Stanford University
recent blog posts for Stanford University
Stanford University needs no introduction. As one of America’s most elite schools, its name precedes it. Located in the aptly named Stanford, California, the university is a NorCal favorite with exceptional academics, a sprawling suburban campus, and a reputation for innovation. Stanford is among the most competitive schools in America. Hopeful students need to have an airtight application and a great plan. If you are serious about Stanford, part of that plan will most likely include applying through their Restrictive Early Action option.
Stanford is the most famous and well-respected university on the west coast, and one of the top schools in all of the United States. Getting into Stanford is comparable with gaining admission to the Ivy League, and getting an acceptance is actually harder than getting into most of the Ivy League schools. In recent years, Stanford has held back from releasing the most recent admissions data. However, based on what data they have released for both the Class of 2028 and the Class of 2027, the acceptance rate is less 4%.
It’s no secret that Stanford is hard to get into. That is a bit of an understatement. With a less than 4% acceptance rate, getting into Stanford is cutthroat. Applicants need to be “the full package” if they hope to get in. But what does that mean? Well, it means you need more than just great grades.
Stanford University inspires action and innovation. As one of the most prestigious and selective universities in the United States — often with the lowest acceptance rate of any school — they have a well-earned reputation for gathering together the best of the best on the California campus. The student body is split nearly evenly between undergraduate and graduate students, with fewer than 18,000 total enrolled and 7,554 undergraduates as of fall 2024. The campus is massive at over 8,000 acres (more than 1 acre per undergrad), and is packed with labs, resources, and opportunities. Stanford has delayed releasing their acceptance data in recent years, ostensibly because the rate of acceptance is so low that they don’t want to discourage applicants. The most recently published acceptance rate, for the Class of 2028, was 3.61%.