Stanford Admission Requirements
Acceptance Rate
| Measure | Difficulty | |
|---|---|---|
| Admission Standards | Elite | |
| Applicant Competition | Extreme |
Can I get into Stanford? The school has a 5% acceptance rate. 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.
5% are accepted,
can you get in?
SAT Requirements
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 25th | 710 |
| SAT Math 25th | 730 |
| SAT Composite 25th | 1440 |
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 75th | 770 |
| SAT Math 75th | 790 |
| SAT Composite 75th | 1560 |
| Estimated Average SAT | 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 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. 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.
Estimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score
| SAT Score (1600 scale) | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 1560 and Above | Good | >8% |
| 1500 to 1560 | Avg + | 5%-8% |
| 1440 to 1500 | Avg - | 3%-5% |
| 1380 to 1440 | Reach | 2%-3% |
| Less than 1380 | Low | <2% |
ACT Requirements
| ACT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 25th | 33 |
| ACT Math 25th | 30 |
| ACT Composite 25th | 32 |
| ACT Test | 75th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 75th | 36 |
| ACT Math 75th | 35 |
| ACT Composite 75th | 35 |
| Estimated Average ACT | 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. Scoring well on the ACT is very important as 61 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to Stanford University.
Estimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score
| ACT Score | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 35 and Above | Good | >10% |
| 33 to 35 | Avg + | 5%-10% |
| 32 to 33 | Avg - | 4%-5% |
| 31 to 32 | Reach | 3%-4% |
| Less than 31 | Low | <3% |
Estimated GPA Requirements
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. Given the school's very highly selective admissions, acceptance at Stanford extremely difficult and unlikely even with a 4.18 GPA..
| High School GPA | Freshmen Within Range | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
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 | 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% |
Admission Statistics
| Women | Men | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 20,819 | 23,254 | 44,073 |
| Accepted | 1,066 | 1,019 | 2,085 |
| Acceptance Rate | 5% | 4% | 5% |
| Enrolled | 874 | 826 | 1,700 |
| Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) | 82% | 81% | 82% |
Fall 2019 Application Deadline
The application deadline for Fall 2019 has passed. Applications were due on Jan 1, 2019.
Admission Requirements
What are the requirements for admission to Stanford University and what considerations affect admission decisions?
| 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
| AP Credit | Yes |
| Dual Credit | No |
| Credit for Life Experiences | No |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=243744 IPEDS survey data for Stanford University.