How Hard is It to Get Into UC Berkeley?
The University of California, Berkeley (also called UC Berkeley) is in Berkeley, California.
It is a public institution founded in 1868. It is also the University of California system’s founding campus.
As a Public Ivy, it’s hard to get into UC Berkeley, much like Ivy League schools such as Harvard University and Columbia University.
UC Berkeley receives more than 128,200 applications per admissions cycle. It accepts only 11% of those, its Common Data Set (CDS) says.
Admitted first-time, first-year students have an average GPA of 3.9. Of those, 38.8% have 4.0 GPAs.
Are you not sure whether to apply to the University of California, Berkeley, because it refuses to accept almost 90% of all applicants?
Before you try to become one of the more than 32,100 undergraduates at the University of California, Berkeley, please consider reading the entirety of this post first to get to know the school better.
Is UC Berkeley Ivy League?
UC Berkeley is not one of the eight Ivy League schools. However, it is regarded as one of the most prestigious public institutions in the US.
Because of this, it is one of the Public Ivies, which is an unofficial list. UC Berkeley is one of the highest-ranking schools in the entire UC System.
Due to being a top-notch institution, it’s no wonder why some people mistake it for being an Ivy League school.
And if you check out its admissions statistics, the fact that only a tiny fraction of applicants get admitted into it will tell you that it doesn’t have to be one of the eight Ivy League schools to have a competitive reputation.
My overall experience at Cal was wonderful. I felt super sheltered when I first arrived in Berkeley, but it was the most significant learning experience in my life. Education was excellent and if I had the choice to attend college again, I’d definitely attend Cal. Attending Berkeley will definitely change your life. Go Bears!!!
Niche.com
What is the Ranking of UC Berkeley?
UC Berkeley is #2 in 2022 Top Public Schools and #22 in 2022 National Universities, both by US News. On the other hand, the institution is #32 in 2022 in QS World University Rankings. UC Berkeley is #1 in two Forbes rankings: 2021 America’s Top Colleges and 2021 America’s Top Public Colleges.
You are not going to have a hard time figuring out how UC Berkeley fares in college rankings. That’s because it is in many of them. And, more often than not, the school is located at or near the top of each list.
Many high school students who are about to go to college soon check out ranking sites when creating a college list. This is okay as it can help speed up the process. However, it is a good idea to rely on a college ranking that ranks the entries according to a category or factor you find personally important as a soon-to-be college student.
And, more importantly, consider only trusted and reliable college ranking sites.
There is no denying that US News is one of the most popular and dependable college rankers out there. The following are the various US News rankings of UC Berkeley for 2022:
- #2 in Top Public Schools
- #22 in National Universities
- #7 in Best Colleges for Veterans
- #14 in Most Innovative Schools
- #48 in Best Undergraduate Teaching
- #82 in Top Performers on Social Mobility
- #160 in Best Value Schools
Besides US News, Niche is another go-to college ranking site by many junior and senior high school students during the college application season. Here are the different 2022 rankings of UC Berkeley by the college ranker:
- #2 in Top Public Universities in California
- #3 in Best Big Colleges in California
- #9 in Colleges With the Best Professors in California
- #9 in Colleges With the Best Student Life in California
- #8 in Top Public Universities in America
- #9 in Best Big Colleges in America
- #25 in Most Liberal Colleges in America
- #47 in Colleges With the Best Academics in America
- #52 in Best Value Colleges in America
- #76 in Most Diverse Colleges in America
UC Berkeley is a part of the UC System, which is composed of nine institutions that offer both graduate and undergraduate degrees. Let’s take a look at where UC Berkeley sits if all UC System schools are ranked:
| NAME | RANKING |
| UCLA | 1 |
| UC Berkeley | 2 |
| UC Santa Barbara | 3 |
| UC San Diego | 4 |
| UC Irvine | 5 |
| UC Davis | 6 |
| UC Riverside | 7 |
| UC Merced | 8 |
| UC Santa Cruz | 9 |
Note that there is one more school in the UC System, which is UC San Francisco. However, unlike the nine schools ranked above, UC San Francisco is only a graduate and professional school.
