What Does it Take to Get Into UCLA?

In The Bright Los Angeles Sun, UCLA Stands Out As A Cultural Center...

Known for excellence in both education and athletics, UCLA is one of the most popular schools in the nation and receives the most applications out of any college in the country. As one of the oldest and most prestigious public research universities on the West coast, UCLA boasts an impressive academic record that draws students from around the world to the sunshine of Los Angeles.

What You’ll Find In This Article

• UCLA’s Ideal Student
• What You Need to Get Accepted Into UCLA
• UCLA’s Campus Life
• From Application to Career: What You’ll Experience at UCLA
• Your Future at UCLA

UCLA's Ideal Student

UCLA is known for promoting excellence in both its faculty and students. The ideal UCLA student is one who is driven to succeed, holding themselves and their peers accountable to greatness. UCLA’s expansive, one-of-a-kind campus fosters a diverse student body who drive each other to do better every day.

At UCLA, students are expected to hold themselves to a higher standard both in their academics and civics. While UCLA takes a comprehensive approach to evaluating your entire college application, your grades and test scores will play a large role in your chances of being admitted to this selective school.

The average GPA and test scores of an incoming UCLA freshman look like this:

• GPA: 3.89
• ACT: 31
• SAT: 1400

In addition to your academic record, UCLA will use your application and your answers to personal insight questions to determine what you will bring to the school. The campus is filled with overachievers and go-getters, all of whom share a common set of values that UCLA encourages in its students. If you want to stand up to UCLA’s scrutiny, you’ll need to showcase these same values.

INTEGRITY

UCLA fosters a strong sense of integrity within its student body. By teaching the importance of honesty and showing up to do the work even when it’s difficult, the school encourages those who already have the aptness for integrity. For those always driven to show up and do the hard work that needs to be done, an education at UCLA will certainly strengthen this value.

EXCELLENCE

Students are challenged to go above and beyond what they think is possible every day they study at UCLA. For those with a record of greatness in both academics and extracurricular activities, UCLA is a place where you can continue to challenge yourself.

SERVICE

If you always find yourself thinking about how you can best serve others, you’ll find yourself right at home at UCLA. Across campus, students are encouraged to think about what they can do to serve their communities and those within them. Across the country, UCLA alumni are recognized for their readiness to serve others and their focus on social well-being.

RESPECT

From promoting a sense of self-respect to respect for one’s peers, UCLA values teaching youth the power of fostering deep admiration and appreciation in all their relationships. This includes their larger relationships like those between themselves and their communities, and even the planet itself.

WHAT YOU CAN ACHIEVE: UCLA’S PROGRAMS

UCLA offers a wide variety of programs to help students achieve their goals, and students are provided with the academic and emotional support they need to succeed. The programs and majors offered at UCLA allows students to pursue their passions while surrounded by some of the most prestigious professors and academics on the West coast.

UCLA’s most well-known and popular programs include:

• Design (Ranked 6th nationwide)
• Film and Photography (Ranked 6th nationwide)
• Philosophy (Ranked 12th nationwide)
• History (Ranked 14th nationwide)

IN SUMMARY: UCLA’S IDEAL STUDENT

On UCLA’s expansive campus, students find themselves driven to go beyond what they believe is possible. Those who find themselves constantly looking for a way to better their own lives, as well as the lives of others in their communities, will find themselves in good company. Because UCLA takes a comprehensive approach to college admissions, this creates a diverse student body that lifts each other up to new levels of excellence every day.

What You Need To Get Accepted Into UCLA

UCLA’s location and education make it an extremely popular school, and because of this, it’s also extremely selective. As of 2019, UCLA has a 14% acceptance rate. With such a competitive application pool, students need to take plenty of time to fully polish their application.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA ONLINE APPLICATION

Like all other schools in the University of California system, UCLA makes use of the online UC Application. Students use this application to submit all their information, pay their application fee, and answer their personal insight questions.

Remember to start filling out your UC Application early, and turn to your college counselor if you have any questions. Students can submit applications from November 1 - 30 every year. UCLA does not offer early admission.

SELF-REPORTED TRANSCRIPT AND TEST SCORES

Until you’ve been accepted to UCLA, you will be able to self-report your grades and test scores in your UC Application. Once you’ve been accepted, you will be required to send official transcripts and test scores to confirm your earlier self-reporting.

APPLICATION FEE OR FEE WAIVER

Students are required to pay a nonrefundable fee ($120 for U.S. citizens and residents.) Fee waivers are available for students with financial hardship.

PERSONAL INSIGHT QUESTION ANSWERS

Students will be asked to answer UCLA’s unique personal insight questions, which will help the admissions office gain a clearer picture of who you are as a student. Your answers are limited to a maximum of 350 words. Your responses should be structured like any other college supplemental essay, focusing on how you can tie your story together both personally and academically back to the prompt.

“DO I HAVE A CHANCE?”

