So, you want to transfer to Stanford? We get why. Stanford is an elite private research university in California’s Silicon Valley. It is world-famous for its STEM majors, sports, and cutting-edge research.
Stanford is also known for being competitive to get into. In 2023 (their most recent published data), their first-year acceptance rate was only 4%. However, their transfer acceptance rate was even lower at just 2%. We don’t say this to scare you. Instead, we want to motivate you. If you are serious about transferring to Stanford, you need to be a top candidate and ready to put the work in. If that sounds like you, here’s what you need to apply.
Stanford’s Requirements
Stanford defines eligible transfer candidates as having “graduated from high school (or attained high school equivalency)” AND “completed any amount of coursework to earn college or university credit in an associates or bachelor’s degree program after high school.” They also only consider candidates who will complete two years of full-time enrollment at Stanford; if that sounds like you, congrats! You can apply to Stanford as a transfer.
If you apply, you will need to send official transcripts from your high school and college, as well as two letters of recommendation from academic instructors. You will also need an official from your current school to submit a college report. Starting for the 2025-2026 cycle, ACT/SAT scores are also required (they are only recommended/optional for 2024-2025). If you don’t have scores, reach out to us, and we can give you further instructions on how to meet this requirement or help you find schools without it. They also have a checklist of needed materials on their website.
Finally, you will need to write essays as part of their application. Warning: it's a lot of essays. Thankfully, we are here to break them down.
Stanford’s Essays
Stanford asks for many essays, and if you are a serious candidate, they all have to be great. Our first tip is to give yourself enough time… it is quite a bit of writing.
Please provide a statement that addresses your reasons for transferring and the objectives you hope to achieve. (250 to 650 words)
We love how direct this question is. This question simply asks, why do you want to transfer? Your job is to come up with a great answer. Your answer can’t be “because Stanford is a great school.” Similarly, you shouldn’t trash your current college. Instead, you need to identify something Stanford has that your current school doesn’t. Then, you want to connect that thing to a goal of yours. For example, maybe you are at a small school that doesn’t do a lot of research, but you want to work in a Lab because you want to graduate with research experience as part of a professional goal. You can then speak directly to Stanford’s Sarafan ChEM-H lab.
This essay should start with a personal story that introduces your goal or want. This needs to connect in some way to what you want to study and your intended major (you need to state your intended major within the first two paragraphs of this essay… make it really clear.) You then need to identify specific opportunities at Stanford and how they relate to your experiences, goals, and/or interests. We recommend mentioning at least two higher-level classes, one professor you would love to do research with, and one other interesting academic opportunity.
The bulk of this essay needs to be about academics because academics come first in college. However, you can also speak to on campus opportunities that align with your goals and interests, especially if they connect directly to your reason for transferring.
Everything in this essay should, ideally, feel connected and streamlined. You don’t really need a formal conclusion, but you need to leave the reader with the feeling that Stanford is the best place for you to pursue your goals and that you would be an asset to them.
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)
There are two parts to this question, and you need to make sure you hit both. This is a little tricky because the word count is low. The advice itself is important. You want to choose something that is unique and impactful; however, the experience or how you had the realization is just as necessary, if not more. The story behind your advice is an opportunity to bring the reader into your world and what you care about. Without a good story, it is easy for advice to seem like it belongs on a HomeGoods sign. Your story is the way to elevate the advice. Take some time to think about the lessons you learned over the past couple of years.
What is the most significant challenge that society faces today? (50 word limit)
Ok, we kind of hate this question. It is a big question for 50 words. Also be kind to yourself with this—most adults, including folks at Stanford who wrote this question, can’t easily answer the prompt.
But you have to answer it and we have two pieces of advice. 1) Get specific. Saying “human rights” of “the environment” is far too big. Zero in to something you can speak about with confidence and specificity. 2) Connect it to what you are already involved in. If you are studying economics, talking about inflation is a better answer for you than it might be for others. If you are on your school’s board for March for Our Lives, gun violence might make more sense as an answer. If you connect it to your established work, your passion will come through better.
