Who really get into Stanford?

[Anonymous]

For the longest time, I thought Stanford is only for Olympians or other super hooked kids whose parents are Silicon Valley big names. Never even took STEM kid 1 with super high stats from top private to tour even when we were already touring nearby Cal and Caltech bc we assumed he would have zero chance. That DC ended up with multiple T10 accepts. Now with DC 2, we also are not considering or touring Stanford strictly bc we assumed it’s not for unconnected earthlings like us. But lately hearing regular smart kids are getting in off WL in August??

Is this true that non-celeb, olympians/ non-actual genius kids are getting in and if so, with what kind of stats, profile, from what kinds of HS? TIA

[Anonymous]

Still URM/first generation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Still URM/first generation

What about legacies?

[Anonymous]

The valedictorian of my kid's Big3 private has gone 3 of the past 5 years. rejected in 2025 though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For the longest time, I thought Stanford is only for Olympians or other super hooked kids whose parents are Silicon Valley big names. Never even took STEM kid 1 with super high stats from top private to tour even when we were already touring nearby Cal and Caltech bc we assumed he would have zero chance. That DC ended up with multiple T10 accepts. Now with DC 2, we also are not considering or touring Stanford strictly bc we assumed it’s not for unconnected earthlings like us. But lately hearing regular smart kids are getting in off WL in August??

Is this true that non-celeb, olympians/ non-actual genius kids are getting in and if so, with what kind of stats, profile, from what kinds of HS? TIA

My son got in in 2023. We were all shocked. He attended an APS public, 1580 SAT, all 5s on AP exams, 4.0 UW/4.3 W GPA. UMC white kid, no hooks. His extracurriculars were excellent, but not anything that won awards. No sports. The woman who read his application did send a note after he was accepted complimenting him on his essay. He is not a STEM kid - wants to go to law school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For the longest time, I thought Stanford is only for Olympians or other super hooked kids whose parents are Silicon Valley big names. Never even took STEM kid 1 with super high stats from top private to tour even when we were already touring nearby Cal and Caltech bc we assumed he would have zero chance. That DC ended up with multiple T10 accepts. Now with DC 2, we also are not considering or touring Stanford strictly bc we assumed it’s not for unconnected earthlings like us. But lately hearing regular smart kids are getting in off WL in August??

Is this true that non-celeb, olympians/ non-actual genius kids are getting in and if so, with what kind of stats, profile, from what kinds of HS? TIA

We are wondering the same about Duke and Vanderbilt. Never even considered them since they are near impossible to crack into. Feeling a little different this year though after all the Duke WL admits. Vandy is probably still impossible unless you apply ED.

[Anonymous]

Just took a tour. All the students we have encountered are URM/first generation and talked about how financial aids help them and many are doing the 5th year for co-terminous master degrees. So envious of them as I know my unhooked yet qualified kid will not get in.

[Anonymous]

-Californians. There are high schools that send 10-20 each.
-Olympians. Stereotype is true. I know of 2 personally.
-Rowers. I know 6 personally between the kids of DMV, Philadelphia and Boston friends. they're also all strong students but not more so than any other strong students.
-kids who do something next-level in terms of extracurriculars. Like they found the typical non-profit but it ends up in the international news or their coding project gets seed-funded by Google.

[Anonymous]

Someone at each of my kids' high schools got last year. Unhooked, high stats, but really top students. One also admitted to Harvard, the other to MIT, or something like that.

Years back it seemed like Stanford was looking for a certain fire-in-the-belly. Perhaps things have changed or perhaps they need a certain number of high stats kids regardless.

[Anonymous]

W school

No hooks

3 of mine that applied

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:-Californians. There are high schools that send 10-20 each.
-Olympians. Stereotype is true. I know of 2 personally.
-Rowers. I know 6 personally between the kids of DMV, Philadelphia and Boston friends. they're also all strong students but not more so than any other strong students.
-kids who do something next-level in terms of extracurriculars. Like they found the typical non-profit but it ends up in the international news or their coding project gets seed-funded by Google.

This is a strange comment...every NCAA athlete that is recruited at Stanford gets in. It's not like they actively recruit Rowers but just hope they accept kids who can play baseball. You might as well say Football...because they actually recruit more football players than any other sport.

