How to get into Stanford Forum

[raej]

I really want to go to Stanford and have a very high GPA, and other than getting in the mid 170's on the LSAT, what do I need to do to get accepted. It appears that there is no auto-admit numbers possible for Stanford. Since I probably have anything earth shattering to put on my application like rescuing a small African country from starvation, I want to know what you would do if you were me to increase my chances. Any honest and researched information would be greatly appreciated.

[caoyun]

I really want to go to Stanford and have a very high GPA, and other than getting in the mid 170's on the LSAT, what do I need to do to get accepted. It appears that there is no auto-admit numbers possible for Stanford. Since I probably have anything earth shattering to put on my application like rescuing a small African country from starvation, I want to know what you would do if you were me to increase my chances. Any honest and researched information would be greatly appreciated.

Part of it depends on your definition of a "very high GPA." For a lot of people, a 3.7 is huge, but it isn't all that impressive for Stanford. Typically, I'd say a 3.9/170 combination is good enough to get into Stanford. But depending on how high your GPA is, getting in the low to mid 170s should have you in pretty good shape.

Otherwise, can you suddenly become a URM? I mean, softs really only help you so much. Good recs and a good PS are required for Stanford. If you aren't a URM, you need high grades and you need to rock the LSAT.

[kurla88]

I hear Stanford likes school-specific LORs.

[underachiever]

I hear Stanford likes school-specific LORs.

+1
I would also say a GPA over 3.9, solid soft factors (leadership, volunteering, etc...), an LSAT of 172 or higher, and an entire application LORs, PS, extra essays if need be tailored directly to Stanford. I mean im sure people have gotten in w/o doing all this but it seems to be the best way to get into any school esp. a small selective school like Stanford

[raej]

I

I really want to go to Stanford and have a very high GPA, and other than getting in the mid 170's on the LSAT, what do I need to do to get accepted. It appears that there is no auto-admit numbers possible for Stanford. Since I probably have anything earth shattering to put on my application like rescuing a small African country from starvation, I want to know what you would do if you were me to increase my chances. Any honest and researched information would be greatly appreciated.

Part of it depends on your definition of a "very high GPA." For a lot of people, a 3.7 is huge, but it isn't all that impressive for Stanford. Typically, I'd say a 3.9/170 combination is good enough to get into Stanford. But depending on how high your GPA is, getting in the low to mid 170s should have you in pretty good shape.

Otherwise, can you suddenly become a URM? I mean, softs really only help you so much. Good recs and a good PS are required for Stanford. If you aren't a URM, you need high grades and you need to rock the LSAT.

I have a 3.96 GPA, and unfortunately am not a URM. I just want to know what I need to do because Stanford really does appear to evaluate the entire applicant.

I hear Stanford likes school-specific LORs.

To have a good shot I would need a 174/175 right?

+1
I would also say a GPA over 3.9, solid soft factors (leadership, volunteering, etc...), an LSAT of 172 or higher, and an entire application LORs, PS, extra essays if need be tailored directly to Stanford. I mean im sure people have gotten in w/o doing all this but it seems to be the best way to get into any school esp. a small selective school like Stanford

[J-Rod]

3.8 or better is probably a must, and I'd go with an LSAT higher than 174 . . . my roommate had a 3.7/177, and was from Cali and didn't get in, at a certain point it just becomes a crapshoot

[raej]

at a certain point it just becomes a crapshoot

The more I research about Stanford, the more I feel like you could have a 3.99 and 175 and get rejected. At Harvard you would be in for sure

[J-Rod]

at a certain point it just becomes a crapshoot

The more I research about Stanford, the more I feel like you could have a 3.99 and 175 and get rejected. At Harvard you would be in for sure

yeah, some schools are straight numbers, and other really do look at the softs . . . Stanford occasionally takes people well below their numbers, even when they're not URM, so does Berkeley, UVA, etc. While other schools like Harvard, Yale, GULC seem to be straight numbers


just gotta do as well as you can and hope for the best

[raej]

Bump.

