What Students Say

Explore New Ways of Thinking

“My SoCo experience introduced me to a different intellectual community than my own. I am not a premed and almost everyone in my class was, but I loved being exposed to this way of thinking and solving problems.”

Connect with Faculty

"My Sophomore College was an incredible way to explore a field I was interested in. It was a way to engage with a faculty member who is an absolute expert and I felt that all of my peers were as fascinated and engaged in the subject as I was."

On Living with Classmates

“Living with my classmates was also a huge part of the experience, because our conversations about the class topics carried on into our mealtime conversations, and we could discuss the assignments together as we were doing them.”

Discover an Intellectual Community

“My SoCo was like one long phenomenal conversation. Because we lived together, our discussions didn’t stop when class stopped but continued throughout the day. I felt that I was truly a part of an intellectual community at Stanford.”

Apply Classroom Concepts to the World Outside of Stanford

"For me the most amazing part of SoCo was seeing course concepts applied to a real world context."

Network and Develop Research Projects

"My professor referred  me to another student that is doing research in what I am interested in. We have connected and are developing a research project. It is fantastic!"

Explore a Single Topic in Depth

“It was incredible to really go in-depth in the field that I am interested in.  Talking with other interested students, faculty, and professionals reaffirmed my passion for the subject. This has been one of my favorite experiences at Stanford.”

"It's intense, it's immersive, and it's intellectual. If you're prepared for the intensity, absolutely go for it."

Enjoy the Intensity

"Each day after class we would continue the discussion from class into lunch and other events throughout the day. We continued to engage in the intellectual aspects of SoCo even outside the classroom.  We joked that it was a bit of a boot camp, but we all still loved the intensity of the course."

Meet People Who Share Your Interests

“After not exploring my major interest as a freshman, connecting with a group of people who share my passion was fantastic. Not only was I reminded of why I'm pursuing what I'm pursuing, but now I know people who will be in many of my classes for the next three years.”