How to Get Into Stanford University: Complete Review for Applicants

Stanford University is a world-known member of the Ivy League. It is the second institution on the best QS Global World Ranking list. Although Stanford has an ancient history, it successfully coexists with constant discovery and innovation.

Thousands of applicants dream of getting into Stanford, but the requirements are really strict. Here, we will talk about the Stanford University application and share all the latest information about test scores requirements, necessary documents to submit, useful contacts, and working tips to increase your chances of a successful application.

Admissions Office Stanford Address & Contact Details

Stanford Acceptance Rate

During the application to the Class of 2025, the pool of applicants was the highest in the history of Stanford. Thus, 55,471 potential students wanted to get accepted to the world-known university. According to the data, the Stanford university acceptance rate was 3.95% in the previous admission cycle.

Based on how many people apply to Stanford, it becomes clear that the acceptance rate was the lowest compared to other years. As a result, the competition between the applicants increased correspondingly.

As the competition is extremely high, every applicant should be realistic concerning their chances to get into Stanford. The first thing to consider is the Ivy League college’s approach toward potential students’ ratings. So, how does Stanford evaluate the applicants?

It is important to mention several factors that influence the acceptance rate (Stanford University):

All About Application to Stanford

Stanford application is quite challenging and consists of several stages. However, with these shortlists, you won’t miss any important steps.

So, what is important to know about the application to Stanford? Here is a short checklist:

• Stanford university application fee is required;
• Common Application and Coalition Application are available;
• The applicant should provide both the school report and recommendation from the counselor;
• Two letters of recommendation are also required;
• The committee needs both Official and Midyear transcripts;
• Alumni interview is optional;
• The applicant should also write a personal statement and a supplemental essay.

There is the list of the most common topics and questions during the 2020-2021 application period:

• Choose the five words that can describe you best;
• Name one thing that you are going to experience at Stanford. Explain your choice.
• What is the most meaningful thing in your life and why?
• Describe the most significant life lesson you have learned in your life;
• What is the most important challenge the world is facing nowadays?

It is necessary to consider that the application process may differ depending on the chosen school. So, let’s discuss some specific features typical of the most popular Stanford schools.

Stanford Law School Application

The most important Stanford Law School application requirements are the following:

1. Application fee for Stanford;
2. Resume or Curriculum Vitae;
3. Official transcripts;
4. Personal statement;
5. Two letters of recommendation;
6. Score report (TOEFL).

In some cases, additional materials are necessary:

1. One additional letter of recommendation;
2. Research proposal.

Note that all the components should be submitted electronically through the LSAC.

Stanford MBA Application

Main Stanford MBA admissions requirements:

• Stanford is interested not only in the final GPA but also in the whole course of study;
• A minimum GPA for Stanford is NOT required for the MBA program;
• Copy of transcripts (official ones are required after the applicant is admitted);
• The applicant should provide the whole education history;
• GMAT or GRE scores;
• One-page business resume;
• Two letters of reference;
• Two personal statement essays;
• $275 application fee.

Stanford Medical School Application

Stanford Medical School application requires several steps:

1. The application should be made through a special service (American Medical College Application Service);
2. Applicants should provide MCAT test scores;
3. Minimum three and a maximum of six letters of recommendation are required;
4. After the AMCAS application, there is a need to submit Stanford Supplemental Application;
5. Pay application fee;
6. Send Stanford university application essay (or essays);
7. Interview for eligible candidates;
8. Get the Admission Decision.

Stanford Secondary Application

Stanford secondary admission is a supplementary application after the common application. It depends on the chosen school, and the requirements for the secondary application may differ. For instance, at Stanford Medical School, the supplementary admission goes right after the AMCAS application round.

In some cases, the school can require some supplementary documents:

• Additional letters of recommendation or Stanford admission essays;
• One more interview for eligible candidates;
• Additional transcripts;
• Sending official transcripts instead of copies.