Still looking for good advice if anyone has any

[osita2012]

Thinking about why Stanford is your top choice (beyond just "It's STANFORD!!!") will give your application a boost. If you can make a legitimate case as to why it's important for you to attend Stanford instead of, say, Harvard or Yale, I think that would stand out to the admissions committee. Also, it would be a useful exercise for you anyway just to determine whether or not Stanford really is the best fit for you. It's even better if you can connect specific programs that interest you at Stanford to your past experiences and future goals in a well-written PS. Don't change your application or portray yourself falsely if your interests don't actually align themselves with what Stanford offers, but do be conscious of how you could package your extracurriculars, volunteer work, etc. in order to showcase what a good fit you are for Stanford and what a good fit it is for you. I think this works for all schools, but is especially important at places like Stanford and Yale where numbers alone don't cut it. I hope this helps.

[osubeaverz]

I posted this on the other thread as well but:

Take it from someone who has applied to Stanford and failed, it's a humbling experience. Even if you have great numbers like a 175 and 3.9, there's still a chance you won't get in. It may seem frustrating to those of us who are drawn to its small class size, West Coast location, excellence clerkship opportunities, and possibility of academia but it's just the way it is. There are way more qualified candidates than available positions, and fair or not, doing your absolute best may not be enough to gain admission into such an elite school. It may not be what the OP wants to hear, but you needed to hear it from someone who has been in the same exact position

[yqsong]

get a stanford law grad to write you recommendation, i think that will help a lot

[huckabees]

I think your GPA puts you in a great position.

Originally, I thought that Stanford did not care about LSATs as long as they were beyond a certain threshold, but it seems like they are taking many high LSAT people this cycle, at least for their earlier acceptances.

[osubeaverz]

get a stanford law grad to write you recommendation, i think that will help a lot

With such small class sizes, good luck at trying to find a Stanford grad, then convincing them that your are intelligent/will be a good lawyer so they will write you a letter of recommendation.

[Kronk]

If it makes you feel better / worse, I was plugging numbers into Hourumd to look at past acceptances at Stanford the other day. I have a 3.9 / 173 and so I started there and it gives me a 49% chance. I bumped up the LSAT score a point and the percentage went down. I bumped it up again and it went down. At a certain level it started to go up again, but really I think you have an LSAT above 170 and a GPA above a 3.85, you've done all you can do and at that point, like an above poster said, it just becomes a crapshoot.

They say on their website that they strongly encourage school-specific LORs. Which is annoying to your writer, but I would recommend it. I'm sure your PS is invaluable as well, but I'm not convinced that traditional softs are as important as people make them out to be. I think strong LORs, PS, proof that you haven't been sitting on your couch all through undergrad, and a clear ambition or motivation for being there is your best bet.

Good luck, I'll be applying with you next fall.

[lunarmre]

I was admitted to SLS this year and I think my particular stats reveal a lot about how they go about putting together a class. First, SLS is SMALL and they are gestalt focused when assembling a class: ask any SLS affiliate and they'll tell you they consider a small, diverse and tight-knit student body to be one of their biggest priorities. That being said, I think its harder to really know your chances of getting into Stanford than for any other school, because you are more than just your numbers, you have to be that missing puzzle piece that fits a very specific space. In my experience a non-URM with a less than stellar LSAT, though, I would posit the following bits of advice.

1. Stanford, more so than any other top 14, is GPA focused. They factor GPA more highly than LSAT, so a GPA of 3.8 or higher is a must.

2. That being the case, you get a little bit of flexibility with LSAT, but not too much. I'm not a URM and I only got a 167, so there's hope if you didn't "rock" the LSAT. A score of 170 is fine for Stanford.

3. Market yourself as extremely unique. If you are not a URM or member of the LGBT community or other disadvantaged group or you have not done something truly remarkable (or fail to highlight it in your softs), BUT you've got a 4.0/180, expect rejection. No matter what your background or personal story, you have to play up your personal accomplishments and background to the max degree. Remember, they're weighing you in context with other students for what you've got to offer. For Harvard, you may feel you're overplaying your "cards" so to speak; for Stanford, double-down and sap it up.

