Stanford University

Stanford, CA

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Stanford University, founded in 1891, is a private, comprehensive, research-intensive university, where teaching, learning and research are part of a single enterprise. Stanford's enterprising character draws from its Western location and from the legacy of Jane and Leland Stanford. Its areas of excellence range from the humanities to the social sciences, engineering and the sciences. The layout and character of Stanford's Quadrangle were developed by Frederick Olmsted, designer of New York's Central Park. The 8,180-acre campus includes Moorish Spanish and French Romanesque architecture. It is located in Stanford, adjacent to Palo Alto, 30 miles south of San Francisco.

Website: www.stanford.edu/

Private
Co-ed
7,034
Undergraduate
Students
(48.5%) 3,413 Women
(51.5%) 3,621 Men
9,880
Graduate
Students

Admission

Entrance Difficulty
Most difficult
Overall Admission Rate
5% of 43,997 applicants were admitted
Early Action Offered
Yes
Early Decision Offered
No
Regular Admission Deadline
January 2

Qualifications of Enrolled Freshmen

Average GPA
3.94
SAT Math
700-780 range of middle 50%
SAT EBRW
690-760 range of middle 50%
ACT Composite
31-35 range of middle 50%
See more

Money Matters

Cost of Attendance
$66,184
Tuition and Fees
$49,617
Room and Board
$15,112
Average Percent of Need Met
100%
Average Freshman Award
$53,337
Average Indebtedness of 2016 Graduates
$20,205
See more

Academics

Academic Calendar System
Quarter
General Education/Core Curriculum
Required
Full-Time Faculty Teaching Undergraduates
1,613
Regular Class Size
2-9 students: 38% of classes
10-19 students: 32% of classes
20-29 students: 10% of classes
30-39 students: 5% of classes
40-49 students: 3% of classes
50-99 students: 8% of classes
Over 100 students: 4% of classes
See more

Campus Life

Stanford Population
13,809
Nearest Metropolitan Area
San Francisco, San Jose
Freshman Housing Guarantee
Freshmen are guaranteed housing
Students in College Housing
93% of all students
Athletic Conferences
NCAA Division I, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
Mascot
Tree
Sororities
25% of women participate
Fraternities
19% of men participate
See more

Students

Ethnicity of Students from U.S.
1.2% American Indian/Alaskan Native
22.7% Asian
7.0% Black/African-American
17.5% Hispanic/Latino
11.0% Multi-race (not Hispanic/Latino)
0.4% Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander
39.8% White
0.4% Unknown
International Students
9.1% from 76 countries
First-Year Students Returning
98.0%
Students Graduating Within 4 Years
74.9%
Graduates Offered Full-Time Employment Within 6 Months
50%
Graduates Pursuing Advanced Study Directly
Not reported
See more

Freshman Admission Requirements

Entrance Difficulty

Most Difficult: More than 75% of freshmen were in the top 10% of their high school class and scored over 1310 on the SAT I or over 29 on the ACT; about 30% or fewer of all applicants accepted.

High School Preparation

High School Graduation
High school diploma required and GED is accepted
High School Program
College preparatory program is recommended

High School Units Required or Recommended

High School Units Required or Recommended
Subject Required Units Recommended Units
English   4
Mathematics   4
Science   3
Foreign Language   3
Social Studies   3
History   3
Academic Electives    

Examinations

Examinations
Exam Required Units Scores Due in Admissions Office
SAT or ACT Required January 15
SAT Only    
ACT Only    
SAT and SAT Subject Tests, or ACT    
SAT Subject Tests Only Recommended
SAT Essay Component Policy Not Reported
ACT Writing Test Policy Writing component required
ACT Writing Test Policy SAT: Used for admission
ACT: Used for admission

Applying for Admission

Admissions Office

Address
450 Serra Mall
City, State, Zip
Stanford, CA 94305-2004
Phone
(650) 723-2091
Fax
(650) 725-2846
E-mail
admission@stanford.edu

