With a new academic session slowly approaching, it’s little wonder that students and even parents are looking to know the acceptance rate of each university. San Diego State University is a university that ranks as No. 1 in the California State University (CSU) system. And with about 50,000 students applying to the university each year, SDSU is one of few universities in the United States to admit the largest class of first-time students.
The popularity of SDSU comes from its careful selection of students each year. But why is SDSU’s acceptance rate so low?
What is SDSU Known For?
What is SDSU Known For?San Diego State University is not only known for being the oldest and largest public institution of higher education in the San Diego region, but it is also known for its unique fields of humanities and business, internships, diverse student population, and entrepreneurship initiatives, amongst so many other things. It is one of the most innovative universities in the United States for obvious reasons. This university teaches so many different majors and has some of the best professors on the west coast, which boosts its popularity.
The diverse student population is also one of the major reasons students from outside the United States apply to study at this university. Also, SDSU welcomes more than 2,500 international students from all over the world yearly. It is also ranked number one in California’s Best Online Colleges in 2022, fourth in California’s Best Online Master’s Degrees, and fourth in Online Master’s in Hospitality and Tourism.
It is also known that alums from the university always go on to become the top or even best in whichever field they tend to gravitate towards after school. If you graduate from San Diego State University, then you can expect to earn an average of $55,000 per annum. Also, alumni like the voice of Bart Simpson, Kathy Najimy, Mayor Kevin Falconer, Gregory Peck, Ellen Ochoa, and so many others represent the school amazingly.
How Hard is it to Get Into SDSU?
San Diego State University is among one of the top most challenging universities to get into in the state of California. It’s a very prestigious university with a reputable history of academic excellence, thereby making the admission process highly competitive. A lot of students are rejected yearly, and those that are admitted reap the rewards the university has to offer.
What’s the Acceptance Rate?
San Diego State University gets more than 50,000 applications yearly, and they only admit and enroll 37 students out of every 100 applications. This tells you that the school is somewhat competitive and has an acceptance rate of 37%. SDSU is very selective about who they admit into their institution, which is for good reason because the school provides a wide range of academic and non-academic services.
Due to the high number of applications to the university, it is also applaudable that the institution has established set rules and requirements that applicants have to meet before they’re considered for a spot in the university.
SDSU’s acceptance rate for students on the waitlist is 10.2% which is considered pretty high when compared to the school’s overall acceptance rate. This means that you shouldn’t lose hope entirely when you’re on the school’s waitlist. The school only admits students in the top 40% on standardized admission tests.
If an applicant meets SDSU’s GPA requirements, passes the essay requirements, passes the SAT/ACT scores, and excels in all AP/IB classes taken. They have a solid chance of being accepted into this reputable institution. Sure, it’s a super competitive school, but not as competitive as some of the top institutions in the United States. If you have all the requirements, getting into SDSU would be a cakewalk.
What Makes SDSU Rate so Low?
As already established, this university is one of the top universities not only in California but also in the United States as a whole. SDSU’s mission is to provide research-oriented, high-quality education for undergraduate and graduate students all over the world. This won’t be entirely possible if they choose to admit all the students who apply to the university. With its popularity comes the competitiveness of San Diego State University’s admission rate, and this is why SDSU is so hard to get into. They also make sure that the school’s resources are more than enough for every student admitted, as the university strives for excellence and quality education for every student.
You should also know that SDSU’s requirement rate is low for a set reason, as their education standard is top-notch.
How to Get into SDSU: What are the Admission Requirements?
Just like any university from around the globe, SDSU has admission requirements that applicants are expected to meet before they are granted admission into the institution. And you might be wondering what GPA you need to get into SDSU. Questions about admission requirements are answered below.
What GPA does SDSU require?
Most competitive schools require a stable and relatively high Grade Point Average (GPA), and just like those schools, SDSU requires a high GPA too. You might be wondering what the SDSU GPA requirements are. To know the GPA requirements at SDSU, you can look at the GPAs for its current students. The GPA breakdown is 41% of students scored a 4.0 GPA, 30% scored 3.75 – 3.99, 18% scored 3.50 – 3.74, 8% scored 3.25 – 3.49, and 3% scored 3.00 – 3.24.
On a 4.0 scale, a student applying to SDSU would need to get an average of 3.5 upwards to be considered one of the top student applicants. This is because most students at SDSU have a GPA of 3.5 or higher.
