Historical Acceptance Rates

Stanford University's overall acceptance rate for the Class of 2028 is 3.9%, with 53,733 applicants and 2,099 admitted. The Early Action acceptance rate remains higher at 9.2%, with 3,831 applicants, while the Regular Decision acceptance rate is more competitive at 3.5%, drawing 49,902 applicants. Historically, acceptance rates have shown a general decline; for instance, the overall rate was 4.34% for the Class of 2027 and 4.36% for the Class of 2026, illustrating a tightening of admission standards and an increasingly competitive applicant pool. The gap between Early Action and Regular Decision acceptance rates has remained consistent at around 9.2% for Early Action across multiple years, highlighting a strategic advantage for early applicants.