University of California-Los Angeles: A Parent's Guide to Admissions, Cost & Outcomes
Los Angeles, California · Public · Most selective
University of California-Los Angeles is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California and one of the most selective schools in the country. For the most recent reporting cycle, University of California-Los Angeles admits fewer than 10% of applicants, with an overall admission rate of 9%. The average net price after grants and scholarships is $14,013 per year, which is the figure most families actually pay rather than the published sticker price. For parents weighing whether University of California-Los Angeles is realistic for their teenager, the most useful planning step is comparing your child's current GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against these admitted-student ranges — not the headline acceptance rate alone.
What parents should know about University of California-Los Angeles right now
UCLA continues to be the most-applied-to four-year university in the United States. For fall 2025, UCLA received 145,085 first-year applications, admitted 13,659 students for a 9 percent admit rate, and enrolled 6,553 freshmen, with admitted students posting a median weighted GPA of 4.61 and an unweighted 4.00. Admit rates vary sharply by school, ranging from about 11 percent in the College of Letters and Science down to 6.8 percent for Samueli Engineering, 4.3 percent for Theater, Film and Television, and roughly 0.5 percent for Nursing, so families should pay close attention to the school or major their student selects. UCLA is need-blind for domestic applicants and reports that 78 percent of first-years receive financial aid, with 26 percent identifying as first-generation college students. Distinctive academic strengths include a clinical psychology program ranked first nationally, top-ranked fine arts, and the largest pipeline of undergraduate applicants to U.S. medical schools of any American university. Research expenditures totaled $1.72 billion in 2024. Like most University of California campuses, UCLA is test-blind, so SAT and ACT scores will not be reviewed. The 2024 spring protests near Royce Hall and a $6.13 million 2025 settlement related to those events are recent developments parents may see in the news.
What GPA does my child need for University of California-Los Angeles?
Successful applicants to University of California-Los Angeles typically present unweighted GPAs at or near 4.0 with the most rigorous course load their school offers, including multiple AP, IB, or dual-enrollment courses. Parents tracking their child's GPA toward this tier of school can use Solyo's free calculator to see weighted, unweighted, and college-recalculated numbers side by side.
SAT and ACT scores University of California-Los Angeles typically admits
Many applicants to schools in this tier submit test scores, though the policy varies by year — check the latest test-optional status before deciding.
How much does University of California-Los Angeles actually cost?
Published tuition is $13,747 for in-state students and $44,524 for out-of-state, before grants and scholarships. Room and board adds roughly $17,148 annually. After need-based and merit aid, the average family pays a net price of $14,013 per year — the number that actually matters for budgeting. Roughly 27% of students receive Pell Grants, a useful indicator of how much need-based aid the school distributes.
Other colleges in California parents ask about
- Stanford University4% acceptance
- University of California-Berkeley12% acceptance
- University of Southern California10% acceptance
- University of California-Davis42% acceptance
- University of California-Irvine26% acceptance
- University of California-San Diego25% acceptance
- University of California-Santa Barbara63% acceptance
- University of California-Santa Cruz28% acceptance
How parents track GPA toward selective schools like University of California-Los Angeles
Solyo helps parents track grades pulled directly from school emails, calculate GPA the same way colleges like University of California-Los Angeles recalculate it, and ask an AI college counselor specific questions about their teen's odds. The platform is built for parents — not students — and turns what's usually a fragmented planning process into a single dashboard.
Common questions parents ask about University of California-Los Angeles
What GPA do I need for University of California-Los Angeles?
Successful applicants to University of California-Los Angeles typically present unweighted GPAs at or near 4.0 with the most rigorous course load their school offers, including multiple AP, IB, or dual-enrollment courses.
What SAT or ACT score does University of California-Los Angeles typically admit?
University of California-Los Angeles does not publish standardized test ranges in the most recent reporting cycle. Test-optional policies have made scores less universally required, but submitting strong scores still helps when available.
How much does University of California-Los Angeles actually cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of California-Los Angeles after grants and scholarships is $14,013 per year. That figure is more useful for budgeting than the published sticker price, because it reflects what families actually pay after aid is applied.
Is University of California-Los Angeles realistic for my child?
Compare your teen's current unweighted GPA and most recent SAT or ACT against the ranges above. If both numbers fall inside the school's middle-50, University of California-Los Angeles is a target school. If both fall below the 25th-percentile mark, treat it as a reach and balance the application list accordingly.