Only months after its establishment, Stanford in Redwood City has already drawn criticism as Stanford’s worst-ever abroad program. Although it features several amenities not available on Stanford’s home campus, such as a “a town square that will serve as the civic heart of the campus” and “ample parking”, students have complained that the benefits of this abroad program simply don’t justify the costs.
“I don’t feel like I have any chancse to explore the true local culture,” complained one sophomore. “Everywhere I go, people are just pitching me startup ideas and trying to sell me overpriced boba tea.” Other students have complained that they do not felt well-adjusted in their life on the Redwood City campus, with one program attendee lamenting “I had a very hard time communicating with anyone in Redwood City… I mean, I keep telling people to meet me at Coupa, and no one seems to understand.”
Students have also complained that the Redwood City campus is “too far away from the center of things”, although it is unclear what this center of things consists of. The few students who enjoyed the program appear to credit making “friends with the locals”, who would show them around the foreign eateries and movie theaters of Redwood City.
