Soka University of America is a prestigious institution with a selective admissions process, boasting an acceptance rate of 57%. Students who are admitted to Soka typically have a strong academic background, with an average SAT score ranging between 1240-1440. Achieving a high GPA is also crucial for prospective students, as Soka University of America has an average GPA requirement of 3.72.
In order to be competitive for admission to Soka University of America, applicants should aim to achieve a GPA that is above average in comparison to their high school class. Additionally, having a strong SAT score, ideally at least a 1280, is recommended to increase the chances of being considered for admission. Meeting these academic benchmarks is important, as Soka University of America maintains high standards for incoming students.
The admissions process for Soka University of America includes submitting an application by the regular deadline of January 15. Along with academic transcripts and standardized test scores, applicants may also be required to submit letters of recommendation and a personal statement. Admissions decisions are made holistically, taking into account not only academic achievement but also extracurricular involvement and personal qualities. Overall, prospective students should strive to showcase their academic excellence and personal strengths in their application to Soka University of America.
Soka University Admission Statistics | |
|---|---|
Acceptance Rate | 57% |
Average SAT Score | 1240-1440 |
Regular Admissions Deadline | January 15 |
Average GPA | 3.72 |
SAT Score Analysis | A score of 1280 is below average, while 1410 is considered above average. Soka University of America does not have a specific SAT requirement, but a score of at least 1280 is recommended for consideration. |
Soka University of America Admission Requirements
What are Soka University of America’s admission requirements? While there are a lot of pieces that go into a college application, you should focus on only a few critical things:
- GPA requirements
- Testing requirements, including SAT and ACT requirements
- Application requirements
In this guide we’ll cover what you need to get into Soka University of America and build a strong application.
School location: Aliso Viejo, CA
Admissions Rate: 39%
If you want to get in, the first thing to look at is the acceptance rate. This tells you how competitive the school is and how serious their requirements are.
The acceptance rate at Soka University of America is 39%. For every 100 applicants, 39 are admitted.
This means the school is very selective. If you meet Soka University of America’s requirements for GPA, SAT/ACT scores, and other components of the application, you have a great shot at getting in. But if you fall short on GPA or your SAT/ACT scores, you’ll have a very low chance of being admitted, even if you meet the other admissions requirements.
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Soka University of America GPA Requirements
Many schools specify a minimum GPA requirement, but this is often just the bare minimum to submit an application without immediately getting rejected.
The GPA requirement that really matters is the GPA you need for a real chance of getting in. For this, we look at the school’s average GPA for its current students.
Average GPA: 3.91
The average GPA at Soka University of America is 3.91.
(Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA.
With a GPA of 3.91, Soka University of America requires you to be at the top of your class. You’ll need nearly straight A’s in all your classes to compete with other applicants. Furthermore, you should be taking hard classes – AP or IB courses – to show that college-level academics is a breeze.
If you’re currently a junior or senior, your GPA is hard to change in time for college applications. If your GPA is at or below the school average of 3.91, you’ll need a higher SAT or ACT score to compensate. This will help you compete effectively against other applicants who have higher GPAs than you.
SAT and ACT Requirements
Each school has different requirements for standardized testing. Most schools require the SAT or ACT, and many also require SAT subject tests.
You must take either the SAT or ACT to submit an application to Soka University of America. More importantly, you need to do well to have a strong application.
Soka University of America SAT Requirements
Many schools say they have no SAT score cutoff, but the truth is that there is a hidden SAT requirement. This is based on the school’s average score.
Average SAT: 1305
The average SAT score composite at Soka University of America is a 1305 on the 1600 SAT scale.
This score makes Soka University of America Moderately Competitive for SAT test scores.
Soka University of America SAT Score Analysis (New 1600 SAT)
The 25th percentile New SAT score is 1180, and the 75th percentile New SAT score is 1410. In other words, a 1180 on the New SAT places you below average, while a 1410 will move you up to above average.
Here’s the breakdown of new SAT scores by section:
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
| Math | 680 | 610 | 740 |
| Reading + Writing | 625 | 570 | 670 |
| Composite | 1305 | 1180 | 1410 |
SAT Score Choice Policy
The Score Choice policy at your school is an important part of your testing strategy.
Soka University of America has the Score Choice policy of “All Scores.”
This means that Soka University of America requires you to send all SAT scores you’ve ever taken to their office.
This sounds daunting, but most schools don’t actually consider all your scores equally. For example, if you scored an 1300 on one test and a 1500 on another, they won’t actually average the two tests.
More commonly, the school will take your highest score on a single test date. Even better, some schools form a Superscore – that is, they take your highest section score across all your test dates and combine them.
Some students are still worried about submitting too many test scores. They’re afraid that Soka University of America will look down on too many attempts to raise your score. But how many is too many?
From our research and talking to admissions officers, we’ve learned that 4-6 tests is a safe number to submit. The college understands that you want to have the best chance of admission, and retaking the test is a good way to do this. Within a reasonable number of tests, they honestly don’t care how many times you’ve taken it. They’ll just focus on your score.
If you take it more than 6 times, colleges start wondering why you’re not improving with each test. They’ll question your study skills and ability to improve.
But below 6 tests, we strongly encourage retaking the test to maximize your chances. If your SAT score is currently below a 1410, we strongly recommend that you consider prepping for the SAT and retaking it. You don’t have much to lose, and you can potentially raise your score and significantly boost your chances of getting in.
