I've been daydreaming about going to Stanford. If anyone could share their stats or give me an idea what GPA they're looking for from potential students, that would help me gauge where I stand. Heads up: I'm aware they consider a whole bunch of things beyond my GPA, I'm just trying to get an understanding of that specific aspect.
Stanford University is indeed a highly selective institution, and the student profiles reflect this. While specific GPA statistics for Stanford admissions can fluctuate slightly year to year, generally speaking, the majority of admitted students tend to have unweighted GPAs in the range of 3.8 - 4.0, corresponding to high 'A' averages in most grading scales.
However, it's also important to bear in mind that Stanford, like many top-tier universities, conducts a benchmark process known as recalculating GPAs. This involves adjusting your GPA based on specific course rigor and other factors, disregarding non-academic classes, for instance. Therefore, even if your GPA is slightly below this range, Stanford may view it more positively if it involves challenging coursework, like honors, AP, or IB classes.
And while it's true a high GPA is typically found amongst Stanford admits, the university does emphasize a holistic review of any application, so it's crucial to excel in other areas too, such as standardized tests, extracurriculars, and personal essays.
Ultimately, don't let any one aspect of your profile discourage you from applying if Stanford is your dream school. Every year, there are students who get in with a wide range of GPA values thanks to their other strong suits!
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