Stanford University

Extremely hard. Stanford admitted about 3.8% of applicants in its most recent cycle, offering admission to roughly 2,302 of more than 60,000 applicants and enrolling about 1,839 first-years. It is among the most selective universities in the country, and even applicants with near-perfect grades and scores should treat it as a reach.

Stanford offers Restrictive Early Action (single-choice, non-binding) and does not offer Early Decision. Because the program is non-binding, you are not obligated to enroll if admitted. Stanford also does not consider level of applicant's interest as an admission factor, so applying early is not a way to signal demonstrated interest.

A 1500 sits just below Stanford's admitted range. The middle 50% of enrolled first-years who submitted scores were at 1520-1570 on the SAT and 34-36 on the ACT, with a 25th-percentile SAT of 1520. Stanford reinstated its testing requirement starting with Fall 2026 applicants, so the SAT or ACT is required, and roughly 98% of enrolled students scored 1400-1600.

Stanford's enrolled first-years report an average high school GPA of about 3.94 on a 4.0 scale. There is no minimum, but the rigor of your coursework, your GPA, and your class rank are all weighed as very important factors in Stanford's holistic review, so a near-straight-A record in demanding classes is the realistic baseline.

Tuition and required fees run about $68,574 per year before housing and food, but Stanford meets 100% of demonstrated financial need. About 44% of students receive aid, and the average need-based package is roughly $77,279, which exceeds the sticker tuition and makes Stanford far more affordable than the published price for many families.

Yes. Stanford rates the application essay as a very important factor in admissions, on the same tier as GPA, test scores, recommendations, and character. With an admit rate near 3.8%, a specific, well-revised essay is one of the few places a strong applicant can stand apart from thousands of others with similar grades and scores.

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Computer science is the single most popular major at about 20% of degrees, followed by interdisciplinary programs (18%), engineering (17%), and the social sciences (15%). Stanford's strength in computing and engineering reflects its location in the heart of Silicon Valley.

Stanford draws students nationally and internationally rather than favoring one state: about 56% of undergraduates come from outside California, and state residency is not considered as an admission factor. Out-of-state applicants face the same roughly 3.8% overall admit rate, and tuition is a single flat rate regardless of where you live.