Families

Source: https://admit.stanford.edu/families Parent: https://admit.stanford.edu/next-steps/sunetid

Congratulations on your student’s admission to Stanford. It’s a great achievement and a true testament to years of dedication and effort.

In the weeks ahead, your student has an important decision to make, and we imagine that you have many questions. Below, you can find more information as well as opportunities to connect with current Stanford parents who are available to answer your questions.

Stanford Family Resources

Here, you will find resources and information to support your student’s transition to campus.

Access Stanford Family Resources

Family FAQs

Is Stanford the best fit for my student?

In reviewing applications and making admission decisions, our admission officers look beyond grades and test scores to determine fit.

In making an offer of admission to your student, we believe that they have the intellect, passion, character and drive to make important contributions to our classrooms and community—while adding to our proud legacy of alumni who make a positive contribution to the world.

How will my student be supported at Stanford?

From the moment they arrive on campus for New Student Orientation through graduation, we help all students navigate their journeys through college.

New Student Orientation lasts a week before the start of Fall Quarter, and students are introduced to the academic, social, support and community resources at Stanford. Residential community staff, professional staff and trained peer coordinators foster a positive experience.
Academic Advising staff are available year-round to support students in their pursuit of an intellectually fulfilling course of study.
Tutoring and support, including for students with learning differences, is available throughout a student’s time at Stanford. The goal is to support students as they navigate individual majors and classes and mature in their academic work.
Students are encouraged to take advantage of health and wellness resources, including 24/7 peer and phone counseling, residential support and professional services.
Every student’s safety is prioritized at Stanford. The Department of Public Safety provides 24/7 police and fire services, on-call evening shuttle rides, safety and security awareness classes, emergency text alerts and more.

How will Stanford prepare and equip my student for future success?

A Stanford education thoughtfully nurtures leaders, thinkers and innovators. Our faculty and staff are dedicated to mentoring and supporting students as they explore their passions. Our departments and career education programs offer expert guidance through the career selection, job search, graduate school and fellowship application processes.

Stanford graduates rise to the top of their professions and transform the lives of others. They are community leaders and prominent global figures in fields from the arts to business and academia. Students have access to a network of over 228,000 alumni in all 50 states including the District of Columbia, and in more than 150 countries and territories worldwide. The Stanford education prepares students to meaningfully contribute to humanity at each season of life and in any corner of the world.

What makes Stanford different?

Academic Freedom\ Freedom of inquiry and the free expression of ideas are fundamental to the mission of the University. These values are embedded in our motto, "The wind of freedom blows." From our flexible curriculum to our innovative, outside-the-box thinking, it's felt in every aspect of life and learning at Stanford.

Extraordinary Community\ Stanford’s student body mirrors the complex, dynamic world our students will inherit in addition to a broad variety of experiences, backgrounds, interests and opinions.

Remarkable Resources\ As one of the world’s leading research universities, students have the opportunity to learn from Nobel prize-winners and have access to state-of-the-art academic, arts, and performance facilities, makerspaces, hiking and biking trails, a biological preserve, a shopping center, an observatory, a hospital, and vast athletic facilities. Stanford's nickname is “The Farm," and we even have a Historic Red Barn and an experimental agricultural area to remind us of our roots.

Learn more at Stanford Facts at a Glance

What can I do to help my student prepare over the summer?

Foremost, enjoy this special time as your student prepares for life at college. Help your student prepare to live independently so that they can enjoy the academic and extracurricular opportunities at Stanford as soon as they arrive on campus.

The Summer Bridge Program is also an opportunity for new first-year and transfer undergraduates that can aid in their transition to Stanford. The program is designed to support the needs of students who may be the first in their families to attend college, or who have attended high schools with limited course offerings, or who simply feel that further preparation will increase their confidence in the Fall quarter and beyond.

In mid-May, the Approaching Stanford website will be updated, and parents will find helpful resources including content on academic planning, course selection, health insurance, meal plans, residence options, transportation, billing and other important topics.

My child is enrolling and I want to be part of the community of Stanford parents. How can I connect?

Congratulations on joining the Stanford family! You may have many questions about preparing your child to move to campus or questions about how to manage situations once they arrive.

We invite you to join the Stanford Parents' Club. The Parents' Club was founded in 1924 to support Stanford and its students and to build community among members. Members support one another and contribute to the undergraduate community through various programs rooted in creating a sense of family and home away from home for students.

Parents can also reach out to University personnel with questions via the Parents' Helpline at 650-725-0649 and mykidis@stanford.edu.