Gallery • 2 Photos

What most students received from Stanford this year

Students who are admitted to Stanford University are like unicorns. You want to believe they exist, you really do. But, there’s just not enough proof.

43,997 hopeful high school students sat by their computers at 5:59 PM EST on Friday, March 25th, as Stanford University prepared to release admission decisions.  And at 6:00, 41,934 of those hopefuls sighed in unison as their screens displayed the words no college applicant wants to read: “I am very sorry to let you know…”

However, it wasn’t all rejection on March 25th. 2,063 special individuals scattered across 50 states and 76 countries discovered that Stanford would offer them a world-class education. That’s 4.68% of the applicant pool, the lowest acceptance rate of any undergraduate university in the history of the world. Stanford’s applicant pool this year was also the largest it has ever been.

So, why is Stanford in such high demand among high school seniors? Some would argue it’s the warm weather or Stanford’s location in the heart of Silicon Valley, the epicenter of all that is high-tech. WHHS Senior Nicki Jariwala, who didn’t apply to Stanford, told the Patriot Press it’s because Stanford is known to “have lots of research opportunity and to have its students be successful afterwards because it provides a great education. But, on top of all that, it is located in California which is beautiful in itself and Stanford also looks like a resort so it must be an amazing place to go to school.”

Another WHHS student shared with the Patriot Press how she felt when she opened her rejection from Stanford:

“I didn’t expect to be accepted because it is a very competitive school. Still, I felt that sinking disappointment one always feels when opening a college rejection. I was surprised though because the rejection letter from Stanford was actually really nice and encouraging. Also the interviewer and I had a very intriguing conversation in a cozy coffee shop. So even though I got rejected, in a way I’m glad I applied because the process was a good experience to have.” -Anonymous

Something most people don’t know is that this 4.68% acceptance rate does not apply to everyone. You can determine your personal chance of being admitted to Stanford based on your scores and rank. For example, if you’re GPA is above a 4.0, your acceptance rate becomes 7%. Find out your acceptance rate here!

If you’re a future Stanford applicant reading this, don’t be discouraged. It’s very possible that you are just the mythical creature Stanford is looking for. And if you’re not, it’s okay…you’re definitely not alone.

See what real Stanford acceptance and rejection letters look like in the gallery above!