Stanford University Top Questions

What is the stereotype of students at your school?

Cameron

Floating Duck Syndrome: Serene on top of the water, but paddling like crazy beneath the surface

Paige

They are disgustingly nice and bland and all super happy.

Sasha

Very liberal, Beach Boys, gay communities, always sunny, always happy

Tate

The calm duck on the pond paddling furiously underneath the water to stay afloat.

Tina

We're all nerds

Naomi

Duck Syndrome: Cool on the surface. Working they're asses off under the water.

Sarah

That we are all happy, laid back, and stress-free.

Alex

I guess people think we are a bunch of nerds and future google employees.

Luke

1. Everyone talks about the 'Duck on the Water' effect...people at Stanford seem very calm and collected when you talk to them, and deep down they are spinning furiously and are super busy. 2. People say that 9 out of 10 girls in California are attractive, and the 10th goes to Stanford. 3. "The Stanford 500"- there are only about 500 people who go out to party/have a good time on weekends. If you are one of them, you will only see these same people if you go out.

Jordan

We're nerd.

Jordan

I can't really say anything to that other than that they're smart and talented.

Peaches

We're all really smart? I didn't really have any stereotypes in mind before I came.

Carrie

Beautiful weather, laid back students.

John

All stanford students are the same - white, rich, boring, conformist.

Anthony

While there are many common stereotypes and misconceptions about Stanford students, such as the infamous duck metaphor, by far the most prevalent stereotype is that Stanford students attend Harvard University. Many Stanford grandparents will brag their children attend Harvard, only to meet blank stares when they add their grandchild loves the weather there. High school teachers also frequently recall their prized student with affection, bragging about how they are now majoring in English at Harvard University, when in fact they go to Stanford in Palo Alto, California.

Ben

Stereotype #1: Stanford is snotty and conservative. Stereotype #2: Stanford students love their textbooks more than life and have no social skills. Stereotype #3: Nine out of ten girls in California are hot and the tenth goes to Stanford.

Caitlin

There's the age-old duck metaphor: Stanford students are calm on the surface but paddling furiously underneath. There are also a lot of socially inept nerds and ugly people. BUT the stereotype is also that Stanford has among the nation's happiest students.

Gene

A common stereotype is that Stanford students are very laidback and have a very chill attitude. I think Stanford students are more laidback than some of their counterparts on East Coast universities, but people definitely care a lot about school, and aren't as "laidback" as commonly perceived.

Parker

pre-professional, smart, apathetic

Cameron

One of the biggest stereotypes is that everyone at Stanford is super happy and chill--which I have found to be true most of the time but not all the time.

Reese

Typical stereotypes upon entry: elitism (privilege), humanitarian detachment, intelligence, drive, motivation.

Torry

That they're rich, preppy, and very very smart

Nicole

Stereotypes: Stanford students are overcommitted, but don't let on about it. We call it the floating duck syndrome, where on the surface everything seems cool, but underneath people are scrambling to stay afloat. Stanford students don't have great social skills, and are awkward conversationalists. Stanford students don't date--they either hook up or are "married", meaning they are in a very serious relationship where they spend every waking moment together. Stanford students are overly ambitious and think they can solve all the problems in the world, and think their Stanford degree will get them there.

Dale

I came to Stanford from abroad and perhaps this was the reason I had had no particular traits I could have assigned to Stanford students. However, Stanford, as a university, has always been rated highly by all of my previous professors/colleauges/friends from Europe.

Jill

Everyone is super smart and the sky is always blue and sunny.

Jon

1.) We're ducks, smooth sailing on the surface but paddling frantically underneath to stay afloat. 2.) No dating at Stanford. You either hook up at parties or meet in your freshman dorm and are basically married. 3.) "99{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} of the college girls in CA are hot, the other 1{4a082faed443b016e84c6ea63012b481c58f64867aa2dc62fff66e22ad7dff6c} go to Stanford"

Bobby

The two most common stereotypes are that Stanford students study all the time (in secret even) and that they don't date. Also, there is a California culture stereotype, in which the people are laid back, hippie types or surfer dudes.

Wyatt

They fill out heaps of surveys

Tristan

Students are intelligent, but probably spoiled. They work too hard. They’re all computer wizzes and engineers.