Application Dates and Fees

Regular Admisson Deadline
January 2
Application Fee
$90
Application Fee Waiver
Available
Regular Admission Notification
April 1
Accept Offer of Admission
May 1
Waiting List Used
Yes
Defer Admission
Student can defer admission
Transfer Admission
Transfer applications accepted

Early Admission

Early Decision Offered
No
Early Decision Deadline
 
Early Decision Notification
 
Early Action Offered
Yes
Early Action Deadline
November 1
Early Action Notification
December 15

Application Form

Common Application
Accepted
Universal College Application
Not accepted
Electronic Application
Available

Other Application Requirements

Interview
Not Required
Essay or Personal Statement
Required for all freshmen
Letters of Recommendation
2 required for all freshmen
Other
 
Financial Need
Financial need is not a consideration in the admissions process

Selection of Students

Selection of Students
Factor Very Important Important Considered Not Considered
Rigor of Secondary School Record X
Academic GPA X
Standardized Tests X
Class Rank X
Recommendations X
Essay X
Interview X
Level of Applicant's Interest X
Extracurricular Activities X
Volunteer Work X
Particular Talent/Ability X
Character/Personal Qualities X
First Generation to Attend College X
State Residency X
Geographic Residence X
Relation with Alumnus X
Religious Affiliation/Commitment X
Ethnicity X
Work Experience X

Profile of Fall Admission

Overall Admission Rate
5% of 43,997 applicants were admitted
Women
5% of 20,992 applicants were admitted
Men
4% of 23,005 applicants were admitted
Students Enrolled
1,795 (85%) of 2,118 admitted students enrolled
Women
912 (84%) of 1,087 admitted students enrolled
Men
883 (86%) of 1,031 admitted students enrolled
Early Decision Admission Rate
 
Early Action Admission Rate
Not reported
Students Offered Wait List
1,569
Students Accepting Wait List Position
1,044
Students Admitted From Wait List
55

Grade Point Average of Enrolled Freshmen (4.0 scale)

Average GPA
3.94
3.75 and Above
94%
3.50 - 3.74
5%
3.25 - 3.49
1%
3.00 - 3.24
 
2.50 - 2.99
 
2.00 - 2.49
 

SAT Scores of Enrolled Freshmen

SAT Math
700-780 range of middle 50%
Score of 700 - 800
73%
Score of 600 - 700
24%
Score of 500 - 600
3%
Score of 400 - 500
0%
Score of 300 - 400
0%
Score of 200 - 300
0%
SAT EBRW
690-760 range of middle 50%
Score of 700 - 800
76%
Score of 600 - 700
22%
Score of 500 - 600
2%
Score of 400 - 500
0%
Score of 300 - 400
0%
Score of 200 - 300
0%

ACT Scores of Enrolled Freshmen

ACT Composite
31-35 range of middle 50%
Score of 30 - 36
87%
Score of 24 - 29
12%
Score of 18 - 23
1%
Score of 12 - 17
0%
Score of 6 - 11
0%
Score of 5 or Below
0%

Other Qualifications of Enrolled Freshmen

High School Class Rank
Top tenth: 95%
Top quarter: 99%
Top half: 100%
National Merit Scholar
Not reported
Valedictorian
Not reported
Class President
Not reported
Student Government Officer
Not reported

Tuition and Expenses

Cost of Attendance
$66,184
Tuition and Fees
$49,617
Room and Board
$15,112
Books and Supplies
$1,455
Other Expenses
Not reported
Payment Plans
Installment plan

Applying for Financial Aid

Financial Aid Office

Email
financialaid@stanford.edu
Web Site
Financial Aid Web Site
Net Price Calculator URL
Net Price Calculator URL

Application Process

Application Deadline
Priority deadline February 15
Award Notification
On a rolling basis beginning April 1
Methodology for Awarding Institutional Aid
Federal and Institutional Methodologies
Forms Required Cost to File
FAFSA
Code is 001305		 Free
CSS/Financial Aid Profile $25 for first college, $16 each additional