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Soka University of America ACT Requirements
Just like for the SAT, Soka University of America likely doesn’t have a hard ACT cutoff, but if you score too low, your application will get tossed in the trash.
Average ACT: 27
The average ACT score at Soka University of America is 27. This score makes Soka University of America Moderately Competitive for ACT scores.
The 25th percentile ACT score is 25, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 30.
Even though Soka University of America likely says they have no minimum ACT requirement, if you apply with a 25 or below, you’ll have a very hard time getting in, unless you have something else very impressive in your application. There are so many applicants scoring 27 and above that a 25 will look academically weak.
ACT Score Sending Policy
If you’re taking the ACT as opposed to the SAT, you have a huge advantage in how you send scores, and this dramatically affects your testing strategy.
Here it is: when you send ACT scores to colleges, you have absolute control over which tests you send. You could take 10 tests, and only send your highest one. This is unlike the SAT, where many schools require you to send all your tests ever taken.
This means that you have more chances than you think to improve your ACT score. To try to aim for the school’s ACT requirement of 30 and above, you should try to take the ACT as many times as you can. When you have the final score that you’re happy with, you can then send only that score to all your schools.
ACT Super score Policy
By and large, most colleges do not superscore the ACT. (Superscore means that the school takes your best section scores from all the test dates you submit, and then combines them into the best possible composite score). Thus, most schools will just take your highest ACT score from a single sitting.
We weren’t able to find the school’s exact ACT policy, which most likely means that it does not Superscore. Regardless, you can choose your single best ACT score to send in to Soka University of America, so you should prep until you reach our recommended target ACT score of 30.
Chances of getting into Soka University of America
Acceptance Rate
ACCEPTANCE RATE
39%
| Admission Standards | Very High | |
| Applicant Competition | High |
How hard is it to get into Soka University of America and can I get accepted? The school has a 39% acceptance rate ranking it #24 in California for lowest rate of acceptance. Last year, 180 out of 462 applicants were admitted making Soka University of America a highly competitive school to get into with a lesser chance of acceptance for qualifying applicants. Academically, it has very high requirements for admission test scores, generally admitting students who score in the top 24 percent. Soka University of America typically accepts and attracts “A-” average high school students. Of those applicants who were admitted, 62% enrolled. With over half of admitted students enrolling, acceptance by Soka University of America is a prized outcome for many students.
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Estimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score
| ACT SCORE | COMPETITIVENESS | ADMISSION CHANCES |
|---|---|---|
| 30 and Above | Good | >55% |
| 27 to 30 | Avg + | 39%-55% |
| 25 to 27 | Avg – | 29%-39% |
| 23 to 25 | Reach | 21%-29% |
| Less than 23 | Low | <21% |
Estimated GPA Requirements & Average GPA
AVG. HIGH SCHOOL GPA
3.86
TYPICAL HIGH SCHOOL GRADES
A-
You will need exceptionally good grades to get into Soka University of America. The average high school GPA of the admitted freshman class at Soka University of America was 3.86 on the 4.0 scale indicating that primarily A- students are accepted and ultimately attend. The school ranks #14 in California for highest average GPA. Even with a competitive GPA, admission to Soka University of America will be challenging as the school denies more applicants than it admits.
| HIGH SCHOOL GPA | FRESHMEN WITHIN RANGE | COMPETITIVENESS |
|---|---|---|
| 3.75+ | 65% | Good |
| 3.50 to 3.75 | 21% | Avg – |
| 3.25 to 3.50 | 9% | Reach |
| 3.00 to 3.25 | 3% | Reach |
| 2.75 to 3.00 | 1% | Reach |
| 2.50 to 2.75 | 1% | Reach |
| 2.25 to 2.50 | N/A% | Low |
| 2.00 to 2.25 | N/A% | Low |
GPA Data Source, Wintergreen Orchard House
High School Class Rank
| HIGH SCHOOL CLASS RANK | FRESHMEN WITHIN RANGE |
|---|---|
| Top 10% of class | 50% |
| Top 25% of class | 31% |
| Top 50% of class | 0% |
| Bottom 50% of class | 0% |
| Bottom 25% of class | 0% |
Data Sources, Wintergreen Orchard House
Admission Statistics
| WOMEN | MEN | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 312 | 150 | 462 |
| Accepted | 121 | 59 | 180 |
| Acceptance Rate | 39% | 39% | 39% |
| Enrolled | 77 | 34 | 111 |
| Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) | 64% | 58% | 62% |
Fall 2020 Application Deadline
APPLICATIONS WERE DUE
Jan 15, 2020
DAYS LEFT TO APPLY
None
The application deadline for Fall 2020 has passed. Applications were due on Jan 15, 2020.
Admission Requirements
What are the requirements for admission to Soka University of America and what considerations affect admission decisions?
| Test Scores | Required |
| High School GPA | Required |
| High School Class Rank | Recommended |
| Completion of College Preparatory Program | Required |
| Recommendations | Required |
| Demonstration of Competencies | Recommended |
Credits Accepted
| AP Credit | No |
| Dual Credit | No |
| Credit for Life Experiences | No |
Other Colleges to Consider
Loyola Marymount University
Los Angeles, California
Pepperdine University
Malibu, California
Thomas Aquinas College
Santa Paula, California
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara, California
Brigham Young University Provo
Provo, Utah
St John’s College
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Trinity University
San Antonio, Texas
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=399911 IPEDS survey data for Soka University of America.
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