火爆社区

As one of the preeminent institutions of higher education and research on the West Coast, Stanford University is a magnet for both aspiring and established scholars looking to learn in a place where 鈥渢he support for students (residential, emotional, academic) is unrivaled.鈥� Research opportunities abound for Stanford students. As one student says, 鈥淎t Stanford, anything is possible; I鈥檝e lived on a schooner with faculty studying sharks, snorkeled on the Great Barrier Reef, hiked in the Australian rainforest, studied Antarctic phytoplankton with world-class scientists, and spent countless nights discussing philosophy, politics, film, and art until sunrise.鈥� The location in the Bay Area also puts the school in a prime location for access to Silicon Valley, which is highly populated with Stanford alumni. The school鈥檚 reputation for being at 鈥渢he forefront of [nearly] every field of study鈥� draws talented faculty that are 鈥渁t the top of their respective fields.鈥� And with an extremely low 6:1 student-to-faculty ratio, students have the ability to forge close relationships with their professors. Even though Nobel Prize winners walk the halls, faculty remain undaunting to students, who find them 鈥渆ngaging and approachable鈥� and 鈥渟o excited to share their passion for the subject.鈥� In giving students access to every resource they need to become lifelong learners and societal contributors, Stanford seeks to 鈥渆xpand your creativity, challenge and deepen your world view, and make you a passionate and informed citizen of the world.鈥�

While students are adamant that 鈥渢here really is no typical Stanford student,鈥� it is generally agreed that they are all 鈥渧ery driven, independently motivated and willing to seek out opportunities,鈥� making for an ambitious environment that is 鈥渨ithout the competitive edge that many top-tier institutions are known for.鈥� One common thread does emerge in that 鈥渆veryone here is smart and has some story that will blow you out of the water if you ask.鈥� One student reiterates: 鈥淓veryone fits in because we鈥檙e united by a fire that drives us all to be excited about what we do. The trends you鈥檒l see will be along the lines of leadership and crazy intellect.鈥� All say it鈥檚 easy to find your niche, as everyone here is 鈥渞idiculously friendly and you can meet new people all over campus at almost every type of event.鈥�

With the vast majority of students living on campus, there is a wide variety of activities to keep students engaged and entertained鈥斺�渢here鈥檚 always so much going on on-campus that sometimes it鈥檚 hard to leave!鈥� The social scene is California relaxed, and students say 鈥測ou can find as much or as little of a party culture here as you鈥檙e looking for. There鈥檚 always a frat party to attend on the weekends, and there鈥檚 always people to just hang out with at the dorm.鈥� In addition, there are university-hosted 鈥淐ardinal Nights,鈥� including 鈥渢rips to Great America, a local amusement park, a movie pre-screening, and Stanford鈥檚 Got Talent. All of the events are either free or extremely cheap for students.鈥� Academics take priority here and students 鈥渨ork insanely hard during the week,鈥� but recognize the importance of balance and 鈥渁lso make it a priority to have a great time.鈥� Although students say 鈥渋t鈥檚 pretty much impossible to be bored鈥� at Stanford, the siren song of San Francisco does occasionally call, and 鈥渁 trip to the city is a short train ride or car ride away, so going to concerts and events in the city is always a fun option. Same goes for the nearby beaches.鈥�

As a top-notch school, Stanford can lead to 鈥済reat job opportunities鈥� for motivated students looking to enter a wide variety of careers. Stanford students tend to be very focused on the future, with 鈥渁bout a 50/50 divide of people who are planning for careers to make money and people who are planning for careers to 鈥榤ake a difference.鈥欌�� Stanford Career Education will help students with either path via its Bridging Education, Ambition and Meaningful Work (BEAM) entity, which provides resources dedicated to 鈥渃areer communities鈥� in specific fields, and a special community devoted solely to the needs of underclassmen still a few years from their job search. Through BEAM鈥檚 coaching and the organization of these communities, students can attend recruiting events, job fairs, mixers, and workshops tailored to their skills and intended outcomes. Most agree that Stanford 鈥減rovides a great opportunity to pursue greater careers with a wide array of resources and support.鈥� Out of Stanford alums visiting PayScale.com, the median starting salary is $95,600, and 62 percent report that they derive meaning from their jobs.