Hi friends! I have some questions about student life here at Stanford!
I see a lot of information on CC regarding the academic side of Stanford, and rightfully so, as its academics are some of the most attractive in the nation. With such a strong academic load, it seems that it’d be hard to make time for just having fun and relaxing. From what I’ve looked at, San Fran and San Jose are each pretty far away from Stanford (40 minutes to an hour) and especially being so time pressed at the school, it sounds very difficult to travel around and take advantage of the nearby cities. I’ve also heard that there are lots of fun clubs and engaging traditions, but I don’t really know of any specifics.
So current and past Stanford CC-ers, what makes the student experience so enjoyable with regards to the atmosphere and overall quality of life? Are there easy ways to travel into the cities? What are some particularly fun clubs? What do students do in their free time and on weekends? etc
I don’t know about those links, or what is posted there, but if first-person is what you need, please go check them out. I know that the students who have decided to get off campus and go into San Francisco or thereabouts, do so in groups, and time it so that it all works. There is always someone who can drive, who will drive, who loves to drive.
Dedicated students who plan out when to leave and where to go, and just how much time they will spend in transit both ways, get off campus and enjoy all the area has to offer. Not everyone feels the need to get off-campus, though.
thank you guys so much! I would also like to hear from some current students about their experiences there, like how much they enjoy it. I don’t think I know a single person who went to Stanford and I live on the opposite side of the United States from Stanford unfortunately; is there a place where I can read things like comments and suggestions/advice for prospective students, given by current students?
Are there any specific traditions that are especially interesting? I have heard there is a Tahoe trip and something with the Big Game, anything else like that?
My S went to Stanford and graduated almost two years ago. He never went into SF. It was too far, even with a car. Your course work is heavy and rigorous, but there is always something fun to do on campus. Theres no reason to leave the grounds. Its the largest university in the country- in square acres. You can go and hit a bucket of balls, you can take windsurfing lessons. Yes, Stanford actually has a private lake. You can hike the DISH. But if you want to be a normal young college student there are parties too. Trust me my S indulged and had a blast. The Frats are open to anyone. So you dont have to be in a frat to enjoy the parties on Fridays and Saturdays. My S told me stories of beach frat parties. My S was on campus when Andrew Luck was on the football team. So for away games the Frats would set up giant outdoor TV screens and lounge chairs and everyone would go and watch the game on the lawns.
Is Stanford a party school, not in comparison to others, but it doesn’t mean they don’t have fun. In addition, to the frats I can tell you that the dorms are not dry. The freshmen dorms, even with the profs family present, will host floor parties. I think you will find pretty much the same things at Stanford that you find anywhere else. There’s also tons of clubs-some are social, some are philanthropic, some are academic. Stanford truly has a little of everything. What they don’t have, is too much of anything. So you won’t find that the school is all geared towards Greek Life, like some schools in the South. Nor will you find that its geared toward Sports, like some of the Big Ten schools, or Notre Dame where football is a religion. Stanford does a great job of making everything available to its students. All you have to do is reach for what it is you want. Its an extremely well balanced environment.
My S had a great time at Stanford. Yes, his grades suffered a bit in the first two years, until he could figure out how to manage everything. But he did figure it out and graduated with a degree in MS&E and just made the 2017 Forbes 30 under 30, which I absolutely attribute to him having gone to Stanford.