Structured Liberal Education (SLE) is a one-year program that combines residential and academic life and allows freshmen to live and learn together. Academically rigorous, SLE fills 28 units over the course of the year and is notorious for its 24-hour final during fall quarter. Students study classical literature and religion, as well as philosophy from Greece, Israel and India. In addition, the program explores the Renaissance, the Scientific Revolution, the Enlightenment, colonization, capitalism, politics and social criticism. Participation in SLE fulfills the Introduction to the Humanities (IHUM) and Program in Writing and Rhetoric (PWR) requirements.

Ladidi Garba ‘11

Would you recommend SLE to a ProFro?

It depends on the person — it depends on what they’re looking for from their freshman year. You have to be willing to accept that it will take up a lot of your time and that you won’t get to meet a lot of people unless you go out of your way. Some people enjoy it; some don’t.

It’s like a band-aid — if you want to get it all out in one painful blow, then do it.

How does it affect your time at Stanford?

I don’t necessarily regret my decision, but my freshman year would’ve been totally different if I hadn’t done it. I wouldn’t have made a different decision, though.

What did you dislike about it?

I’m not a humanities person — I plan on being a doctor. It’s not necessarily my kind of thing, but it was just a very practical choice. It leaves me that space to get my work done.

Hiyabel Tewoldemedhin ‘11

Why SLE?

I went to a small school, and I’m used to getting a lot of help and personal attention. In a large IHUM class, I would feel like I couldn’t go to the professor and get help. In SLE, you have that personal, first-name-basis relationship with professors.

Would you suggest it to a ProFro?

I would ask them what they’re interested in, and base my answer on that. SLE is not for everyone. For me, it was definitely a good choice; I don’t regret it.

Best SLE memory?

After my third paper fall quarter, my section leader told me I was beginning to write SLE papers rather than high school papers. I finally had the right idea.

What about those 24-hour exams?

I had a good eight hours of sleep that night. My first reaction when I saw the prompts was panic, but, after taking my time and working through them at a steady pace, I eventually got through it. I think I prefer that kind of final to an in-class essay final.

Is it true that SLE kids do not have fun?

It’s very amusing to hear the stereotypes. You really think all we do is read all the time? Alondra is all frosh with SLE kids, and they party all the time. I’m not personally offended by the stereotypes. Not all SLE kids are the same. Some people do enjoy discussing philosophy in their spare time. I personally don’t, and I do enjoy going out with my friends.

As an international student, how does it change the way you look at Stanford?

There is a large percentage of international students. It brings so many different backgrounds; you see the history of humanity as you learn about it around you.

Rachel Cristy ‘10

Why SLE?

I looked at the curricula from a few years back during Admit Weekend, and I liked the idea of reading a bunch of books that were considered classics — the necessary components of an education, things I had meant to read but had never actually gotten around to. I talked to someone form my high school, and he warned me that Stanford was not a very intellectual place. People were smart but not necessarily eager to discuss ideas and what they were learning at the dinner table. SLE is this idea of an intellectual island.

Would you recommend it to a ProFro?

It depends on the ProFro. You have to know what you’re getting into. I wouldn’t universally recommend it. My roommate last year hated SLE because she didn’t like philosophy. It has to be someone [who likes] having an environment where people you live with and have classes with are all the same. They have to like the ability to commiserate and do without the separation of your academic and residential life.

Best SLE memory?

I really enjoyed section in spring quarter. Toward the end of the year, it felt like all the ideas we were exposed to started coming together.

5. What about those 24-hour exams?

It just comes with the territory. The commiseration with your dorm mates is a lot better because you all have to do it together. It’s fun to see people’s antics during the SLE final. People go crazy, but people go crazy together. It’s kind of oppressive, but it’s all right because you’re among friends.

How did it affect your time at Stanford?

It gave me a very good foundation. I find myself constantly referring to things I read in SLE — a history of ideas I have a grounding in. I feel like I have a big picture and view of this Western intellectual history, and it really comes in handy for giving me a background in other things and classes I want to take.

Emily Kinney ‘09 (corresponded with The Daily over email)

Why SLE?