So, be careful and read all the requirements mentioned by the admission committee of the Stanford school you want to get into.

Dates & Deadlines to Follow

Preparing all the admission documents is not the only thing to consider. The applicant should also adhere to Stanford admission dates for successful application.

Here is a table with the most important deadlines to follow:

Also, the deadlines may differ depending on the school chosen by the candidate. Look through the most popular Stanford courses dates to follow:

How to Get Into Stanford?

Every applicant should know some tips that can help increase the chances of getting into Stanford. The successful admission process depends on several factors. Of course, good test scores or a high GPA are half the success. But, sometimes, a Stanford university application essay can become a critical factor. Let’s look through some of these issues.

What students qualities Stanford is looking for?

1. Academic performance is the first important factor for Stanford. But it is not about high test scores.

• Stanford mentions that there are no minimum GPA or test scores requirements;
• Academic performance is taken into consideration in the context of a student’s potential, capabilities, and effort.

2. Curiosity is the next factor that does matter for Stanford:

• Stanford is looking for students who are ready to develop and expand their horizons;
• Passion for extending to the community has a crucial role;
• Intellectual curiosity means that a student will be open to discussions, resulting in discoveries and new challenges.

3. Extracurricular activities and achievements:

• The admission committee is interested in finding not only a great student but also an interesting personality;
• Extracurricular activities and non-academic interests play a huge role in deciding whether an applicant will be accepted.

4. Knowledge about the university:

• During the interview, the admission officer wants to ensure that an applicant has a clear vision of the opportunities provided by a school;
• It helps to show your real interest and desire to attend Stanford.

5. Ability to present yourself:

• High grades, variety of achievements, and rich background are great, but the person should also know how to present his/her unique personality;
• This ability is really vital during the interview; remember that you have only one chance to impress the admission officer.

Here are also some tips on how to increase your chances of getting into Stanford:

• Letters of recommendation can become your chance to stand out from the crowd. So, choose wisely the person who will describe your academic performance.
• One more important thing is a professional approach to writing a letter of recommendation; the person who will write the letter should know all the requirements;
• Make sure that your Stanford application essays are clear and credible. These writings should state why you are a perfect candidate and summarize your academic and extracurricular experiences;
• Participate in regional or national competitions; as well as prestigious summer programs;
• Be ready for the interview beforehand;
• Ensure that your supplemental essays are perfect and correspond to all the requirements. If you are not sure, EssayEdge professionals can help you make them look neat and professional.

Medical School

Stanford Medical School is known as one of the best in the world. Therefore, many applicants dream of studying here, and the competition is really high. So, how to get into Stanford Medical School?

Law School

The last admission cycle showed that the committee had very strict criteria. How to get into Stanford Law School? Look in the table below.

Business School

How to get into Stanford Business School? Look through the latest statistics in this table:

School of Engineering

After analyzing this table, the answer to the question “How to get into Stanford University School of Engineering?” is the following: you need to demonstrate exceptional academic performance. Furthermore, the applicant should have rich experience and great potential for innovations.

Nursing School

Stanford also offers a Nurse Residency Program for graduate applicants. There is a list of the main requirements for students to know how to get into Stanford Nursing School:

• Applicants should be graduated from the accredited programs
• Candidates should have ASN, BSN, or MSN;
• Two nursing faculty references;
• Resume;
• Cover letter;
• Unofficial transcripts.

Design School

If you want to know how to get into Stanford Design School, this checklist will be helpful:

• The first step is to submit Stanford online application;
• The application fee is $125;
• Write and send a 1-2 pages statement of purpose describing the reasons for applying for the chosen program;
• Prepare and send CV or Resume (depending on the chosen program);
• Submit three letters of recommendation;
• Provide college and university transcripts.

What GPA Do You Need to Get Into Stanford?

There are no minimum Stanford GPA requirements for some of the programs. Still, the GPA should be really high to have a chance to be admitted. Due to the latest statistics, the average GPA for Stanford (Class of 2025) is 3.96. For some of the programs, such as Stanford University Computer Science, the average GPA was 3.87.

