The University of California, San Diego might not be as prestigious as its sister schools, the University of California, Berkeley and the University of California, Los Angeles, but make no mistake: it’s still a research powerhouse with a reputation on the upward swing. While UCSD’s Class of 2029 applicants received word of their admissions decisions in late March, UC San Diego has yet to release any data on these newly incoming Tritons. These admissions statistics will eventually surface with the next iteration of the UC San Diego Common Data Set, but in the meantime, Ivy Coach would like to share some interesting details about the history of admissions at this public research university.

UC San Diego Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics (Classes of 2029 — 2019)

UC San Diego Class Year	Total Applications Received	Total Applications Accepted	Overall Acceptance Rate
Class of 2029	Not Yet Published	Not Yet Published	Not Yet Published
Class of 2028	134,444	35,984	26.77%
Class of 2027	130,845	32,403	24.76%
Class of 2026	131,254	31,274	23.83%
Class of 2025	118,410	40,629	34.31%
Class of 2024	100,080	38,325	38.29%
Class of 2023	99,133	32,062	32.34%
Class of 2022	97,901	29,602	30.24%
Class of 2021	88,428	30,212	34.17%
Class of 2020	84,209	30,273	35.95%
Class of 2019	78,056	26,509	33.96%

UC San Diego’s Class of 2029 in Historical Perspective

As we patiently (or perhaps impatiently!) await the data on the UCSD Class of 2029, let’s take a brief trip back through past UCSD admissions cycles. Last year, an astounding (and record-breaking) 134,444 students applied to get into the UCSD Class of 2028, an applicant pool whose gargantuan size is only rivaled by other UC schools. 35,984, or 26.77% of these applicants, ended up earning admission. 

Last year might have set the college’s record for most applicants, but the lowest acceptance rate goes to the Class of 2026. That admissions cycle was among the most competitive in college admissions history across nearly all elite schools, and UCSD was no exception. 131,254 students applied for 31,274 stops, leading to a 23.83% acceptance rate that places UCSD in the moderately selective college tier.

Taking a step back to examine the overarching trends over the last few years, it becomes clear that UCSD is on a trajectory toward increasing popularity and record-setting application pools, which has generally led to decreased acceptance rates year by year. Only time will tell, however, whether these trends continue through the Class of 2029, although signs certainly look optimistic.

Demographics of the University of California, San Diego Class of 2029

We wish we could share more, covering everything from the racial makeup of this year’s Tritons, the geographic origins and socioeconomic breakdown, standardized test scores, and financial aid eligibility. But alas, these details are yet out of our grasp. It would appear UCSD is following the cues of many other elite schools this year in keeping these details close to the vest so as not to draw any undue media scrutiny. 

One thing we can say for sure, however, is that none of the UC San Diego applicants submitted standardized test scores, as the whole University of California system has a relatively unique admissions policy where no test scores are considered whatsoever. We at Ivy Coach prefer this policy to the misleading test-optional policy piloted by so many elite schools during the pandemic, as this policy actually creates a level playing field. Test-optional policies only serve to disadvantage those who don’t submit test scores!

Getting Started with Ivy Coach on the UC San Diego Waitlist

If you’re interested in giving your child the best possible shot at admission off the UCSD waitlist for the Class of 2029, how they approach admissions officers in the days following the waitlist decision is absolutely crucial. So fill out Ivy Coach’s complimentary consultation form, indicate that your child has been waitlisted, and we’ll be in touch to delineate our UCSD waitlist service.