Profile of 2017 - 18 Financial Aid

Freshman

Financial Aid Applicants
1,012 (58.2%) of freshmen
Found to Have Financial Need
808 (79.8%) of applicants
Received Financial Aid
794 (98.3%) of applicants with financial need
Need Fully Met
753 (94.8%) of aid recipients
Average Percent of Need Met
100%
Average Award
$53,337
Need-Based Gift
Received by 776 (97.7%) of aid recipients, average amount $50,234
Need-Based Self-Help
Received by 521 (65.6%) of aid recipients, average amount $2,214
Merit-Based Gift
Received by 23 (2.9%) of aid recipients
Merit-Based Gift
1 (.1%) of freshmen had no financial need and received merit aid, average amount $1,431

All Undergraduates

Financial Aid Applicants
3,714 (53.8%) of undergraduates
Found to Have Financial Need
3,362 (90.5%) of applicants
Received Financial Aid
3,315 (98.6%) of applicants with financial need
Need Fully Met
3,048 (91.9%) of aid recipients
Average Percent of Need Met
100%
Average Award
$51,729
Need-Based Gift
Received by 3,252 (98.1%) of aid recipients, average amount $48,039
Need-Based Self-Help
Received by 2,473 (74.6%) of aid recipients, average amount $2,557
Merit-Based Gift
Received by 126 (3.8%) of aid recipients
Merit-Based Gift
24 (.3%) of undergraduates had no financial need and received merit aid, average amount $10,434

Borrowing

2016 Graduates Who Took Out Loans
18%
Average Indebtedness of 2016 Graduates
$20,205
Parents of Students Receiving Aid
2.0%
Parents of Students Not Receiving Aid
Not reported

Financial Aid Programs

Loans

Federal Loans
Direct subsidized Stafford loans, direct unsubsidized Stafford loans, direct PLUS loans, Federal Perkins loans
State Loans
 
Other Loans
 

Scholarships and Grants

Need-Based Available
Federal Pell grants, SEOG, State scholarships, Institutional scholarships, Private scholarships
Non-Need–Based Available
None

Non-Need Awards

Academic Interest/Achievement Award Areas
Not reported
Number of Awards
Not reported
Top Areas (By Money Awarded)
 
Creative Arts/Performance Award Areas
Not reported
Number of Awards
Not reported
Top Areas (By Money Awarded)
 
Special Achievements/Activities Award Areas
Not reported
Number of Awards
Not reported
Top Areas (By Money Awarded)
 
Special Characteristics Award Areas
Not reported
Number of Awards
Not reported
Top Areas (By Money Awarded)
 

Employment

Work-Study Programs
Federal work study available, other work study available
Average Earnings from On-Campus Employment
$2,358
Academic Calendar System
Quarter
Summer Session
Offered
General Catalog/Bulletin
Online Catalog

