How to get into UC San Diego
What 872 admitted applicants actually had: their grades, test scores, activities, awards and intended majors, counted from 1,507 UC San Diego results that students posted for the 2016 to 2027 cycles. Every number below is counted, not estimated.
Applying to UC San Diego? Book a free call with a Specialist to see how your student’s file compares.
UC San Diego admits by the numbers
Median unweighted GPA
3.97
Middle half 3.90 to 4.00
Median SAT
1,540
Middle half 1,490 to 1,560
Median ACT
35
Middle half 34 to 35
Median weighted GPA
4.50
Middle half 4.33 to 4.66
Results posted: 872 admitted, 294 rejected, 341 waitlisted. People who post results are a self-selected group, so this is not the UC San Diego acceptance rate; the official rate is in UC San Diego’s Common Data Set.
Admitted vs. rejected: grades are not the difference
| Median | Admitted | Rejected |
|---|---|---|
| Unweighted GPA | 3.97 | 3.80 |
| SAT | 1,540 | 1,500 |
| ACT | 35 | 34 |
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 San Diego admits did outside class
Share of admitted applicants listing at least one activity of each type.
- Nonprofit/Service66%
- Athletics45%
- Tutoring/Teaching45%
- Research41%
- STEM club/competition38%
- Internship34%
- Music34%
- Debate/MUN/Speech27%
Held a leadership role
86%
Founded something
43%
National or intl. award
71%
Did research
41%
Intended majors of UC San Diego admits
- Computer Science23%
- Engineering14%
- Biology9%
- Economics8%
- Political Science5%
- Math4%
Who got in
Of the admitted posters, 12% first-generation, 11% low income, 10% underrepresented minority, 9% legacy, 1% recruited athlete and 18% international. Of those who said where they enrolled, 9% chose UC San Diego.
Three recent UC San Diego 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
2027 cycle · RD · Economics
Rower and personal-finance educator who founded an organization teaching international students.
GPA 3.96 UW · SAT 1570 · Original post
2026 cycle · RD · Public Policy
Health-policy-minded DECA leader and club-sports captain who worked through housing and utility instability.
GPA 3.87 UW · SAT 1510 · Original post
Where else UC San Diego admits got in
UC San Diego admissions questions
- What GPA do you need to get into UC San Diego?
- Among 872 applicants who posted a UC San Diego admission on r/collegeresults, the median unweighted GPA was 3.97 and the middle half reported 3.90 to 4.00 (705 reported a GPA). UC San Diego sets no minimum GPA; these are what admitted posters reported.
- What SAT score do you need for UC San Diego?
- Among 872 applicants who posted a UC San Diego admission on r/collegeresults, the median SAT was 1,540 and the middle half scored 1,490 to 1,560 (609 reported an SAT). The median ACT was 35.
- What extracurriculars do UC San Diego admits have?
- The most common activity types among admitted posters were nonprofit/service (66%), athletics (45%), tutoring/teaching (45%), research (41%). 86% held at least one leadership role and 71% listed a national or international award.
- What is the UC San Diego acceptance rate?
- The official rate is published by UC San Diego 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 San Diego?
A Specialist who got into a school like UC San Diego 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 San Diego. All colleges