California State University-San Marcos Admission Requirements
Acceptance Rate
| Measure | Difficulty | |
|---|---|---|
| Admission Standards | Very Easy | |
| Applicant Competition | Average |
Can I get into California State University-San Marcos? The school has a 52% acceptance rate. Last year, 7,965 out of 15,366 applicants were admitted making California State University-San Marcos a more competitive school to get into with a good chance of acceptance for qualifying applicants. Academically, it has very easy requirements for admission test scores, generally admitting students who score in the top 66 percent. California State University San Marcos typically accepts and attracts "B" average high school students. Only 27% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school.
52% are accepted,
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SAT Requirements
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 25th | 470 |
| SAT Math 25th | 470 |
| SAT Composite 25th | 940 |
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 75th | 560 |
| SAT Math 75th | 570 |
| SAT Composite 75th | 1130 |
SAT Scores you need to get in
What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to California State University San Marcos?
California State University San Marcos typically requires applicants to be in the top 71 percent of SAT test takers. The school consistently takes SAT composite scores down to 940 on a 1600 scale, below which admission should be considered a reach. We estimate some students could be accepted with SAT's as low as 845. The estimated average SAT composite for admitted freshman is 1035 out of 1600. A competitive SAT score is critical as 88 percent of applicants submit SAT scores to the school. Note: SAT scores presented on this page have been adjusted upwards per the College Board's concordance tables for test takers after March 2016.
Estimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score
| SAT Score (1600 scale) | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 1130 and Above | Good | >65% |
| 1035 to 1130 | Avg + | 52%-65% |
| 940 to 1035 | Avg - | 39%-52% |
| 845 to 940 | Reach | 27%-39% |
| Less than 845 | Low | <27% |
ACT Requirements
| ACT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 25th | 17 |
| ACT Math 25th | 17 |
| ACT Composite 25th | 18 |
| ACT Test | 75th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 75th | 23 |
| ACT Math 75th | 24 |
| ACT Composite 75th | 23 |
ACT Scores needed to get accepted
What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into California State University-San Marcos?
Admission data indicates that California State University-San Marcos regularly accepts students with ACT's of 18 and above. Successful applicants typically send ACT scores in the top 62 percent nationally. We estimate the school accepting minimum ACT composite scores around 16 in some instances. Prospective students submitting an ACT composite of 20 or higher should be in the upper half of applicants - and students with a 23 and above have very competitive chances. 34 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to California State University San Marcos.
Estimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score
| ACT Score | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 23 and Above | Good | >67% |
| 20 to 23 | Avg + | 52%-67% |
| 18 to 20 | Avg - | 41%-52% |
| 16 to 18 | Reach | 32%-41% |
| Less than 16 | Low | <32% |
Estimated GPA Requirements
You will need about average high school grades to get into California State University San Marcos. The average high school GPA of the admitted freshman class at California State University San Marcos was 3.18 on the 4.0 scale indicating that primarily B students are accepted and ultimately attend. If your high school GPA meets these requirements, there is a good chance you will be accepted as California State University-San Marcos accepts 52% of students who apply.
| High School GPA | Freshmen Within Range | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 3.75+ | 7% | Good |
| 3.50 to 3.75 | 12% | Good |
| 3.25 to 3.50 | 20% | Good |
| 3.00 to 3.25 | 30% | Avg + |
| 2.75 to 3.00 | 29% | Avg - |
| 2.50 to 2.75 | 2% | Reach |
| 2.25 to 2.50 | N/A% | Low |
| 2.00 to 2.25 | N/A% | Low |
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Admission Statistics
| Women | Men | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 9,591 | 5,775 | 15,366 |
| Accepted | 5,164 | 2,801 | 7,965 |
| Acceptance Rate | 54% | 49% | 52% |
| Enrolled | 1,381 | 771 | 2,152 |
| Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) | 27% | 28% | 27% |
Admission Requirements
What are the requirements for admission to California State University San Marcos and what considerations affect admission decisions?
| Test Scores | Recommended |
| High School GPA | Required |
| High School Class Rank | Neither required nor recommended |
| Completion of College Preparatory Program | Required |
| Recommendations | Neither required nor recommended |
| Demonstration of Competencies | Neither required nor recommended |
Credits Accepted
| AP Credit | Yes |
| Dual Credit | Yes |
| Credit for Life Experiences | No |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=366711 IPEDS survey data for California State University San Marcos.