Stanford

After DC, after New York, and after Davis, I arrived to Palo Alto, a city known for its university: Stanford. I am doing a program with the Graduate School of Business; they call it the Summer Insitute.

Stanford is rich, oh so rich. Tuition here comes to around $40,000 for a full year, and signs of this wealth are apparent. One of my professors drives a Porsche, while another advises the President on tax reform. The campus itself is a pretty thing, but not prettier than, say, the University of Western Australia. Even if not so aesthetic as UWA, Stanford spends a lot of money on its students. Dorms are luxurious compared to most other universities: mine features a bunch of grand pianos, foosball and ping pong tables, kitchens, lounges, courtyards, and even a network of catwalks. Staff is available for all our needs, be it related to computer issues, or career counseling. Food is good, some might even say tasty and healthy, a rare combination in this country.

The program itself is very well organised: we take a number of classes a day, and meet up with a small group of students later to discuss the morrow's questions. Professors believe in the socratic method; they constantly ask questions, and the class participates. Really, the program seems bent on teaching us a way of thinking rather than a set of testable material. But it is the people that make the program: the students are outstanding. I still don't know how selective this program was, since it is only the second year they ran it, but whatever they have done, they have put together a number of very diverse students. This diversity encourages challenging discussions, and at night, good times. Yesterday, I brought a bottle of wine to my study group. Soon after, I was somewhere in a bar having a great time. This morning, I was focusing very hard on strategy principles.

This program makes me think that I probably should have applied to some of the world's best schools straight out of high school. I had the marks, but not the drive or the knowledge. Not to say that I didn't meet great people in Perth and Brisbane, but that they aren't as many there as here.

I will publish some pictures when I take them. Alright, I am off to dinner.