Countless adjectives may be used to describe students at elite educational institutions. They may be “driven”, “motivated,” or “smart,” or they may be labeled as “nerds” or “geeks”. Another label is “intellectual”, perhaps more balanced in its notion of stimulating students’ intellect without implicitly passing judgment on their social skills. Where might Stanford fit in? A Sept. 2010 Huffington Post ranking highlights the top 10 most intellectual colleges, and Stanford is nowhere to be found.

Eight of the schools on the list are characterized in one markedly different way: unlike Stanford, they are small, liberal arts colleges that do not function as research powerhouses or institutions serving graduate students. Slightly more similar to Stanford are the two universities on the list: Brown and the University of Chicago. So what might differentiate the intellectual institution from its non-intellectual counterpart? Given that universities are comprised of self-selected student bodies – for example, some students might shy away from the unofficial slogan that the University of Chicago is “where fun goes to die” – certain characteristics might distinguish the typical (if that term can be used) Stanford student from a more “intellectual” student.

 

One possible difference highlights the divergence of intellectual and practical. Some might be quick to suggest that subjects in the humanities are more intellectual, and Stanford’s renown in engineering, science and social sciences attracts students preparing for delineated professional careers. Of course, another set of recent rankings provided by the Times Higher Education places the Humanities at Stanford at number two in the world.

Another possibility is location. Some students who choose to go to school within Silicon Valley seek almost immediate employment and immersion in an entrepreneurial environment. And other students who seek a different experience may then shy away.

None of this is to say that Stanford lacks intellectual character. Clearly, Stanford undergraduates cannot be lumped into one category or affixed with one large label. There are surely many students in the Philosophy Department who would gladly debate Nietzsche with students from the University of Chicago. Moreover, the kinds of learning we consider to be “intellectual” are part of an arbitrary, fluid category.

Stanford has another slightly different priority in the form of athletics. The front page of yesterday’sStanford Daily did, after all, devote itself to a story on the top recruiting class in Stanford football history (“Best Class Ever,” Feb. 2). Other statistics have cited that, were Stanford its own country, it would rank quite highly on the list of countries that have amassed the most medals in the Olympics. In contrast, both the University of Chicago and Brown do not boast particularly impressive athletics records.

Whether it is seen as an “intellectual” institution or not, Stanford certainly offers a wide variety of experiences to its undergraduates. The diverse nature of the student body, the activities available to it and the variety of academic focuses promoted by Stanford enable any undergraduate to make what they will of their undergraduate years. And while you may raise a few eyebrows with a conversation about Nietzsche at Tresidder Student Union, there is certainly still the possibility that someone will engage with you.