In at Stanford: Class of 2015 Forum

[Stig]

Don't worry! I know it is possible to spend an infinite amount of time trying to make a cool, rational decision on which school is right for you. But as soon as you visit both, you'll know which is the right place for you.

I know a couple people have mentioned visiting not during the ASW. This is a great idea. I did this last year and met 25+ 1Ls, some of whom are still my good friends here. It may have been more valuable than ASW because I was the only person visiting, so it was very easy to talk with current students, and not get bogged down with speculative talk between admits. If any of you are considering doing so, I highly recommend staying with a current student at Munger (what I did last year), as it will give you a really good sense of the lifestyle. I know my 4-person apt would be happy to host, and I have some friends from the opposite sex that you be more than welcome to as well. Just me (or Dean Deal, or any of the other SLSers on here) know!

[arewehavingfunyet]

It's been about two weeks since I got in but I guess better late than never. I'm still so excited (though sad to report that the t-shirt was a little big) Does anyone know if we can still get that $450 travel stipend if we visit on a non-ASW? I'll probably just go to ASW but I'm thinking about visiting by myself like Stig suggested.

[Perdevise]

I'm pretty sure I read that the stipend is available only for ASD.

[AmandaPB]

Does anyone know if it’s normal to stay with students during ASW? I’d love to meet current students and get their perspectives (and also because I’m poor).

[annyong]

Does anyone know if it’s normal to stay with students during ASW? I’d love to meet current students and get their perspectives (and also because I’m poor).

+1 - Would love to know this as well!

I'm also a little nervous about ASW being so late, like coming back after the weekend of the 20th I'll have to make a pretty quick turnaround decision for a deposit, and some schools even ask for a deposit on April 15th! (Though I've already ruled some of those schools out)

[Stig]

Does anyone know if it’s normal to stay with students during ASW? I’d love to meet current students and get their perspectives (and also because I’m poor).

+1 - Would love to know this as well!

I'm also a little nervous about ASW being so late, like coming back after the weekend of the 20th I'll have to make a pretty quick turnaround decision for a deposit, and some schools even ask for a deposit on April 15th! (Though I've already ruled some of those schools out)

What schools ask for a deposit by 4/15? Deal Dean lays down the law in this blog post.

By the time the middle of April comes, you'll be so ready to make a decision it won't even be a problem. And ASWs make it 100x easier to decide.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do stay with current students during ASW. It is way better than the hotel, and makes the experience that much more immersive.

Also, feel free to stay with students during non-asw visits as well. Shoot Dean Deal an email and she'll help you out. If she can't, send me a PM and I'll set you up! My apt is 3 guys and 1 girl, but if you prefer to stay with all girls, I'd be happy to connect you with someone as well.

I believe the travel stipend is only for ASW, but if you can't make it for a legit reason (out of the country or something), it would be worth emailing Dean Deal about the situation.

[annyong]

Thanks so much Stig for offering advice and answering questions in this thread and the others, the friendliness of Stanford students on this site certainly makes me hopeful for the rest of the student body!

Chicago said in their acceptance email that "You must postmark your deposit and submit your response form on or before April 15, 2012," which really surprised me. But I'm really looking forward to a Stanford visit, and will definitely look to stay with a current student!

[AmandaPB]

Yay, we can RSVP for admit weekend now! So excited I almost started crying. I just can’t believe I might end up there.

[spek]

Just RSVP'd! Yay, super exciting!

[soj]

Me too! See you guys there!!

[annyong]

RSVP'd!! See you guys in April!

[Perdevise]

Hey, did you fellows RSVP for all meals/earliest arrival times, etc?

PS, is the minority preview URM only?

[soj]

Hey, did you fellows RSVP for all meals/earliest arrival times, etc?

PS, is the minority preview URM only?

I'm a non-URM LGBT and I invited myself.

[AmandaPB]

Hey, did you fellows RSVP for all meals/earliest arrival times, etc?

PS, is the minority preview URM only?

I RSVP-ed for everything Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. I assume the minority preview is for URM/LGBT/etc. I didn’t check that box.

[Perdevise]

Thanks all. Sorry to keep asking, but how are we to find students to stay with? Do we ask Dean Deal?

[MumofCad]

Ugh! This is the exact same time as Yale's ASW. I really wanted to visit both. If I visited Palo Alto, I'd probably have a hard time getting back on the plane to come home. I miss the West so much....but I really want to visit Y too. Looks like I have to make a choice before even making a choice.

[yankees42789]

Ugh! This is the exact same time as Yale's ASW. I really wanted to visit both. If I visited Palo Alto, I'd probably have a hard time getting back on the plane to come home. I miss the West so much....but I really want to visit Y too. Looks like I have to make a choice before even making a choice.

You could always visit one of the two at a time other than their ASW. There may even be an advantage to seeing the school when they're not laying out the red carpet and trying to sell themselves to you. I'm sure if you contact the admissions offices, they could make arrangements for you as I doubt you're the first/only person to have this conflict.

[MumofCad]

Ugh! This is the exact same time as Yale's ASW. I really wanted to visit both. If I visited Palo Alto, I'd probably have a hard time getting back on the plane to come home. I miss the West so much....but I really want to visit Y too. Looks like I have to make a choice before even making a choice.

