UC Merced Admission Requirements
Acceptance Rate
| Measure | Difficulty | |
|---|---|---|
| Admission Standards | Average | |
| Applicant Competition | Low |
Can I get into UC Merced? The school has a 70% acceptance rate. Last year, 15,754 out of 22,574 applicants were admitted making UC Merced a moderately competitive school to get into with a strong chance of acceptance if you meet the requirements. Academically, it has average requirements for admission test scores, generally admitting students who score in the top 47 percent. University of California Merced typically accepts and attracts "B+" average high school students. Only 15% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school.
70% are accepted,
can you get in?
SAT Requirements
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 25th | 550 |
| SAT Math 25th | 530 |
| SAT Composite 25th | 1080 |
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 75th | 630 |
| SAT Math 75th | 610 |
| SAT Composite 75th | 1240 |
SAT Scores you need to get in
What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to University of California Merced?
University of California Merced typically requires applicants to be in the top 45 percent of SAT test takers. The school consistently takes SAT composite scores down to 1080 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 1000. The estimated average SAT composite for admitted freshman is 1160 out of 1600. A competitive SAT score is critical as 94 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 1240 and Above | Good | >80% |
| 1160 to 1240 | Avg + | 70%-80% |
| 1080 to 1160 | Avg - | 58%-70% |
| 1000 to 1080 | Reach | 45%-58% |
| Less than 1000 | Low | <45% |
ACT Requirements
| ACT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 25th | 17 |
| ACT Math 25th | 19 |
| ACT Composite 25th | 20 |
| ACT Test | 75th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 75th | 23 |
| ACT Math 75th | 24 |
| ACT Composite 75th | 27 |
ACT Scores needed to get accepted
What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into UC Merced?
Admission data indicates that UC Merced regularly accepts students with ACT's of 20 and above. Successful applicants typically send ACT scores in the top 49 percent nationally. We estimate the school accepting minimum ACT composite scores around 16 in some instances. Prospective students submitting an ACT composite of 24 or higher should be in the upper half of applicants - and students with a 27 and above have very competitive chances. 58 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to University of California Merced.
Estimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score
| ACT Score | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 27 and Above | Good | >81% |
| 23 to 27 | Avg + | 70%-81% |
| 20 to 23 | Avg - | 60%-70% |
| 17 to 20 | Reach | 48%-60% |
| Less than 17 | Low | <48% |
Estimated GPA Requirements
You will need very good grades in high school to get into University of California Merced. The average high school GPA of the admitted freshman class at University of California Merced was 3.51 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 UC Merced accepts 70% of students who apply.
| High School GPA | Freshmen Within Range | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 3.75+ | 23% | Good |
| 3.50 to 3.75 | 27% | Good |
| 3.25 to 3.50 | 28% | Avg + |
| 3.00 to 3.25 | 21% | Reach |
| 2.75 to 3.00 | 1% | Reach |
| 2.50 to 2.75 | N/A% | Low |
| 2.25 to 2.50 | N/A% | Low |
| 2.00 to 2.25 | N/A% | Low |
Admission Statistics
| Women | Men | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 12,087 | 10,361 | 22,574 |
| Accepted | 8,502 | 6,891 | 15,754 |
| Acceptance Rate | 70% | 67% | 70% |
| Enrolled | 1,209 | 1,071 | 2,293 |
| Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) | 14% | 16% | 15% |
Fall 2019 Application Deadline
The application deadline for Fall 2019 has passed. Applications were due on Nov 30, 2018.
Admission Requirements
What are the requirements for admission to University of California Merced and what considerations affect admission decisions?
| Test Scores | Required |
| 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=445188 IPEDS survey data for University of California Merced.