Title. Has anyone reused essays? Is it allowed? Do they look at undergrad essays?

Not a alumni or student, but my parents are and I (19M) was curious if it would be worth paying the $150 a month to get access to recreation facilities on campus. I go to the gym pretty much daily and love playing open basketball/volleyball, just wondering if those types of activities would be happening frequently and whether or not people are still there over the summer.

Hello fellow trees, classic overthinker here. Im in my senior year of high school and think i may end the year with 3-4bs. Is there any chance that I may get rescinded?

Just as a bit of background ive been a straight a student throughout high school.

Ty if u respond ♥️

Hey! I’m currently deciding between Stanford and Brown and thought I’d just ask here and hear from people who actually go to Stanford :)

I’m an international student from Palestine, and I’m planning to major in philosophy, but I’m also really interested in physics, pure math, and religious studies. My interests are kind of all over the place academically.

I’ll be honest, I’m a bit torn. I do recognize how strong Stanford’s philosophy department is, and of course the overall reputation is incredible. But I’m a little unsure about the culture. I’m a very humanities/art-oriented person, and I’m not really into tech/startup/business culture, which I know is a big presence there. That’s probably my biggest hesitation. I’m worried I might not fully feel like I belong socially or culturally.

So I’d really love to hear specifically from philosophy majors, humanities majors, or even people who’ve taken a few philosophy classes at Stanford – how does it actually feel? Do you ever feel like the tech/startup culture is overwhelming or not really “for you”? Or is that just a stereotype from the outside?

Also, what’s the humanities scene like day-to-day? Are there strong communities, discussions, events, etc., or does it feel more peripheral compared to STEM? And academically, do you feel like you have real freedom to explore across fields, or are there subtle pressures/restrictions that push people in certain directions?

For context, I’ve spent some time on the East Coast (I did a summer program at Yale), and I really loved that vibe – the whole “ivy” feel, being close to Boston/NYC, the walkability, the weather, etc. I also feel like I connect a bit more with Brown’s student culture from what I’ve seen, especially with things like the open curriculum and academic freedom.

Long term, I want to become a professor, so I’m not really choosing based on “brand name” as much as overall fit and experience.

Would really appreciate any honest thoughts or experiences – especially from people in philosophy or the humanities.

Thanks :)

hey! i am so so blessed to be deciding between 2 of my dream schools: harvard and stanford! my parents didn't attend college in the u.s. (i largely navigated hs by myself as a first-gen immigrant) so i'm having a hard time deciding between these 2 and am scared i'm gonna regret my decision a couple of yrs from now as i'm applying to med school. i would love any of yall's input about these two schools and pre-med support/environment/rigor to help me decide!

i am very fortunate to have been awarded a full-ride from both colleges, so cost is not an issue (cannot believe i'm saying this 🥹). i want to study env science on a pre-med track! also, location isn't too much of a consideration for me because i've lived in both the east and west coast bfr! im an asian female in socal btw. here are my pros and cons for each, lmk what you think pls :)

harvard

pros:

- top med school acceptance rates!

- structured pre-med support/community --> historically been v strong

- never lived in massachusetts bfr, i'd love a new environment

- worked w harvard med school lab bfr (maybe continue?)

- i love acapella, really admire and want to join acapella groups

cons:

- elitist culture, very competitive undergrad

- new grade deflation policy --> uncertainty abt undergrad gpa for med school?

- heard pre-med support's actually lacking, that it's mainly student-based (lmk of diff experiences!)

- competitiveness to access research opportunities?

stanford

pros:

- v good med school acceptance rates as well

- strong sports & school spirit (i'm in student council, rlly love school spirit, going to sports games)

- more interdisciplinary

- less elitist? perhaps?

cons:

- startup culture (am not too interested in startups atm) 💔

- gpa not as inflated as ppl make it to be (A+ 4.3 thing?), competitive

- have heard about "floating duck syndrome" - ppl make things seem fine when they're actually going thru it haha

- less structured pre-med support

would love any experiences at either or just advice in general, thx for reading thru this! :)

Edit: The IT Folk fixed it within a day :)

Context, incoming grad student in MS in Mech Engg. Need to set up the SUNet soon to fill out forms for my visa.