What historical moment or event do you wish you could have witnessed? (50 word limit)
Our advice here is very similar to the question above. Specificity and a connection to your interests will help you answer this question. We advise avoiding anything that feels too obvious. For example, skip “the signing of the Declaration of Independence.” If you want to talk about early American history, The Battle of Princeton or the signing of the Treaty of Paris will feel more unique. Honestly, it is also okay to get silly or quirky here. It's a great chance to showcase an interest that might not be anywhere else in your application. For example, if you love to cook as a hobby or are a foodie, maybe you would love to go to 1920s Tijuana to see the invention of the Caesar Salad.
This question also implies, " Why? " Make sure to include why you want to witness the event you chose.
What is the best compliment you have received? Who gave you this compliment? (50 word limit)
We love this question, but it is, again, a lot to fit into 50 words. Think about the important people in your life. The best compliment will likely come from someone you care deeply about. Don’t try to give the compliment you think they want to hear. Do some introspection and reflection. Authenticity will be an asset for this question.
List five things that are important to you. (50 word limit)
Please have some fun with this question. Note that it doesn’t say “the most important things.” Just “important.” Things can be objects, places, ideas, etc. Your local bookstore, favorite hot sauce, the record you can stop listening to, a pan you use to cook, or celebrating birthdays, can all be important. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box. If this sounds like a resume or a Hallmark card, you have answered incorrectly. Mix it up. Throw in a silly one amongst your serious ones or a serious one with your fun ones.
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)
If you have answered the first question well, they already know a lot about your major and why you love it. This is an opportunity to explore a second academic interest. Ideally, one that you connected with outside of class. We know that it says “in and out,” but you should showcase specifically who you are outside of class. We love showing that you care about self-directed learning and pursuing knowledge independently. Tell us about a rabbit hole of research or how you taught yourself a skill.
This should feel like a complete story. We want to know how you learned about the idea or what the experience was. Furthermore, how did it affect you? A great answer to this question includes what you did after or how the experience added to your perspective.
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)
Out of the two prompt options, we prefer this one. It lets you be more creative and show more sides of yourself. We recommend writing this like it's a letter. Tell them about what you are bringing or your daily habits. You can even talk about your current roommate relationship (though if it's negative, we would stay clear of it.) You want to be approachable and show some personality. Tell them about your fun hobbies and things you want to share. This doesn’t have to be overly formal, but it should feel appropriate.
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)
For this question, you need to tell a story about a time you connected with and contributed to a community that is important to you. You also have to define community. TBH, that is the part of the question that we don’t like. We define community as any group of people connected by a common interest or goal. It's a good definition (if we can say so ourselves) however, it can be blocky to integrate into a story about a specific community. If you are pulled to this question, do it, but make sure you tell a good story and hit both parts of the question.
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 a very broad question. It is important not to repeat yourself here. You have already written a lot of essays. Don’t rehash life experiences or interests that you have already gone into detail about elsewhere. We suggest thinking about the characteristics that make you unique. Make a list of the positive personality traits you like most about yourself, and then think of a story where you learned, strengthened or used that trait. Your essay should be about that story and how you would use that characteristic at Stanford. For example, if your trait is being outgoing, you could tell a story about reaching out to someone struggling to make friends. Finally, connect it to how you would be a community member who could make connections at Stanford.
After You Submit
Stanford asks you to “review the After Submitting Your Application page for answers to frequently asked questions” after submitting. It details the next steps that you should be familiar with. It walks you through the student portal and gives some essential tips. We highly recommend looking it over.
Stanford’s application is lengthy. Give yourself time to write it, and write it well. Editing is so important especially with their many short word counts. If you are feeling lost, take a deep breath and ask for help. We are here for you if you need us.
We’re pros at this. Talk to a dedicated college counselor today! Reach out here.