President Barack Obama might not officially be an alum, but he did his freshman and sophomore years at Occidental College. In fact, Obama said his interest in politics began in an Oxy classroom. “I started reading more seriously and more deeply about social justice issues,” Obama said of his time at Occidental. If your son or daughter wants that kind of intellectual awakening, then Occidental (“the liberal arts school in L.A.” as its slogan goes) might just be the place for them. But, you’re probably wondering: Do they have what it takes to get in? 

About Occidental College

Occidental, affectionately called Oxy by those affiliated with it, is a small school (just shy of 2,000 students) in the Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles. Like most small liberal arts colleges, it prides itself on intimate classroom settings and close faculty mentorship with an 8:1 student-faculty ratio. Because there are no graduate students to compete with, undergraduates get tons of hands-on research experience, and all seniors are required to conduct their own Comprehensive, a research project that showcases all they’ve learned over their four years at Occidental. 

Socially, Oxy students get the best of both worlds: a tight-knit campus community and access to a major city with culinary and cultural offerings galore. Los Angeles also provides plentiful career pathways for Oxy undergrads, with many alumni in the entertainment and media industries. 

The admit rate for the Occidental College Class of 2029 was 44.9%. This makes it what we at Ivy Coach consider a moderately competitive school to get into. Getting in will require some strategic planning (and the help of Ivy Coach’s former college admissions officers certainly wouldn’t hurt). 

Occidental College Admissions Requirements 

There’s no one way to get into Occidental College. Oxy admissions officers consider myriad factors when evaluating each applicant and endeavor to understand each student within their particular context. Chief among the factors they consider, though, are academic excellence, extracurricular achievement, and personal qualities. Let’s break these down further, shall we? 

Occidental College GPA Requirements

The following is the GPA breakdown for the Occidental College Class of 2028 (the most recently available data we have): 

Score Range	Percentage of Class of 2028 (Students who submitted scores)
Percent who had GPA of 4.0	13%
Percent who had GPA between 3.75 and 3.99	26%
Percent who had GPA between 3.50 and 3.74	33%
Percent who had GPA between 3.25 and 3.49	18%
Percent who had GPA between 3.00 and 3.24	5%
Percent who had GPA between 2.50 and 2.99	4%
Percent who had GPA between 2.0 and 2.49	0%
Percent who had GPA between 1.0 and 1.99	0%
Percent who had GPA below 1.0	0%

There is no official minimum GPA requirement to be accepted into Occidental College, although the data points to students ideally falling at least above a 3.25, or a 3.50 to be safe. But as much as students wish there was a magic formula for college acceptance, with X GPA + Y SAT = Acceptance Guaranteed, there just isn’t.

What Kind of SAT or ACT Scores Are Needed To Get Into Occidental?  

The average SAT score for the Occidental College Class of 2028 was 1440, and the average ACT score was 33. Occidental is test-optional, and only 28% of applicants to the Class of 2028 submitted scores. Even with that taken into consideration, we at Ivy Coach firmly believe that excelling on standardized tests and submitting the scores significantly boosts an applicant’s admission chances at any college, even test-optional ones. 

What Classes Do Students Need to Take to Get Into Occidental College?

Occidental does not officially state what their minimum academic preparation is to be considered for admission. But we can tell you that highly selective colleges want to see students excelling in each core subject (English, history, math, science, and foreign language) all four years of high school. In fact, they expect to see five years for foreign language since most students begin their first level of foreign language in eighth grade. And of course, if your child’s school offers AP or other high-level courses, they should be enrolled in them. 

What Kinds of Extracurriculars Does Occidental College Like To See?

Depth over breadth is the name of the game here! Although you’ve probably heard the urban legend of the “well-rounded applicant,” it’s just that: an urban legend. Think about it for a second. Does a school want to offer admission to a student who is “good” at various unrelated pursuits? Or do they want to admit a student who is the best in one arena and is well on their way to becoming an expert and leader in that field? One student is going to end up a face in the crowd; the other student is going to end up with a high profile, and the Occidental name is going to be part of their biography. 

Occidental College Application Requirements

Occidental accepts the Common App or the Coalition App. They require a letter of recommendation from a teacher in a core subject. They have an optional 250-word supplemental essay. The Fall 2026 prompt for the essay is: “Why are you applying to Occidental? Why do you think Occidental is the right place for you to pursue your interests?” At Ivy Coach, when we hear the word “optional,” we think “required, if you want to actually get in.” And we know a thing or two about writing Why College essays like this one. 

Who Should Students Ask For Letters of Recommendation For Occidental College? 

Occidental applicants should ask a junior year with whom they’ve had a close, instructive, formative relationship. Obviously, the student should have excelled in that course. Ideally, the teacher’s subject area will align neatly with the rest of the application. If a student wants to become the world’s foremost zoologist on the yellow-spotted tropical night lizard, they should probably ask their AP Bio teacher to write their letter.

Does Occidental Require an Interview? 

They don’t require one, but they say they “strongly recommend” one. In other words, if you want to get into Occidental, do the interview. They offer interviews with current students and alumni or a 90-second video via Glimpse. 

What Are Occidental College’s Application Deadlines? 

Early Decision I and Early Action applications to Occidental College are due November 1. Early Decision II and Regular Decision applications are due January 10. 

How Ivy Coach Helps Students Get Into Occidental College

If you’re interested in figuring out if your child has a shot of getting into Occidental College, we recommend setting up Ivy Coach’s Strategy Session. Not only will you find out if your child has a chance of getting into Occidental College, but you’ll receive a game plan of how your child can optimize their admission to the best school possible.