This guide outlines how to get into Stanford University, its acceptance rate, important deadlines, and tips on how to stand out as a top applicant.
If you’re just here for the requirements, click here.
Stanford University has an acceptance rate of 3.61%. As reported in the Common Data Set (CDS), a standardized college report sharing admissions data, Stanford admitted just 2,067 students out of 57,326 applicants in the 2024–2025 cycle.
This means that fewer than 4 out of every 100 applicants are accepted to Stanford, making it highly competitive.
Stanford offers a Restrictive Early Action (REA) application option with an acceptance rate of approximately 7-8%. While the university does not publish REA admissions data, the REA acceptance rate is typically around double the regular decision acceptance rate.
Because REA is non-binding, it allows you to apply early without committing. If Stanford is your clear first choice and your application is strong, applying REA can give you a small advantage.
It’s extremely difficult to get into Stanford. Stanford is among the most selective schools in the US. Stanford rejected more than 96% of the nearly 60,000 applicants in the most recent application cycle.
To stand out, you’ll need to offer more than just good grades and test scores. Every part of your application, from your essays to your extracurriculars, plays a key role in your overall evaluation and acceptance chances.
Try our interactive quiz to find out your chances of getting into Stanford University!
Students accepted to Stanford in the 2024 admissions cycle had an average GPA of 3.94, according to the CDS. Nearly 98% ranked in the top 10% of their high school class, and every admitted student was in the top 25%.
Additionally, 73.3% of enrolled students earned a perfect 4.0 GPA. These numbers reflect just how academically competitive Stanford’s applicant pool is. To give yourself the best chance, aim for a 4.0 GPA.
The CDS reports that the median SAT score for the 2024 first-year Stanford class was 1540. The middle 50% SAT range for these first-year students was 1510 to 1570. A score of 1570 will position you as a 75th percentile scorer.
For context, Stanford’s median SAT score is 512 points higher than the national average of 1028 — a gap that reflects how competitive Stanford’s applicant pool is.
The median ACT score of the 2024 first-year Stanford students was 35. According to the CDS, the middle 50% ACT range of these students was 34-35. To reach the 75th percentile or higher, you should aim for a 35 or above.
For reference, Stanford’s median ACT score of 35 is more than 15 points higher than the national average of 19.4. This large difference in scores highlights just how competitive Stanford is.
The Stanford admissions committee looks for students who are not only academically talented but also intellectually curious, reflective, and likely to contribute meaningfully to their community.
Let’s take a closer look at how Stanford evaluates students:
The Rigor of your Secondary School Record, your Class Rank, your Academic GPA, your Application Essay, and your Recommendation(s) are ‘Very Importat’ in the Stanford admissions process. Standardized Test Scores are ‘Important’ in the review process.
| Academic Factors | Very Important | Important | Considered | Not Considered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rigor of Secondary School Record | x | |||
| Class Rank | x | |||
| Academic GPA | x | |||
| Standardized Test Scores | x | |||
| Application Essay | x | |||
| Recommendation(s) | x |
The CDS shows that nearly 98% of admitted students are in the top 10% of their class, 100% are in the top 25%, and 73.3% have a perfect 4.0 GPA. This aligns with the CDS, which ranks Rigor of Secondary School Record, Class Rank, and Academic GPA as “Very Important” factors in Stanford’s admissions process.
These numbers reflect a clear standard: successful Stanford applicants are typically at the very top of their academic cohort.
Strong applicants take the most challenging courses available at their school and perform at the highest level in them. These courses can be AP, IB, dual-enrollment, or honors.
Pamela Ng, a former admissions officer at Stanford and admissions counselor at Quad, offered more insight into how academics are considered holistically in one of our webinars:
“There’s no absolute number for anything, including testing, because we're reading in context. If your school has 27 APs and you took five, you might want to take more because your school offers so many. However, if your school offers five APs and you took all five, then you're maxing out where humanly possible… we’re reading in context, and that’s what holistic admissions means.”
Since the Rigor of your Secondary School Record is ‘Very Important’ to Stanford, the admissions committee will carefully consider the opportunities available to you at your school.
Admissions officers want to see that you have challenged yourself to the fullest extent possible within your own academic environment, recognizing that not every school offers the same resources or course options.
Extracurricular Activities, Talent/Ability, and Character/Personal Qualities are ‘Very Important’ in the Stanford application review process. The Interview, your First-Generation status, your Alumni/ae Relations, your Geographical Residence, your Volunteer Work and your Work Experience are also ‘Considered.’
State Residency, Religious Affiliation/Commitment and the Level of an Applicant’s Interest are ‘Not Considered’ in the evaluation process.
| Non-Academic Factors | Very Important | Important | Considered | Not Considered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interview | x | |||
| Extracurricular Activities | x | |||
| Talent/Ability | x | |||
| Character/Personal Qualities | x | |||
| First Generation | x | |||
| Alumni/ae Relation | x | |||
| Geographical Residence | x | |||
| State Residency | x | |||
| Religious Affiliation/Commitment | x | |||
| Volunteer Work | x | |||
| Work Experience | x | |||
| Level of Applicant’s Interest | x |
Since Stanford views Extracurriculars as ‘Very Important,’ students should prioritize choosing the right ones. These activities can help you stand out among applicants with similar grades and test scores. Pamela Ng shares three key tips on choosing the perfect extracurriculars for Stanford:
1. “You want to do things like quantify your accomplishments… give them the numbers that you helped. If it was 2,000 people, definitely put that on there.”