One of SLE’s most valuable characteristics is its breadth. In three quarters, a student will have been exposed to an impressive canon of philosophical thought. It’s a helpful foundation for a person with academic plans of any sort, since these texts convey human concerns and themes that remain relevant. SLE is a credit to Stanford’s humanities offerings. It is also compact, since it covers IHUM and PWR requirements in one year. The residential aspect guarantees that students know each other outside the classroom, and close-knit friendships often result.

Would you recommend it to a ProFro?

Yes. Each student works one-on-one with an older Stanford student, who tutors them as they write essays. This can help students feel supported in a new academic environment.

Is it true SLE kids don’t have fun?

The “anti-social” SLE stereotype is completely untrue. SLE attracts people of all personality types who engage in numerous student groups and activities, including student government. SLE kids work hard, but they also have fun and enjoy the community. SLE alumni can be found all over the Stanford social scene, including Row and Greek life. People who avoid SLE kids because of an arbitrary stereotype are missing out on a really dynamic, fun group of people.

How did it affect your time at Stanford after freshman year?

Academically, it was nice to be exempt from PWR my sophomore year. Socially, I enjoy close friendships with people I met in my SLE dorm freshman year. I have also enjoyed getting to know current SLE frosh; in that sense, it’s an ongoing community for me.

What did you dislike about it?

SLE involves a lot of late-afternoon and evening class time, which makes some classes or activities unavailable to students in the program.

Rahul Shaikh ‘08 (corresponded with The Daily via email)

Why SLE?

More than the curriculum itself, I really wanted to get a lot of my requirements out of the way freshman year. Also, I had heard that SLE forges a very close, tight-knit community, and that is the kind of social environment that really appealed to me as a freshman.

Would you recommend it to a ProFro?

I would definitely recommend SLE to a ProFro, and I don’t just say this because I am biased toward the program. Like all other academic programs at Stanford, SLE has its pros and cons. Knowing what I know now, if I had to go back in time and decide between SLE and IHUM, I would pick SLE all over again. The idea of exploring a broad range of texts rather than a smaller range in more depth is just more intellectually stimulating. SLE’s reading list is impressive, and just staring at the collection on my bookshelf makes me feel very accomplished (granted that I read maybe 60 percent of the texts on that list). Also, contrary to popular opinion, I think SLE actually is less work than IHUM and PWR put together. We like to call this the best-kept secret at Stanford.

Best SLE memory?

Pulling an all-nighter for a Nietzsche and Marx paper with five of my friends and acting completely ridiculous/delirious from the lack of sleep. That’s really the best part of SLE (and, no, I’m not talking about sleep deprivation — that’s probably a function of my poor time management skills in life) — you really end up creating life-long friends by sharing things you find intellectually exciting and experiences that you wouldn’t really be able to have anywhere else. You eat, hang out with and take classes with the same people, and this experience helps you to form some very close bonds.

Worst SLE memory?

I don’t know if this counts as a memory, but I remember being frustrated about not being able to take afternoon classes.

Is it true SLE kids don’t have fun?

This one I actually find ridiculous. Every dorm has a mix of people who like to go out and others who prefer staying in to read or watch TV. I don’t think SLE kids are particularly different in that regard. Everyone on campus knows a SLE kid and knows that SLE kids are actually physically capable of having fun. I was in SLE, and I really enjoyed it. But I made lots of friends outside SLE — I was at frat parties, I took a Thanksgiving trip to Vegas with my non-SLE friends, joined a dance team, etc. But there were weekends where I also stayed in to talk to my friends, or maybe catch up on my Plato reading. All experiences for me have been fun, and shaped by Stanford experience in some way. The stereotype is unfair.

How did it affect your time at Stanford?

Academically, I think I am a much better writer because of SLE. I’m pretty sure I can communicate complex ideas much more effectively (and in a much more structured way) when writing papers than I could at the start of freshman year. Socially, some of my closest friends at Stanford were in SLE, and we had an incredible freshman year experience together. I don’t think I could have made the same kind of close friends had I lived in some other dorm back then.

How do you think it will affect your time after Stanford?

Writing and communication skills are critical in the real world and are becoming increasingly important (and sought out) in the professional arena. I have more confidence in my ability to write and communicate, and these skills will serve me well even beyond Stanford.