Stanford University Reviews

"This past spring -- 2016 -- I received my bachelors degree in American Studies from the school that four years ago promised to shape my character, help me find my passions, lead me to the greatest friendships possible and also promised to challenge me every step of the way. It did this and more. As an undergraduate at Stanford University, I served as editor-in-chief of The Stanford Daily, served as project manager to two entrepreneurial pursuits, launched a business enhancing application and in my senior year solidified my focus of study on digital media in society. From these experiences, my initial interest in the intersection between psychology and product decisions has grown into a deep passion and that is why I have chosen to stay at Stanford an extra year to pursue a masters degree in Communications. At Stanford, I was able to discover my interest in Human Computer Interaction (HCI) and this will eventually lead me to my desired career in Product Marketing. I want to influence the roadmap of a product and share its story with the user. I would have never found my passion if it were for the amazing opportunities I was afforded at Stanford. As editor-in-chief I learned how to set goals for a corporation and manage and work cooperatively with a staff of 130 editors, writers and photographers. I made time-sensitive editorial and business decisions, provided feedback, pitched ideas and ensured that all parts of The Stanford Daily worked together efficiently. The greatest accomplishment during my term was recognizing a need -- for students to have an unfiltered voice -- and filling it with a new section of the paper, the Grind: A snapshot of campus life written by Stanford students for Stanford students. I worked with my team of editors and graphic designers to create the name, description, logo and plan for gaining readership and hiring writers. Through Communication and Computer Science classes I became fixated on the impact of digital media technologies on society. I would love to apply this passion to the APMM position at Google. My interest in how technology affects human interactions is why I decided to pursue a masters degree in Communication/Media Studies at Stanford and why I would be a creative and tireless contributor as an APMM. Two classes in particular have established my interest in tech, UI design, marketing and project management. In Digital Media Entrepreneurship, I was a project lead in the development of a social media venture, Short notice for Businesses, which enables businesses to send messages directly to their customers. Preceding the class, I assisted in the launch of the product and continue to develop new ideas for the company. In the Social Impact Collaborator, I led my team in developing a company that removes barriers to healthy eating. I learned that theres more to a successful product than just the product. I pitched both products to venture capitalists, developed business plans and go-to-market strategies, while acquiring product management, user testing, need finding, team building and creative decision-making skills. In addition to professional skills, I have also learned life skills and have become much stronger and accomplished due to the relationships and opportunities that Stanford afforded me. Stanford is a wonderful place that offers so many opportunities to occupy every second of our day. My freshman year, I remember panicking the first few weeks because I had free time in between classes that was not filled! But then, I got swooped up by the sports section of The Stanford Daily. I had found my thing. Ive learned over the last six months that theres no right way to live your life at Stanford -- there are many ways that are just as rewarding. As students, we just have to do what makes us happy, proud and confident in ourselves. Twenty years from now, I will look back on my Stanford career and remember the late night conversation I had with my friend in my sorority kitchen eating Skinny Pop or that time I sang along to Justin Biebers early hits with my editors at 2am at The Stanford Daily office, along with the endless readings and problem sets that helped guide me to my chosen career. Stanford students are expected to cure diseases, fight for justice, change the world, solve world hunger, run multi-billion dollar companies and have our lives all in order by our 10-year reunion, but I learned that were not perfect. Some of us might have it all figured out as undergrads, but the majority of us are still figuring it out, and we wont reach one of those achievements until we''ve tried out some other pursuits, failed a bit, meandered a lot through our road map and ultimately lived. And the great thing about Stanford is that it celebrates and encourages those trials and errors as opportunities for growth and learning. Stanford assured me that I don't have to have to have all the answers, but to just keep living and laughing and propelling myself towards my passions."

"Stanford was an amazing place to explore and learn more about my likes and desires. The weather is really unbeatable - it's not uncommon to have some class sessions outside. I made amazing friends through student groups and events which was awesome. I really liked my major because it allowed me to take a variety of courses. Although I'm working in a different field, I am greatly for the experiences I had here."

"I loved my time at Stanford! There are amazing opportunities here, great professors, and incredible people!"

"Stanford is an amazing school where you'll receive an excellent education and have a blast doing it. People at Stanford work hard and play hard. The weather is wonderful and the is campus beautiful."

"Professors provide a great deal of freedom in designing and executing the graduate program -- which is wonderful. Work feels meaningful and relevant to real-world problems. Palo Alto is insanely expensive and has a very venture-capital vibe, which is not my ideal. However, California is gorgeous and it is easy to get out to national parks and the ocean."

"Beautiful campus. Myriad of possibilities. Heavy in to research tied to a concentration on sports."

"ICME is such a wonderful graduate program. My peers are studious and the classes are stimulating."

"I am pursuing a Masters in Computational and Mathematical Engineering. The courses are really interesting and challenging, but the school doesn't provide much of a community compared to my undergraduate institution."

"Stanford is an amazing place to study, even if you are not going into a tech-related field. Students in the humanities and social sciences are incredibly well supported and the learning environment is dynamic. And it's actually fun--people care about being healthy and going outside and aren't just cooped up in the library or lab."

"I feel like the school is very supportive of its students with events to help with our academic and/or professional careers happening all the time as well as social events to help destress and meet other people. The workload is very challenging -- if I were trying to learn any of this material on my own, there is no way I would cover it at this pace without those deadlines."

"Pros: if choosing wisely, can choose the best courses ever Cons: grades are over-inflated and mean nothing (i.e. most students pester the teaching assistants to get 100% on their homeworks but do not understand material that well, leaving those who do homework on their own with less satisfactory grades...)"

"Excellent program, though sometimes there's too much work."

"The math department at Stanford has one of the friendliest working environments. Most of the professors really care about the graduate students and the classes that they offer are of amazing quality. The students organize all sorts of social and mathematical activities that bring everyone together. Stanford area is very expensive (but completely safe), yet the stipend offered is enough not only for the everyday expenses, but also to cover flight tickets to wherever home is."

"Stanford is a great school, and offers great financial aid for those who need it. It also offers great experiences to interact with people from all backgrounds."

"There is a lot of freedom on what courses to choose. Professors take a lot of time and are really supportive. It is great to study here!"

"Stanford is the only elite university that combines the resources and breadth of a world-class research university with the flexibility and interdisciplinarity of an Ivy League--you can literally do anything there. Professors support and nurture students and their ideas, and the university itself encourages innovative, entrepreneurial risk-taking. It's the school of "yes.""

"Stanford is an excellent place to get exposed to cultures from around the world and to interact with people with varying viewpoints and high intelligence."

"Stanford has an absolutely amazing School of Education. My only complaint thus far is that when working with researchers (advisors, mentors, faculty, other adults in the school of ed. etc.), I have been surprised at how ineffective they can be at leading meetings, communicating, and working collaboratively."

"Stanford is far more concerned about student well-being than other universities where I have studied. I rated the school lower in career services and alumni network because Stanford's services are hit or miss. If you want to be an entrepreneur or work in Silicon Valley, then Stanford should get 10/10. But if you want to do public service or non-profit work, the school will have fewer support systems (or.. none) in place. The school culture is also geared towards Silicon Valley - which make sense because of its location, but gives the campus a very different atmosphere (not good or bad, just new to me). Overall, Stanford is a great place to study, and I have had wonderful experiences with professors and administrators who want to make this the best experience possible."

"Stanford was an amazing experience. The academics are top notch and everyone is smart and studious. On top of that, Stanford is also a very social school with great weather, a very fun party scene, and a great work hard play hard attitude. It's also not very competitive unlike many other schools; people compete with themselves rather than each other."