+
Uncommon Sense
+
+ A free, experimental program launched in partnership with Stanford Effective Altruism. Priority applications close February 1st at midnight PT. After that applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis.
+
+
+ Play with cutting-edge artificial intelligence and try to figure out its impact on the world.
+
+
+ Challenge your ideas.
+
+
+ Compete in the The Economist's World in 2021 forecasting challenge.
+
+
+
+ What is Uncommon Sense?
+ Our program is a free online seminar for high schoolers offered in partnership with
+
+ Stanford Effective Altruism
+
+ that gives inquisitive high schoolers the opportunity to master decision-making techniques based
+ in philosophy, economics, game theory, cognitive science, and statistics. Our teaching team of
+ Stanford students provides students with valuable critical thinking skills in a unique
+ discussion-based format.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+ Students will use the skills they learn in Uncommon Sense to compete in global forecasting
+ competitions like
+
+ The Economist's World in 2021 forecasting challenge
+ for the chance to win the
+ title of Superforecaster. In these contests, students will practice answers to questions such as
+ “How many COVID-19 vaccines will be approved and/or authorized for emergency use by the U.S. FDA
+ as of 31 March 2021?” and “What will be China's year-on-year GDP growth rate for the second quarter
+ of 2021?”
+
+
+
+
+
+
+ In addition to forecasting, accepted students will learn to build models of complex systems, create
+ Bayesian priors, examine and combat their cognitive biases, and make more accurate predictions. Classes
+ are project-based, incorporating interactive activities such as a cold war nuclear simulation, an
+ iterated prisoner’s dilemma tournament, betting with fake currency, and much more.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+ Above all, Uncommon Sense will help you reconsider the countless decisions you make each day, like:
+
+
+
+
+ - Should you be taking vitamin D to prevent COVID?
+
+
+
+ - What career will make you happiest and have the best impact on the world?
+
+
+
+ -
+ How should the US tackle climate change?
+
+
+
+
+
+
+ Too often, these decisions are automatic, or influenced by our cognitive biases, or
+ dictated by social norms.
+
+ Even people’s most strongly held opinions are often just a product of their environment, not
+ something they’ve actually thought through and come to their own conclusion on — you can
+ predict someone’s political party with,
+
+ 70% accuracy
+
+ based on how their parents voted.
+
+
+
+
+
+ Graduates of Uncommon Sense will gain the skills they need to come to their own conclusions about
+ critical problems, make more informed choices, and better understand the levers and gears in the world
+ around them.
+
+
+ The program is free for all admitted students and occurs weekly on Wednesday from 4-5 pm PT.
+
-
- What is Uncommon Sense?
- Our program is a free online seminar for high schoolers offered in partnership with
-
- Stanford Effective Altruism
-
- that gives inquisitive high schoolers the opportunity to master decision-making techniques based
- in philosophy, economics, game theory, cognitive science, and statistics. Our teaching team of
- Stanford students provides students with valuable critical thinking skills in a unique
- discussion-based format.
-
-
- Students will use the skills they learn in Uncommon Sense to compete in global forecasting
- competitions like
-
- The Economist's World in 2021 forecasting challenge
- for the chance to win the
- title of Superforecaster. In these contests, students will practice answers to questions such as
- “How many COVID-19 vaccines will be approved and/or authorized for emergency use by the U.S. FDA
- as of 31 March 2021?” and “What will be China's year-on-year GDP growth rate for the second quarter
- of 2021?”
-
-
- In addition to forecasting, accepted students will learn to build models of complex systems, create
- Bayesian priors, examine and combat their cognitive biases, and make more accurate predictions. Classes
- are project-based, incorporating interactive activities such as a cold war nuclear simulation, an
- iterated prisoner’s dilemma tournament, betting with fake currency, and much more.
-
-
- Above all, Uncommon Sense will help you reconsider the countless decisions you make each day, like:
-
-
- Should you be taking vitamin D to prevent COVID
- (one study shows it significantly reduced COVID-19
- hospitalizations
-
- but
-
- another study shows it doesn’t help patients who are already hospitalized)?
- What career will make you happiest and have the best impact on the world
- (a doctor typically only saves
-
- as many lives as
-
- a quantitative trader
-
-
- donating
-
- 1% of their income)? How should the US tackle
- climate change (a plastic bag ban may actually
- increase emissions, though it would decrease litter)?
-
-
- Too often, these decisions are automatic, or influenced by our cognitive biases, or
- dictated by social norms.
-
- Even people’s most strongly held opinions are often just a product of their environment, not
- something they’ve actually thought through and come to their own conclusion on — you can
- predict someone’s political party with,
-
- 70% accuracy
-
- based on how their parents voted.
-
-
- Graduates of Uncommon Sense will gain the skills they need to come to their own conclusions about
- critical problems, make more informed choices, and better understand the levers and gears in the world
- around them.
-
-
- The program is free for all admitted students and occurs weekly on Wednesday from 4-5 pm PT.
-