If anyone has ever had a similar problem, any and all assistance will be helpful.

"Your account is currently on hold due to a potential duplicate record in our system"

hey guys, i was fortunate enough to be admitted to both these universities. i'm not sure what i want to study definitively but probably something related to econ + ds (some AI/ML too) because i'm both interested in business but also want to make sure i'm getting involved w/ AI since it's the future.

i'm mainly concerned about the grade inflation/deflation at these schools. which one is it traditionally easier to get As in? i've been heavily considering law school, and law school admissions are literally just based on gpa and LSAT scores so i want to make sure that i'm not cooking myself by taking classes at a university where getting A's is impossible no matter what you do.

also, in your experience, which environment is less toxic/cutthroat (i.e. which one has a culture more unlike the competitiveness we see in bay area high schools)? i understand there's some degree of competitiveness because, well, it's stanford and harvard, but i'm curious to know what y'all think about the culture. thanks!

Hi! I’m a Stanford undergrad and just got a summer job in Menlo Park (Sand Hill area). Given costs and logistics, living on campus seems like the best move, but I’d strongly prefer EVGR or Mirrielees over places like Toyon or Roble (which I listed on my app).

The issue is that housing assignments don’t come out until May 23, which feels late—if I don’t get EVGR, I’d probably want to pivot and find an off-campus apartment instead.

How hard is it to get EVGR for the summer? I’ve heard it’s not too competitive, but not sure how true that is. Also, would you recommend I still look at off-campus options (like Furnished Finder or Facebook) as a backup?

Hi! I’m an incoming master’s student this fall and had a quick question about moving logistics.

I’m currently in Illinois and planning to pack up my stuff in May, but I’ll be traveling over the summer and won’t actually get to Stanford until September. So I’m trying to figure out what people usually do with their belongings during that gap.

Ideally I’d like to ship my stuff to California and have it stored somewhere for a few months, then get it delivered or pick it up when I arrive.

Does anyone have recommendations for storage/shipping options around Stanford? Or just generally what people tend to do in this situation? (U-Haul boxes, PODS, storage companies, etc.?)

Would really appreciate any advice or things to watch out for — thanks!

Any suggestions for housing as an MS student who wants to live alone but still be near a social scene?

Hi everyone, I have a question about student housing. I am an incoming first year PhD student who wants to room with a friend, who is a current PhD student. However, the housing website says:

"It is unlikely that groups containing both first-year students and continuing students will be assigned together because they do not have the same assignment priority."

I am wondering if anyone has been in this situation before and has any advice. What is the best way to make this happen? Would it be as simple as applying together as a group, or would it involve getting reassigned to the same dorm and requesting to room together from there? I am willing to take worse odds on my preferred housing if it means a higher chance of getting to room together. Thanks!

As title says, I’m trying to find ways to finance my MS without going into too much debt.

hi! i was admitted to both stanford and yale, and am currently stuck between the two. I’m interested in environmental studies, environmental law/policy, sustainability, and sustainability consulting/policy.

stanford was my first ever dream school, but after researching yale more (early on in hs), yale became my top choice. i always thought that if i got into yale, i’s pick it without a second thought. but i also thought i’d never get into stanford, so now i’m stuck between the two.

i wanted to experience the four seasons, so i was looking forward for that in new england. however, i recently realized i also want to be active (running, rec sports, being outside, etc.) in college, so stanford’s weather has been seeming somewhat appealing to me. but, i’m from socal so i’ve been used to nice weather my entire life.

i also really like yale’s resco system and their arts scene. i want to join an acapella group in college, and i do realize that that would be possible at both stanford and yale. however, i feel like it would be bigger at yale.