Undergraduate Education

Undergraduate Majors

  • Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical/Space Engineering
  • African-American/Black Studies
  • American Indian/Native American Studies
  • American/United States Studies/Civilization
  • Ancient Studies/Civilization
  • Ancient/Classical Greek Language and Literature
  • Anthropology
  • Archeology
  • Area Studies, Other
  • Art History, Criticism and Conservation
  • Art/Art Studies, General
  • Asian Studies/Civilization
  • Asian-American Studies
  • Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering
  • Biology/Biological Sciences, General
  • Biometry/Biometrics
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Chemistry, General
  • Chinese Language and Literature
  • Cinematography and Film/Video Production
  • Civil Engineering, General
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General
  • Communication and Media Studies, Other
  • Comparative Literature
  • Computer Engineering, General
  • Computer Science
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General
  • East Asian Studies
  • Economics, General
  • Electrical and Electronics Engineering
  • Engineering, General
  • Engineering/Industrial Management
  • English Language and Literature, General
  • Environmental Studies
  • Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering
  • Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other
  • Film/Cinema/Video Studies
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General
  • Foreign Languages and Literatures, General
  • French Language and Literature
  • Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences, Other
  • Geology/Earth Science, General
  • Geophysics and Seismology
  • German Language and Literature
  • German Studies
  • Hispanic-American, Puerto Rican, and Mexican-American/Chicano Studies
  • History, General
  • Industrial Engineering
  • Industrial and Product Design
  • International Relations and Affairs
  • Italian Language and Literature
  • Japanese Language and Literature
  • Latin American Studies
  • Latin Language and Literature
  • Linguistics
  • Materials Science
  • Mathematics and Computer Science
  • Mathematics, General
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General
  • Music, General
  • Natural Resources Conservation and Research, Other
  • Petroleum Engineering
  • Philosophy
  • Physics, General
  • Political Science and Government, General
  • Psychology, General
  • Public Policy Analysis, General
  • Religion/Religious Studies
  • Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General
  • Science, Technology and Society
  • Slavic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General
  • Sociology
  • Spanish Language and Literature
  • Statistics, General
  • Systems Engineering
  • Systems Science and Theory
  • Urban Studies/Affairs
  • Women's Studies
Most Popular Disciplines
Engineering, Interdisciplinary studies, Computer and information sciences
Combined Liberal Arts/Professional Degree Programs
None
Special Programs
Student-designed major, Distance learning, Double major, English as a second language, Honors program, Independent study, Internships, Study abroad, Summer session
Study Abroad
Offered
Online Degrees
Not reported

Curriculum and Graduation Requirements

General Education/Core Curriculum
Required
Computer
Students not required to own/lease a computer
Foreign Language
Required
Math/Science
Required for all students

Faculty and Instruction

Full-Time Faculty
1,613
Part-Time Faculty
24
Full-Time Faculty with Ph.D./Terminal Degree
98%
Regular Class Size
2-9 students: 38% of classes
10-19 students: 32% of classes
20-29 students: 10% of classes
30-39 students: 5% of classes
40-49 students: 3% of classes
50-99 students: 8% of classes
Over 100 students: 4% of classes
Discussion Section/Lab Class Size
2-9 students: 52% of discussion sections/labs
10-19 students: 42% of discussion sections/labs
20-29 students: 6% of discussion sections/labs
30-39 students: 0% of discussion sections/labs
50-59 students: 0% of discussion sections/labs

Advanced Placement

International Baccalaureate
Accepted
Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations
Accepted for placement and credit
Sophomore Standing
Available through AP examinations

Academic Resources

Library Available on Campus
Yes
Holdings
11,077,000
Computer Ownership
Students not required to own/lease a computer
Computers Available on Campus
1000
Internet/E-mail Access
Not reported

Academic Support Services

Remedial Instruction
Not Offered
Tutoring
Available
Services for Learning Disabled Students
Available
Services for Physically Disabled Students
Hearing impaired services, speech disorders services, visually impaired services, wheelchair access

Graduate/Professional School Education

Master's Degrees Offered

Master of Fine Arts, Master of Science, Master of the Science of Law, Master of Arts in Education, Master of Business Administration, Master of Legal Studies, Master of Laws, Master of Arts

