Stanford University is an ideal institution for the student-athlete. Home to world-class academics and the nation's top athletic program, Stanford encourages both scholastic and athletic excellence. Geographically, Stanford has a large, beautiful campus in sunny California and lies in the heart of the world's most prominent technology center, Silicon Valley.

The Stanford Squash Program is unique - its players are serious about ascending through the national rankings, but are also keenly interested in preserving student-athlete input on the future direction of the program. As a result, we are looking for talented and highly motivated high school players who share our vision of building Stanford into a national powerhouse.

Those interested in the program should contact the Recruiting Director and consult the Stanford Admissions Page to receive an application/find out about the admissions process. We urge recruits to contact us early, preferably by the end of September, so that we may answer any questions about the program.

Frequently Asked Questions about Recruiting

Will excellence in squash influence Stanford's admission decision?

Is financial aid available for squash players?

Why should I choose to play squash at Stanford instead of an East Coast school?

Does Stanford's club status affect the program's quality?

What are Stanford's best academic programs?

Can graduate students play on the team?

Is the campus really that beautiful?

Is the climate really that nice?

How do I apply for admission?

Will excellence in squash influence Stanford's admission decision?

The committee states: "Exceptional abilities in athletics or the fine arts may influence our decision if the applicant is otherwise well qualified, but such abilities never, by themselves, ensure admission to Stanford."

Is financial aid available for squash players?

Seventy-two percent of Stanford students are on some kind of financial aid (grants or loans). Stanford does not yet offer scholarships for squash, though they could be granted in the future - Stanford is not bound by the Ivy League ban on athletic scholarships.

The admissions committee has a need-blind admissions policy for U.S. students. This means a student's financial need is not considered at all in the admissions decision. Stanford does consider financial need in the admissions decision for international students. Thus, financial aid for international students is available but limited.

Once students are admitted, the admissions committee tries to ensure that all potential recruits can afford a Stanford education.

Why should I choose to play squash at Stanford instead of an East Coast school?

We recognize that there are currently two main disadvantages to playing squash at Stanford instead of on the East Coast. First, our distance from East Coast teams makes constant competition difficult. Second, our program is not yet highly-ranked. We fully believe that both these obstacles will be overcome.

For the 2002-2003 season, we competed in twelve regular-season matches (for comparison, Princeton had eight and Harvard had nine). We take two East Coast trips during the regular season, and a third trip to the national championships. We also compete against local club teams and in local tournaments. Our players are prepared for competition, and as our program grows, we will be able to schedule even more matches; for the 2003-2004 season, we will tentatively play 15 regular-season matches including home matches against Wesleyan, Utah, and California. In the past, team such as Yale and Navy have traveled to play at Stanford.

In its inception, Stanford was ranked #36. In 2001, we started the season #33 and soared to #25, winning the Conroy National Divisional Title and the Barnaby Trophy for the nation's most improved team. We have now improved further to #20 in the nation, and with new facilities, and incoming recruits, we believe our ranking will quickly improve even further. (There is a precedent: Denison's club team rose from #33 to #8 in five years.)

In short, Stanford is a program on the rise.

Does Stanford's club status affect the program's quality?

Yes and no. The team is much like a varsity program in several respects. The team practices four to five times a week for two hours, plus individual weight training and conditioning. Players receive coaching, uniforms, and reserved court times. The team travels the country three times a year to play varsity competition including the national team championships. Unlike most club sports, the team also has an extensive recruiting program that has garnered the interest of many of the country's top players.

There are also some differences. Students pay a fee to support expenses and are expected to help with fundraising (though this also holds for several varsity programs). The university provides some funding, but the team does not receive advertising or scholarships through Athletics. Yet, all these disadvantages can be overcome through initiative and aggressive fundraising.

Most of the difference between club and varsity is image. Varsity is perceived as more prestigious, but the last word on prestige is performance. Denison's club team outmatches many varsity programs, and we believe we will soon do the same.

What are Stanford's best academic programs?

Like most top-tier schools, most of Stanford's academic programs are strong. Computer science, political science, engineering, history, math, English, economics, human biology, and psychology stand out among the nation's top undergraduate programs. In addition, because all of Stanford's graduate programs are on campus, there is an unparalleled opportunity for undergraduates to interact with these prestigious programs (medicine, law, business school, and masters/PhD programs in almost all departments); Stanford is renown for its support of undergraduate research, which is facilitated by these close contacts with the graduate schools.

Can graduate students play on the team?

Yes. According to NCAA/NISRA rules, first-year graduate students are eligible to play on the team if they 1) played less than four years of undergraduate collegiate squash and 2) enter Stanford directly after completion of an undergraduate degree. Under these conditions, graduate students are eligible for one year of competition.

Is the campus really that beautiful?

Yes.

Is the climate really that nice?

Yes.

How do I apply for admission?

Recruits may obtain an application and all information regarding undergraduate or graduate admissions from the following resources. Recruits should also contact the Recruiting Director.

Undergraduate Admissions

• Homepage - http://www.stanford.edu/group/uga/
• Email - undergrad.admissions@forsythe.stanford.edu
• Phone - (650) 723-2091

Graduate Admissions

• Homepage - http://www.stanford.edu/dept/gradadmissions/
• Email - ck.gaa@forsythe.stanford.edu
• Phone - (650) 723-4291