Stanford University 2025 Admission Statistics

Stanford University Admission Guide — Class of 2030 (Applying 2025‑26)

“We look for students who don’t wait for permission to change the world—they just start.” —⁠Stanford admission officer, April 2025

Why read this?

You’re a rising senior who will hit submit in the 2025‑26 cycle.
Stanford just posted its 2024‑25 Common Data Set, revealing fresh admit rates, test ranges, costs, and aid. This 1 700‑word cheat‑sheet—no tables, no fluff—translates those numbers into an action plan that can turn Cardinal dreams into an admit letter.

The Admission Landscape — Numbers in Plain English

• 57,326 applications last cycle; 2,067 offers → overall admit rate ≈ 3.6 %.
• Restrictive Early Action (REA). ~9,000 apps produced ~730 admits → ≈ 8 % admit rate—more than double Regular Decision.
• Yield power. 1,693 freshmen enrolled, an 82 % yield—when Stanford says yes, almost everyone enrolls.
• Wait‑list mirage. 483 offered a WL spot, 414 accepted, only 25 admitted—treat WL as unlikely.
• Persistence. First‑year retention 98 %; six‑year graduation 92 %—proof the Farm keeps students thriving.

Academic Profile of the 2024‑25 Admitted Class

• Testing optional—but stratospheric if submitted.
  • SAT middle 50 %: 1 510‑1 570 (EBRW 740‑780 · Math 770‑800).
  • ACT middle 50 %: 34‑35.
  • Submit only if you clear 1 530+ SAT or 35 ACT territory.
• GPA & rank. Average reported GPA 3.94; 98 % of rank‑reporting admits landed in the top decile of their class.
• Course rigor reigns. AP/IB HL math, lab science, advanced humanities, and a stretch elective signal Stanford readiness.
• Beyond numbers. Intel/Regeneron research finalists, All‑State artists, Olympic hopefuls, and founders of social‑impact tech stack the admit pool.

What Stanford Values (and How to Show It)

• Intellectual vitality. Write essays that probe a question, not just list activities—why does quantum tunneling keep you up at night?
• Leadership that scales. Quantify outcomes: “100,000 app downloads,” “$250 k raised for wildfire relief,” or “first‑gen mentorship expanding to 23 schools.”
• Contextual resilience. Own obstacles—family caregiving, language brokering, limited AP availability—and show the growth arc.
• Creative collision. Stanford loves interdisciplinary thinkers: robotics + dance, ethics + AI, design + civic policy.
• Authentic voice. Draft, read aloud, sleep, revise—keep the you‑ness intact. Readers sniff formulaic prose fast.

The Money Question

• Sticker price 2025‑26: tuition $67,731 · fees $813 · room & board $22,167 → ≈ $90,700 all‑in.
• Need‑blind, full‑need—yes, even for internationals. Stanford meets 100 % of demonstrated need with grants and modest work‑study; loans are optional.
• Zero tuition threshold. Parental incomes ≤ $100 k pay no tuition; under $75 k pay nothing for tuition, room, or board.
• Average first‑year scholarship grant: $70 k+; median parent contribution under $20 k.
• No merit scholarships. Prestige is merit; aid is purely need‑based.
• Aid paperwork: CSS Profile & FAFSA (or Int’l Profile) by February  15  2026 for priority packaging.

Anticipated Timeline for Class of 2030

Spring  2025

• Enroll in Calc BC or multivariable plus an AP/IB HL lab science; keep humanities strong.
• Register for August SAT/ACT only if ≥ 1 530/35 looks reachable.

Summer  2025

• Draft the Common App essay and Stanford’s infamous “Short Answers + 3 Supplements.”
• Finish a flagship project—publish research, launch an app, mount an art exhibit—and gather metrics.

Early Fall  2025

• Schedule an optional alumni interview; prep with mock Q&A.
• November  1  2025 — REA application deadline (binding‑free).

Winter  2026

• Mid‑December  2025 — REA decisions released.
• January  5  2026 — Regular Decision deadline; test scores must arrive by Jan 15.

Spring  2026

• RD decisions drop April  1  2026; Admit Weekend mid‑April.
• May  1  2026 — Deposit due; housing portal opens same day.

Life on the Farm

• 5 : 1 student‑faculty ratio; 70 % of classes under 20 students.
• Residential colleges. Freshmen live in themed dorms (La Maison Française, EAST House) then choose among row houses, co‑ops, or Greek life (11 % participation).
• Traditions. Full Moon on the Quad, Fountain Hopping, Big Game rallies, and midnight IHUM paper scrambles.
• Silicon Valley sandbox. Intern at Tesla, design VR at Meta, conduct stem‑cell research at Stanford Med—Caltrain is your shuttle.
• Weather + wellness. 260 sunny days a year plus dish hikes, eucalyptus hammocks, and student‑run farms keep stress in check.

How to Decide If Stanford Fits

1. Do you crave cross‑disciplinary freedom? IntroSem, WAYS, and Coterm programs let you pivot fast.
2. Will near‑limitless resources—d.school labs, HAI fellowships, Haas arts grants—turbo‑charge your ideas?
3. Can you thrive amid hyper‑ambitious peers and FOMO? Support systems exist, but self‑driven balance is key.
4. Does the financial‑aid model align with your family’s reality? Full‑need grants can make Stanford cheaper than a state flagship.

Three or more “yes” answers? The Farm belongs on your list—especially via REA if you’re application‑ready by November.

Quick‑Hit Checklist

• [ ] Keep GPA ≥ 3.9 with max rigor.
• [ ] Submit SAT ≥ 1 530 or ACT ≥ 35 only if above mid‑range.
• [ ] Finish a quantifiable impact project by September.
• [ ] Draft all essays—yes, even the short‑answer quirks—before October  15.
• [ ] Apply REA Nov  1  2025 or RD Jan  5  2026.
• [ ] File CSS Profile + FAFSA by Feb  15  2026.
• [ ] Reference a Stanford gem (d.school, Cantor Arts, Dish hike) in your supplement.

Final Word

Stanford pairs West‑Coast optimism with a research engine that funds moonshots—from CRISPR cures to solar‑powered airplanes. Admission is brutal but knowable: sky‑high academics, a magnetic impact narrative, and essays that pulse with intellectual vitality. Nail those, honor the timeline, and you might soon be fountain‑hopping under the Palo Alto stars.

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