Santa Clara University: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

Santa Clara University is a private Jesuit university with an acceptance rate of 49%. Located on a 106-acre campus in Santa Clara, California, Santa Clara University has impressive retention and graduation rates. The university also wins high marks for its community service programs, alumni salaries, and sustainability efforts. Programs in business are the most popular among undergraduates, and the Leavey School of Business ranks highly among the nation's undergraduate business schools. In athletics, the Santa Clara University Broncos compete in the NCAA Division I West Coast Conference.

Considering applying to Santa Clara University? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs of admitted students.

Acceptance Rate

During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, Santa Clara University had an acceptance rate of 49%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 49 students were admitted, making Santa Clara's admissions process competitive.

SAT Scores and Requirements

Santa Clara University requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 68% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of Santa Clara's admitted students fall within the top 20% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to Santa Clara scored between 630 and 700, while 25% scored below 630 and 25% scored above 700. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 650 and 740, while 25% scored below 650 and 25% scored above 740. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1440 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at Santa Clara University.

Requirements

Santa Clara University does not require the SAT writing section. Note that Santa Clara participates in the scorechoice program, which means that the admissions office will consider your highest score from each individual section across all SAT test dates. SAT Subject tests are not required, but the scores will be considered if submitted.

ACT Scores and Requirements

Santa Clara University requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, 43% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of Santa Clara's admitted students fall within the top 12% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to Santa Clara received a composite ACT score between 28 and 32, while 25% scored above 32 and 25% scored below 28.

Requirements

Santa Clara University does not require the ACT writing section. Unlike many universities, SCU superscores ACT results; your highest subscores from multiple ACT sittings will be considered.

GPA

In 2019, the middle 50% of Santa Clara University's incoming class had high school GPAs between 3.56 and 3.87. 25% had a GPA above 3.87, and 25% had a GPA below 3.56. These results suggest that most successful applicants to SCU have primarily A and high B grades.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to Santa Clara University. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in with a free Cappex account.

Admissions Chances

Santa Clara University, which accepts half of all applicants, has a selective admissions process. If your SAT/ACT scores and GPA fall within the school's average ranges, you have a strong chance of being accepted. However, Santa Clara has a holistic admissions process involving other factors beyond your grades and test scores. A strong application essay and glowing letters of recommendation can strengthen your application, as can participation in meaningful extracurricular activities and a rigorous course schedule. Applicants with particularly compelling stories or achievements can still receive serious consideration even if their test scores are outside of SCU's average range. Applicants to Santa Clara's Leavey School of Business or School of Engineering should note that they will need to demonstrate a higher level of math readiness than students who apply to the College of Arts and Sciences.

In the graph above, the blue and green dots represent students who were accepted to Santa Clara University. You can see that the majority of successful applicants had high school GPAs of 3.5 or higher, combined SAT scores of about 1200 or higher, and ACT composite scores of 25 or better. The higher those grades and test scores, the better your chances are of receiving an acceptance to Santa Clara University.

If You Like Santa Clara University, You May Also Like These Schools

• Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
• Pepperdine University
• USC
• UC San Diego
• Loyola Marymount University

All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and Santa Clara University Undergraduate Admissions Office.