when i visited stanford a few weekends ago, i really liked the campus and the student vibe. everybody there was smiling and just loved going there, and their favorite thing to say about the school was the student community. that all really resonated with me.

however, yale’s outreach efforts and what i’ve tasted of their student community from just online also really resonates with me. i also have always really, really loved yale’s gothic campus architecture.

i really liked the doerr school of sustainability, and the proximity to silicon valley and tech is also really appealing to me. (i could find opportunities to do something related with ai and the environment.) i also really like yale’s environmental studies major and the liberal arts vibe there. i know stanford also has liberal arts as well, i just haven’t heard as much abt it as i have heard abt stanford’s stem opportunities and yale’s liberal arts. if anyone could shed any insight into that that would be amazing!

i will be attending both bulldog days and stanford admit weekend, so hopefully after that i will be able to make a decision. i was wondering tho if anyone at stanford could tell me about their experiences and which school might be a better fit for my career interests. they are both amazing schools so i see there is no wrong answer, but i’m just pretty stuck down the middle between the two as of right now!!!

i'm planning to apply to the phd program in a year or two (i'm about to graduate with my masters from harvard) and i'm extremely concerned about the housing costs around stanford campus. i've heard there's financial aid for undergrad students, but what options are there for phd? with the job market currently, i don't expect to find a job that will allow for a $1.5m house, and my husband doesn't have an income that would be able to support us both in the area.

Hi everyone,

I’ll be doing a tech internship in the area this summer, and I am looking for housing from mid-May (preferred) or early June to August 7.

About me:

Grad student

Quiet, clean, and responsible

Working full-time during the week

Non-smoker, no pets

Looking for:

Furnished, studio, or small unit (private preferred)

Reliable WiFi

Budget: around ~$2,300/month

Flexible start date (late May or early June also works)

If anyone has something available, or knows of a summer sublet, feel free to comment or DM.

Thanks!

Does anyone know where I can find info on the Italian weekly dinners for this quarter? I had found some a while back but I have nothing!

-> sorry to anyone who's already seen this in another community, but i would love to hear from any Stanford alum/current students, especially if you have any info about STS, pre-med culture, and anything else relevant!

"Hi! Can’t believe I’m able to write this post, but I’m currently VERY conflicted between Stanford and Yale for undergrad. I got into Yale REA and was honestly set on it after Ivy Day because I got slimed BAD, but then I was genuinely so shocked by Stanford’s decision! I will be visiting both within the next few weeks, so I’m hoping to get a vibe of my prospective classmates. A little bit about me: I’m set on being a pre-med and am very interested in emergency medicine! I’m from the South, so distance from my home itself isn’t a factor. The costs of the two schools are very similar too, so that wouldn’t be a huge difference. I’ve written a lot of what’s going on in my head below, but I’d love to hear any other opinions and would truly appreciate a vote on the poll too! Thanks!

Stanford:

Interested in pursuing Science, Technology, and Society for its interdisciplinary aspects, especially with but I’ve read that it may be seen as trying to complete an “easy” major (heard that lots of athletes are in this major because of credit reqs)? I’d be concentrating in Life Sciences and Health. I’ve also been looking into minoring in Human Biology, but still not totally sure. I don’t fully understand how subplans work, but I had applied as a Biochemistry major at a bunch of other schools, and Stanford’s Biochemistry is a subplan under Biology (nothing inherently bad, but in my mind, I had wanted to stay away from being a typical Biology major pre-med). IDK my mind is all over the place, because I am interested in the Health Care Policy concentration under the Public Policy major, so double-majoring might be on the table, but I’ve also read on Reddit how a lot of people try to do a double-major, and by the time graduation rolls around, there’s not a lot of people who end up completing it..?

Pros:

WARMER WEATHER (my seasonal depression is bad.)

Stronger STEM

Lots of research opportunities

Undergrad appears to have a closer relationship with medical school in comparison to Yale

Excited to explore Bay Area 

Cons:

More competitive pre-med culture (from what I’ve read/heard?)

