How to get into UC Davis
What 630 admitted applicants actually had: their grades, test scores, activities, awards and intended majors, counted from 903 UC Davis results that students posted for the 2016 to 2027 cycles. Every number below is counted, not estimated.
Applying to UC Davis? Book a free call with a Specialist to see how your student’s file compares.
UC Davis admits by the numbers
Median unweighted GPA
3.96
Middle half 3.90 to 4.00
Median SAT
1,530
Middle half 1,480 to 1,560
Median ACT
35
Middle half 34 to 35
Median weighted GPA
4.42
Middle half 4.30 to 4.60
Results posted: 630 admitted, 127 rejected, 146 waitlisted. People who post results are a self-selected group, so this is not the UC Davis acceptance rate; the official rate is in UC Davis’s Common Data Set.
Admitted vs. rejected: grades are not the difference
| Median | Admitted | Rejected |
|---|---|---|
| Unweighted GPA | 3.96 | 3.76 |
| SAT | 1,530 | 1,480 |
| ACT | 35 | 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 UC Davis admits did outside class
Share of admitted applicants listing at least one activity of each type.
- Nonprofit/Service68%
- Athletics45%
- Tutoring/Teaching44%
- Research41%
- Internship36%
- Music36%
- STEM club/competition35%
- Work/Job27%
Held a leadership role
86%
Founded something
43%
National or intl. award
65%
Did research
41%
Intended majors of UC Davis admits
- Computer Science17%
- Engineering15%
- Biology8%
- Economics6%
- Pre-med/Health6%
- Business5%
Who got in
Of the admitted posters, 11% first-generation, 10% low income, 8% underrepresented minority, 7% legacy, 1% recruited athlete and 14% international. Of those who said where they enrolled, 3% chose UC Davis.
Three recent UC Davis admits
2027 cycle · RD · Political Science
Los Angeles applicant whose essay examined the inequality between his commute's two worlds.
GPA 3.98 UW · SAT 1520 · Original post
2026 cycle · Physics
Physics student and visual-novel studio leader who publishes astrophysics research and exhibits digital art.
GPA 4.00 UW · SAT 1530 · Original post
2026 cycle · Economics
Multidisciplinary student blending economics, orchestral leadership, autism research, and Chinese-language fluency.
GPA 3.98 UW · SAT 1550 · Original post
Where else UC Davis admits got in
UC Davis admissions questions
- What GPA do you need to get into UC Davis?
- Among 630 applicants who posted a UC Davis admission on r/collegeresults, the median unweighted GPA was 3.96 and the middle half reported 3.90 to 4.00 (526 reported a GPA). UC Davis sets no minimum GPA; these are what admitted posters reported.
- What SAT score do you need for UC Davis?
- Among 630 applicants who posted a UC Davis admission on r/collegeresults, the median SAT was 1,530 and the middle half scored 1,480 to 1,560 (434 reported an SAT). The median ACT was 35.
- What extracurriculars do UC Davis admits have?
- The most common activity types among admitted posters were nonprofit/service (68%), athletics (45%), tutoring/teaching (44%), research (41%). 86% held at least one leadership role and 65% listed a national or international award.
- What is the UC Davis acceptance rate?
- The official rate is published by UC Davis 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 UC Davis?
A Specialist who got into a school like UC Davis 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 2016 to 2027 cycles with transfer applicants excluded. Aristo Scholars is not affiliated with UC Davis. All colleges