wouldnt believe how awesome this school is. i am having the time of my life and i have never been happier. I am in the best dorm on campus which is called Larkin and we are known to be the craziest and most spirited dorm on campus and i love it. We are one huge family and we treat each other so well.
Classes arent bad at all and I am taking 14 units this quarter which is typical. My RA actually told me she never took more than 17 in her whole college career which is comforting. I love all my classes and I am having a good time learning everything.
As for the social scene i have a very narrow view of it: It is awesome. I am a huge party animal which usually means going out from thursday to saturday and I always have a good time. frats never get old for me and im probably a future frat guy. my friends and my dorm are so much fun to go out with and i just love it. the number of stories i have already is pretty crazy.</p>
<p>And as for FroSoCo i dont know too much about it and i have a few friends in it but overall they are the butt of many jokes in stanford as well as SLE. we always say that SLE never leaves thier rooms and we only see them in dark corners and that FroSoCo plays games like book pong (haha just think of beirut with books instead of beer). i really dont know the truth about them but lets just say that FroSoCo has extremes in terms of people and alot of the kids who party with me refuse to do it next year. and i think i have only seen like 2 kids from SLE my whole time at school.</p>
<p>Stan, you do know that I am in SLE right? This is Nghi. We met over Admit Weekend when Nina introduced us. SLE never leaves their dorm like Larkin never leaves theirs. We don't travel in packs to all the dorm. That's not normal. Stan, when have you ever been over to East Flo Mo, let alone Faisan?</p>
<p>A general note, I really hate it when people criticize SLE. Every time I tell someone I am in SLE, I get this obscure "Oh...you're in SLEEEE." Its funny. I would have thought that at an intellectually vibrant school such as Stanford, there would be more respect for a three-quarter program that features a study of most of the great books, writers, poets and philosophers of all time. </p>
<p>Yet, the I-Hum freshman class ostracizes us SLE kids because we choose to partake in a program that challenges us to utilize the great works, to question our thoughts and expand our worldview. Isnt that why most of us came to Stanford? The irony.</p>
<p>Let's admit it, all of us were some type of nerd in high school: a lit freak, a music prodigy, a science nerd, an art dork, a language lover, a politics guru, etc. You wouldnt be here at Stanford if you didnt take all the Honors or AP classes, participated in the Academic Decathlon or joined the National Honor Society. (Or did RSI). We are all intellectuals. </p>
<p>Here at Stanford, we can be part of the regular population since everyone is so well-qualified. I believe the reason why there is so much SLE hatred is because SLE is the scapegoat since everyone is a nerd and we just happen to be "nerdier." Projecting our insecurities on other groups wont change that. </p>
<p>The bar has been raised in college, and instead of going above it, most of us simply choose to go with the flow: get decent grades, get our degree, get into grad school or get a cushy job. A few of us choose to stay above the bar. We want to know more and well do whatever it takes.</p>
<p>Iki:
"I've talked to queers who aren't part of the LGBT 'scene' or don't make an effort to, and they've basically said it's harder to find people for them." Of course. If they aren't willing to go to events where there ARE queer people, how are they expect to find them on their own? Facebook? Gay social event functions as a way of networking with other LGBT folks. </p>
<p>"This speaks to a more general underlying truth of things at stanford: people in different racial groups, LGBT, crazy feminazis and various other categories of people will often tend to cluster together." It happens everywhere. Trust me, it's so much more prominent at Columbia than at Stanford.</p>