What are UC Merced's average SAT scores and GPA? In this guide, we'll discuss what scores are needed for you to get admitted into UC Merced. You'll also get to calculate your own chances with our admissions calculator.
Location: Merced, CA
This school is also known as: University of California, Merced
UC Merced Admissions Statistics
There are three critical numbers when considering your admissions chances: SAT scores, GPA, and acceptance rate. All these combine to tell you what you scores are required to get into University of California, Merced.
Average SAT: 1080
The average SAT score composite at UC Merced is a 1080.
UC Merced SAT Score Analysis
The 25th percentile New SAT score is 1030, and the 75th percentile SAT score is 1350.
In other words, a 1030 places you below average, while a 1350 will move you up to above average. There's no absolute SAT requirement at UC Merced, but they really want to see at least a 1030 to have a chance at being considered.
Here's the breakdown of SAT scores by section:
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
| Math | 540 | 510 | 690 |
| Reading + Writing | 540 | 500 | 660 |
| Composite | 1080 | 1030 | 1350 |
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Average GPA: 3.64
The average GPA at UC Merced is 3.64. This makes UC Merced Strongly Competitive for GPAs.
(Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA.
With a GPA of 3.64, UC Mercedrequires you to be above average in your high school class. You'll need a mix of A's and B's, with a leaning toward A's. If you took some AP or IB classes, this will help boost your weighted GPA and show your ability to take college classes.
Admissions Rate: 89.5%
The acceptance rate at UC Merced is 89.5%. In other words, of 100 students who apply, 90 are admitted.
This means the school isnot selective. As long as you don't fall way below average, you'll likely get in.
Final Admissions Verdict
Because this school is not selective, you have a great shot at getting in, as long as you don't fall well below average. Aim for a 1030 SAT or higher, and you'll almost certainly get an offer of admission. But if you score below this, you may be one of the unlucky few to get rejected.
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Admissions Calculator
What are your chances of admission at University of California, Merced?
Chances of admission with these scores:
Here's our custom admissions calculator. Plug in your numbers to see what your chances of getting in are.
Pick your test:SATACT
SAT Score
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Note: Your admission decision relies not only on your GPA and SAT/ACT scores, but also on your coursework difficulty, extracurriculars, letters of recommendation, and personal statements. This tool provides only a simplistic estimate of your chances of admission. Instead of treating this tool as a crystal ball, we recommend you consider the big picture of what your chance means:
We recommend you apply to schools across a range of chances. Applying to some safety schools will guarantee you have a college to go to, while applying to some reach schools will give you a shot at getting into the school at the top of your range.
How would your chances improve with a better score?
Try to take your current SAT score and add 160 points to the calculator above. See how much your chances improve?
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Other Schools For You
If you're interested in UC Merced, you'll probably be interested in these schools as well. We've divided them into 3 categories depending on how hard they are to get into, relative to UC Merced.
Reach Schools: Harder to Get Into
These schools are have higher average SAT scores than UC Merced. If you improve your SAT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School Name | Location | SAT Avg | ACT Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, AL | 1225 | 26 |
| Ohio University | Athens, OH | 1174 | 25 |
| University of North Texas | Denton, TX | 1160 | 23 |
| University of Texas at Arlington | Arlington, TX | 1160 | 23 |
| California State University Long Beach | Long Beach, CA | 1145 | 23 |
| Florida Gulf Coast University | Fort Myers, FL | 1135 | 29 |
| Washington State University | Pullman, WA | 1125 | 23 |
Same Level: Equally Hard to Get Into
If you're competitive for UC Merced, these schools will offer you a similar chance of admission.
| School Name | Location | SAT Avg | ACT Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rider University | Lawrenceville, NJ | 1100 | 23 |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro | Greensboro, NC | 1097 | 25 |
| State University of New York at Fredonia | Fredonia, NY | 1090 | 24 |
| Montclair State University | Montclair, NJ | 1086 | 21 |
| Texas State University | San Marcos, TX | 1080 | 23 |
| Georgia State University | Atlanta, GA | 1067 | 22 |
| Georgia Southern University | Statesboro, GA | 1067 | 21 |
Safety Schools: Easier to Get Into
If you're currently competitive for UC Merced, you should have no problem getting into these schools. If UC Merced is currently out of your reach, you might already be competitive for these schools.
| School Name | Location | SAT Avg | ACT Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Texas at El Paso | El Paso, TX | 1040 | 20 |
| California State University Sacramento | Sacramento, CA | 1035 | 19 |
| California State University Northridge | Northridge, CA | 1030 | 19 |
| Kingsville, TX | 1030 | 20 | |
| California State University Fresno | Fresno, CA | 1010 | 19 |
| California State University East Bay | Hayward, CA | 992 | 19 |
| Kean University | Union, NJ | 990 | 20 |
Data on this page is sourced from Peterson's Databases © 2023 (Peterson's LLC. All rights reserved.) as well as additional publicly available sources.
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