How to get into San Diego State
What 176 admitted applicants actually had: their grades, test scores, activities, awards and intended majors, counted from 262 San Diego State results that students posted for the 2017 to 2026 cycles. Every number below is counted, not estimated.
Applying to San Diego State? Book a free call with a Specialist to see how your student’s file compares.
San Diego State admits by the numbers
Median unweighted GPA
3.92
Middle half 3.83 to 3.98
Median SAT
1,500
Middle half 1,390 to 1,530
Median ACT
34
Middle half 33 to 35
Median weighted GPA
4.35
Middle half 4.22 to 4.54
Results posted: 176 admitted, 57 rejected, 29 waitlisted. People who post results are a self-selected group, so this is not the San Diego State acceptance rate; the official rate is in San Diego State’s Common Data Set.
Admitted vs. rejected: grades are not the difference
| Median | Admitted | Rejected |
|---|---|---|
| Unweighted GPA | 3.92 | 3.67 |
| SAT | 1,500 | 1,450 |
| ACT | 34 | 33 |
When the rejected applicants’ numbers sit this close to the admitted ones, the decision was made somewhere else in the file: the activities, the essays and the letters. That is where the rest of this page looks.
What San Diego State admits did outside class
Share of admitted applicants listing at least one activity of each type.
- Nonprofit/Service71%
- Athletics47%
- Tutoring/Teaching47%
- Work/Job39%
- Internship34%
- Music24%
- STEM club/competition23%
- Advocacy/Politics20%
Held a leadership role
81%
Founded something
35%
National or intl. award
53%
Did research
19%
Intended majors of San Diego State admits
- Computer Science20%
- Engineering15%
- Biology13%
- Business9%
- Political Science7%
- Economics6%
Who got in
Of the admitted posters, 16% first-generation, 25% low income, 13% underrepresented minority, 11% legacy, 3% recruited athlete and 1% international. Of those who said where they enrolled, 3% chose San Diego State.
Three recent San Diego State admits
2026 cycle · Engineering
IT intern and academic team captain targeting aerospace engineering.
GPA 3.81 UW · SAT 1500 · Original post
2026 cycle · Biology
Top-ranked student with a 1580 SAT and a self-designed community college research project, aiming for biochemistry.
GPA 4.00 UW · SAT 1580 · Original post
2026 cycle · Engineering
Aerospace-focused student combining independent research, robotics outreach, and entrepreneurship.
GPA 4.00 UW · SAT 1540 · Original post
Where else San Diego State admits got in
San Diego State admissions questions
- What GPA do you need to get into San Diego State?
- Among 176 applicants who posted a San Diego State admission on r/collegeresults, the median unweighted GPA was 3.92 and the middle half reported 3.83 to 3.98 (163 reported a GPA). San Diego State sets no minimum GPA; these are what admitted posters reported.
- What SAT score do you need for San Diego State?
- Among 176 applicants who posted a San Diego State admission on r/collegeresults, the median SAT was 1,500 and the middle half scored 1,390 to 1,530 (97 reported an SAT). The median ACT was 34.
- What extracurriculars do San Diego State admits have?
- The most common activity types among admitted posters were nonprofit/service (71%), athletics (47%), tutoring/teaching (47%), work/job (39%). 81% held at least one leadership role and 53% listed a national or international award.
- What is the San Diego State acceptance rate?
- The official rate is published by San Diego State in its Common Data Set. These pages do not compute one: people who post results are a self-selected group, so the share of admits among them is far higher than the real rate.
Applying to San Diego State?
A Specialist who got into a school like San Diego State can read your student’s file against these numbers and say where it stands out and where it doesn’t.
Source: self-reported results posts on r/collegeresults, each linked from our Database, counted across the 2017 to 2026 cycles with transfer applicants excluded. Aristo Scholars is not affiliated with San Diego State. All colleges