@Dolemite - How could your daughter know how many athletes are in her classes? My son took the full ISC sequence, and it’s likely that few of his classmates knew he was an athlete, as he doesn’t have a thick neck or have an “A” tattooed to his forehead.
No NLI for men’s crew as it is not an NCAA sport.
@sherpa “it’s likely that few of his classmates knew he was an athlete, as he doesn’t have a thick neck or have an “A” tattooed to his forehead.”
Omg too funny! :)) Sorry if off topic but just had to say it ;))
Athletes are often obvious as they miss classes for games. I have never seen my daughter’s boyfriend NOT wearing team t-shirts or sweats or other gear.
Oh just women’s rowing/crew is NCAA sanctioned, not the men, interesting. Didn’t know there were so many more women rowing than men either. Apparently men still follow a lot of the NCAA rules in recruiting even when in IRA.
http://www.usrowing.org/the-rules-of-recruiting/
Interesting info on rowing:
http://www.scholarshipstats.com/rowing.html
Learn something everyday.
STS is among the top 5 most popular majors for both athletes and non-athletes. However, it is more common with athletes. That said, rowers tends to have different majors. For example, the article at https://me.stanford.edu/news/engineering-rowing-team talks about how most rowers are engineering majors (at the time of the article).
This is true in general, but the OP is a male rower. I walked on to the men’s rowing team at Stanford without any previous experience. It’s one of the only non-club sports at Stanford where such walk-ons are common. And as such, while Stanford men’s rowing is an excellent team, I think Princeton’s men’s team typically has more success in national events.
You can take many ~1 credit PE-type athletic classes at Stanford and I expect the other discussed colleges. For example, I took weight training and karate for 1 quarter. Both were 1 credit P/F type classes that required ~2 hours of practice per week. I don’t see why spending 20+ hours per week of athletic practice in a sport shouldn’t give you at least as much credit as a PE class. However, rowing is only a ~1 credit class like PE classes, and most rowers were not eligible at the time I was on the team. The ~1 credit is little in comparison to the 180 credits required to graduate, and does not at all reflect the many hours of practice and commitment that is required to be on the team. In my opinion, it’s far more challenging to be a successful student as an athlete than non-athlete.
You are using the slowest version of the lowest possible math sequence as an example. Most feshmen did single variable calculus in HS and take more advanced math sequences that go at a faster pace. A partial summary of freshmen math options is below. Note that there a variety of different options for students with different math background/ability/interests, as well as students who are looking to cover the material more rigorously, rather than offering a single level for all students. I also wouldn’t assume athletes generally choose the lowest level for everything. I’d expect you are more likely to find premeds in the lowest versions of courses than athletes.
Math 19-21 – 3 quarter version of single variable calculus
Math 41-42 – 2 quarter version of single variable calculus
Math 51-53 – differential and integral calculus in several variables, linear algebra, and ordinary differential equations
Math 61-63M – covers the material of the Math 50 series at a much more advanced level with an emphasis on rigorous proofs and conceptual arguments
Math 61-63DM – covers the same linear algebra material as the Math 60CM series and otherwise focuses on topics in discrete mathematics, algebra, and probability theory at an advanced level with an emphasis on rigorous proofs
I’ve taken classes at a lot of colleges with semester systems including RPI, SUNY, UCSD and UWy. I found Stanford courses typically to go at a much faster pace, although there was a significant variation from class to class.
@sherpa There are 19 students left in ISC and they pretty much all know each other now. They are all in a groupme together, they study together and they do labs together (can’t have the same partner but once). It’s possible someone is keeping it to themselves as no one has talked about it but she doesn’t believe anyone is.
@Data10 The point of my Math example is that a quarter system class is not a semester amount of material packed into a quarter. The basic level of subjects that are normally taught over 2 semesters will be taught over 3 quarters at schools with a quarter system. Of course Stanford has different levels of Math just like Princeton, Yale, and probably all major universities.
Regarding the various ATH classes Stanford offers, I am just bringing up their existence and the fact that Princeton doesn’t have that and it’s something an Athlete with the OPs choice can take into consideration.
One plus for Princeton is the academic free period during which no classes are held, giving student athletes time to practice from 430pm-7:30pm. I believe P still does this.
Another possible upside to P is being in the Ivy League and a more compact region, travel won’t be as much of a grueling schedule compared to the spread out Pac-12.
S&P are the best of the best and pretty much a tie for academics and prestige/reputation. But I still say bottom line, the OP has to determine which athletic program/coaching/teammates/facilities he likes better as this will consume most of his time.
