The University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB) was established in 1944 as an independent teachers college. Since then, it has grown to become one of the top research universities in the nation. UCSB is now a major research university, offering over 200 majors and minors and home to numerous research centers and institutes. The university is part of the University of California system and is located on a 1,022-acre campus overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Its main academic divisions are divided into four colleges: College of Letters & Science; College of Engineering; College of Creative Studies; and College of Education.
Throughout its history, UCSB has been committed to providing students with an excellent education experience. It has earned numerous accolades for its academic excellence, including being ranked among the top 10 public universities in the United States by U.S. News & World Report for multiple years. It is also highly ranked for its research output, placing first among all UC campuses in total research expenditures in 2017-2018 according to the National Science Foundation’s latest report on higher education R&D expenditures. In addition to its academic excellence, UCSB is renowned for its vibrant student life with over 600 clubs and organizations on campus, as well as a thriving cultural scene that includes numerous art galleries and performance venues. With so much to offer students both inside and outside the classroom, UCSB continues to be an attractive destination for both undergraduate and graduate students from all over the world who are looking for an outstanding educational experience. Check LOCALCOLLEGEEXPLORER.COM for a list of colleges and universities in Maine.
University of California at Santa Barbara, as one of the top colleges ranked by major educational institutions, has impressed us by its high selectivity and student friendly application process during admissions. The following tables detail 2018 class profile, including total applications received, average high school GPA, SAT scores/ACT scores, and acceptance rates of University of California at Santa Barbara. To learn more about GPA, SAT and ACT scores information, please follow the links below. If you want to find even more about University of California at Santa Barbara, such as tuition fees and scholarships, you can click the link after tables to visit the school’s official website.
University acronym: https://www.abbreviationfinder.org/acronyms/ucsb_university-of-california-at-santa-barbara.html
Admissions Stats
The University of California at Santa Barbara is an elite public university located in Santa Barbara, California. It is one of the ten campuses of the University of California system and is ranked among the top universities in the United States. Admissions to UC Santa Barbara are highly selective and competitive, with an acceptance rate of 43%. For the fall 2020 entering class, a total of 53,847 freshman applications were received and only 22,717 were accepted. The average GPA for incoming freshmen was 4.17 and the median SAT score was 1330. The middle 50% range for both tests was 1220-1450. In addition to academic qualifications, extracurricular activities also play an important role in admissions decisions at UC Santa Barbara. The most popular majors among admitted students are Business Administration & Management, Social Sciences, Biological & Biomedical Sciences and Psychology.
The student body at UC Santa Barbara is diverse in terms of ethnicity and gender representation. About 40% of undergraduates identify as Hispanic or Latino/a while 20% identify as Asian or Pacific Islander. White students make up 24%, African American/Black students make up 4%, and multiracial students make up 6%. In terms of gender representation, 54% of undergraduates are female while 46% are male.
UC Santa Barbara also offers several merit-based scholarships to incoming freshmen who demonstrate exceptional academic achievements or leadership potentials. These scholarships range from $2,000-$10,000 per year depending on the student’s qualifications and can be combined with other forms of financial aid such as Pell Grants or Cal Grants to reduce tuition costs significantly for those who qualify for them. Additionally, there are several need-based grants available specifically for low-income families that can help reduce the cost of attending college even further.
Fall 2022 Selectivity
Selectivity | most selective |
Fall 2022 acceptance rate | 46% |
Early decision acceptance rate | N/A |
Early action acceptance rate | N/A |
Acceptance rate (excluding early action and early decision students) | 46% |
Fall 2022 Applications, Acceptances & Enrollments
Applicants | 46,671 |
Female applicants | 25,978 |
Male applicants | 20,693 |
Applicants accepted | 21,241 |
Female applicants accepted | 12,030 |
Male applicants accepted | 9,211 |
Freshman enrollment | 3,740 |
Female freshman enrollment | 2,030 |
Male freshman enrollment | 1,710 |
Early decision applicants | N/A |
Early decision applicants accepted | N/A |
Early decision applicants enrolled | N/A |
Early action applicants | N/A |
Early action applicants accepted | N/A |
Early action applicants enrolled | N/A |
Total enrolled incoming freshmen who were accepted under early acceptance or early action | N/A |
Fall 2022 Wait List
School has a wait list | No |
Applicants placed on wait list | 2,429 |
Students accepting place on wait list | 1,276 |
Students accepted from wait list | 1,264 |
Fall 2022 High School Rank
Freshman students submitting high school class standing | 100% |
Fall 2022 High School GPA
Freshman students submitting high school GPA | 99% |
Average high school GPA | 3.9 |
High school GPA 25th-75th percentile range | 3.7-4 |
Fall 2022 Freshman SAT Scores
Freshman students submitting SAT scores | 95% |
SAT Critical Reading average score | 603 |
SAT Critical Reading 25th-75th percentile range | 550-660 |
SAT Math average score | 621 |
SAT Math 25th-75th percentile range: | 560-680 |
SAT Writing average score | 606 |
SAT Writing 25th-75th percentile range | 555-660 |
SAT Essay 25th-75th percentile range | N/A |
Fall 2022 Freshman ACT Scores
Freshman students submitting ACT scores | 49% |
Average ACT Composite score | 27 |
ACT Composite 25th-75th percentile range | 25-30 |
ACT English 25th-75th percentile range | 24-31 |
ACT Math 25th-75th percentile range | 24-30 |