Slight change of pace today. Instead of the standard focus on college admissions topics, we’ll talk about life in college itself.

Stanford or Harvard? Harvard or Stanford? It’s a question that many people debate. Obviously, getting into either is a significant accomplishment that can’t be won without a great admissions strategy.

But everyone needs a better understanding of what they’re getting into. In this article, I’ll address the key academic and cultural differences between the two schools. Hopefully after reading, you’ll have a clear idea of which one is a better fit for you.

I cover Harvard vs Stanford and not, for instance, Harvard vs Yale because the differences between Stanford and the top Ivies (HYP) are pretty significant, while the differences amongst the top Ivies is, in my opinion, marginal

The academic differences between Stanford and Harvard

1. Stanford has an engineering program, while Harvard doesn’t (not really, anyway)

This will make a big difference if you want to pursue studies in, say, mechanical engineering or electrical engineering. These are intensive majors, and will leave little time for anything else. But if intensive engineering really isn’t your thing, this won’t make a big difference to your decision.

Yes, it’s been brought to my attention that over the last few years, Harvard has turned their engineering “division” into a formal school. And while it has grown somewhat in the last 2 years, their is still a world of difference (with respect to quality of faculty, research funding, total educational resources, and breadth of student body) between Harvard and Stanford engineering.

2. Harvard has stronger teaching in most humanities and social science subjects

This is a generalization, and based only on my observations of Harvard and my 4 years at Stanford. Their undergrad teaching in the ‘BA’ subjects is simply of a higher quality – primarily a result of being able to attract by far the best professors (which in turn attract the most talented grad students who often do a bulk of the teaching).

3. Harvard is more academically competitive with respect to GPA, class standings, etc

Simply the result of an academically stronger undergraduate body. When you reach a “tipping point” of the number of highly-focused, hard-working students, it contributes to an overall student body that is simply harder-working, more academically interested, and so forth.

This is both a pro and a con. You may work harder, but ultimately have less to show for it.

4. Stanford encourages more academic exploration than Harvard

It’s easier to switch majors, you can “shop” classes for longer, and its easier to craft your own study program. In addition, Stanford has plenty of student-initiated courses on all sorts of interesting topics as well as many interdiscplinary programs.

This is great in one sense because you get to dabble in many different areas, truly explore your academic and intellectual interests, and so forth.

The con is that, relative to Harvard, you may not develop sufficient depth in any one area.

The cultural differences between the two

1. Stanford is more laid-back

This goes hand-in-hand with the earlier point about academic competitiveness. Stanford students are simply more cooperative, friendly, and generally relaxed relative to their Harvard counterparts. While Stanford can be known for the “duck syndrome” (calm above water, paddling furiously below water), this still pales in comparison to the daily intensity that is Cambridge.

2. Harvard is somewhat more integrated into its neighbor city (Boston)

Stanford is pretty much a bubble. San Francisco is 45 minutes away by car, and most students don’t own a car. However, Harvard and its surrounding area is much more pedestrian friendly, and you’ll be exposed more to Boston and its city life than Stanford students with SF.

That’s not to say that Stanford has nothing to do – it’s just that your campus years will be focused, literally, on-campus.

3. Stanford has a history of entrepreneurship, while Harvard focus on more traditional careers

If you’re looking to do something off the beaten path, Stanford will have more resources and better mentorship to help you get there. Harvard is more focused – both its institutional resources as well as its student body – on standard career paths like business, government, etc.

That’s not to say you can’t have a successful corporate business career from Stanford or be a famous entrepreneur from Harvard. I’m talking more about the norm – not the exception.

That ends our discussion today. I hope that’s provided you a better view on the key differences between the two schools, so you can make a more informed decision (and also, use this info to write better college admissions essays!).

Applying to Harvard? Learn how average students can get into Ivy League schools.

There’s a fundamental reason why – high school students are afraid of their teachers/bosses/coaches. They’re afraid of asking for what they really want – an outstanding, glowing letter of recommendation that highlights strengths and re-affirms the student’s story.

Part of the solution is to simply get over yourself. Be courageous. That’s something that this blog won’t be able to help you achieve.

But I can help you with the process. And following these steps will significantly increase your chance of getting the exact letter of recommendation you’d hoped for – one that Harvard, Stanford, and the best schools in the world will enjoy reading.

Here goes:

1. Identify the teachers who a) know you best and b) you performed the strongest in their classes. These teachers will generally write the best letters of recommendation. Hopefully they’re the same ones that sponsor extracurricular activities in which you partake. If not, I’d recommend approaching some of them to sponsor new clubs that you’d be starting. Win-win

2. Have your parents meet with that teacher. I didn’t do this, but in retrospect I should have. Parent-teacher conferences are a great way to strengthen the student-teacher bond, and a great way for parents to indirectly express their wishes (and their kid’s wishes) to the teacher. Just make sure this type of meeting is non-threatening and friendly. I actually remember reading teacher recommendations which obliquely referenced controlling parents…these don’t go over too well with admissions committees

Going to Stanford University? Click here for some tips.

