Admission Overview

At Stanford, we practice holistic admission. This means that each piece in your application is reviewed as part of an integrated and comprehensive whole. We want to learn how you would grow, contribute, and thrive at Stanford.

Academic excellence is the foundation of your application. Your preparation through challenging coursework and your potential to succeed are key factors in our contextual review.

Academic Excellence

The primary criterion for admission to Stanford is academic excellence, which means flawless or nearly flawless grades in rigorous courses. We expect you to challenge yourself throughout your educational journey and to do very well by maintaining a strong academic record.

The most important credential for evaluating your academic record is your transcript. We closely review your academic documents to gain an understanding of your preparation and potential to thrive in Stanford academics. We consider grade 9 a transition year and will focus our review on grades 10 and 11 as well as on your final year grades and program of study.

We do not have a minimum GPA requirement, nor is there a specific number of AP or honors courses you must have on your transcript. However, the strongest applicants to Stanford will present outstanding results in a rigorous program of study.

For more information, please visit our Preparing for Stanford Academics page for first-year applicants and our Academic Preparation & Transfer Credit page for transfer applicants.

Context

Just as no two Stanford students are the same, each applicant to Stanford is unique. This means that as we review your application, we pay careful attention to your unique circumstances. We take into account your background, educational pathway, and work and family responsibilities. By focusing on your achievements in context, we evaluate how you have excelled in your school environment and how you have taken advantage of what is available to you in your school and community.

Extracurricular Activities

Learning about your extracurricular activities and nonacademic interests helps us understand your potential contributions to the Stanford community. Students often assume our primary concern is the number of activities they participate in. In fact, an exceptional depth of experience in one or two activities may demonstrate your passion more than minimal participation in five or six clubs. You may also have work or family responsibilities. These are as important as any other extracurricular activity.

In general, we want to understand the impact you have had at your job, in your family, in your school, and in the larger community. We also want to learn about the impact that your experiences have had on you.

In some cases, exceptional abilities in athletics may influence our decision if the applicant is otherwise well-qualified, but such abilities never, by themselves, ensure admission to Stanford.

Intellectual Vitality

Stanford students are brimming with curiosity, openness, and imagination. The cornerstone of one Stanford building is dedicated to “the things that haven’t happened yet, and to the people who are about to dream them up.”

Through your application, we hope to learn about your intellectual horizons. We want to hear about the ways you have expanded your perspective and sought new opportunities. We hope to envision how your energy, curiosity, and optimism would make a mark on Stanford and the world.

Updated on October 3, 2025 8:33 AM