The Stanford transfer acceptance rate hovers between 1% and 2% most years. Even when it spikes, it’s still under 5%. As a result, it’s statistically extremely unlikely that even a highly qualified applicant will get into Stanford through the transfer admissions path. To be fair, though, it’s just as hard to get in as a first-year, so no matter what you’re rolling the dice.
Stanford is so hard to get into because the demand for spots is immense. Even with the low odds, high-achieving students continue to strive to beat the odds. For the fall of 2024, Stanford received 4,120 transfer applications and accepted only 65 students — or . Nearly all of the accepted students chose to attend.
The best way to set yourself up for the possibility of acceptance to Stanford, ultimately, is preparation and strategy. Having straight As isn’t enough. Strong recommendations also aren’t enough. Neither are impressive leadership experiences and extracurriculars. It needs to be everything, and even then, it is hard to pull off.
Stanford does require the SAT or ACT for transfer admission, and don’t assume that you can use your scores from back in high school unless they were literally perfect. Plan, too, for the fact that you are applying to Stanford as a whole, not for a specific major or department. In the writing, you’ll need to make the case for yourself as a student and community member, not for any particular program as your set major. Focus is still critical, though, which we’ll go into in-depth below.
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If you looked at the Stanford application as a high school senior, you know that they go hard on supplements. The transfer application is no different. There are a lot, and we break each one down below.
THE TRANSFER ESSAYS
First, though, a list.
Please list any academic honor societies that you have been a member of at your current or previous institutions (i.e., Phi Theta Kappa) (150 words)
This isn’t an essay prompt, but actually sort of the opposite. Take them seriously when they say “list.” They are not looking for a narrative retelling of your pursuit of entry into an academic honor society. And if you aren’t in any, don’t stress about it. Leave this blank.
Academic Interests
Stanford allows you to specify up to three academic interests, but only requires that you select one. We advise students to stay focused, and don’t let this be a place where you throw something in that might be “fun” but that you haven’t actively pursued as of yet.
We support our students in selecting one or two areas of interest, and only choosing a third if it is a logical piece of their academic path. For example, if they are interested in creating technological tools to support access to communities in rural areas, they may select something like civil engineering, sustainable architecture + engineering, and environmental systems engineering. In this circumstance, all three would apply well to the interest. It’s important, though, that you prioritize what you put first on the list in your application writing when working on the essays that come next. Do not try to hit on everything a little, and instead go deep on your most likely path and passion.
The Stanford essays are extensive and exhaustive. You absolutely must give yourself plenty of time to tackle them, and ideally have support along the way as well. Now, let’s dive in.
Please provide a statement that addresses your reasons for transferring and the objectives you hope to achieve. (250 to 650 words)
This is not a place to rant or whine. It’s not a place to say that your classmates are dumb, or your professors are unimpressive, or the campus culture is uninspired. None of that kind of talk increases the chance that Stanford will say: “they sound like a great addition to our campus!” We understand the urge to say all your true feelings, but leave that for your journal. Here, we need you to make an academic-forward case for why your current school isn’t working for you — and why Stanford would be better.
You have 650 words, so plan to use one-third to talk about where you are now and the remaining two-thirds to focus on what being at Stanford would mean for you academically. Include specifics like the name of your preferred major, a professor or two you would particularly like to study under, a class or two you’d like to take, and a lab you’d like to work in, if applicable. Remember to not just say what you want to do, but also why. The why is, truly, the most important part.
Again, keep to academics. This isn’t about hyping up their alumni network. It’s about pursuing a degree at one of the most prestigious and exclusive universities in the world. That academic path is, for them, the most important piece of your reason for transferring, not the housing options.
What piece of advice would you share with your younger self? Describe what experience or realization led you to this understanding. (50 to 150 words)
This prompt is interesting because it allows for the fact that you’ve had a bit more time to grow up since high school. A lot has changed since you first applied to college, and there really is a “younger self” to look back on and provide insight to. A successful answer to this prompt needs to include vivid detail and clear narrative arc. However, you don’t have a lot of space. With only 150 words, that’s a lot to pack in. We advise students to approach it in a way that puts story first, and that strips out explanation. Using words to write things like “what I learned is…” would be a waste of space. Instead, convey that message through the story structure itself.
Remember, too, that “younger” doesn’t need to mean 15, or 10, or 5-year-old you. You decide your approach, and you decide the piece of advice. The way you answer this prompt should share a piece of you that the application reader is unlikely to see otherwise, and spotlight a shift in perspective that subtly underlines your readiness for Stanford.
What is the most significant challenge that society faces today? (50 word limit)
This is classic Stanford. Big question; little space. For this one, don’t look to the headlines or pull from something totally out of left field. Pick a challenge that is tied to your area of academic interest, even if it’s not a direct parallel. If you are a STEM student, this may be simple. Students studying engineering could talk about physical infrastructure or digital connectivity, for example. Students in the humanities are often a bit more stumped, but there are still so many options and directions. Maybe you focus on the attention economy and the decrease in care for narrative. Or maybe you reflect on the value of world-building in fiction to help people envision new ideas, systems, and opportunities. There are literally endless options.
