FAQ

Why does Stanford Root not show grade averages or distributions?

Carta was the only place to get performance review data, and that feature has since been removed as of 2020 (you can read The Stanford Daily's coverage here). So technically speaking, grade data is still available through 2019, but it is so stale that it was decided not to be worth including.

Where does the course information come from?

Everything comes from Stanford, but not all of it at the same speed. Titles, descriptions, units, instructors, and meeting times are copied from the official course catalog once a day. Seat counts are asked for the moment you open a course, so they are current to within a minute. Evaluations show up whenever Stanford publishes them, which is after a term ends. Verify enrollment status, prerequisites, meeting times, and deadlines in official Stanford systems before making academic decisions.

Where does a course's rating come from, and why doesn't it match the charts?

Ratings are built from the student responses in Stanford's published course evaluations. A course with only a handful of responses is nudged toward the Stanford average, so a 5.00 from three students does not outrank a strong rating from four hundred. That is why the rating shown can sit a little below what the response charts further down would suggest on their own.

Why do I need to sign in with Stanford to view evaluations?

Stanford's own Course Evaluation System restricts evaluation results to the Stanford community. Stanford Root follows that same boundary. Anyone can browse courses and build a schedule without signing in.

Do I need an account to use Stanford Root?

No. As stated above, course browsing and schedule building are available to everyone. A Stanford account is only required to view evaluations and sync a schedule across devices.

Is Stanford Root affiliated with Stanford University?

No. Stanford Root is an independent course discovery and scheduling tool. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Stanford University.

Is feedback sent through Stanford Root anonymous?

Yes. Feedback from the help button is never attached to your Stanford account, even when you are signed in. We only store the message and whether it is feedback or a request.