3. Prepare a letter addressed individually to that teacher. In this letter, talk about the following things:

-What schools and why – in more than just a few sentences
-Why you’d like that teacher to write you a recommendation
-A few accomplishments that you’re most proud of, and any accomplishments that were either in that teacher’s classes or sponsored clubs
-What your overall story is for the Ivy Leagues, and how what you’ve done helps you build on that story

4. Prepare a brag-sheet/resume. This should be the exact same one for Common Apps. Attach this for additional color

5. Chat with your teacher in-person when asking them to write the rec. In this talk, make sure you cover things similar to Step 3 – why you’re applying to Ivy League schools, why you think you should be admitted, what your story is that you’re telling adcoms, and why you thought they’d be a great recommender. Don’t simply ask them to write a rec, smile politely, and walk out of the classroom. This in-person conversation is crucial to providing your teacher more info about your particular process

6. GIVE YOUR TEACHER PLENTY OF TIME TO WRITE THE RECOMMENDATION. A week is not enough. A month is perfect. This is yet another example of how early planning is critical for Ivy League admissions

7. Followup gently. If you haven’t heard a response from Mrs. Smith or Mr. Davis and there’s 2 weeks before application deadlines, politely inquire about the status of your recommendation

8. Thank them for their time. Give them a little thank-you gift and/or card to express your gratitude. After all, this may not be the last time you’ll ask for their help and they’ve just done something for which they expect nothing in return

Step 5 is particularly important. Do everything else wrong, but as long as you execute Step 5 well, your recommender will have the info and context they need to write you something thats personalized and shows they care. After reading hundreds of these letters, you can quickly spot the genuine, heartfelt ones versus the form ones.

Applying to Ivy League schools? Learn how average students can get into Stanford.

So what should you be thinking about as a high school student interested in becoming a doctor?

1) Don’t worry too much about the relative strengths of undergrad pre-med programs. It doesn’t make a big difference to med school admissions

2) What matters far more is the overall quality of the institution. Stanford will trump UCLA anyday when it comes to desirability in med school applications

3) The vast majority of 4-year universities will have pre-med accreditation, so focus on other factors when choosing the right school – such as size of the student body, campus culture, faculty-student ratio, urban vs suburban environment, and so on

4) In college, focus on your GPA and start doing research early. Publishing papers, building strong professor relationships, and excelling academically are 3 areas that will really boost your chances of going to any med school that you want

5) In college, build a life beyond your pursuit of med school. A balanced application – where your accomplishments, resume, and essays show diverse interests – is much more desirable than someone who’s had a narrow, laser-like focus since freshman year

I hope after reading this post, all potential pre-med students will be a little bit smarter about college admissions and set the right goals for undergraduate success.

For more info, read my guide to Ivy League admissions.

When I say local university, I don’t mean community college. I mean real, 4-year fully accredited universities!

This applies specifically to the science/math/academically focused students – but everyone should be sufficiently well-rounded for college admissions success.

Universities are full of professors doing many different research projects with post-docs, undergrads, and grad students. They always need more labor – especially when it’s free.

Reach out to professors at your local college. This can be easier if you’re already taking classes there, but you can also email them directly. Get your parents to help – especially if they have any contacts there.

Offer to do research for free or setup a high school credit program so you can get course credit.

This will look great on college apps, particularly if you work on a research project where you can produce something like a paper or presentation. Not only can these be entered into Science Fairs, but it’s also something substantial that you can submit in your application to Harvard.

Trust me, college admissions offices pay serious attention to that level of work.

Not only will it help you better understand where your passions lie, but it’s an advantage you want to have when applying for Ivy League schools. Get out there and start talking to professors now, however you can. Never underestimate how helpful your current teachers and parents can be in facilitating this opportunity.

Hope that helps! For more info, read my guide to get into Harvard and Stanford.

Here are some insights on APs:

1) Take as many AP classes as you can fit into your schedule. A transcript packed with APs speaks volumes about your determination and academic strength

2) Don’t backload AP tests. Start taking them as early as you can. They are not as hard as you think

3) Don’t go crazy with the tests. Taking an AP class is always recommended, but don’t feel that you need to take 10+ AP tests and get all 5′s in order to get into Harvard. Like my advice on GPA and SAT scores, all you need to do is pass a bar

4) As a rule of thumb, it’s better to take fewer AP tests and receive higher scores, than more AP tests with all 3′s and 4′s. Yale wants to know that what you do take, you do well

5) It helps to put AP tests that you intend to take on your Common Application. Even if you haven’t taken it yet, it looks good on the application and is a little secret that not many people take advantage of

Follow my advice on APs. Take as many AP classes as you can handle, start taking the AP tests early, and focus on quality over quantity when it comes to the tests themselves.

By doing well in AP tests, you show colleges that you can handle tough, college-level material. Academic excellence is the bread and butter of Ivy League schools, and a certain checkmark that you must earn to get into your dream school.

Hope that helps! As always, don’t hesitate to email with questions about this article or others. For more info, read my guide to Stanford admissions.