How to Get Into UCSD: Acceptance Rate and Strategies

July 8, 2024

ucsd acceptance rate, uc san diego acceptance rate

Berkeley and UCLA used to be the two clear-cut crown jewels of the University of California system. While that remains the case in 2024, many other branch campuses have become highly selective universities in their own right, with an ever-increasing degree of admissions difficulty. UC San Diego is the top example as it is now a place where 100% of admitted students hail from the top 10% of their high school class and the average GPA is over 4.0. Not shockingly, the UCSD acceptance rate has been on the decline in recent cycles.

Prospective Tritons now face a test-blind admissions process that requires near-perfect grades in a rigorous curriculum and exceptional essays. Given this tall order, the intent of this article is to provide future UCSD applicants with:

  • UC San Diego personalized admissions calculator
  • UCSD acceptance rate
  • UCSD in-state vs. out-of-state acceptance rate
  • SAT, ACT, GPA, and class rank of accepted UC San Diego applicants
  • Admissions trends
  • The demographics of current UCSD undergraduates
  • UC San Diego鈥檚 yield rate
  • How UC San Diego鈥檚 admissions officers evaluate candidates
  • Tips for applying
  • How to assess whether applying to UC San Diego is even worth the $70 application fee (for you)

UC San Diego Admissions Calculator

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UCSD Acceptance Rate 鈥 Class of 2027

UCSD received 130,841 applications for the Class of 2027 and admitted 32,314 students. This means that the UCSD acceptance rate is 25%.

In previous years, the UCSD acceptance rate was as follows:

Applicants Admits Acceptance Rate
Class of 2026 131,229 31,102 24%
Class of 2025 118,383 40,496 34%
Class of 2024 100,062 36,633 37%

UCSD In-State vs. Out-of-State Acceptance Rate

Golden State resident? Unfortunately, that won’t give you an admissions boost at UCSD, as in-state and out-of-state acceptance rates are identical:

In-State

  • Applicants: 84,933
  • Admits: 20,819
  • Acceptance Rate: 25%

Out-of-State/International

  • Applicants: 45,912
  • Admits: 11,584
  • Acceptance Rate: 25%

What GPA do you need to get into UCSD?

The University of California System has adopted a test-blind policy (more on that below). As such, performance inside the classroom takes center stage. Freshmen in 2023-24 had an average unweighted GPA of 4.11-4.29. Roughly 30% earned perfect GPAs and another 52% earned between a 3.75 and 3.99. Clearly, most incoming Tritons achieved straight A鈥檚 in high school.

What class rank do you need to get into UCSD?

Unlike Berkeley and UCLA, UCSD considers class rank when making decisions. You’ll need to bring impressive statistics in this area鈥100% of enrolled freshmen in the Class of 2027 earned a place in the top 10% of the graduating class.

Admissions Trends & Notes

  • UCSD remains test-blind for the foreseeable future, which means that they do not consider SAT or ACT scores in the admissions process, even if submitted.
  • The number of applications for the Class of 2027 declined for the first time in 20 years.
  • The UCSD acceptance rate dropped ten points between the Class of 2025 and 2026, only to rise a point this past year.
  • 74% of enrolled students hailed from California public schools, 5% from CA private schools, and 21% from non-CA domestic schools or international schools.

Who Gets Into UC San Diego?

Let鈥檚 look at the demographics of UC San Diego undergraduates:

Most of the UCSD Class of 2027 hailed from the Golden State and paid in-state tuition. The total geographic breakdown is as follows:

  • California (residents) 鈥 79%
  • Domestic nonresidents 鈥 12%
  • International nonresidents 鈥 10%

UCSD (UC San Diego) Acceptance Rate 鈥 Continued

Looking at ethnic identity, the breakdown of the entering Class of 2027 is as follows:

  • Asian American: 38%
  • Hispanic: 30%
  • Black or African American: 4%
  • International: 10%
  • Caucasian: 15%

The breakdown by gender reveals an almost perfectly even split between male and female students:

  • Male: 40%
  • Female: 56%

UC San Diego鈥檚 Yield Rate

UC San Diego鈥檚 yield rate鈥攖he percentage of accepted students who elect to enroll, divided by the total number of students who are admitted鈥攊s 22%, five points higher than last year. However, this is far lower than many other elite public institutions. For example, UT-Austin, UNC-Chapel Hill, and UGA are above 40%.

How UCSD Rates Applicants

There are only three factors that UC San Diego ranks as being 鈥渧ery important鈥 to their process: rigor of secondary school record, GPA, and application essays. Factors rated as 鈥渋mportant鈥 are: talent/ability, character/personal qualities, extracurricular activities, volunteer experience, and state residency.

As mentioned previously, UC San Diego, along with all other UC campuses . This makes the traditionally holistic review process at UC San Diego even more pronounced. Every application 鈥渋s reviewed by a minimum of 2 individuals.鈥

UCSD Acceptance Rate 2024 (Continued)

In the admissions office鈥檚 own words: 鈥淥ur goal is to identify and admit students who are fully prepared to excel in our challenging academic environment. We鈥檙e looking for students who represent strong academic achievement, exceptional personal talent and the broad diversity of abilities, personal experience and backgrounds characteristic of California.鈥

It definitely helps if you are recruited as an athlete to join one of . A great number of incoming students are designated as 鈥渞ecruited athletes鈥 each year and there are almost 600 total varsity athletes.

Tips for Applying to UC San Diego

If you plan on joining the 130,000+ Triton hopefuls for the next admissions cycle, you should know the following:

  • While a holistic process, UC San Diego does not offer interviews.
  • UC San Diego does not consider 鈥demonstrated interest鈥 in the admissions process.
  • UCSD is test-blind, and will not consider your SAT or ACT scores even if you submit them.
  • Similar to other UC campuses, recommendations are not required or considered.
  • Make sure to dedicate sufficient time and effort to the supplemental essays required by UC San Diego. There are eight total prompts. Applicants respond to four. Each response is limited to a maximum of 350 words.

1) Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time.

2) Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.聽

3) What would you say is your greatest talent or skill? How have you developed and demonstrated that talent over time?聽

4) Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.

UCSD (UC San Diego) Acceptance Rate 鈥 Continued

5) Describe the most significant challenge you have faced and the steps you have taken to overcome this challenge. How has this challenge affected your academic achievement?

6) Think about an academic subject that inspires you. Describe how you have furthered this interest inside and/or outside of the classroom.

7) What have you done to make your school or your community a better place?聽

8) Beyond what has already been shared in your application, what do you believe makes you stand out as a strong candidate for admissions to the University of California?

The best approach here is to select the four prompts that are the best fit for you and elicit the most compelling and personal responses. For more, read our blog: How to Master the UC Personal Insight Essays.

Should I apply to UCSD?

Getting into UCSD has never been more a challenging endeavor, as it now requires near-perfect (or perfect) grades in a curriculum loaded with honors/AP/IB courses. Even California-based applicants need to have pristine academic transcripts and other compelling attributes, as there is no in-state advantage at this institution.

UCSD (UC San Diego) Acceptance Rate 2024 – Final Thoughts

All students applying to UCSD need to make sure that they formulate an appropriate college list, containing a complement of 鈥渢arget鈥 and 鈥渟afety鈥 schools. You鈥檒l definitely want to do this in collaboration with an admissions professional who is aware of the latest trends and strategies associated with your prospective colleges.

Ready to begin crafting your UC applications? Consider checking out the following: