<p>Does anyone know how strict Stanford is about attendance at the info sessions and tours? We're on the waitlist! Who knew there were waitlists to visit a campus? If we don't get off the waitlist can we just show up or do they check names? Could we just tag along on the tour?</p>
<p>
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We're on the waitlist! Who knew there were waitlists to visit a campus?
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I'm sure it doesn't sound funny to you, since it affects you so directly, but this tickled my funny-bone. I have only heard of such a thing at very (very) small schools (Olin comes to mind), I have not heard of this before for Stanford. I'd suspect you could show up at the office smiling and ready for the tour: it's likely someone won't show up and you'll sure be demonstrating interest by being ready-to-go!</p>
<p>(And let me know when you'll be here: I live about 15 min. away and would be happy to come on over to say howdy and whatever.)</p>
<p>I don't think that Stanford keeps a running list of who has been on the tour and checks it against who is applying. After all, this is the college that doesn't do interviews as part of the admissions process--either on campus or alumni. They don't seem to be a "show us how special we are to you by all the attention you pay to us" college.</p>
<p>I'm not worried about the applying part. He's only a rising junior and the reason we're visiting is that we're going to be in the area and thought a visit might get him the tiniest bit interested in thinking about college. (Plus the rest of us want to see the campus.)<br>
I remember someone (Rowan?) last year talking about what an informative session they have about the whole application process. </p>
<p>The problem is we wanted to visit on a Friday and both info sessions that day are full. He had to literally get on a waitlist. I just wondered if they really count noses at these things and turn people away if they're not on the reservation list. Thanks for the responses.</p>
<p>It was Rowan and it was the year before. My recollection was that the informative lecture was at the end of a summer school for high schoolers held at Stanford, but I'll see if I can get my H to find it in the archives (he's much better at that sort of thing than I am).</p>
<p>I just happened to make a copy of what Rowan had written--easier to find it in my own archives rather than dig through CC archives. It was an information session given at the end of Stanford Summer College, not a tour. But I will copy it here--good info for anyone thinking of applying to Stanford or other schools.</p>
<p>"Stanford Admission info</p>
<p>Stanford Summer College allowed its students (please note that these are rising seniors who are 'expected' to apply to Stanford by virtue of attending school there for 8 weeks) to attend a discussion about admissions led by one of the assistant deans of admission. It was very informative, and the following is a list of important points I took from it: </p>
<ul>
<li><p>"Good grades are a natural consequence, not the goal." That was straight from an adcom's mouth. They want to see someone who tests the limits, exceeds them, does well in their high school classes and seeks to do more than that -- research with a professor, takes college courses, so on. They want to see people go above and beyond. </p></li>
<li><p>It's all in context. You will not be at a disadvantage if you come from a small, crappy public school anymore than you will be at an advantage by attending a #1 private school. On that note, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EVERYTHING YOU ARE OFFERED. AP classes, IB classes, internships, research opportunities -- again, go above and beyond. </p></li>
<li><p>They look for something he called "intellectual vitality." This is that 'love of learning' bit we hear so much about. He consistently mentioned that Stanford loves students who are going to come and rip up the curriculum and extra-curriculars, use them for all they're worth, use them as springboards for later success. </p></li>
<li><p>It's a very human process. He says that Stanford does not have formulas or cut-offs. A certain SAT score will not send you to the reject pile – nor will it send you to the admit pile. The files are reviewed in the comfort of the reviewer's home ON THEIR OWN TIME. Now think about this. If you were spending a Friday evening reading over an application, would you really want to spend it trying to decide which of the extra pieces of paper you sent are worth considering? </p></li>
<li><p>They give about 20 minutes to each application, and that includes writing comments. This one is big. The best thing to take away from this point is to be concise and effective. </p></li>
<li><p>Stanford does not have a committee. Applications are, on average, viewed by 2-4 different people, though sometimes up to 6. The readings are spread out over the 'application review' process. For example, if an application is read three times, one might be in January, one in February, and one in early March. </p></li>
<li><p>The transcript is the most important piece of the application. This one speaks for itself. </p></li>
<li><p>They DO NOT consider 9th grade. They give a grace period for adjustment to high school and realize that you change a lot during high school and your freshman grades probably aren't indicative of the kind of student you will be next fall. </p></li>
<li><p>Non-academic classes are not considered when they tally their GPA. (They tally their own GPA, yes, and it is unweighted. This is to give a more level basis of reviewing things, though it obviously doesn't quantify the intangibles such as rigor of coursework.) </p></li>
<li><p>They do pay attention to the kinds of courses taken, naturally. They use the counselor's comments on your particular schedule. This is very important: this is based on your ability to take the classes. If your school offers 5 APs, but you can only take them during your senior year and 3 are in the same period, your counselor is still quite able to circle 'most rigorous' because you obviously couldn't do anything about that and were pursuing the most rigorous course load that you were allowed to pursue. </p></li>
<li><p>"We like upward trajectories." That is all there is to say there. </p></li>
<li><p>IB=AP. </p></li>
<li><p>AP exam grades are NOT part of admissions.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>We did a Stanford tour last fall...it was Oct 1, the day SCEA apps were due in...we registered ahead of time, and they did check names...but several people joined us "in progress"...a student walked us around the campus, providing an informative and entertaining "running dialog"--he encouraged questions and comments...there would have been no problem at all about other people joining the group...in fact we "swelled" from 6 or so to 12 or so by the time we ended the walking tour (took about 45 minutes)...then we went into a classroom for a "lecture-style" session...I could see why space might be an issue in one of those, if there were more people there than seats in the room (our 12 didn't come close to filling the space)...that session wasn't all that great...the adcom said nothing that wasn't on the website, altho there's some value, I guess, to hearing it and being allowed to talk about...</p>
<p>Altogether, I'd give Stanford reasonably high marks for the tour and info session--altho it didn't help my S, who didn't get in...</p>
<p>There was a "name checker" when we did tour and info session. Don't know what would have happened if we weren't "on the list." Different from overanxious mother, I found the info session to be one of the most helpful and forthright I attended. Same result as overanxious' S, tho, despite legacy... oh, well. There were quite a few at our session, but room was not full.
I would htink it quite easy to tag onto a tour. They were as loose and informal as any, and you could just hang near the building and join one as it leaves. I joined ours late myself.</p>
<p>FWIW my lad, now at Stanford, never visited until after being accepted. I think "demonstrated interest" is not much of a factor at HYPSM.</p>
<p>My son also never visited until after acceptance, as we are from the East coast. He was admitted as a "President's Scholar" (this program has now been discontinued.) I agree with Idler that demonstrated interest is not much of a factor at HYPSM. However, unlike the other four in this group, Stanford has a policy of no interviews.</p>