How to get into UCLA
What 686 admitted applicants actually had: their grades, test scores, activities, awards and intended majors, counted from 1,965 UCLA results that students posted for the 2016 to 2027 cycles. Every number below is counted, not estimated.
Applying to UCLA? Book a free call with a Specialist to see how your student’s file compares.
UCLA admits by the numbers
Median unweighted GPA
3.99
Middle half 3.92 to 4.00
Median SAT
1,550
Middle half 1,510 to 1,570
Median ACT
35
Middle half 34 to 36
Median weighted GPA
4.53
Middle half 4.40 to 4.70
Results posted: 686 admitted, 839 rejected, 440 waitlisted. People who post results are a self-selected group, so this is not the UCLA acceptance rate; the official rate is in UCLA’s Common Data Set.
Admitted vs. rejected: grades are not the difference
| Median | Admitted | Rejected |
|---|---|---|
| Unweighted GPA | 3.99 | 3.88 |
| SAT | 1,550 | 1,510 |
| 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 UCLA admits did outside class
Share of admitted applicants listing at least one activity of each type.
- Nonprofit/Service67%
- Research44%
- Athletics43%
- Tutoring/Teaching41%
- STEM club/competition36%
- Internship36%
- Music33%
- Work/Job28%
Held a leadership role
88%
Founded something
44%
National or intl. award
71%
Did research
44%
Intended majors of UCLA admits
- Computer Science15%
- Engineering12%
- Biology9%
- Economics8%
- Political Science7%
- Math6%
Who got in
Of the admitted posters, 10% first-generation, 10% low income, 11% underrepresented minority, 8% legacy, 1% recruited athlete and 12% international. Of those who said where they enrolled, 29% chose UCLA.
Three recent UCLA 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 · Engineering
Founder of a student-run computer club that became a nonprofit, plus science olympiad and global volunteer coding work.
GPA 3.88 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
How the UCLA admissions office reads a file
- How to write clear, readable UC personal insight answers
- How UCLA scores applications: what a state audit found
- Is a 4.0 enough for UCLA? Two 4.04 applicants compared
- What extracurriculars does UCLA look for? · members
- What makes a UCLA application stand out? · members
- How to write the UC challenge personal insight question · members
Where else UCLA admits got in
UCLA admissions questions
- What GPA do you need to get into UCLA?
- Among 686 applicants who posted a UCLA admission on r/collegeresults, the median unweighted GPA was 3.99 and the middle half reported 3.92 to 4.00 (569 reported a GPA). UCLA sets no minimum GPA; these are what admitted posters reported.
- What SAT score do you need for UCLA?
- Among 686 applicants who posted a UCLA admission on r/collegeresults, the median SAT was 1,550 and the middle half scored 1,510 to 1,570 (473 reported an SAT). The median ACT was 35.
- What extracurriculars do UCLA admits have?
- The most common activity types among admitted posters were nonprofit/service (67%), research (44%), athletics (43%), tutoring/teaching (41%). 88% held at least one leadership role and 71% listed a national or international award.
- What is the UCLA acceptance rate?
- The official rate is published by UCLA 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 UCLA?
A Specialist who got into a school like UCLA 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 UCLA. All colleges