2. “You want to show commitment over time. We call them ‘Junior Joiners’—students who realized they’re applying soon and suddenly join lots of clubs in 11th grade. Ideally, we like to see depth of commitment.”
3. “If you're saying to me you care so much about climate change but then you've done one beach cleanup one time over the summer, that really doesn't show me that you care a whole lot about climate change.”
Demonstrating depth and impact in extracurricular activities helps you satisfy Stanford’s ‘Very Important’ Extracurriculars criterion while also signaling key qualities like perseverance, leadership, and real-world impact. These traits correspond directly to the Talent/Ability and Character/Personal Qualities categories, which the Common Data Set identifies as ‘Very Important’ in Stanford’s admissions evaluation.
By prioritizing meaningful, sustained involvement that clearly reflects these attributes, you can strengthen your profile across all of the most important non-academic factors Stanford considers.
According to Stanford, the ideal Stanford candidate shows academic excellence, intellectual vitality, meaningful extracurricular contributions, and purpose.
You can use the table below to understand how to translate these Stanford traits into concrete, actionable steps in your application:
| What Stanford Says | What It Means | How to Show It | Where to Show It |
|---|---|---|---|
| We practice holistic admission. | Every element of your application matters and will be reviewed together. | Make sure your academics, essays, activities, and recommendations each highlight key strengths but together create a clear, cohesive story about who you are and what you value. | Entire application |
| We consider your context. | Your achievements are evaluated relative to your circumstances. | Pursue all academic opportunities available to you (i.e., take all relevant AP classes that you can). Use the additional info section or essays to explain any challenges you’ve faced, family responsibilities, etc., that may have limited your opportunities. | Essays, additional info section |
| We seek academic excellence. | You should perform at the top of your class and take the most rigorous courses. | Take AP, IB, or honors classes when available and excel in them. | Transcript, counselor/teacher recommendations |
| We value intellectual vitality. | Show genuine curiosity and passion for learning. | Discuss personal projects, independent research, or topics that fascinate you. | Essays, activities, teacher recommendations |
| We consider extracurricular contributions. | Impact matters more than number of activities (quality over quantity). | Focus on a few activities where you’ve made a clear difference or held a leadership role. | Activities section, essays |
| We want to know how Stanford will change you—and how you’ll change Stanford. | Fit matters. Stanford wants students who will grow within and contribute to its community. | Be specific about why Stanford is the right place for your goals and how you’ll contribute in return. | “Why Stanford” essay, short answers |
Here’s an example of how a Stanford applicant majoring in art history could showcase Stanford’s most valued traits:
| Trait | How the Ideal Stanford Applicant Shows It |
|---|---|
| Holistic Admission | Maintains a clear artistic focus across the application; has a strong art portfolio; took AP classes in several arts; essays centered on creative storytelling; and recommendations praising her dedication to art. |
| Context Considered | Explains in the Additional Info section that she lacked access to formal art classes and used free online platforms and library books to teach herself techniques. |
| Academic Excellence | Holds a 3.97 GPA; ranks in the top 5% of her class; took AP Literature, AP Studio Art, and honors courses in English and History. |
| Intellectual Vitality | Created a project on symbolism in post-war art; essays explore how art and politics connect; teacher recommendation describes her as one of the most intellectually curious students they’ve taught, noting how she analyzes literature in ways that spark new class discussions. |
| Extracurricular Contributions | Founded her school’s first digital arts magazine; led mural projects around her school; interned with a local gallery to help maintain exhibitions. |
| Fit with Stanford | Wrote passionately about the Stanford Arts + Justice program, plans to explore interdisciplinary work at the McMurtry Building, and wants to contribute to Stanford’s student-run film festivals and arts collectives. |
| Requirements | Details |
|---|---|
| Common Application | Accepted |
| Coalition Application | Accepted |
| Essay and Personal Statement | Required |
| Letters of Recommendation | 2 |
| Interview | Optional |
| Application Fee (2025) | $90 |
| Fee Waiver Available? | Available |
| Requirements | Recommended Units |
|---|---|
| English | 4 |
| Mathematics | 4 |
| Science | 3 |
| Foreign Language | 3 |
| Social Studies/History | 3 |
| Requirements | Details |
|---|---|
| SAT or ACT | Required |
| Scores Due in Office | January 15, 2025 |
| Requirements | Offered? | Deadline | Notification Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Admission | Yes | January 5, 2025 | April 1, 2025 |
| Early Action | Yes | November 1, 2024 | December 15, 2024 |
| Early Decision | No | N/a | N/a |
No, Stanford is no longer test-optional. After several years of test-optional admissions, Stanford has reinstated its standardized testing requirement beginning with the 2025–2026 application cycle.
Stanford offers optional alumni interviews, but they aren’t required and don’t affect admissions decisions. If your high school is located within an interview region, you may be invited to an interview with a local Stanford alumni volunteer. Interviews are assigned based on alumni availability and cannot be requested by applicants.
Yes, you should definitely take advantage of the Stanford interview if invited. The interview provides a unique opportunity to engage in a meaningful conversation with a Stanford alumnus who can offer insights into the campus culture and student life.
Stanford’s admissions process is extremely selective, but with a strategic, thoughtful application, it’s possible to stand out. Our Stanford University admissions consulting service pairs you with experienced advisors who can help you highlight your strengths, avoid common pitfalls, and craft a compelling application from start to finish.
Schedule your free consultation today to start building a competitive Stanford application!
