San Diego State University’s GPA Requirements is based on the most current entering freshman class. As a freshmen at SDSU, you need to ensure that your past education background meets certain grading standards. These regulations are the same for every freshman applicant.
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SDSU Requirements for Admission
What are SDSU’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 SDSU and build a strong application.
School location: San Diego, CA
This school is also known as: San Diego State University
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 SDSU is 34%. For every 100 applicants, 34 are admitted.
This means the school is very selective. If you meet SDSU’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.
San Diego State University Gpa
SDSU 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: 3.77
The average GPA at SDSU is 3.77.
(Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA.
With a GPA of 3.77, SDSU 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 3.77, 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 SDSU. More importantly, you need to do well to have a strong application.
san diego state 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: 1215
The average SAT score composite at SDSU is a 1215 on the 1600 SAT scale.
This score makes SDSU Competitive for SAT test scores.
SDSU SAT Score Analysis (New 1600 SAT)
The 25th percentile New SAT score is 1120, and the 75th percentile New SAT score is 1310. In other words, a 1120 on the New SAT places you below average, while a 1310 will move you up to above average.
Here’s the breakdown of new SAT scores by section:
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
| Math | 610 | 550 | 670 |
| Reading + Writing | 605 | 560 | 650 |
| Composite | 1215 | 1120 | 1310 |
SAT Score Choice Policy
The Score Choice policy at your school is an important part of your testing strategy.
SDSU 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.
For example, say you submit the following 3 test scores:
| Section | R+W | Math | Composite |
| Test 1 | 700 | 300 | 1000 |
| Test 2 | 300 | 700 | 1000 |
| Test 3 | 300 | 300 | 600 |
| Superscore | 700 | 700 | 1400 |
Even though the highest total you scored on any one test date was 1000, SDSU will take your highest section score from all your test dates, then combine them to form your Superscore. You can raise your composite score from 1000 to 1400 in this example.
This is important for your testing strategy. Because you can choose which tests to send in, and SDSU forms your Superscore, you can take the SAT as many times as you want, then submit only the tests that give you the highest Superscore. Your application readers will only see that one score.
Therefore, if your SAT superscore is currently below a 1310, we strongly recommend that you consider prepping for the SAT and retaking it. You have a very good chance of raising your score, which will significantly boost your chances of getting in.
Even better, because of the Superscore, you can focus all your energy on a single section at a time. If your Reading score is lower than your other sections, prep only for the Reading section, then take the SAT. Then focus on Math for the next test, and so on. This will give you the highest Superscore possible.
SDSU ACT Requirements
Just like for the SAT, SDSU likely doesn’t have a hard ACT cutoff, but if you score too low, your application will get tossed in the trash.
Average ACT: 26
The average ACT score at SDSU is 26. This score makes SDSU Moderately Competitive for ACT scores.
The 25th percentile ACT score is 22, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 29.
Even though SDSU likely says they have no minimum ACT requirement, if you apply with a 22 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 26 and above that a 22 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 29 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 Superscore 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 SDSU, so you should prep until you reach our recommended target ACT score of 29.
san diego state university requirements
International First-Year Students – SDSU Admission
ADMISSION CRITERIA
Expand AllCollapse AllStudents Graduating from a High School Outside the U.S.
If you are graduating from a high school outside of the United States, your application will be reviewed on the following admission criteria:
- Completion of high school/secondary level. A certified copy of graduation certificate or diploma will be required prior to enrollment at SDSU. Review the Requirements by Country for country specific information.
- A minimum U.S. equivalent GPA (grade point average) of 3.0 (B grade or 80 percent) or higher.
- English Proficiency: If you are attending or have attended a high school where English was not the primary language of instruction, you must meet university-level competence in English through one of the following:
- TOEFL – Passing score is 80 iBT/550 paper or higher.
- IELTS – Passing overall score is 6.5 or higher.
- Pearson Test of English (PTE) – Passing score is 58 or higher.
- Duolingo English Test score of 105 or higher; or
- SDSU’s American Language Institute’s Level 106 course – Must earn an overall 3.0 GPA or higher.
Students Graduating from a U.S. High School
If you are graduating from a U.S. high school, your application will be reviewed based on the completion of A–G courses, grade point average (GPA), preparation towards indicated area of study, and additional factors.
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