Olympians in NCAA sports of course are recruited by all colleges...I don't know, does Stanford recruit more than their fair share of figure skaters or snowboarders or other Olympians that don't play an NCAA sport?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:-Californians. There are high schools that send 10-20 each.
-Olympians. Stereotype is true. I know of 2 personally.
-Rowers. I know 6 personally between the kids of DMV, Philadelphia and Boston friends. they're also all strong students but not more so than any other strong students.
-kids who do something next-level in terms of extracurriculars. Like they found the typical non-profit but it ends up in the international news or their coding project gets seed-funded by Google.

This is a strange comment...every NCAA athlete that is recruited at Stanford gets in. It's not like they actively recruit Rowers but just hope they accept kids who can play baseball. You might as well say Football...because they actually recruit more football players than any other sport.

Olympians in NCAA sports of course are recruited by all colleges...I don't know, does Stanford recruit more than their fair share of figure skaters or snowboarders or other Olympians that don't play an NCAA sport?

Doesn't Stanford have one of the best women's crew teams in the NCAA?
NCAA National Champions: ‘09, ‘23, ‘25
Conference Champions: ‘14, ‘22, ‘23, ‘24, ‘25

So...yeah it makes sense.
People here are idiots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:-Californians. There are high schools that send 10-20 each.
-Olympians. Stereotype is true. I know of 2 personally.
-Rowers. I know 6 personally between the kids of DMV, Philadelphia and Boston friends. they're also all strong students but not more so than any other strong students.
-kids who do something next-level in terms of extracurriculars. Like they found the typical non-profit but it ends up in the international news or their coding project gets seed-funded by Google.

This is a strange comment...every NCAA athlete that is recruited at Stanford gets in. It's not like they actively recruit Rowers but just hope they accept kids who can play baseball. You might as well say Football...because they actually recruit more football players than any other sport.

Olympians in NCAA sports of course are recruited by all colleges...I don't know, does Stanford recruit more than their fair share of figure skaters or snowboarders or other Olympians that don't play an NCAA sport?

Be a female rower. I know three current students there who rowed in HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:-Californians. There are high schools that send 10-20 each.
-Olympians. Stereotype is true. I know of 2 personally.
-Rowers. I know 6 personally between the kids of DMV, Philadelphia and Boston friends. they're also all strong students but not more so than any other strong students.
-kids who do something next-level in terms of extracurriculars. Like they found the typical non-profit but it ends up in the international news or their coding project gets seed-funded by Google.

This is a strange comment...every NCAA athlete that is recruited at Stanford gets in. It's not like they actively recruit Rowers but just hope they accept kids who can play baseball. You might as well say Football...because they actually recruit more football players than any other sport.

Olympians in NCAA sports of course are recruited by all colleges...I don't know, does Stanford recruit more than their fair share of figure skaters or snowboarders or other Olympians that don't play an NCAA sport?

Doesn't Stanford have one of the best women's crew teams in the NCAA?
NCAA National Champions: ‘09, ‘23, ‘25
Conference Champions: ‘14, ‘22, ‘23, ‘24, ‘25

So...yeah it makes sense.
People here are idiots.

How does it make sense? They recruit for all their sports. It pays to be a great rower, softball player, soccer player, basketball player, football player...the list goes on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:-Californians. There are high schools that send 10-20 each.
-Olympians. Stereotype is true. I know of 2 personally.
-Rowers. I know 6 personally between the kids of DMV, Philadelphia and Boston friends. they're also all strong students but not more so than any other strong students.
-kids who do something next-level in terms of extracurriculars. Like they found the typical non-profit but it ends up in the international news or their coding project gets seed-funded by Google.

This is a strange comment...every NCAA athlete that is recruited at Stanford gets in. It's not like they actively recruit Rowers but just hope they accept kids who can play baseball. You might as well say Football...because they actually recruit more football players than any other sport.

Olympians in NCAA sports of course are recruited by all colleges...I don't know, does Stanford recruit more than their fair share of figure skaters or snowboarders or other Olympians that don't play an NCAA sport?

Be a female rower. I know three current students there who rowed in HS.

Why not be a female soccer player or softball player?