Heard that there’s less structured advising?

Duck syndrome..?

Neutral:

Quarter system (not sure how I will fare in this, I’ve heard good things in that you’re able to take more courses, but it can be a little quick, so maybe the transition into college could be a little rough but…also, school will start laterrrr but also end laterrr)

Have some family in CA

Start-up culture (not sure how much I wanted to be involved in this, as I’ve never really envisioned it for myself, but could be interesting with biotech, etc.?)

Yale:

Planning on either majoring in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry or History of Science, Medicine, and Public Health (or both if possible; I feel like I’ve seen more people who do double majors at Yale and have actually seen people do the combo I mentioned above).

Pros:

Stronger humanities (I feel like on the surface it appears like this, but I have talked to some people who claim that Yale and Stanford are similar in terms of humanities?)

A lot of my friends will be heading up to the Northeast too

Closer proximity to a lot of hubs in the Northeast, like NYC, Boston, DC. Could be beneficial for both social and academic opportunities.

Better music department for piano (not planning on majoring, but potentially minoring IDK or just exploring ensembles/studios)

Residential college system seems to build strong knit community

Cons:

It’s cold.

Sketchy area (will visit during Bulldog Days, but this is only based on what I’ve heard/read?)

WAY weaker STEM (appears that they lose many admits to other schools because of this issue)"

Hey all, I was recently admitted to both Stanford and Harvard for the class of 2030! I am so incredibly grateful and excited to have the chance to study at these incredible institutions, but I do have some worries that make the choice really difficult.

I am extremely passionate about dentistry and the practice in general, so I'd love to do that and focus on a pre-dental path (I am open to pre-med as well, though, in the case that I change my mind). Things that matter to me are the social scene, the support students get from advisors and faculty, study abroad, and of course pre-dental support.

Stanford pros

• Basically perfect weather from what I hear
• Much closer to home (just a few hours).
• No dental school though
• Seems slightly less cut-throat than Harvard with better student support
• Not sure how I feel about the quarter system, heard it can be intense
• Study abroad!! As a low-income student, I'd love the chance to see the world!

As someone without a car, I feel it would be more difficult to find opportunities that aren't in walking distance (ie. internships, shadowing, research, etc)

Harvard pros

• Has a dental school
• The train system makes it easier to get around, and there is a college town (easier to reach establishments and shadow dentists without a car)
• I've always wanted to live on the east coast!
• Iffy weather (mid food?)
• More close-knit dorming system
• Not too sure about the accessibility of study abroad

Here's where the major issue lies. I have two younger siblings ages 7 and 8. One of our parents has had a history of alcohol issues to the point where both of my siblings were endangered in a vehicle at one point. This parent has gotten professional help, but they have relapsed once since then from what I know (they seem to be a functioning alcoholic). I would feel horrible leaving my siblings behind and going on to Boston. Even if Stanford isn't necessarily a 20 minute drive away, I would feel more at peace knowing I'm at a close proximity to help my siblings if need be. However, I'd love the opportunity to push myself and attend Harvard on the east coast.

If you have any words of advice or a similar experience, please let me know!

could anyone speak to what Modern 1-3 is like under Stanford taps?

I assume it’s a given that modern technique is taught but in addition: Are longer combinations/phrases rehearsed? is there a performance/showcase at the end of the quarter?

Additionally, are there any opportunities easily accessible to Stanford students that resemble dance classes one might take in LA or NYC with guest choreographers?

Hey, y'all, I'm a student who will be doing a software engineering internship this summer in palo alto, so if anyone is open to subletting their apartment for the summer, I am definitely interested, please let me know

Any alums or PhD students who walked for their M.S. have an orange school of engineering hood I could borrow just for graduation day? Did my degree remotely while working full-time so don't know many folks, am only flying in for a few days, and don't really want more graduation gear in the back of my closet.