Splash! FAQ

Where do I go once I’m on campus?

There will be detailed instructions here soon. Head on over to the Main Quad to get registered. If you’re driving, head down Palm Drive and follow the signs for Splash. If you take Caltrain, it’s a nice walk down Palm Drive to registration.

Where do I park?

You can park in any “A” “P” or “C” lot on campus, but we recommend parking in the spots on “The Oval” at the Stanford end of Palm Drive, or parking in the lots adjacent to “Museum Way”, which intersects Palm Drive. A map suitable for printing is available.

Where do I get the forms I need to sign?

You should’ve received a link to a liability waiver form when you registered. If not, or if you misplaced it, print out the Liability Form

I want to attend Splash! but don’t have the money to pay for it.

Don’t worry at all. If you are a Splash! eligible Bay area student, we will make sure financial burdens do not stop you from participating. Please send us an e-mail at stanfordesp@gmail.com and we will respond with details to signing up worry free.

Why does Splash! cost money? Aren’t you guys a non-profit that gets Stanford funds?

We would like to thank the ASSU for providing us with the money to cover start-up costs. From here on out, we are on our own. Our teachers and staff are volunteers who don’t receive any compensation except the fun of having students come each year. We budget our funds and strive for the lowest costs possible. Unfortunately, there will always be items to pay for ranging from staff shirts to classroom fees. In addition, some subjects may require material purchases to provide students with a unique hands-on experience they wouldn’t get in a regular classroom.

If the cost is burdensome, we won’t let that stop you from participating. Please send us an e-mail at stanfordesp@gmail.com and we will respond with details to signing up worry free.

Is the class list official or will more classes be offered?

Don’t count on any major changes. We try to get the vast majority of classes posted before students see the list. Occasionally one or two classes will be added if we gain a new volunteer teacher. The best plan of action is to sign up right away. Based off demand, we can offer duplicate classes. These duplicate classes may better fit your perfect schedule. Of course, if any classes get canceled for reasons outside of our control, we will notify you by e-mail.

I want to take a class with a friend, is that possible?

We encourage you to sign up with all your friends. But we don’t make any special arrangements to keep you all in the same classes. It is a first come, first serve registration. It is quite possible that you will have at least one or two classes with a friend. Don’t be afraid to choose a different subject from your friends. Splash! is designed to not only introduce you to new subjects, but new friends as well.

I can’t make it for the whole day, can I still attend?

Yes. Take as many or as few classes as you want in the 8 hours. Come late, leave early, or take a break in the middle; the choice is yours. We plan our day so that students taking public transportation can make it for all classes. Since class space is limited, we ask that you try your hardest to sign up for classes you can attend from start to finish.

I want to get more kids from my school to participate, do you have an easy to click link that directs me to colorful and eye catching fliers that I can print and hang up with my schools permission?

We will soon have flyers for 2010 Splash available for download. Please contact us at stanfordesp@gmail.com if you are interested in one when it is available. We would also be glad to contact a teacher or faculty member at your school. Please send us their e-mail address and name at stanfordesp@gmail.com.

The site won’t let me register, it says I need a student account to register?

Our web site is designed so that parents, students, and the teachers can all have access to information and programs that are specific to their needs. If you are trying to sign up for Splash! with an account other than student, you will get this error message. Each student must have their own account to register. If you have accidentally selected the wrong classification, please create a new account.

How do I pay?

We take cash or check when you check-in the day of Splash! Please make checks payable to: “Educational Studies Program”

I thought I’m here for Splash! Who is this ESP I keep reading about?

ESP is the organization that runs Splash! It stands for Educational Studies Program. We have a sister program at MIT in Boston, Massachusetts. While we only host this one event, we felt it was best not to confuse people with the two titles of ESP and Splash! Within a year or two, we plan to offer a wider variety of events. Additional events will run multiple weeks or specialize in certain subjects. We hope that students who have more years at high school will grow their participation in other ESP programs as we grow ourselves.

How do I get to Stanford?

Directions can be found on our Getting to ESP page.

Any event you attend will be well signed and have plenty of staff in matching shirts to direct you anywhere you need to go.

I want to take Caltrain, but which train do I take? And how do I get to campus from there?

From points north: we recommend taking train #422, which leaves San Francisco at 8:15am and arrives at Palo Alto at 9:17. From there, walk down palm drive towards Stanford and you will see signs directing you to registration. You won’t make it in time for 9am classes, but there are plenty of classes after that!

From points south: we recommend taking train #423, which leaves San Jose at 8am and arrives at Palo Alto at 8:31. From there, walk down palm drive towards Stanford you will see signs directing you to registration.

I want to attend Splash—am I old enough? Young enough?

Splash is open to all students in 7th through 12th grades. Students not attending a conventional high or middle school must be at least 11 years old, and no older than 18 years old. No exceptions will be made for younger students; even if you are too young this year, you will still have six years to attend Splash from 7th grade on.

Please keep in mind that we do expect you, the student, to take charge of your own experience at Splash. As a result, you’ll be responsible for walking between classes on your own, and for finding your own way around the Stanford campus throughout the course of the day. We will have many signs and volunteers able to assist you as necessary, and we’ll be giving out campus maps to everyone. However, the Stanford campus is quite large. If you do not feel comfortable on your own, please consider waiting a year; we’ll still be here!

Parents: You should also feel comfortable allowing your child to find their own way around campus. We do provide lots of help to students, but we won’t lead students from one class to the next. In recent years, we have seen a parents walking younger children between classes. Unfortunately, many of our participants feel that this disrupts one of the most valuable parts of Splash: the sense of independence that it provides to, and demands of, students. So, while all of this is ultimately your choice, if you think your child is not yet old enough for Splash, we do ask that you wait until next year.