Stanford Students Compete for Sophomore College Seats

Several hundred happy freshmen have won seats in Stanford's competitive Sophomore College program this fall.

Sophomore College gives students entering their second year at Stanford a chance to study a topic in depth in a small class led by a ranking professor. The classes last three weeks and take place in mid-September, just before the start of the fall term. Class enrollment ranges from 12 to 14 students.

The Sophomore College offerings that drew the most applicants this year were "American Foreign Policy in the Twenty-First Century," which will be taught by Institute for International Studies Director Coit Blacker, and "Natural History, Marine Biology, and Research," which is held at the Hopkins Marine Station and taught by Professor Stuart Thompson. Other classes are being offered in Political Science, History, Film Studies, Religion, Economics, Music, and Chemical Engineering.

Director of Freshman and Sophomore Programs Sharon Palmer told the Stanford Daily that Sophomore College puts students together with professors who are both excellent teachers and leading scholars. The program's aim is to create mentoring relationships between students and professors and to expose students to Stanford's research resources at a key point in their studies.

Source: "Sophomore College Admits Next Batch," by Rahul Kanakia. The Stanford Daily, May 17, 2006.

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