In “Stanford in the Media,” Emma Muller ’28 explores the portrayals and accuracy of Stanford University and Stanford affiliates depicted across books, movies, musicals and other forms of media.

Editor’s Note: This article is a review and includes subjective thoughts, opinions and critiques.

The last time I watched “High School Musical 3” (HSM3), I had just graduated from high school. I was in my living room, surrounded by my high school friends, all of us scream-singing the songs at the top of our lungs and in tears by the time the last song rolled around. Every time Stanford was mentioned, I grinned, knowing that I would soon be walking through the same arcades as Gabriella Montez, the female lead accepted into Stanford. 

Midway through HSM3, the audience sees Gabriella walking through Main Quad as she explores Stanford campus. Stanford generally doesn’t allow filming on campus, but an exception was made for HSM3, as the University felt that the story’s narrative of accessibility aligned with its mission. However, while the views of campus may be beautiful, there are a few myths and omissions that seem strange now that I’m here.

For starters, the main tension between Gabriella and her boyfriend Troy hinges on her acceptance into the “Stanford Freshman Honors Program,” a selective program starting at the end of Gabriella’s senior year. This program doesn’t exist in reality, though Stanford does have many other summer programs open to all students. The fictional program provides a perfect source of tension for Troy and Gabriella, forcing her to leave before the end of senior year and creating physical distance between her and Troy. 

Second, the movie omits the entire application process. After going through the whole application process myself, just hearing that Gabriella gets in rings slightly hollow. For me, much of the joy of getting into Stanford came from knowing the countless hours I spent on the application paid off. The Stanford supplemental essays ask the applicant to respond to difficult prompts, including the famous “write a letter to your future roommate” essay (an essay I spent hours agonizing over, but did end up sharing with my Stanford roommate). The movie omits this entire challenging process.

The movie also presents an image of a Stanford student that doesn’t always reflect reality. Gabriella makes it clear Stanford has been her dream since she was little, saying “you know, my mom and I have been talking about Stanford University practically since I was born.” But not all Stanford students knew the Farm was going to be their home. Personally, I didn’t know I wanted to attend Stanford until late into my junior year. The movie also doesn’t make it clear how Gabriella got into Stanford. While her acceptance may promote Stanford’s mission of accessibility, the reality is that it takes a lot more than stellar academics to get in.

In the last moments of the film, Troy chooses to follow Gabriella to California by attending Berkeley. Ironically, although Stanford and Berkeley are infamous rivals and have been for decades, the movie glosses over this tension. After seeing Gaieties 2024 (which featured a Stanford/Berkeley romance that ended poorly), I can’t help but wonder what the fallout of this rivalry might be for these two star-crossed lovers.

One thing the movie gets right, however, is highlighting the impact that getting into Stanford has on relationship dynamics, mainly between Gabriella and her mom, but also between Gabriella and Troy. 

For instance, the film’s first mention of Stanford is when Gabriella says she’s embarrassed her mom keeps talking about her acceptance. I remember all of the phone calls to family members I had within the hour of getting in, the awkward moments when people would ask my parents what my plans after high school were. Like Gabriella, I’m of course grateful that my parents were supportive and excited for me, but I also appreciate that in this short scene, we can see a bit of the strain that a Stanford acceptance places on her.

For Gabriella and Troy, while her acceptance to the “Stanford Freshman Honors Program” may physically distance the two and cause some tension, Troy is nothing but supportive of his girlfriend. When Gabriella mentions not going to the program at all or even not going to Stanford at all, Troy reminds her that she “can’t put off something amazing as Stanford.” Jealousy and envy are poison to any relationship, and it’s heartwarming to see the absence of these in Troy, who is only proud and happy for Gabriella.

While the movie may not be perfectly accurate in its portrayal of Stanford, Gabriella will always be one of my favorite canon Stanford students. I grew up watching the High School Musical franchise, and still know the songs by heart. I’m grateful that every day, I get to walk through the same arcades Gabriella does.