{"id":12801,"date":"2018-06-13t10:13:24","date_gmt":"2018-06-13t17:13:24","guid":{"rendered":"\/\/www.catharsisit.com\/hs\/?p=12801"},"modified":"2021-01-06t15:01:54","modified_gmt":"2021-01-06t23:01:54","slug":"stanford-admissions-sat-scores-act-scores-gpa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/\/www.catharsisit.com\/hs\/college-admissions\/stanford-admissions-sat-scores-act-scores-gpa\/","title":{"rendered":"stanford admissions: the sat scores, act scores, and gpa you need to get in"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"stanford<\/p>\n

ah, stanford university\u2013an iconic campus in one of the most gorgeous and temperate parts of the united states. sounds like a pretty dreamy place to go to college, right? <\/p>\n

stanford university is located in stanford, california (less than 50 miles from the bay area), and is one of the most prestigious research universities in the united states; in fact, it\u2019s actually ranked as one of the top ten universities in the world! <\/strong><\/p>\n

stanford\u2019s appeal comes largely from its entrepreneurial prestige, its proximity to silicon valley, and its first-rate computer and information sciences program. biomedical sciences and engineering are also top-notch, but really, any program at stanford boasts both rigor and cache. <\/p>\n

because of its superior reputation, stanford is also one of the most selective universities out there, which means that the application process is highly competitive, and the school is quite hard to get into. <\/p>\n

that said, if you have excellent grades and test scores, it\u2019s definitely worth a shot to apply, so let\u2019s take a look at exactly how to get into stanford, starting with some quick stanford admissions facts:<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
stanford sat scores (average composite)<\/strong><\/td>\n1505 on a 1600 scale <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
stanford act scores (average composite)<\/strong>\n<\/td>\n34 out of 36<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
stanford gpa (average of admitted students)<\/strong><\/td>\n3.96 on a 4.0 scale <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
stanford acceptance rate<\/strong><\/td>\n4.3% (for the class of 2023; information for the class of 2024 is not yet available.)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n

if you think stanford might be a great fit for you, read on for greater specifics on what exactly is required to get you accepted! <\/p>\n

and feel free to refer to this very useful and comprehensive overview of stanford’s holistic selection process<\/a> which breaks down everything they’re looking for in a candidate.<\/p>\n

more about stanford sat scores<\/h2>\n

as discussed on stanford\u2019s freshman application requirements page<\/a>, there is no minimum sat score required to apply to stanford, nor is there a score that guarantees admissions; however, as noted above, the average composite sat score for admitted students is a 1505 on a 1600 scale. <\/p>\n

the 25th percentile for a composite score is 1440 and the 75th percentile is 1550. what this essentially means is that if you score lower than 1440, you\u2019re scoring in the lowest 1\/4 of applicants, and if you\u2019re scoring in the highest 1\/4 of applicants, you\u2019re above average. pretty straightforward. <\/p>\n

but what about how your scores on the individual sections of the sat? here\u2019s how those typically shake out in terms of applicant pool:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/th>\n25th percentile<\/th>\n50th percentile<\/th>\n75th percentile<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
math<\/td>\n700<\/td>\n740<\/td>\n800<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
reading & writing<\/td>\n735<\/td>\n700<\/td>\n770<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
composite<\/td>\n1505<\/td>\n1440<\/td>\n1550<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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now, word to the wise: stanford requires submitting sat or<\/strong> act scores, although you can certainly submit both if you\u2019d like. <\/p>\n

but if you submit sat scores, know that stanford has an \u201call scores\u201d policy for the sat, meaning that any and all of your sat scores will be sent to stanford, including ones you might not be as happy with. <\/p>\n

but don\u2019t worry! stanford admissions won\u2019t average your scores, and will most likely just look at your highest scores, so don\u2019t worry about taking it several times (although the general rule is up to six times but not more). <\/p>\n

also, it\u2019s important to keep in mind that if you submit sat scores to stanford, you must<\/strong> complete and submit the essay portion of the test. <\/p>\n

above all, remember that getting a top sat score for stanford requires lots of practice. be sure to include official sat prep<\/a> in your study plan. and supplement that with some good third-party sat prep. magoosh’s free sat practice test<\/a> is a fantastic place to start. from there, definitely consider a magoosh sat subscription<\/a>. that comes with video lessons, many additional practice questions, and free email support from magoosh tutors.<\/p>\n

