collageAcceptance Rate
Acceptance Rate
48.8%
| Admission Standards | Exceptional | |
| Applicant Competition | Average |
Will you get accepted?
Find out how likely you are to get accepted at SCU based on your GPA, test scores, and even extracurricular activities. Then, get custom recommendations for how to improve your odds – completely for free.CALCULATE MY CHANCES
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How hard is it to get into SCU and can I get accepted? The school has a 49% acceptance rate ranking it #33 in California for lowest rate of acceptance. Last year, 7,958 out of 16,300 applicants were admitted making SCU a more competitive school to get into with a good chance of acceptance for qualifying applicants. Academically, it has extremely high requirements for admission test scores, generally admitting students who score in the top 13 percent. Santa Clara University typically accepts and attracts “B+” average high school students. Only 17% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school. Most incoming freshmen graduated in the top quarter of their high school class.
Test Requirements
You must submit admission test scores with your application. Santa Clara University is not a test optional school. Note: Please consult the school directly to determine if testing requirements are temporarily suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
SCU SAT Scores
SAT Requirements & Average SAT Score
SAT Range
1280-1440
Applicants Submitting SAT
62%
| SAT Reading 25th | 630 |
| SAT Math 25th | 650 |
| SAT Composite 25th | 1280 |
| SAT Reading 75th | 700 |
| SAT Math 75th | 740 |
| SAT Composite 75th | 1440 |
| Average SAT Score | 1360 |
SAT Scores you need to get in
What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to Santa Clara University?
Santa Clara University typically prefers applicants to be in the top 14 percent of SAT test takers. The school consistently takes SAT composite scores down to 1280 on a 1600 scale, below which admission should be considered a reach. We estimate some students could be accepted with SAT’s as low as 1200. The estimated average SAT composite for admitted freshman is 1360 out of 1600. The school ranks #12 in California for highest average SAT composite score. A competitive SAT score is critical as 62 percent of applicants submit SAT scores to the school.
Estimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score
| SAT Score (1600 scale) | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 1440 and Above | Good | >62% |
| 1360 to 1440 | Avg + | 49%-62% |
| 1280 to 1360 | Avg – | 36%-49% |
| 1200 to 1280 | Reach | 25%-36% |
| Less than 1200 | Low | <25% |
Santa Clara University 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: 3.69
The average GPA at Santa Clara University is 3.69.
(Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA.
With a GPA of 3.69, Santa Clara University requires you to be above average in your high school class. You’ll need at least a mix of A’s and B’s, with more A’s than B’s. You can compensate for a lower GPA with harder classes, like AP or IB classes. This will show that you’re able to handle more difficult academics than the average high school student.
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 3.69, 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 Santa Clara University. More importantly, you need to do well to have a strong application.
Santa Clara University 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: 1360
The average SAT score composite at Santa Clara University is a 1360 on the 1600 SAT scale.
This score makes Santa Clara University Moderately Competitive for SAT test scores.
Santa Clara University SAT Score Analysis (New 1600 SAT)
The 25th percentile New SAT score is 1300, and the 75th percentile New SAT score is 1420. In other words, a 1300 on the New SAT places you below average, while a 1420 will move you up to above average.
Here’s the breakdown of new SAT scores by section:
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
| Math | 695 | 650 | 740 |
| Reading + Writing | 665 | 630 | 700 |
| Composite | 1360 | 1300 | 1420 |
SAT Score Choice Policy
The Score Choice policy at your school is an important part of your testing strategy.
Santa Clara University has the Score Choice policy of “Highest Section.”
This is also known as “superscoring.” This means that you can choose which SAT tests you want to send to the school. Of all the scores they receive, your application readers will consider your highest section scores across all SAT test dates you submit.
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