Does Stanford consider legacy or donations in 2026?

FFormer Stanford admissions officers who have spoken on the record give a far more sober account of side doors than the people who sell them. In 2019 federal prosecutors charged the organizer of a college admissions bribery scheme, and Stanford's sailing coach was among those who pleaded guilty. Families who had never heard the phrase side door suddenly wondered how many applicants used one, and some began to wonder whether they should look for one too.

The officers' answer is more measured than the headlines, and since 2025 a change in California law has altered the picture again.