You could always visit one of the two at a time other than their ASW. There may even be an advantage to seeing the school when they're not laying out the red carpet and trying to sell themselves to you. I'm sure if you contact the admissions offices, they could make arrangements for you as I doubt you're the first/only person to have this conflict.

Yeah, it sucks to lose out on the travel stipend though because S is far from me. I've already visited Y for a few hours, but wanted to meet my prospective classmates in both school since their admit groups are so small. That sort of stuff is important to me. I guess I'll just go on 2L peeps at one of them.

[annyong]

Ugh! This is the exact same time as Yale's ASW. I really wanted to visit both. If I visited Palo Alto, I'd probably have a hard time getting back on the plane to come home. I miss the West so much....but I really want to visit Y too. Looks like I have to make a choice before even making a choice.

You could always visit one of the two at a time other than their ASW. There may even be an advantage to seeing the school when they're not laying out the red carpet and trying to sell themselves to you. I'm sure if you contact the admissions offices, they could make arrangements for you as I doubt you're the first/only person to have this conflict.

Yeah, it sucks to lose out on the travel stipend though because S is far from me. I've already visited Y for a few hours, but wanted to meet my prospective classmates in both school since their admit groups are so small. That sort of stuff is important to me. I guess I'll just go on 2L peeps at one of them.

What's Y's policy on travel stipend? If Stanford's policy is the only one that applies just to admit weekend, take advantage of it and try to visit Yale at another time, especially since it will probably be the most financially cumbersome visit since it's on the West Coast.

[andanother]

Another ecstatic (and incredulous) SLS admit checking in! Also wishing that ASW was much sooner.

A question on a more sobering topic: Is anyone aware of how time sensitive SLS' financial aid process is? My parents will not complete their taxes any time soon, and I am hoping that a later (but still before the deadline) submission will not screw me over. Is submitting '10 based estimates to apply sooner advisable, or does meeting the deadline ensure a fair shake at $?

[AmandaPB]

Another ecstatic (and incredulous) SLS admit checking in! Also wishing that ASW was much sooner.

A question on a more sobering topic: Is anyone aware of how time sensitive SLS' financial aid process is? My parents will not complete their taxes any time soon, and I am hoping that a later (but still before the deadline) submission will not screw me over. Is submitting '10 based estimates to apply sooner advisable, or does meeting the deadline ensure a fair shake at $?

I can’t answer your question, but my parents are finishing theirs soon, either. I’m having them estimate their taxes for the need access form.

[omnivore]

Another ecstatic (and incredulous) SLS admit checking in! Also wishing that ASW was much sooner.

A question on a more sobering topic: Is anyone aware of how time sensitive SLS' financial aid process is? My parents will not complete their taxes any time soon, and I am hoping that a later (but still before the deadline) submission will not screw me over. Is submitting '10 based estimates to apply sooner advisable, or does meeting the deadline ensure a fair shake at $?

I asked the Office of Financial Aid about this, and they said they won't start processing the applications until the deadline of March 15, so I don't think it matters if you get your forms in in advance of the date. You can submit 2010 numbers as an estimate for 2011, but any offer would be contingent on your final financial aid application (the offer is likely to be recalculated once the final numbers are in). Hope that helps!

[z3201]

Another ecstatic (and incredulous) SLS admit checking in! Also wishing that ASW was much sooner.

A question on a more sobering topic: Is anyone aware of how time sensitive SLS' financial aid process is? My parents will not complete their taxes any time soon, and I am hoping that a later (but still before the deadline) submission will not screw me over. Is submitting '10 based estimates to apply sooner advisable, or does meeting the deadline ensure a fair shake at $?

I don't know if you're at a disadvantage if you apply later, but I do know the financial aid office tends to be accommodating. My parents still hadn't finished their taxes by July, and when I called financial aid in the middle of the summer they said that I shouldn't worry about it and that they could make an assessment even after I got to school. I'm sure if tons of people started doing it really late then they'd probably stop allowing it, but I'm guessing you'll be fine as long as you meet the deadline. I also know people who got like the maximum aid possible who didn't get in until very late in the cycle, so I don't think it's particularly time-sensitive.

[Stig]

Another ecstatic (and incredulous) SLS admit checking in! Also wishing that ASW was much sooner.

A question on a more sobering topic: Is anyone aware of how time sensitive SLS' financial aid process is? My parents will not complete their taxes any time soon, and I am hoping that a later (but still before the deadline) submission will not screw me over. Is submitting '10 based estimates to apply sooner advisable, or does meeting the deadline ensure a fair shake at $?

I don't know if you're at a disadvantage if you apply later, but I do know the financial aid office tends to be accommodating. My parents still hadn't finished their taxes by July, and when I called financial aid in the middle of the summer they said that I shouldn't worry about it and that they could make an assessment even after I got to school. I'm sure if tons of people started doing it really late then they'd probably stop allowing it, but I'm guessing you'll be fine as long as you meet the deadline. I also know people who got like the maximum aid possible who didn't get in until very late in the cycle, so I don't think it's particularly time-sensitive.

When you apply for finaid shouldn't matter too much. I had a friend admitted in early April who still was awarded a very very substantial aid package.

[andanother]

Thanks for all of the reassuring answers everyone! I love my SLS cohort already.