Keep Stanford Small

We reject the elitist idea that Stanford should exclude talented students for the sake of excluding them. We also regret that Stanford rejects many good students each year. However, we also believe that Stanford must remain selective in order to remain a magnet for the world's top students, scientists, thinkers, and innovators. For better or for worse, the public sees selectivity as an indicator of quality, and Stanford must respect that sentiment.

We agree with President Hennessy's belief that it is important for Stanford to offer opportunities to students of all races, religions, backgrounds, and classes. But we also believe that it is possible to diversify our existing population without having to add thousands of extra students or lower the bar.

Expanding Stanford's undergraduate population by too much would seriously compromise our school's reputation. There are better ways to achieve greater diversity and expand opportunity, and the Stanford leadership should look into these alternatives.