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I was accepted several years ago with a 500 on verbal (and 800 on math) without being an athlete, URM, or other hook. The only way to ensure you have absolutely no chance of acceptance is not to try.</p>
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The 14% rate was only for 800 on verbal. It includes students who have scores swapped with mine and got an 800 on verbal + 500 on math, as well as those who scored 2400. I’m sure the apps who scored 2400 have an acceptance rate of far more than the 14% rate for 800V. In a news article from several years ago, the Dean of Admissions at Stanford said 35% of apps “fitting the profile” of perfect grades/scores were admitted.</p>
<p>As several other posts have stated, while SAT scores are correlated with acceptance rate, test scores are only one of many items that are considered. Among posters in the RD thread (a very biased sample), apps with near perfect SATs/grades/class rank and little else besides classroom activities were almost always rejected. In contrast the vast majority of posters that had excellent stats + achievements outside of the classroom that were impressive on a state/national level scale were accepted.</p>