Stanford Admission Requirements

How hard is it to get into Stanford and can I get accepted? The school has a 5% acceptance rate ranking it #1 in California for lowest rate of acceptance. Last year, 2,085 out of 44,073 applicants were admitted making Stanford an extremely competitive school to get into with a very low chance of acceptance - even for applicants with the highest scores and grades.  Academically, it has exceptionally high requirements for admission test scores, generally admitting students who score in the top 3 percent. Stanford University typically accepts and attracts "A" average high school students. Of those applicants who were admitted, 82% chose to enroll. This indicates that admission to the school is highly desirable and it may be a primary choice for many students. Most incoming freshmen graduated in the top ten percent of their high school class.

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SAT Scores you need to get in

What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to Stanford University?

Stanford University typically requires applicants to be in the top 3 percent of SAT test takers. The school consistently takes SAT composite scores down to 1440 on a 1600 scale, below which admission should be considered a reach. We estimate some students could be accepted with SAT's as low as 1380. The estimated average SAT composite for admitted freshman is 1500 out of 1600. The school ranks #3 in California for highest average SAT composite score. A competitive SAT score is critical as 78 percent of applicants submit SAT scores to the school. Note: SAT scores presented on this page have been adjusted upwards per the College Board's concordance tables for test takers after March 2016.

ACT Scores needed to get accepted

What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into Stanford?

Admission data indicates that Stanford regularly accepts students with ACT's of 32 and above. Successful applicants typically send ACT scores in the top 3 percent nationally. We estimate the school accepting minimum ACT composite scores around 30 in some instances. Prospective students submitting an ACT composite of 34 or higher should be in the upper half of applicants - and students with a 35 and above have very competitive chances. The school ranks #3 in California for highest average ACT composite score. Scoring well on the ACT is very important as 61 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to Stanford University.

You will need exceptionally good grades to get into Stanford University. The average high school GPA of the admitted freshman class at Stanford University was 4.18 on the 4.0 scale indicating that primarily A students are accepted and ultimately attend. The school ranks #2 in California for highest average GPA. Given the school's very highly selective admissions, acceptance at Stanford extremely difficult and unlikely even with a 4.18 GPA. The school should be considered a reach even if you have a 4.18 GPA.

 What do these ratings mean?

96% of Stanford University freshman were in the top ten percent of their high school graduating class.

What are the requirements for admission to Stanford University and what considerations affect admission decisions?