What historical moment or event do you wish you could have witnessed? (50 word limit)
We love this prompt because it is fun to brainstorm and fun to write. It’s like a little mini scene – a compact vignette that can spotlight a side of you that may not otherwise come through. If you are a math major but a music lover, focus on a particular music moment over a mathematical breakthrough. There is plenty of room in the Stanford application to underline what you want to do academically, but this is a great place to show who you are beyond the textbooks and lecture halls.
What is the best compliment you have received? Who gave you this compliment? (50 word limit)
Wow, this is a hard one. You’re being invited to toot your own horn, but also don’t want to sound like you are tooting your own horn. It is extremely easy to come off as cocky in response to these questions, and that isn’t a good look. So, how do you avoid it? Pick something earnest. The best way to avoid sounding off-putting here is to be straightforward, honest, and earnest.
List five things that are important to you. (50 word limit)
What is important to you? It’s a big question, but there are opportunities for playful answers here that show your personality. What are you top five study snacks? Or your top five mountains to hike? Or your five favorite stuffed animals? Just doing a list of things you value, like family and friends, is okay. It won’t cause them to throw out your application, but it also won’t make them fall in love with you. We want them smiling, laughing, and in love with your application. This is a chance to be creative and fun.
The Stanford community is deeply curious and driven to learn in and out of the classroom. Reflect on an idea or experience that makes you genuinely excited about learning. (100 to 250 words)
For the early prompts, we encouraged you to focus on things outside of your prospective area of study and academic passions. This one is different. Here, you need to really make it about your academic interests. This shouldn’t be a surprise because they ask you specifically about learning in and out of the classroom — and you’re learning about your passion, right?
We love to approach this prompt by focusing on an idea and conveying it through an experience. For example, maybe you went to a planetarium and suddenly the stars weren’t just beautiful, they made sense. Or maybe you re-read a book that you loved as a younger student and discovered layers that you hadn’t known were even there before, which made you even more excited to keep learning and growing in your understanding of literature.
Whatever you choose to focus on here, it needs to be vivid, strong, and image forward, telling a story not simply explaining an experience.
Choose one of the two prompts below:
a. Virtually all of Stanford's undergraduates live on campus. Write a note to your future roommate that reveals something about you or that will help your roommate — and us — get to know you better. (100 to 250 words)
This is another of the non-academic prompts Stanford piles on, and we love it. Be earnest, be excited, be fun, but remember that this is a college application and that the only readers are admissions officers. Talking about pulling all-nighters does not communicate the type of passionate yet balanced students Stanford is looking for. Do they know that you’ll have late nights? Yes, but focus instead on how you’ll share interests and create community. If you have a quirky (but not off-putting) habit or hobby, this is a great place to share it, too.
b. Stanford's community is an essential part of the undergraduate experience. How do you define community, and what contributions have you made to yours? (100 to 250 words)
If you pick this prompt, the most crucial piece is to focus long-term. When they ask what contributions you have made, they don’t want to hear about a few church bake sales or one-off volunteer experiences. They are looking for stories of long-term investment in a community. It should also be your home community, not somewhere far away. Yes, there are tons of students who raise money for far off places or even go themselves, but writing about parachuting in and feeling like an honorary local is not actually the same as being one — and doesn’t pack the same punch. What impresses application readers is not how far you’ve traveled, but how deeply you’ve invested in the place you call home.
Please describe what aspects of your life experiences, interests and character would help you make a distinctive contribution as an undergraduate to Stanford University. (100 to 250 words)
This is the last supplement of the Stanford application, and it really builds on the previous one (if you pick option B). Stanford expects all students to invest themselves deeply in their personal learning, but they also expect students to invest in improving and augmenting the Stanford community. This isn’t just about you, after all, but also about being part of something bigger. Namely, the institution that is called Stanford.
Be as specific as you can in this prompt, naming particular organizations, events, and opportunities that you could tap into once on campus, and how you would contribute.
OPTIONAL ARTS PORTFOLIO
Stanford invites students with “extraordinary talent” in the fine or performing arts to submit an arts portfolio in addition to the other aspects of your application. It is not necessary that you be pursuing a major in the arts. However, “extraordinary” is a high bar. Successful students who submit arts portfolios are often accomplished professionals with impressive performance resumes or a history of gallery shows. Simply doing something as a hobby is not impressive, even if you are good at it.
As you prepare your transfer application, remember that Stanford is extremely selective when it comes to accepting transfer credits, so do not approach a Stanford transfer application on the assumption that all, or even just most, of your credits will transfer. We advise students transferring to Stanford to expect to have to complete at least one additional semester of coursework to fulfill degree requirements. It may not be necessary, but it’s best not to be blindsided.
If you are strongly considering a transfer and want to aim high, Contact us.