Master's Programs of Study

  • Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering
  • Anthropology
  • Applied Arts and Design--General
  • Applied Physics
  • Archaeology
  • Art/Fine Arts
  • Asian Languages
  • Asian Studies
  • Bioengineering
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences--General
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Biostatistics
  • Business Administration and Management--General
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Chinese
  • Civil Engineering
  • Classics
  • Clinical Research
  • Communication--General
  • Computational Sciences
  • Computer Science
  • Construction Engineering
  • Cultural Studies
  • Curriculum and Instruction
  • Developmental Biology
  • East European and Russian Studies
  • Ecology
  • Education--General
  • Educational Leadership and Administration
  • Educational Media/Instructional Technology
  • Educational Policy
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Elementary Education
  • Energy and Power Engineering
  • Engineering Design
  • Engineering Management
  • Engineering Physics
  • Engineering and Applied Sciences--General
  • English
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Environmental Law
  • Environmental Sciences
  • Epidemiology
  • Film, Television, and Video Production
  • French
  • Geophysics
  • Geosciences
  • Geotechnical Engineering
  • German
  • Health Services Research
  • History
  • Hydrology
  • Industrial/Management Engineering
  • International and Comparative Education
  • Italian
  • Japanese
  • Journalism
  • Law
  • Legal and Justice Studies
  • Linguistics
  • Materials Engineering
  • Materials Sciences
  • Mathematics
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Mechanics
  • Media Studies
  • Medical Informatics
  • Music
  • Philosophy
  • Political Science
  • Secondary Education
  • Spanish
  • Statistics
  • Structural Engineering
  • Sustainable Development

Doctoral Degrees Offered

Doctor of the Science of Law, Doctor of Philosophy, Doctor of Musical Arts, Doctor of Medicine, Juris Doctor

Doctoral Programs of Study

  • Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering
  • Allopathic Medicine
  • Anthropology
  • Applied Arts and Design--General
  • Applied Physics
  • Archaeology
  • Art/Fine Arts
  • Asian Languages
  • Biochemistry
  • Bioengineering
  • Biological and Biomedical Sciences--General
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Biophysics
  • Biostatistics
  • Business Administration and Management--General
  • Chemical Engineering
  • Chemistry
  • Chinese
  • Civil Engineering
  • Classics
  • Clinical Research
  • Communication--General
  • Comparative Literature
  • Computational Sciences
  • Computer Science
  • Construction Engineering
  • Cultural Studies
  • Developmental Biology
  • Ecology
  • Economics
  • Education--General
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Energy and Power Engineering
  • Engineering Management
  • Engineering Physics
  • Engineering and Applied Sciences--General
  • English
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Environmental Law
  • Environmental Sciences
  • Epidemiology
  • Film, Television, and Video Production
  • French
  • Genetics
  • Geophysics
  • Geosciences
  • Geotechnical Engineering
  • German
  • Health Services Research
  • History
  • Hydrology
  • Immunology
  • Industrial/Management Engineering
  • International and Comparative Education
  • Italian
  • Japanese
  • Journalism
  • Law
  • Legal and Justice Studies
  • Linguistics
  • Materials Engineering
  • Materials Sciences
  • Mathematics
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Mechanics
  • Media Studies
  • Medical Informatics
  • Microbiology
  • Music
  • Philosophy
  • Physics
  • Physiology
  • Political Science
  • Psychology--General
  • Religion
  • Slavic Languages
  • Sociology
  • Spanish
  • Statistics
  • Structural Biology
  • Structural Engineering
  • Sustainable Development
  • Systems Biology
  • Theater

Location and Setting

Stanford Population
13,809
Nearest Metropolitan Area
San Francisco, San Jose
Campus Size
8,180 acres

Weather

Temperature
45.8 average low in January, 68.7 average high in September
Rain
68 rainy days per year

Getting Around

Campus Map
Map
Nearest Bus Station
1 mile(s) from campus in Palo Alto
Nearest Train Station
25 mile(s) from campus in San Jose

Housing

College Housing
College offers housing to students
Types of Housing
Women only housing, coed housing, cooperative housing, disabled student housing
Students in College Housing
93% of all students
Housing Requirements
Freshmen are required to live on campus
Freshman Housing Guarantee
Freshmen are guaranteed housing
Students Living Off Campus/Commuting
1%
Off-Campus Housing Assistance
Assistance in locating off-campus housing is available

Security

24-Hour Emergency Phone/Alarm Devices
Available
24-Hour Security Patrols
Available
Late-Night Transport/Escort Services
Available
Electronically Operated Housing Entrances
Available
Other
 

