Google Gemini prompt:
Stanford suggests it is loosening its acceptance standards because the pool of students is getting smaller? Is there a source for that statement?
Google Gemini reply:
There is
no evidence to suggest that Stanford is loosening its acceptance standards
because the pool of students is getting smaller; in fact, its
admissions process remains extremely selective. The number of applicants
has generally increased over the years, though there was a slight
decline in a recent cycle. Key points regarding Stanford's admissions:
- High Selectivity:
- Stanford consistently maintains one of the lowest acceptance rates in the U.S., with recent data showing rates as low as 3.68% for the Class of 2026. Olivia is in the class of 2029 (?).
- Application Numbers:
- The number of applications has generally surged dramatically over the past few decades, indicating rising interest and not a shrinking pool of students.
- Recent Trends:
- For the Class of 2027, the number of applicants (53,733) actually declined slightly from the previous year's record high (56,378) -- Class of 2026, but the acceptance rate still only increased marginally to 3.91%.
- Policy Shift on Reporting:
- Since 2018, Stanford no longer publicizes real-time application numbers or early admission statistics during the admissions cycle itself to de-emphasize the perceived importance of low admit rates and the "hyper-competitiveness" surrounding them.
- The data is still reported annually to the federal government later.
- Reinstatement of Test Scores:
- Contrary to loosening standards, Stanford has recently decided to reinstate the standardized test requirement for applicants, indicating a continued emphasis on traditional academic metrics.
The
notion of a shrinking national pool of college-bound students is a
general trend that affects many non-elite universities, causing some to
ease their admissions processes, but it has not had that effect on
highly selective institutions like Stanford.
