Stopping out of Stanford?

Parents Forum
1

<p>Well, I finished my first transfer year at Stanford—woo hoo!</p>

<p>I really love the place, and have learned and grown a lot in the past year. I am extremely grateful for the chance to attend, and think I´ve done my best to get as involved as possible, etc. on campus. </p>

<p>But I´m having a bit of a quandary because I´m thinking that I´m not making the most of my time there academically and am not sure if I should take some time off now(before I use up more of my financial aid quarters) or after I graduate or before I do a masters or… ?</p>

<p>Here are the issues:</p>

<li>I´m studying abroad this summer in a Spanish-speaking country right now and loving it. I´m attending a language school for part of the summer and am gaining tremendously in fluency while being more relaxed and happy than I have been in a very long time. I want to perfect my understanding of Spanish and then learn another language. I enjoy learning languages like nothing else, and I want to make sure that I don´t miss the opportunity to study/work abroad because I get tied down to a job/boyfriend/etc. </li>
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<p>Perhaps now is the right time to go, I tell myself. Stanford will be there next year, lots of students stop out to do interesting things etc. My heart feels like I should go NOW! (Well, actually, return to this study abroad in September after I get some other things done.)</p>

<li>I am kind of floundering in my major. I thought I loved Economics, but it´s taught in a very mathematical (rather than conceptual) way at Stanford and I just got my first C. I´m not sure if I should stay in Economics or pursue something else, and I´m afraid of wasting financial aid quarters figuring this out. I want to go to law school, so grades (but not major) are important. I could take some time off, practice Spanish for a few months and then learn another language. </li>
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<p>Then, I might come back refreshed for Economics, or with a better idea of what else I might do (International Relations, maybe?). I also like psychology, and the cool interdisciplinary major Stanford has called Human Biology (kind of a mix of biology, psychology, sociology, and anthropology, with a huge self-defined component to the major—and I´m a self-defining kind of gal). </p>

<li>I signed up for a lot of really cool things at the end of the year (a radio show, campus club positions, etc.), that start in Fall. Someone else can certainly do them (i.e., I don´t think I´ll be letting anyone down big-time) and other opportunities will come along, but I <em>did</em> say I´d do them and I do have some interest in completing them.</li>
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<p>I guess my big fear is that if I don´t go now, I´ll never do this. And I want very, very much to take a year abroad. I didn´t get a chance to have a gap year (I had a long and checkered history before transferring to Stanford), but I really wanted one. Also, I´m concerned that since I´m a bit older than the traditional student, I`ll get settled into something and never go.</p>

<p>Any advice from the wise ones among us?</p>

2

<p>Stanford has a lot of overseas programs. My son spent his junior year in Kyoto, Japan and just loved it. Have you looked into those opportunities? Stanford will increase financial aid to cover the extra costs (Some will be loans, but not all of it.) You may not have to take a gap year in order to spend a year overseas.</p>

<p>If you enjoy learning languages so much, perhaps Economics is not the right major for you. You may want to major in something language-related. I would suggest talking to an advisor and exploring some possibilities.</p>

3

<p>Take the study abroad. Even if it's not the most optimal path to law school, you'll regret missing your opportunity if you don't go abroad.</p>

4

<p>Look into Stanford's study abroad programs, definitely.</p>

<p>Maybe you might want to change majors if you're really doing well with Spanish to a Spanish major or some kind of modern language/lit major. It's okay not to stick out with econ- you didn't really know what the department's focus was when you transferred in. College is all about finding out what you like and what you don't like exactly.</p>

<p>I'd come back in the fall, take some more Spanish classes and explore the study abroad option. Take a quarter off from econ and see how you feel- you'll definitely feel much more refreshed to pick up classes again... or maybe not! If you still don't feel good about econ- then it's not the right major for you.</p>

<p>Good luck and I'm glad that you had fun at Stanford!</p>

5

<p>For what it is worth, many years ago I stopped out of Stanford after my Sophomore year and lived in Paris for nine months. In retrospect, I wish I had done one of Stanford's overseas programs instead but that was back in the day when you could go to England and live at Cliveden! Either way, Stanford will definitely be there when you get back and you will probably return with a greater sense of how you want to use it. Good luck!</p>

6

<p>About economics though, I think you'll find it's taught very mathematically in college. Like you I love the conceptual part of it, but my AP Econ teacher said that in high school, we basically skip out on all the math. That made me seriously reconsider pursuing economics since I absolutely hate math. Perhaps you should too?</p>

7

<p>Wow! Living in Paris for 9 months! That sounds very interesting. What did you do? Why do you wish you did a Stanford program? (I'm curious because I've heard that the Stanford programs are too much "Stanford" and not enough integrated into the country or local university.)</p>

<p>And about the math in economics---do you have any suggestions for me? Finance (on the graduate level)?</p>