As mentioned in my earlier post, you can either take single variable calculus in 2 quarters or 3 quarters, depending on which math sequence you choose. It only shows that you have a choice of whether to pack what some other colleges do in a semester or not. The 3 course sequence you mentioned includes 3-unit courses, so they are expected to cover less material than typical Stanford/Princeton math classes and contribute less than typical Stanford/Princeton classes towards graduation requirements. Of course most Stanford students already took single variable calculus in HS. The more typical higher level math sequences also seem to list more material in their description for Stanford’s 3 quarters than Princeton’s 2 semesters. For example Stanford’s quarter length math 51-53 covers multivariable calculus, linear algebra, and differential equations. Princeton’s math 201-202 covers multivariable calculus and linear algebra, but not explicitly differential equations. However, they also may have the equivalent of more units to reflect the increased material. It’s not as simple as either 3 quarters of material at Stanford = 2 semesters of material elsewhere or quarter != semester. It depends on the class, number of units, and often falls somewhere in between those two extremes…
If you want to have a general rule, it’s been my experience that 3 quarters at Stanford generally covers more material than 2 semesters elsewhere. Quarter length classes did appear to be equivalent to semester length in some cases, but not all. However, I haven’t taken classes at Princeton or colleges at that academic level, besides Stanford…
Princeton is more undergrad-focused, which you mentioned. That is directly or indirectly (or both…) responsible for them being ranked #1 for undergrad by USNews. Grads show the love by donating.
Stanford is better known (and ranked) internationally due to its grad/PhD-level greatness, but you aren’t getting your MBA (P’ton doesn’t have a B school…), JD or PhD – you’re getting your BA or BS. For that, no university is better than Princeton.
If you were interested in Engineering or CS, Stanford has the edge. But Princeton is solid in those things and great at about everything else, and where curriculum is even, Princeton has the edge given the close interaction with your profs. Princeton’s reputational bread is buttered by its undergrads and undergraduate emphasis, and that drives the budgeting and decision-making of the school. The undergrads are #1 there – they have to be, since they comprise nearly 70% of the total student population. Motivation and capacity (largest per-student endowment) equal performance.
Regardless of your choice, you’ll be at a great school.
Health studies may be a significant difference between S and P. I believe the closest field at Stanford is Human Biology, which was Stanford’s most popular major until the recent CS boom. It’s an interdisciplinary field that lets you design a customized program based on your interests and goals, choosing courses from a good variety of other fields, outside of human biology classes. Stanford is big on such interdisciplinary programs like this, coterm degrees that combine BS+MS, etc. I’m not as familiar with the options at Princeton, but I do see that they offer the option to supplement major with Global Health and Health Policy and obtain a related certification, which Stanford does not have an equivalent…
I’ve lived on both the east and west coast, and have rowed at Stanford. I found the rowing at Stanford to be rough on mornings when it was cold and/or raining. I imagine this would be quite a bit worse at Princeton with more extreme temps and triple the rain, but that may be just me. I think I am more sensitive to weather than most, or maybe I’ve become spoiled by living in CA for so long.
This brings up another relevant point. I grew up in upstate NY. I currently live in CA, largely because of the large CA presence at Stanford job fairs, and because I enjoyed the CA area while at Stanford. If you want to live/work/internship in the SV or CA area, Stanford has a strong edge. Similarly, I’m sure the Princeton area has a strong college presence and a large number of area companies with special network/internship areas. If you’d like to live/work/internship in the Princeton area or are interested in IB/wall street, Princeton would have a big edge.
before I read the responses to this post, I knew most of them would be telling you to choose stanford, and I tend to agree. stanford’s athletics are some of the best (arguably, THE best, in my opinion) in the country, and there’s an underlying emphasis (though a little subtle) to pursue a major in the STEM field since its close proximity to silicon valley. like others have said, princeton is more undergraduate focused whereas stanford is more graduate focused. princeton also holds the “ivy prestige” vs stanford who is in a league of its own. all of that being said, I, personally, think stanford is the clear choice for you. (though, I understand the want for a change in environment! that’s why I’m wanting to leave the south and go somewhere in the northeast or west, haha.) you, truly, can’t go wrong with either choice. congratulations, and good luck!
There is a definite cultural difference between east and west coasts. I work at a hospital where a new neurosurgeon started not too long ago. Undoubtedly a brilliant man (and I do not make the mistake of thinking all neurosurgeons are brilliant 
), but he talks like a Californian: as if everything is fine and nothing really matters! People are finding this disconcerting. However, I assume he is smart enough to adapt… Best of luck with your choice, OP! Really, how can you go wrong?
@twinsmama - Who’s to say that approaching life as if everything sucks and one has to carry the weight of the world on one’s shoulders is the smarter choice 
? If this neurosurgeon is indeed as brilliant as you say, perhaps he’ll make the smarter choice and move back to the west (or, as I prefer to say, the best) coast B-)
As a native Californian, I don’t know whether to feel insulted or complimented. I’m confused. :))
@sushiritto - You and I may not always agree on what constitutes urban vs. suburban, but I think we both know when someone’s dissing CA