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more about stanford act scores<\/h2>\n

unlike the sat, you are able to submit only the act scores of your choice to stanford, which might put you a bit more at ease. <\/p>\n

you do, however, have to complete the writing test if you choose to submit your act scores.<\/p>\n

while there isn\u2019t a minimum composite act score to apply to stanford, the 25th percentile act score is 31, and the 75th percentile act score is 35. this means that anything under a 31 will place you below average (and frankly, make your chances of acceptance nearly impossible, and a 35 and above will put you well above average.<\/p>\n

the following chart shows the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile scores for the individual section and composite scores:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
<\/th>\n25th percentile<\/th>\n50th percentile<\/th>\n75th percentile<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
math<\/td>\n30<\/td>\n32<\/td>\n35<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
reading<\/td>\n32<\/td>\n33<\/td>\n35<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
writing<\/td>\n31<\/td>\n33<\/td>\n35<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n

as you can see, act scores are very competitive for stanford, just like sat scores! and like the sat, the act requires good preparation, especially if you want to get into a top school like stanford. once more, a combination of official prep resources and magoosh ones should be your go-to. <\/p>\n

for a winning blend of act practice, see the list of official act prep materials<\/a>. then, grab magoosh’s free 2022世界杯入门名单<\/a> and consider trying a magoosh act subscription<\/a>. (you can go for a free trial before you buy our additional lessons and questions for the act.)<\/p>\n

keep in mind that stanford also takes\u00a0act superscores<\/a>\u00a0into consideration, so you may want to consider taking the test multiple times!<\/p>\n

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more about stanford\u2019s admissions rate:<\/h2>\n

historically, stanford\u2019s acceptance rate is typically slightly under 5%. meaning, for every 100 applications, 5 students maximum get accepted. <\/p>\n

and as more students than ever have been applying for stanford, acceptance rates have been declining over the last few years. for the class of 2023, the acceptance rate was 4.3%. in other words, sandford is extremely competitive.<\/p>\n

this doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s impossible to get into stanford, it just means that stanford is really doubling-down on its reputation as highly selective<\/strong>; and if admission rates continue to decline, you\u2019ll have to be an ideal candidate on several fronts. <\/p>\n

more about stanford\u2019s gpa average: <\/h2>\n

as noted above, the average cumulative high school gpa of students admitted to stanford is 3.96 on a 4.0 scale, which means you really need to be a straight-a student to even be considered for admissions. it’s possible to get in with a gpa under 4.0, but you’ll need to compensate with higher sat or act scores too.<\/p>\n

depending on how your school calculates gpa<\/a>, as in honors, ib, or ap classes can greatly help your chances of improving your gpa and making you a more viable candidate. <\/p>\n

also, keep in mind that it\u2019s pretty hard to change your gpa significantly once you\u2019re a junior or a senior, so if you\u2019ve got stanford in mind early on in your high school career, it pays to be very mindful about your grades and course selection starting as early as freshman year. <\/p>\n

and remember that while your transcript will be sent out to colleges after first-semester senior year (with your cumulative gpa to that point), you\u2019ll still have to maintain this gpa through the second semester of your senior year if you are accepted to stanford! <\/p>\n

stanford\u2019s freshman profile: <\/h2>\n
“the college process ultimately boiled down to two choices: uchicago and stanford. they’re about the same tuition-wise, but culturally, they’re entirely different. let me just say that i love uchicago for it’s dedication to academics…that being said, stanford is stanford. it matched my californian lifestyle perfectly. i’m a hiker, a skier, an environmental activist, a vegan, and a lover of warm weather. transitioning wouldn’t be too difficult. the people also seemed much more like “my people”- they all maintained this beautiful balance of retaining their identity\/humanity while still doing quite well in school. (also, it’s cool to say that your peer is an olympic athlete :p). while chicago seemed exciting and an altogether new experience, stanford seemed to fit my current identity. i guess a good way to phrase it is this: i saw 70% of myself at stanford, while i only saw 30% of myself at uchicago. though that 30% would be exciting, it’d also force me to adjust a lot of my foundations, from my friend groups to my work ethics. on the other hand, seeing 70% already at the school would let me expand on my preexisting foundations.” — kellyhrdunn, admitsee<\/a><\/div>\n

the most recent enrollment statistics for stanford are for the class of 2023<\/a>, which will give you a good sense of the type of students they admit.<\/p>\n

here are some quick facts about the class of 2023:<\/strong><\/p>\n