UCLA admits approximately 8.7% of applicants, meaning roughly 1 in 11 applicants receives an offer of admission. This places UCLA among the most selective public universities in the United States and significantly more competitive than typical four-year institutions. The peer median admission rate of 78.1% highlights the stark difference between UCLA's selectivity and most public research universities. Even within the University of California system, UCLA maintains one of the most competitive admission processes. This level of selectivity means that even students with outstanding academic credentials face uncertainty in the admission process. Many applicants who would excel at UCLA are not admitted simply due to the enormous volume of highly qualified candidates competing for limited spots. Students should approach UCLA as a reach school regardless of their qualifications and build comprehensive college lists that include institutions with higher acceptance rates but comparable outcomes. The alternatives analysis below identifies schools that deliver similar post-graduation results with more accessible admission processes.
Understanding institutional priorities and student support
UCLA enrolls 27.1% Pell-eligible students and 38.1% first-generation students, indicating the university successfully admits students from diverse economic backgrounds despite highly competitive admission. These shares are substantial for an institution with such selective admission standards, reflecting UCLA's commitment to access alongside excellence. The 36.0% transfer share demonstrates significant pathway opportunities for community college students, providing alternative routes to UCLA beyond traditional freshman admission. This transfer pathway particularly benefits California community college students seeking access to UCLA's outcomes and resources. The combination of selective admission with meaningful enrollment of lower-income and first-generation students distinguishes UCLA from many highly selective institutions that serve primarily affluent populations. Students from these backgrounds should recognize that UCLA actively enrolls peers who share similar experiences, creating supportive community environments. However, the competitive admission process means that even well-qualified students from these backgrounds face substantial uncertainty in the admission process and should develop comprehensive application strategies.
Given UCLA's 8.7% acceptance rate, most applicants—including highly qualified ones—face significant admission uncertainty. The alternatives below provide pathways to similar outcomes with more accessible admission or different cost structures.
Strong options in your region with comparable outcomes.
UCLA demonstrates exceptional student success outcomes, with 96.8% of freshmen returning for sophomore year compared to a peer median of 83.7%. The 92.7% six-year graduation rate substantially exceeds the peer median of 65.9%, indicating strong institutional support for degree completion. Pell-eligible students graduate at 81.7%, creating a gap of 11 percentage points compared to the overall graduation rate. While this gap exists, both rates significantly exceed national averages and peer institution outcomes. The retention and completion rates suggest that students who gain admission to UCLA typically possess the academic preparation and support systems necessary for success. These high completion rates also indicate that UCLA provides effective academic support, resources, and environments that help students persist through graduation. Prospective students should view these outcomes as indicators of the academic environment and expectations they would encounter. The strong performance across student populations suggests that UCLA's selective admission process effectively identifies students likely to succeed, while also providing support structures that help diverse students complete their degrees successfully.
Similar quality tier in West (#27 ranked)
Higher acceptance rates with similar career outcomes.
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Build a balanced list with schools at different selectivity and price points.
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