<p>Ok, so whenever I mention Stanford to people (I'm in NY, btw) I get one of 3 reactions: </p>
<p>1) 60% of people:"Oh, that's good, so you can commute."
NO people, I didn't apply to Sta*M*ford community college or whatever the hell college in Stamford, Connecticut you are thinking of. When I correct them and say "The one in California", they look at me with blank stares. </p>
<p>2) 30% of people: "Ooh, that's a good school, right? In Cali? Is it like an ivy or something?" This response isn't as bad. These people recognize the name Stanford and know where it is but they just don't quite understand that it is a peer with HYPM. Also, they don't have any real knowledge of what the ivy league is since they don't know that it's limited to only 8 northeast schools. </p>
<p>3) 10% of people: "Wow, stanford?!? Damn, that's a really tough school (to get into)." Thankfully, there are some people up here who know that Stanford is worthy of being spoken of in the same breath as Harvard, Yale, Princeton and MIT. These people tend to know a lot more about colleges in general though than most people. </p>
<p>So, is this just a northeast thing? What about the South, Midwest, etc etc? Have other people in the Northeast also had similar experiences or is it just me? Do other colleges like the rest of HYPM have similar issues in other parts of the country? What do you guys think? It seems that Stanford is only recognized in the west.</p>
<p>Disclaimer: I can almost see the responses like "why do you care about prestige anyway?" or "Get over it, it's not a big deal."
The truth is, it doesn't really bother me and at most it's just a minor annoyance but I felt that this would be an interesting topic to discuss. I'd still be in love with stanford even if no one at all has ever heard of it.</p>
<p>lol, it took me a while to figure out what that was, do people in the northeast really say damn like that?</p>
<p>Oh, and about the topic, yeah so I agree with Big Boobies, it really depends on what type of school you go to, and the people you hang out with. 100% of the people at my school knows about Stanford, but if I ask kids from a public school near my school, they will probably give me a blank stare.</p>
<p>By the way I live in the Midwest. Chicago to be exact</p>
<p>Well around here, very few people get into Ivy's so it's like "Dayumm wow congrats!" you know? Or it's the exact opposite and they have no clue whatsoever. Maybe it is just a Northeast thing? Probably 'cause we're always in a rush haha.</p>
<p>One of my friends got into MIT (and matriculated) last year. His AP Stats teacher asked him, "now is that Michigan or Massachusetts?" (we're from the midwest)</p>
<p>Alabama here, and trust me, it's just as bad. Sure about 55% know about Stanford and react accordingly, 35% kind of know that it's a big deal..but are usually "well there's a good backup if you don't get into Harvard"..but there's definitely atleast a sizable 10% that give it no merit whatsoever. In fact, there's a college down in Birmingham a few hours away, Samford, that people often confuse it for: </p>
<p>"Oh that's nice it's a very good school i hear"
"yep, i'm looking forward to it"
"short drive too!"
"uhhhhhhh...."</p>
<p>^ HAHAHA nice. I know a girl who is going to Emory next year and one of her less-intelligent friends wants to be in Atlanta too and they both agreed that she should go to GA Tech (thinking its a technical school) to start off. I thought it was kinda hilarious. btw we live in SC</p>
<p>edit: at least everyone I have ever talked to about Stanford in my region fell into the 10% you're talking about. In fact, most in our region believe it's even harder than the ivies to get into since its on the west coast.</p>
<p>Most people I talk to are under the impression that it is an ivy league school. Then, when I tell them that its not one, they reply along the lines of, "well, it's pretty tough to become an ivy." Lol. I don't mind though :-P</p>