Admission Requirements of Stanford University

Acceptance Rate 4.8%

Admission Standards		Elite
Applicant Competition		Extreme

Can I get into Stanford? The school has a 5% acceptance rate. Last year, 2,118 out of 43,997 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.

SAT Requirements

SAT Range 1430-1590Applicants Submitting SAT 77%

SAT Reading 25th	700
SAT Math 25th	730
SAT Composite 25th	1430

SAT Reading 75th	790
SAT Math 75th	800
SAT Composite 75th	1590

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 1430 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 1350. The estimated average SAT composite for admitted freshman is 1510 out of 1600. A competitive SAT score is critical as 77 percent of applicants submit SAT scores to the school.

Estimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score

SAT Score (1600 scale)	Competitiveness	Admission Chances
1590 and Above	GOOD	>8%
1510 to 1590	AVG +	5%-8%
1430 to 1510	AVG –	3%-5%
1350 to 1430	REACH	2%-3%
Less than 1350	LOW	<2%

ACT Requirements

ACT Range 31-35 Applicants Submitting ACT 51%

ACT Reading 25th	32
ACT Math 25th	30
ACT Composite 25th	31

ACT Reading 75th	35
ACT Math 75th	35
ACT Composite 75th	35

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 31 and above. Successful applicants typically send ACT scores in the top 5 percent nationally. We estimate the school accepting minimum ACT composite scores around 29 in some instances. Prospective students submitting an ACT composite of 33 or higher should be in the upper half of applicants – and students with a 35 and above have very competitive chances. 51 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to Stanford University.

Data Sources, IPEDS for Fall 2016 starting class

Estimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score

ACT Score	Competitiveness	Admission Chances
35 and Above	GOOD	>8%
33 to 35	AVG +	5%-8%
31 to 33	AVG –	3%-5%
29 to 31	REACH	2%-3%
Less than 29	LOW	<2%

Estimated GPA Requirements

Avg. High School GPA4.18Typical High School GradesA

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..

What do these ratings mean?

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

Admission Statistics

	Women	Men	Total
Applied	20,992	23,005	43,997
Accepted	1,087	1,031	2,118
Acceptance Rate	5%	4%	5%
Enrolled	885	854	1,739
Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield)	81%	83%	82%