<p>I live near Stanford, and think the area is awesome, with lots of stuff to do. If you are into the outdoors, there are world class hikes and cycling that start on campus. And yes, you can wear shorts year round.</p>
<p>From my years working in high tech here in Silicon Valley, a Stanford degree is considered equal or better than a Harvard degree in engineering or science pursuits. So the Harvard name isn’t deal breaker here.</p>