4. Know someone in the Stanford community (not necessarily just from the law school) and have them speak for you. Its a small school and they really respect the opinions of members of their community.

5. Network. Again, its a small school. Try to get a student or other affiliate to vouch for you. Whether or not you think it will help, the faculty and student body are very close. The concept of hierarchy is much more lax in the Bay Area, and there is a much greater degree of bilateral communication among students and administration than in other schools.

When applying to SLS, contrary to what some here have said, your numbers (unless you got a poor GPA) are much less relevant than the other parts of your application. Work experience, good recs from individuals as closely affiliated with SLS, a great personal statement, and credible extracurricular/volunteer work are REALLY what may tip the scales for you...at least that was the case for me and many others I know.

best of luck

[huckabees]

I was admitted to SLS this year and I think my particular stats reveal a lot about how they go about putting together a class. First, SLS is SMALL and they are gestalt focused when assembling a class: ask any SLS affiliate and they'll tell you they consider a small, diverse and tight-knit student body to be one of their biggest priorities. That being said, I think its harder to really know your chances of getting into Stanford than for any other school, because you are more than just your numbers, you have to be that missing puzzle piece that fits a very specific space. In my experience a non-URM with a less than stellar LSAT, though, I would posit the following bits of advice.

1. Stanford, more so than any other top 14, is GPA focused. They factor GPA more highly than LSAT, so a GPA of 3.8 or higher is a must.

2. That being the case, you get a little bit of flexibility with LSAT, but not too much. I'm not a URM and I only got a 167, so there's hope if you didn't "rock" the LSAT. A score of 170 is fine for Stanford.

3. Market yourself as extremely unique. If you are not a URM or member of the LGBT community or other disadvantaged group or you have not done something truly remarkable (or fail to highlight it in your softs), BUT you've got a 4.0/180, expect rejection. No matter what your background or personal story, you have to play up your personal accomplishments and background to the max degree. Remember, they're weighing you in context with other students for what you've got to offer. For Harvard, you may feel you're overplaying your "cards" so to speak; for Stanford, double-down and sap it up.

4. Know someone in the Stanford community (not necessarily just from the law school) and have them speak for you. Its a small school and they really respect the opinions of members of their community.

5. Network. Again, its a small school. Try to get a student or other affiliate to vouch for you. Whether or not you think it will help, the faculty and student body are very close. The concept of hierarchy is much more lax in the Bay Area, and there is a much greater degree of bilateral communication among students and administration than in other schools.

When applying to SLS, contrary to what some here have said, your numbers (unless you got a poor GPA) are much less relevant than the other parts of your application. Work experience, good recs from individuals as closely affiliated with SLS, a great personal statement, and credible extracurricular/volunteer work are REALLY what may tip the scales for you...at least that was the case for me and many others I know.

best of luck

Thank you so much!

[lawschool0808]

I was admitted to SLS this year and I think my particular stats reveal a lot about how they go about putting together a class. First, SLS is SMALL and they are gestalt focused when assembling a class: ask any SLS affiliate and they'll tell you they consider a small, diverse and tight-knit student body to be one of their biggest priorities. That being said, I think its harder to really know your chances of getting into Stanford than for any other school, because you are more than just your numbers, you have to be that missing puzzle piece that fits a very specific space. In my experience a non-URM with a less than stellar LSAT, though, I would posit the following bits of advice.

1. Stanford, more so than any other top 14, is GPA focused. They factor GPA more highly than LSAT, so a GPA of 3.8 or higher is a must.

2. That being the case, you get a little bit of flexibility with LSAT, but not too much. I'm not a URM and I only got a 167, so there's hope if you didn't "rock" the LSAT. A score of 170 is fine for Stanford.

Lunarmre,

If I may ask, what was the aspect of your application that you feel added unique value besides your LSAT score and GPA? I wanted to know from the context of understanding how significant and unique the contribution would have to be in order for the admissions staff at Stanford to find the application worth considering. Thanks.

Dheeraj.