Stanford, California

Stanford Admission Requirements

Q: Does Stanford University prefer SAT or ACT?

69% of students submit their SAT scores to Stanford. 55% of applicants send their ACT scores when applying.

Q: What is my chance of getting into Stanford University?

4% of those who apply are granted admission to Stanford. Admission competition is extreme and the college has elite admission standards. See if your grades and scores are good enough for admission .

Q: What SAT score is required for Stanford University?

The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have SAT scores between 1420 and 1570. 69% of students submit SAT scores when applying. See if your SAT score is good enough for admission .

Q: What ACT score is required for Stanford University?

The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have ACT scores between 32 and 35. 55% of students submit ACT scores when applying. See if your ACT score is good enough for admission .

Chances of getting into Stanford University

Stanford University

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Stanford University

Acceptance Rate

4.4%

Admission Difficulty for Stanford University
Measure	Difficulty
Admission Standards		Elite
Applicant Competition		Extreme

How hard is it to get into Stanford and can I get accepted? The school has a 4% acceptance rate ranking it #1 in California for lowest rate of acceptance. Last year, 2,071 out of 47,452 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 4 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.

Stanford SAT Scores

SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score

SAT Range

1420-1570

Applicants Submitting SAT

69%

SAT Scores for Stanford University
SAT Test	25th Percentile Score
SAT Reading 25th	700
SAT Math 25th	720
SAT Composite 25th	1420

SAT Scores for Stanford University
SAT Test	25th Percentile Score
SAT Reading 75th	770
SAT Math 75th	800
SAT Composite 75th	1570
Average SAT Score	1500

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 4 percent of SAT test takers. The school consistently takes SAT composite scores down to 1420 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 1340. 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 69 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.

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2018 starting class

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Estimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score

Stanford University admission chances by SAT score
SAT Score (1600 scale)	Competitiveness	Admission Chances
1570 and Above	Good	>7%
1495 to 1570	Avg +	4%-7%
1420 to 1495	Avg -	2%-4%
1345 to 1420	Reach	1%-2%
Less than 1345	Low	<1%

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Stanford ACT Scores

ACT Requirements & Average ACT Score

ACT Range

32-35

Applicants Submitting ACT

55%

ACT Scores for Stanford University
ACT Test	25th Percentile Score
ACT Reading 25th	34
ACT Math 25th	30
ACT Composite 25th	32

ACT Scores for Stanford University
ACT Test	75th Percentile Score
ACT Reading 75th	36
ACT Math 75th	35
ACT Composite 75th	35
Average ACT Score	33

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 #4 in California for highest average ACT composite score. 55 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to Stanford University.

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2018 starting class

Estimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score

Stanford University admission chances by ACT score
ACT Score	Competitiveness	Admission Chances
35 and Above	Good	>8%
33 to 35	Avg +	4%-8%
32 to 33	Avg -	3%-4%
31 to 32	Reach	2%-3%
Less than 31	Low	<2%

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Estimated GPA Requirements & Average GPA

Avg. High School GPA

4.18

Typical High School Grades

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?

High School GPA's for admitted Stanford University students
High School GPA	Freshmen Within Range	Competitiveness
3.75+	95%	Good
3.50 to 3.75	4%	Reach
3.25 to 3.50	1%	Reach
3.00 to 3.25	N/A%	Low
2.75 to 3.00	N/A%	Low
2.50 to 2.75	N/A%	Low
2.25 to 2.50	N/A%	Low
2.00 to 2.25	N/A%	Low

GPA Data Source, Wintergreen Orchard House

High School Class Rank

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

High School Class Rank for admitted Stanford University students
High School Class Rank	Freshmen Within Range
Top 10% of class	96%
Top 25% of class	100%
Top 50% of class	100%
Bottom 50% of class	0%
Bottom 25% of class	0%

Data Sources, Wintergreen Orchard House

Admission Statistics

Stanford University admission statistics
	Women	Men	Total
Applied	22,760	24,692	47,452
Accepted	1,023	1,048	2,071
Acceptance Rate	4%	4%	4%
Enrolled	831	866	1,697
Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield)	81%	83%	82%

Fall 2020 Application Deadline

Applications were Due

Jan 1, 2020

Days left to Apply

None

The application deadline for Fall 2020 has passed. Applications were due on Jan 1, 2020.

Admission Requirements

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

Stanford University Admission Requirements
Test Scores	Required
High School GPA	Recommended
High School Class Rank	Neither required nor recommended
Completion of College Preparatory Program	Recommended
Recommendations	Required
Demonstration of Competencies	Neither required nor recommended

Credits Accepted

High School Credits Accepted at Stanford University
AP Credit	Yes
Dual Credit	No
Credit for Life Experiences	No

Other Colleges to Consider

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, California

University of Southern California

Los Angeles, California

Harvey Mudd College

Claremont, California

Pomona College

Claremont, California

Reed College

Portland, Oregon

Carleton College

Northfield, Minnesota

Grinnell College

Grinnell, Iowa

Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=243744 IPEDS survey data for Stanford University.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Stanford University prefer SAT or ACT?

69% of students submit their SAT scores to Stanford. 55% of applicants send their ACT scores when applying.

What is my chance of getting into Stanford University?

4% of those who apply are granted admission to Stanford. Admission competition is extreme and the college has elite admission standards. See if your grades and scores are good enough for admission.

What SAT score is required for Stanford University?

The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have SAT scores between 1420 and 1570. 69% of students submit SAT scores when applying. See if your SAT score is good enough for admission.

What ACT score is required for Stanford University?

The middle 50% of addmitted applicants have ACT scores between 32 and 35. 55% of students submit ACT scores when applying. See if your ACT score is good enough for admission.