u/CarelessCupcake6242

Title. I know there’s some ethnic themed dorms and academic dorms. If you have any opinions or experience with the housing spots at Stanford, I would love to read about it!

This is such a great problem to have, and I'm incredibly grateful to have the option to decide between these two schools (both full rides). I went to both during their student admit days, and they had very different vibes to say the least. I'll break down my experience and what I learned from students at both schools. Also, I'm looking to go into pre-med or pre-dent and am an FGLI student.

Stanford

• Opportunity fund (current student said she got $2k from Stanford) + FLISSC are great resources for FGLI students
• Research is super accessible, so much that students get bombarded with opportunities in their inbox quite frequently (student was able to get a research position their freshman year)
• Quarter system allows for flexibility and a wider range of classes (like pilates, I'd like to take that for fun), but don't know how well it fares for developing relationships with professors
• During my time here I felt like I connected more deeply with the students in the ethnic dorm I stayed at (cozier vibe, friendly people making conversation, super accessible amenities and dining hall)
• Really vibed with the overall bonding activities dorms do weekly (karaoke, pizza, movies, etc)
• I felt a larger connection with the clubs on campus (mariachi, kpop, one club focused on expanding access to medical care, SOO many!!) + apparently music festivals are a thing on campus (love that)
• There's a cafe on campus run by students and is open pretty late (I just think that's so cool, and I see myself working there)
• Weather is awesome + grade inflation
• lower med school match rate (but I hear it's by choice and some just go on to work at startups)
• Medical school attached that lets you cross register and volunteer
• I felt safer at night
• Social events for visiting students felt more chill (cafe and fountain hopping)
• Ice cream machine, matcha dispenser, and hot chocolate (very very important)

Harvard

• Walking through the city and going to the club fair was pretty stressful. Overall, the city is very loud (obv), there was a protest going on outside, and the fair was crowded to the brim. Just not a great start given I was sleep deprived and hadn't eaten for 12 hours, but I wanted to give Harvard a fair shot.
• Campus is extremely beautiful, buildings, libraries, and classrooms are stunning (old money vibes)
• MED SCHOOL RESOURCES: getting a one-on-one advisor who gives application feedback, staff dedicated to connecting you to research, very high match rate to Med school (80-90%), separate adivosrs within your house that help you prep for applications, help with mock interviewers, professors eager to give letters of rec
• Grade deflation may be a thing soon (capping As)
• Transport system is very easy to use
• More hospitals nearby than at Stanford
• Heard the support for FGLI students is not great
• Going to areas for people of my ethnicity to meet felt strange. The clubs felt kinda transactional (introduction > scan QR code > bye)
• Overall, the old money atmosphere I got from Harvard made me feel a bit out of place, and I never felt at home there (felt sort of intimidated I suppose)

tldr: My heart says Stanford but my brain says Harvard. As a pre-med, I feel Harvard is the better choice but not sure how well I'd thrive.

Any and all advice, please send my way!

This is such a great problem to have, and I'm incredibly grateful to have the option to decide between these two schools (both full rides). I went to both during their student admit days, and they had very different vibes to say the least. I'll break down my experience and what I learned from students at both schools. Also, I'm looking to go into pre-med or pre-dent and am an FGLI student.

Stanford

• Opportunity fund (current student said she got $2k from Stanford) + FLISSC are great resources for FGLI students
• Research is super accessible, so much that students get bombarded with opportunities in their inbox quite frequently (student was able to get a research position their freshman year)
• Quarter system allows for flexibility and a wider range of classes (like pilates, I'd like to take that for fun), but don't know how well it fares for developing relationships with professors
• During my time here I felt like I connected more deeply with the students in the ethnic dorm I stayed at (cozier vibe, friendly people making conversation, super accessible amenities and dining hall)
• Really vibed with the overall bonding activities dorms do weekly (karaoke, pizza, movies, etc)
• I felt a larger connection with the clubs on campus (mariachi, kpop, one club focused on expanding access to medical care, SOO many!!) + apparently music festivals are a thing on campus (love that)
• There's a cafe on campus run by students and is open pretty late (I just think that's so cool, and I see myself working there)
• Weather is awesome + grade inflation
• lower med school match rate (but I hear it's by choice and some just go on to work at startups)
• Medical school attached that lets you cross register and volunteer
• I felt safer at night
• Social events for visiting students felt more chill (cafe and fountain hopping)
• Ice cream machine, matcha dispenser, and hot chocolate (very very important)

Harvard

• Walking through the city and going to the club fair was pretty stressful. Overall, the city is very loud (obv), there was a protest going on outside, and the fair was crowded to the brim. Just not a great start given I was sleep deprived and hadn't eaten for 12 hours, but I wanted to give Harvard a fair shot.
• Campus is extremely beautiful, buildings, libraries, and classrooms are stunning (old money vibes)
• MED SCHOOL RESOURCES: getting a one-on-one advisor who gives application feedback, staff dedicated to connecting you to research, very high match rate to Med school (80-90%), separate adivosrs within your house that help you prep for applications, help with mock interviewers, professors eager to give letters of rec
• Grade deflation may be a thing soon (capping As)
• Transport system is very easy to use
• More hospitals nearby than at Stanford
• Heard the support for FGLI students is not great
• Going to areas for people of my ethnicity to meet felt strange. The clubs felt kinda transactional (introduction > scan QR code > bye)
• Overall, the old money atmosphere I got from Harvard made me feel a bit out of place, and I never felt at home there (felt sort of intimidated I suppose)

tldr: My heart says Stanford but my brain says Harvard. As a pre-med, I feel Harvard is the better choice but not sure how well I'd thrive.

Any and all advice, please send my way!