The majority of the students (which takes 68.7%) had 4.0. And only less than 4% of applicants had less than a 3.74 GPA.

Minimum & Average GPA to Get Into Stanford

Let’s look through students’ GPAs for different Stanford schools to have a clear vision:

Ph.D.

Here you will find all the necessary information about the Stanford Ph.D. application, including the main admission requirements and financial aid opportunities.

Ph.D. Programs

There are a variety of Stanford doctoral programs available for the applicants:

• Anthropology of Education;
• Developmental and Psychological Sciences;
• Economics of Education;
• Education Data Science;
• Educational Linguistics;
• Educational Policy;
• Elementary Education;
• Higher Education;
• History of Education;
• History/Social Science Education;
• International Comparative Education;
• Learning Sciences and Technology Design;
• Literacy, Language, and English Education;
• Mathematics Education;
• Organizational Studies;
• Philosophy of Education;
• Race, Inequality, and Language in Education;
• Science Education;
• Sociology of Education;
• Teacher Education.

Ph.D. Application

Before applying for doctoral programs, it’s important to consider all the requirements. Here is a full list of them:

• The applicant should complete and submit a Stanford online application;
• The application fee is $125;
• It is necessary to write and send a statement of purpose;
• Three letters of recommendation are required;
• The applicant should provide a CV or Resume;
• College or university transcripts (first copies, and then original).

Ph.D. Stipend

Stanford offers a five-year funding guarantee that includes several components: fellowship stipend, assistantship salary, and tuition aid. Furthermore, Stanford GSE covers a standard cost of attendance.

One of the main Stanford scholarship requirements is satisfactory academic progress. Other requirements depend on the chosen school and educational program.

SAT Requirements

Let’s analyze the Class of 2025 SAT Requirements for Stanford. SAT scores of admitted students were between 1420 and 1550. As for the ACT score, it was between 31 and 35. It is also important to note that the highest scores among the admitted students were 1600 for SAT and 36 for the ACT.

It becomes clear that Stanford university SAT requirements are quite high. So, the applicant should show a brilliant academic performance to win the competition.

Test Requirements

COVID-19 pandemic affected the admission process and Stanford subject test requirements. Thus, Stanford made the tests optional for the applicants to the Class of 2025. What is more, the tests will be held online starting from 2024.

Here are the statistics showing the average and minimum scores of tests apart from SAT:

Cost & Fee

The Stanford cost of tuition for 2021-2022 starts from $64,350. Still, everything depends on the program and school you choose. But this sum does not include other fees.

The diagram below shows the Stanford cost of attendance for first-year MBA students for 2021-2022. This chart includes the cost of tuition, living allowance, and other fees.

Link to Image

Other fees are the following:

FAQ

How many students apply to Stanford?

A: During the application to the Class of 2025, 55,471 potential students wanted to get accepted to the world-known university. Thus, the Stanford university acceptance rate was 3.95% in the previous admission cycle, which is the lowest compared to other years.

Is there a deadline to submit the admission to Stanford?

A: It is important to remember that deadlines can differ depending on the chosen school and educational program. The general deadline for early action is November 1, and for regular admission — January 5. Still, we recommend checking all dates and deadlines on the official university website.

What documents are required for Stanford’s application?

A: There is a list of the most important documents for Stanford application: letters of recommendation, college or university transcripts, personal statements, statement of purpose, GPA, and test scores.

Should I send official transcripts to apply to Stanford?

A: It is not required to send official transcripts while submitting an online application. First, you need to send copies. After the admission officers review the application, they will ask the eligible candidates to send the official transcripts.

Is it required to write a statement of purpose for Stanford admission?

A: For some educational programs, applicants should write a statement of purpose. It refers to Stanford Design School programs, as well as doctoral programs. Also, we recommend checking the list of required documents on the official website of the chosen department.