For students coming from out of California, they’ll need a GPA of 3.0 or above to be considered for a spot in the university. In comparison, the minimum GPA for students in California is 2.5. But to be considered in the top list of applicants, it’d be advisable to get at least a 3.8 GPA or above to meet SDSU’s GPA requirements. This is because most students who are enrolled in the school are at the top of their high school graduating class.
What SAT and ACT scores are required?
From mid-2022, SAT and ACT were voted out of the admissions requirements, so they are typically not needed to get into the university. Although these test scores are considered, they are not required for admission to SDSU. But for current students in the university, the average SAT and ACT scores needed were 1283 and 28.0, respectively.
What are other things to consider?
You’ll need to make sure you stand out from the thousands of students who are also applying for a spot in the university. For that, you’ll need to excel in all the AP or extracurricular classes you take. This shows that aside from academic work, you can also handle extracurriculars and are an all-rounder. Special consideration is given to applicants who have undergone and overcome different life challenges, attended high school within SDSU’s local admission area, and fulfilled the A-G requirements.
5 Tips to Increase Your Chances of Getting Accepted to SDSU
Getting accepted into SDSU is more than just perfect GPA. Most students who apply to SDSU have perfect grades, so you’ll need more than that to stand out amongst your peers. Below are some tips that will increase your chances of getting accepted into San Diego State University.
Have a strong GPA and top grades in AP courses
For a top-tier school like SDSU, most applicants must have an excellent academic record and great grades. To increase your chances of getting into SDSU and stand out from the rest, you’ll need to have a high GPA, thereby having a solid academic record. When you pair a high GPA with excellent AP course grades, then your chances of getting into SDSU are so much higher.
According to reports, most colleges consider good grades super important when making admission decisions. A lot of colleges look at academic merit first before looking at the areas the student stands out outside school work. Although the minimum for getting accepted into SDSU is 3.0 for students outside of California, it would be much better to aim for a 3.5 – 4.0 if you want to stand out academically from other applicants. You’ll also have more edge if you complete and pass three or more AP classes.
Find volunteer work
San Diego State University values students that give back to society by volunteering, engaging in community and charity work, and so much more. You might think that something as simple as volunteer work would do nothing to boost your chances of getting into SDSU, but that’s far from the truth. The admission committee’s gold standard for community service record is one where the student starts volunteering from an early age. But even a few years of volunteer work can definitely boost your application.
Some examples of volunteer work are tutoring, helping out in hospitals/nursing homes, participating in food drives for the homeless community, and so much more. Having experience with volunteer work would boost your chances of getting accepted.
Take College preparatory courses
If you’re thinking of how to get into SDSU, then you should keep in mind that you can easily get noticed when you complete high school A-G courses. These courses show the applicant’s compatibility with the course chosen. These preparatory courses are a way to show the committee that you’re indeed ready for the courses at the university. And having a bit of knowledge of the courses taught at the college level is a big plus and a great addition to your application.
Have impressive extracurricular activities
Extracurricular activities can play a massive role in skyrocketing your application to the top. Applying to SDSU, you shouldn’t only focus on your impressive academics but also aim to wow the admissions committee with your activities outside the classroom. Focus on establishing yourself and your interests outside school work, and watch your chances to get into SDSU increase.
Priority is given to San Diego Locals
If you’re a local from San Diego applying to SDSU, you automatically have more chances of getting into the university. Also, if you attended high school in the local area in parts of San Diego County or Imperial County, then that increases your chances of getting accepted into SDSU.
Wrapping Things Up: Why is SDSU’s Acceptance Rate so Low?
In a nutshell, although San Diego State University’s acceptance rate is really low and they’re seeking outstanding candidates, you can get in with great grades in high school and extracurricular activities. With the information provided above, you’ll be able to figure out your chances of getting into the university and other requirements.
Looking to understand why some universities rank higher or lower than others? Explore our guides below:
> Why is Barnard’s Ranking so Low?
> Why is Berklee’s Acceptance Rate so High?
> Why is Colby College’s Acceptance Rate so Low?
> Why is RIT’s Acceptance Rate So High?
> Why is Tulane’s Acceptance Rate so Low?
> Why is the University of Kentucky’s Acceptance Rate so High?
