<p>i know a couple people who are disappointed with what they see as a lack of intellectualism in their dorm, but this is sort of countered by the argument that the dorm is your home- it is where you go to relax after a long day of classes, not where you go to be super-intellectual. i would guess that people who choose harvard are more interested in a very intellectual college environment than the balanced, laidback one that attracts stanford students, and that harvard might thus have a more intellectual atmosphere than stanford. however, this might also result in a more stressed, competitive atmosphere. i think stanford classes are definitely intensely intellectual, while outside class it’s your choice which friends you have and what level of conversation you have with them- overall, it’s well rounded. if you want intellectualism, you can find it, no problem, but stanford won’t hit you over the head with it.</p>