Last friday, I was accepted to Stanford as an RA admit. I wasn’t expecting to get in at all so I’ve done minimal research on the school, though I do know that it has programs in both physics and geophysics, so it’s definitely on the table.
Less recently, I was admitted to Caltech and MIT. Between the three schools, I currently favor Caltech for its size, academic environment, rigor, and pure-science focus. Unfortunately, I don’t know enough about Stanford to evaluate whether I could thrive there, so I’m not sure if my comparative lack of interest stems just from a sheer lack of knowledge? From what I’ve seen, though, it seems that Stanford works better for students pursuing careers in economics or engineering than pure science; how much truth is there to that? What resources are there for undergraduates to do research? How rigorous are their programs?
For those of you who chose Stanford, what led you to make that choice? I never thought I’d have to make this decision, so any input is appreciated.
Congratulations on your acceptances! My son was a prospective CS major last year but didn’t apply to places like MIT and Caltech because he had other, nontechnical interests. That may be something to consider—might you want a broader experience in college (as opposed to grad school), and might you enjoy being around students with interests in many different disciplines? Stanford offers science/tech students the best of both worlds and has ample research opportunities; you won’t find the programs to be lacking in rigor. Something to keep in mind too is that approximately 50% of college students change their minds about their major. So even if you’re thinking about physics or geophysics now, you might want something quite different after a year or two, and attending someplace like Stanford would offer many more options.
It sounds like visiting Stanford would be very helpful to you—while there, you could seek out students who chose Stanford over tech schools and see how they feel about the opportunities they’ve had at Stanford. My impression is that it’s quite common at Stanford to combine interests in a tech field with substantial work (a minor, or even a double major) in another, nontechnical field, if that’s something that interests you.
Stanford is usually seen as happier than Caltech/MIT. There have been a few disconcerting stories about MIT in particular and its suicide rate is notably higher than the national average. While most students are probably happy and doing just fine, it is worth noting that overall the rate is high.
Stanford is, of course, is a great choice for those interested in engineering, but there’s a lot more to Stanford than those programs. Currently it’s tied with Cal Tech for #2 in physics (http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-science-schools/physics-rankings) while MIT is #1. For geophysics Stanford is #3, MIT is #4 and Cal Tech is #2 (http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-science-schools/geophysics-seismology-rankings). Basically, as far as academics go you can’t go wrong. The difference in one ranking slot is negligible and all are outstanding academically.
Tons of opportunities for undergrads to do research. I do research here and have been for a few years. Many of my friends got started as early as fall quarter freshman year. The school is a bit more undergrad-focused than many of its counterparts. As an undergrad you can choose to take classes at almost any of the graduate schools if you want to experience even more rigor.
Anyway, for me personally reasons why Stanford include:
- Opportunity for research
- Happy place, collaborative environment
- Great academics (though this is true at all the schools on your list)
- Good location (near San Francisco, nice weather, etc)
- Chance to take classes at outstanding grad schools
- Reasonable amount of general ed requirements (not too many, not too few)
- Flexibility in switching major/interests
- Student body engaged in student organizations/activities
The list goes on, but those are the ones I can think of right now. Definitely attend the admitted students weekends for those schools to see if one environment works better for you. If finances for transport are a concern and you’re receiving financial aid then talk to the schools and see if they’ll cover your expenses to make the trip.
I chose MIT instead of stanford haha… can’t help you to convince you to join stanford. 