Are more selective schools harder?

phantasmagoric
Thu, 21 Apr 2011 17:08:40 +0000

It does depend on major, but I’d say yes, they are a bit harder. There’s a very strong correlation between selectivity and grade inflation (the reason, I hope, is obvious). So to make up for that, they make the courses harder–move more quickly, require deep understanding along the way, lots of reading, assignments, etc. Then there’s the expectation of producing something that’s put to high standards, either through a project or an exam, and often presenting. They tend to have higher standards of originality–producing something that’s “innovative” or hasn’t been said before. On top of that, you have world-renowned faculty teaching you + very bright grad students/postdocs in your classes (as TA or peer). Since Stanford’s on the quarter system, it moves even faster (like 15-week semester squashed into 10 weeks). It’s an intense environment. I think that Stanford’s grade inflation (which does vary by major) belies its difficulty–sure in the end, grades are often nicer than we expect, but they push us hard enough throughout the quarter that it’s not like anyone “skates by.”

I would say that many state schools can provide this as well.