Study Abroad

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Harvard Vs Stanford: Where to Study? 

By Sujen Kumar 

Harvard and Stanford are two prestigious universities in the United States, known for their massive endowments and impressive alumni. In this webstory, we will explore which school is an outstanding choice for earning an undergraduate degree. 

Introduction 

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Harvard: Founded in 1636, the first college in the American colonies, 7,000 undergraduates. Stanford: Established by California senator Leland Stanford, 8,000 undergraduates. Student-to-Faculty Ratio: Harvard - 7:1, Stanford - 5:1. 

A Brief Overview 

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Notable Alumni: 8 U.S. Presidents, 21 Supreme Court Justices, 150+ Nobel Prize laureates, CEOs of major corporations (Microsoft, Airbnb, Coca-Cola, Adidas). 

Harvard Alumni and Achievements 

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Notable Alumni: Tech entrepreneurs from Silicon Valley, CEOs/founders of WhatsApp, Netflix, and Instagram, 4 Supreme Court Justices, 14 Olympic athletes, and Sally Ride - the first U.S. woman in space. 

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Stanford Alumni and Achievements 

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Similar requirements: Mathematics and English Language Arts credits. Application Process: Common Application or Coalition Application with fees ($85 for Harvard, $90 for Stanford). 

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Academic Requirements for Admission 

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Applicants: Harvard - 57,786, Stanford - 55,471. Acceptance Rate: 4% for both schools. GPA Statistics: Enrolled first-year students with high GPAs (Harvard - 73% with 4.0, Stanford - 75.1% with 4.0). 

Admissions Statistics 

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Test-optional policies: Stanford (2022-2023 cycle), Harvard (extended until 2026). Middle 50% scores: ACT (Stanford - 34-35), SAT (Harvard - 730-780 in Reading and Writing, 750-800 in Math). 

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Standardised Test Scores 

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U.S. News rankings: Harvard - #2 in National Universities and #3 in Best Value Schools. Stanford - #6 in National Universities, #2 in Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs, and #1 in Computer Science. 

Rankings and Recognition 

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High costs of attendance (Harvard - $80,263, Stanford - $78,898 per year). Generous financial aid packages, covering 100% of demonstrated financial need. 

Cost of Attendance and Financial Aid 

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Harvard: Strong emphasis on Social Sciences and liberal arts education. Stanford: Focus on Computer Science, Engineering, and Interdisciplinary Studies. Unique housing system and themed floors at Stanford. 

Program Focus and Community Life 

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Emphasise that there is no definitive "better" school between Harvard and Stanford. Encourage students to consider their academic goals, interests, and preferred learning environment when making a decision. 

Recap

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