Visit Report by '08Holla (Member since April 07 2007 with 94 posts) Visit Date - September 2007
Visit to Stanford University in September 2007 by '08Holla (Student, HS Class of 2008)
Visit Activities:
Campus Tour:
Yes - Led by a junior who's taking at least a quarter off for ECs (pretty cool, they encourage it). He was great, answering everything honestly, especially "What don't you like about Stanford
Stanford University Campus:
Friendliness/Courtesy of Students: 4 - Very Good -
It was the 1st day of the new academic year, but people riding bikes made sure to not hit people. Can't say much otherwise.
Friendliness/Courtesy of Staff: 4 - Very Good -
Just kind of walking into an Eng building, and some faculty asked us if we needed any help, so she pointed us to some of the projects left from last year.
Appearance of Campus: 5 - Excellent -
I absolutely love the sandstone, California mission type architecture. As a point of reference, I hated Berkeley's unorganized, crowded (by comparison), and non-matching buildings from the day be
Building/Facilities Maintenance/Cleanliness: 5 - Excellent -
First day of classes back in session, but still impeccable - you get what you pay for.
Dormitories: 4 - Very Good -
Didn't get a chance to check them out in person, but there's a dizzying number of varieties and overall number of them. Vegan/vegetarian, sustainable, Italian (with a real cook!), lots of va
Security/Safety: 4 - Very Good -
The standard emergency beacons, but more impressive was the lack of concern for locking up bikes (1x,xxx bikes on campus).
Overall Campus Impression: 5 - Excellent -
It's hard to pinpoint what it is I love so much about the place - the incredibly large campus, the warm feel, I just loved the place. For whatever reason, I hated Berkeley.
Off-Campus:
Area Immediately Around Campus: 4 - Very Good -
Palo Alto doesn't have the best reputation as a college town, but right outside of campus (and one block away from our motel) was a street with 30+ restaurants within 4 blocks. Not cheap, but ade
City/Town/Community: 4 - Very Good -
Palo Alto is a standard residential area, and if you like tech companies...name a major website, and you'll find at least an office (likely the HQ) within 30 miles. San Francisco is a ways away.
Campus Visit Notes for Stanford University:
Visit Description:
The final stop of my dad and I visiting 4 colleges in 3 days, and my favorite of them all. I could care less about Stanford's reputation, but the place was simply amazing for me.
Hotel/Lodging Recommendations or Comments:
Try and not pick a less expensive place facing El Camino or another major street if you can't take a little road noise at night. Not terrible, but it's a mini highway with decent use all day
Dining/Restaurant Recommendations or Comments:
I forget the name, but there's a cross street with El Camino that has (as mentioned) dozens of restaurants, most in the $10-$20 range. Most everything you can think of.
Other Comments (Transportation, local attractions, parking, etc.):
Stanford's campus itself is windy, but incredibly easy to drive around, and most importantly, there's plenty of parking where you're actually likely to find a spot for not too much $.
-
It was the 1st day of the new academic year, but people riding bikes made sure to not hit people. Can't say much otherwise.
-
I absolutely love the sandstone, California mission type architecture. As a point of reference, I hated Berkeley's unorganized, crowded (by comparison), and non-matching buildings from the day be