Sunday, November 23, 2025

Fact-Checking Stories On Acceptance Rates At The Elite Schools -- November 23, 2025

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. 


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