University of California, Los Angeles
Source: ucla.md
University of California, Los Angeles
Admissions (Class of 2029 / Fall 2025)
- Total applicants: 145,900
- Overall acceptance rate: 8.6%
- Early round: No early rounds
- Class size: 6,600
- Yield: 18%
Academics
- SAT middle 50%: 1290–1510
- ACT middle 50%: 30–34
- Avg unweighted GPA: 3.9
- Top 10% of HS class: 97%
- Testing policy: Test-blind (SAT/ACT not considered)
Demographics
- Women: 52.8%, Asian: 26.9%, Black: 2.9%, Hispanic: 16.9%, White: 30.6%, International: 15.3%
Financial Aid / Net Cost
| Income Bracket |
Net Price |
| $0–$30,000 |
$8,181 |
| $30,001–$48,000 |
$9,470 |
| $48,001–$75,000 |
$12,827 |
| $75,001–$110,000 |
$20,363 |
| Over $110,000 |
$28,576 |
Athletics
377 varsity athletes (~1.2% of undergrads). NCAA Division I, Big Ten Conference (moved from Pac-12 in 2024).
Notable
Test-blind — SAT/ACT not considered at all. Most applied-to university in the US. No early rounds. High Asian enrollment (26.9%) reflects California demographics.
Admissions Strategy
- No early rounds — UCLA (and all UCs) use a single application deadline. No ED/EA advantage exists to model.
- Test-blind policy means SAT/ACT scores are completely irrelevant. GPA and course rigor are the dominant quantitative factors, followed by essays (PIQs — Personal Insight Questions).
- UCLA does not consider demonstrated interest, recommendations, or interviews. The application is entirely self-reported.
- Most applied-to university in the US (145,900+ applicants). Forum consensus: volume makes the process unpredictable — "holistic review at scale" creates high randomness.
- Only 3 factors rated "very important" by UCLA: rigor of secondary school record, GPA, and application essays.
Campus Culture & Fit
- Described as "vibrant, diverse, and energetic" with 1,000+ student organizations. Greek life is present but not central to social scene.
- Dining consistently ranked best in the nation. Housing guaranteed for 3 years for freshmen (4 years for some programs).
- Campus culture is diverse and casual — reflects California demographics (27% Asian, 17% Hispanic). Not preppy or elitist in feel.
- Location in Westwood/LA is a major draw — internship access, entertainment industry proximity, weather. Downside: cost of living and traffic.
- Forum criticism: large class sizes, impacted majors (CS, engineering, biology) create enrollment bottlenecks.
Financial Aid Reputation
- Strong for in-state students via UC system aid. Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan covers tuition for families under ~$80K.
- OOS students face $45K+ tuition with less aid availability. International students receive minimal institutional aid.
- Forum reputation: excellent value in-state, expensive OOS. Net cost data confirms: $8K for lowest bracket, $28.5K for highest.
Simulation-Relevant Takeaways
- No early round to model — single deadline with holistic review. Test-blind policy means SAT should not factor into UCLA admissions scoring.
- Yield has risen to 52% (up from 44% in 2020) — UCLA is increasingly a first-choice school, reducing yield protection concerns.
- In-state advantage exists but less dramatic than UVA (~70% CA residents). GPA and essays dominate the admissions function.
Sources
- University of California, Los Angeles Common Data Set 2024–2025
- research_colleges.json simulation data
- College Confidential: UCLA Class of 2029 Official Thread (talk.collegeconfidential.com)
- IvyWise: UCLA Acceptance Rate and Stats (ivywise.com)
- Collegewise: UCLA Acceptance Rates 2025 — In-State, OOS, Transfer
- UC Board of Regents: Test-blind standardized testing policy announcement