Stanford University Top Questions

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

They are disgustingly nice and bland and all super happy.

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

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

We're all nerds

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

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

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

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.

We're nerd.

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

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

Beautiful weather, laid back students.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

pre-professional, smart, apathetic

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.