Related Article: Which State Has Best Colleges: Ultimate Guide
What is UC Berkeley Known For?
UC Berkeley is known as the oldest school in the entire UC System. It was established in 1868 as the University of California, which was the very first land-grant university in the state. Today, UC Berkeley has over 500 undocumented students enrolled through its Undocumented Student Program (USP).
Among the UC System, there are two schools that are more competitive and generally more esteemed of the bunch. One is UCLA, and the other is UC Berkeley.
The school has an impressive retention rate of 97%. This means that almost all of its first-year students come back the following academic year, most likely due to being happy with their freshman college experience. UC Berkeley also has a high graduation rate of 92% — the average graduation rate at four-year institutions in the US is 60.4%.
Some of the most popular majors at UC Berkeley include:
- Social Sciences
- Biology
- Economics
- Accounting
- Business
- Management
- Mathematics
- Statistics
- Engineering
- Computer Science
As mentioned earlier, UC Berkeley has a program called USP. This program of the school is a component of the Centers for Educational Equity and Excellence (CE3), which helps ensure that non-traditional students shine at the top public universities not only in the US but also all over the globe.
UC Berkeley has more than 500 students from 34 different countries under the program. USP offers a holistic and multi-cultural approach that provides each undocumented student individualized service.
Related Article: Does It Matter Where You Go to College for Engineering?
Is Berkeley Hard to Get Into
Most college-bound teens believe that gaining admission into public schools is trouble-free.
However, this is far from the truth.
When applying to Berkeley, you have to compete with 128,000 applicants for admission. What’s more, the California government restricts the number of spots available for out-of-state students, pushing this group’s acceptance rate below 9%.
Acceptance Rate at UC Berkeley
The acceptance rate at UC Berkeley is 14.5% for in-state students and 8.6% for out-of-state applicants, which makes it a highly selective school.
Among the various UC System schools, public colleges, and universities in the US, UC Berkeley has the lowest acceptance rates.
To get a better idea of the selectivity level of UC Berkeley when compared to other UC System schools, check out the following table showing the acceptance rates at each of them, arranged from lowest to highest:
| NAME | ACCEPTANCE RATE |
| UC Los Angeles | 11% |
| UC Berkeley | 14.5% |
| UC Irvine | 29% |
| UC Santa Barbara | 29% |
| UC San Diego | 34% |
| UC Davis | 49% |
| UC Santa Cruz | 59% |
| UC Riverside | 66% |
| UC Merced | 96% |
And now, let’s check out 10 of the public colleges and universities in the US (only those that have appeared in US News rankings) with the lowest acceptance rates, arranged from lowest to highest:
| NAME | ACCEPTANCE RATE |
| UC Los Angeles | 11% |
| UC Berkeley | 14.5% |
| University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill | 22% |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | 23% |
| University of Michigan – Ann Arbor | 23% |
| University of Virginia | 26% |
| UC Irvine | 29% |
| UC Santa Barbara | 29% |
| San Diego State University | 34% |
| UC San Diego | 34% |
Average GPA for Berkeley
Admitted first-time, first-year students have an average GPA of 3.9. Of those, 38.8% have 4.0 GPAs.
Since UC Berkeley has a holistic admissions policy, it considers the entire application in the admissions process, not just the GPA.
If your GPA is between 3.75 and 3.99, there’s a good chance that you will get accepted into UC Berkeley.
However, it doesn’t mean that you should forget about applying to the top-notch school if your GPA is below the range given above.
That’s because there are freshmen students at UC Berkeley with lower GPAs.
The following is a breakdown of the GPAs of students admitted into the institution:
| GPA | PERCENTAGE OF ADMITS |
|---|---|
| 4 | 39% |
| 3.75 to 3.99 | 48% |
| 3.50 to 3.74 | 10% |
| 3.25 to 3.49 | 2% |
| 3.00 to 3.24 | 1% |
Read Also: What Are The Best Non-Ivy League Schools Along The East Coast?
Is UC Berkeley Test-Optional?