UCLA takes a holistic and comprehensive approach to college admissions, meaning students from all walks of life have a chance at being admitted. Your grades, test scores, extracurricular participation, and personal story all play a role in your chances of being admitted.

Even if you may believe your scores are too low for such a selective school, using your personal insight question answers to highlight how your story relates to the values that UCLA holds dear can help you increase your chances.

UCLA's Campus Life

UCLA’s always-on campus is set in the heart of Los Angeles, and this location is so busy that students often joke that UCLA stands for “Under Construction, Like Always.”

The campus is always adding more to meet the school’s constant growth. From modern dining halls to historic libraries, UCLA offers a unique experience that draws students from all around the world.

CAMPUS

Set in one of the busiest cities in the world, UCLA is as much a part of the vibrant and fast-paced life of Los Angeles as Hollywood is. The expansive campus takes up over 400 acres within a few miles of Downtown Los Angeles. Students will enjoy a rich experience both on and off-campus in this cultural and economic hot spot.

UCLA’s campus is so picturesque that it has frequently appeared on television or in movies (one notable example being Legally Blonde), and the campus is known for its outdoor attractions and art scene.

GREEK LIFE

13% of the students at UCLA are involved in some form of Greek life. Just as all students at UCLA are held to the school’s values, so are the Greek fraternities and sororities. Since 1923, Greek life at UCLA has upheld the values of respect, integrity, accountability, service, and excellence.

HOUSING, FOOD, AND TRANSPORTATION

92% of students choose to live on campus, though UCLA is one of the few colleges that does not require freshmen to live on campus. Still, most students live in residence halls at the center of it all; within walking distance of many of their classes and a variety of different dining halls. UCLA’s dining is award-winning and features options from the experimental to health-conscious.

To get around the expansive campus and the surrounding city, UCLA makes use of an eco-friendly transport system. From their natural-gas buses to rentable bikes, you may find you don’t even need (or want) to bring a car.

SPORTS AND ORGANIZATIONS

Students at UCLA participate in more than 1,000 student-led organizations across campus. For every type of student, there is a club or organization ready to help them live, learn, and lead with their interests. Students are taught how to be leaders both inside and outside of the classroom, and are always learning more about how their impact can make a difference.

Athletics at UCLA are taken to a new level of excellence as well, with UCLA alumni earning 261 medals in the Olympics. This athletic dominance is seen throughout nearly every team proudly representing the UCLA Bruins.

BRUIN BASH

Every year, UCLA hosts the Bruin Bash in the Pauley Pavilion. To kick off the new school year, the school celebrates with a music festival. Past acts have included Jay-Z and Charli XCX, and the high energy concert helps UCLA students set the tone for a new semester.

From Application To Career: What You'll Experience At UCLA

Known for pushing its students to go beyond their own expectations, UCLA’s experience starts with its unique application. From answering the personal insight questions to the very last day on campus, UCLA students will be taught how to question themselves in ways that help them become better learners and leaders.

YOUR APPLICATION

Students at UCLA are known for their commitment to excellence, and your application should point to the areas in your background where you have a track record of going above and beyond. Tailor your application to showcase your strengths, making sure to relate them back to UCLA’s values of integrity and accountability. Above all, honesty in your application is key.

YOUR ESSAY

You only have 350 words to make an impression. Use honest, simple, and strong language to get to the root of the question. Don’t write responses you think admissions officials want to hear, but rather an honest answer to the essay prompt.

YOUR COLLEGE YEARS

With the bright city of Los Angeles all around you, you’ll spend your college years at UCLA constantly pushing yourself to improve every day. With experienced professors and state of the art classrooms, you’ll be surrounded by the tools and resources you need to excel. Your peers will share the same ambitious mindset and drive you toward real growth, learning, and adventure.

YOUR FUTURE

UCLA alumni find themselves among big names such as actor James Franco, MLB legend Jackie Robinson, and comedian Carol Burnett. UCLA alumni are known around the world for their integrity, innovation, and commitment to excellence.

UCLA students have bright futures, and often find themselves employed in fields such as:

• Computer science
• Environmentalism
• English
• Neuroscience
• Psychology
• Statistics
• Mathematics

Your Future At UCLA

UCLA continually innovates in order to bring new experiences to its students, pushing them toward growth and academic excellence. Students are encouraged to serve each other and their communities while growing into strong civic leaders. UCLA’s expansive and bustling campus provides the setting that active and ambitious students will surely fall in love with.

Of course, all of these things make UCLA one of the most popular schools in the country. Admissions are naturally extremely selective due to the sheer number of applicants the school receives. Therefore, you should tailor your application specifically to UCLA to increase your chances of admission.

If you’re still finding yourself stuck on how you can improve your application and get into UCLA, please reach out to our WeAdmit counselors. We’d love to help you tailor your application to UCLA’s distinct core values and highlight your best academic and extracurricular strengths. Our counselors are experts at every step of the college admissions process, and we’re here to help you realize your dream of going to college in Los Angeles!

Get Ready To Be A Bruin, Because It’s Time To Get Into UCLA!