On a hillside in a redwood forest overlooking Monterey Bay, just outside downtown Santa Cruz and near the Pacific Ocean, the University of California, Santa Cruz might boast one of the best campus locations of any school in the United States. How many students can say they’re in the forest and by the ocean at the same time? Not to mention it’s less than a 90-minute drive to San Francisco. With an undergraduate population of 17,940 and an acceptance rate of 65%, UC Santa Cruz is a good option for families looking for a slightly less competitive institution to add to their college list. 

If you’re reading this, you’re likely wondering what kind of GPA your child needs to get into the University of California, Santa Cruz. We’ve got you covered! We at Ivy Coach have combed through the past three years of data that UC Santa Cruz has self-reported to the The Common Data Set Initiative, a voluntary effort among schools to help all of those involved with a student’s transition to higher education. Without further ado, let’s roll up our sleeves and get into the numbers! 

GPA Percentage of University of California, Santa Cruz Class of 2029

The following is the GPA breakdown of the members of the University of California, Santa Cruz  Class of 2029:

GPA	Percentage of University of California, Santa Cruz Class of 2029
4.0	45.53%
3.75-3.99	33.31%
3.5-3.74	16.31%
3.25-3.49	3.93%
3.0-3.24	0.85%
2.5-2.99	0.07%
2.0-2.49	0%
1.0-1.99	0%

GPA Percentage of University of California, Santa Cruz  Class of 2028

The following is the GPA breakdown of the members of the University of California, Santa Cruz  Class of 2028:

GPA	Percentage of University of California, Santa Cruz Class of 2028
4.0	43.1%
3.75-3.99	28.8%
3.5-3.74	19.1%
3.25-3.49	7.1%
3.0-3.24	1.9%
2.5-2.99	0.1%
2.0-2.49	0%
1.0-1.99	0%

GPA Percentage of University of California, Santa Cruz  Class of 2027

The following is the GPA breakdown of the members of the University of California, Santa Cruz Class of 2027:

GPA	Percentage of University of California, Santa Cruz Class of 2027
4.0	55.6%
3.75-3.99	31.2%
3.5-3.74	10.7%
3.25-3.49	1.8%
3.0-3.24	0.7%
2.5-2.99	0%
2.0-2.49	0%
1.0-1.99	0%

Further Context on the GPA of UC Santa Cruz Students 

If you’re not a charts person, let’s talk through what each of these numbers actually means. For the UC Santa Cruz Class of 2029 and Class of 2028, about 45% of incoming first-year students came onto campus with perfect high school GPAs. And, for each of those classes, roughly ⅓ of students had a GPA between 3.75 and 3.99. And just under ⅕ came in with a GPA between 3.5 and 3.74. 

Over half (55%) of the University of California, Santa Cruz Class of 2027 had a perfect high school report. A third of the class had GPAs in the 3.75 to 3.99 bracket. And 10% of the class had a GPA between 3.5 and 3.74. 

This means that the University of California, Santa Cruz mostly admits students with high GPAs. 

Can Students Get into the University of California, Santa Cruz with a Low GPA?

You might be the parent of a child who doesn’t have the most stellar report card. In which case, you might find that your eyes keep boomeranging to the 0.85% of the University of California, Santa Cruz Class of 2029 who had a GPA between 3.0 and 3.24. Or, if you’re really counting your lucky stars, maybe you’re fixated on the 0.07% of the Class of 2029 who had a GPA between 2.5 and 2.99. 

Before you get excited, let’s do a reality check. Those numbers are obviously outliers. What’s more, we’d wager that those students with low GPAs had other ways of getting in. They may have been recruited athletes: Serena Williams-level tennis players or bat-out-of-hell cross country runners, for example. 

That being said, UC Santa Cruz routinely admits students with mediocre GPAs: the past three incoming first-year classes have seen anywhere from 10% to 20% of students with GPAs between 3.5 and 3.74. This is in keeping with its 65% acceptance rate. 

In any case, GPA is one factor among many admissions officers at UC Santa Cruz consider. The University of California system lists 13 different factors they consider during their review, including “outstanding work in one or more special projects” and “special talents, achievements, and awards in a particular field.” 

How Ivy Coach Can Gauge Your Child’s Chances at the UC Santa Cruz

If you’re looking to enhance your child’s chances of getting into the University of California, Santa Cruz, we strongly recommend Ivy Coach’s Strategy Session. This session provides insights into your child’s potential for admission to the University of California, Santa Cruz and devises a comprehensive plan for optimizing their admission to the best school possible. To learn more about Ivy Coach’s Strategy Session, fill out our complimentary consultation form, and we’ll be in touch.