Personal Support Services

Health Service
Offered
Personal Counseling
Offered
Child Care
Offered

Sports and Recreation

Intercollegiate Athletics

Athletic Conferences
NCAA Division I, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
Mascot
Tree
School Colors
Cardinal and white

Intercollegiate Sports Offered

Sports Women Men
Offered Scholarships Offered Scholarships
Baseball     x x
Basketball x x x x
Crew x x x x
Cross-Country Running x x x x
Fencing x x x x
Field Hockey x x    
Football     x x
Golf x x x x
Gymnastics x x x x
Lacrosse x x    
Sailing x   x  
Soccer x x x x
Softball x x    
Squash x      
Swimming And Diving x x x x
Tennis x x x x
Track And Field x x x x
Volleyball x x x x
Water Polo x x x x
Wrestling     x x
Women's Sports
Offered Scholarships
Baseball    
Basketball x x
Crew x x
Cross-Country Running x x
Fencing x x
Field Hockey x x
Football    
Golf x x
Gymnastics x x
Lacrosse x x
Sailing x  
Soccer x x
Softball x x
Squash x  
Swimming And Diving x x
Tennis x x
Track And Field x x
Volleyball x x
Water Polo x x
Wrestling    
Mens's Sports
Offered Scholarships
Baseball x x
Basketball x x
Crew x x
Cross-Country Running x x
Fencing x x
Field Hockey    
Football x x
Golf x x
Gymnastics x x
Lacrosse    
Sailing x  
Soccer x x
Softball    
Squash    
Swimming And Diving x x
Tennis x x
Track And Field x x
Volleyball x x
Water Polo x x
Wrestling x x
Women's Club Sports
archery, badminton, cheerleading, equestrian sports, racquetball, rock climbing, rugby, skiing (downhill), triathlon, ultimate Frisbee
Men's Club Sports
archery, badminton, cheerleading, equestrian sports, ice hockey, lacrosse, racquetball, rock climbing, rugby, skiing (downhill), squash, triathlon, ultimate Frisbee

Recreational Sports

Intramural Sports
badminton, bowling, football, racquetball, rock climbing, sand volleyball, softball, track and field, ultimate Frisbee, volleyball, water polo

Student Activities

Activities and Organizations
choral groups, marching band, drama theatre, radio station, student newspaper, television station, national fraternities, national sororities, ram's head (theatre club), axe committee (athletic support), business association of stanford entrepreneurial students, asian-american student association, stanford daily
Sororities
25% of women participate
Fraternities
19% of men participate
ROTC
Army ROTC is offered off campus, Navy ROTC is offered off campus, Air Force ROTC offered off campus

Student Body

Coeducational
Yes
All Undergraduates
7,034
Women
3,413 (48.5%)
Men
3,621 (51.5%)
Full-Time Undergraduates
7,034
Ethnicity of Students from U.S.
1.2% American Indian/Alaskan Native
22.7% Asian
7.0% Black/African-American
17.5% Hispanic/Latino
11.0% Multi-race (not Hispanic/Latino)
0.4% Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Islander
39.8% White
0.4% Unknown
International Students.
9.1% from 76 countries
Average Age
20
All Graduate Students
9,880

Undergraduate Retention and Graduation

First-Year Students Returning
98.0%
Students Graduating Within 4 Years
74.9%
Students Graduating Within 5 Years
88.6%
Students Graduating Within 6 Years
94.0%

After Graduation

Graduates Offered Full-Time Employment Within 6 Months
50%
Average Starting Salary
50%
Graduates Pursuing Advanced Study Directly
Not reported
Disciplines Pursued
Not reported

A portion of the College Profile data is provided under license by:
Peterson's Undergraduate and Undergraduate Financial Aid Databases, copyright © 2019 Peterson's, a Nelnet company. All rights reserved."