Like all other public colleges in California, Berkeley is a test-blind school.
This means its admissions officers do not look at SAT or ACT scores even if you submit them.
Related Article: Is It Harder to Get 36 on ACT or 1600 on SAT?
How Much Does It Cost to Go to UC Berkeley?
Being a public institution, the cost of attending UC Berkeley for one academic year can vary between in-state and out-of-state students.
The in-state tuition is $15,602, bringing the total cost to $46,008.
On the other hand, the out-of-state tuition is $43,980, bringing the total cost to $78,582.
The average in-state tuition at four-year institutions in the US amounts to $9,212.
Clearly, the in-state tuition at UC Berkeley is higher than the national average. Its out-of-state tuition, too, is higher than the national average of $26,382.
As a matter of fact, UC Berkeley is the fourth most expensive public school for out-of-state students.
Here’s a breakdown of the estimated cost of attendance at UC Berkeley:
| COST | In-State | Out of State |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition and fees | $15,602 | $43,980 |
| Health insurance plan | $3,858 | $3,858 |
| Room and board | $20,576 | $20,576 |
| Fees | $5,972 | $5,972 |
| TOTAL | $46,008 | $78,582 |
According to UC Berkeley itself, almost two-thirds of its undergraduate students qualify for financial aid.
The school adds that over 65% of its undergraduate students get some form of aid.
Is UC Berkeley Online Accredited?
UC Berkeley Online, which refers to as UC Berkeley Extension, is an accredited online school.
Its accreditor is the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).
It is the same accrediting body responsible for the accreditation of UC Berkeley and its various departments and programs, too.
Going to a physical campus for four years can be a challenge to non-traditional students who wish to get their hands on a degree. The good news is that there are online schools that cater to them.
Unfortunately, the internet is filled with thousands of diploma mills. Making the mistake of enrolling in any one of them is big money down the drain as the resulting degree is worthless — employers do not respect them.
It’s because of this why it is a good idea to check whether or not an online school is a diploma mill before applying to it.
I thought I would enjoy it here at Berkeley more. Most say that I’ll learn to love it, but until that day comes, I’m not really enjoying it here. Though there are some very nice and genuine people, most are so competitive, ambitious, and just fake. You can’t really approach just anyone. The school is prestigious, but sometimes that seems to fade away. Nevertheless, people here are amazingly talented. I just wished it had a better environment, instead of everyone having to always try to beat one another.
Niche.com
Since it’s accredited by WASC, you can rest assured that UC Berkeley Online is not a diploma mill.
After all, WASC is one of the six regional accrediting agencies that is recognized by the US Department of Education (USDE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), too.
One of the nicest things about UC Berkeley Online is that it offers online programs across more than 70 academic areas.
What’s more, the online school offers three different online classes:
- Live online. It gives you the traditional class experience but in the comfort of your own home. Online sessions are scheduled, thus allowing you, your classmates, and the instructor to interact with one another in real time. Live online is ideal for non-traditional students with plenty of time for online studies.
- Fixed date. As the name of the online class type suggests, this has a start date and an end date. Unlike the live online option, this does not involve any real-time sessions. However, students are given the opportunity to collaborate with one another and get in touch with the instructor, too.
- Start anytime. Are you a non-traditional student with a lot on your plate? Then consider going for the start anytime type of online class. What’s so great about this is that you can enroll and start your online program anytime. Also, there are no deadlines to meet, thus allowing you to study at your own pace.
How Competitive Is UC Berkeley
UC Berkeley has a low acceptance rate of 14.5%. Only students with the strongest applications get accepted into it.
Half of the admitted students have competitive GPAs ranging from 3.75 and 3.99. Because UC Berkeley has a holistic admissions policy, other factors are also considered in the admissions process.
By now, you should have a clear idea of whether or not you should include UC Berkeley in your college list to make it more realistic and balanced.
And if you are a non-traditional student who cannot go to physical classes like everybody else, you may give UC Berkeley Online a try to earn a degree that employers will respect.
Read Next: 17 Best Colleges on the West Coast: West Ivies
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of the College Reality Check.
