Admissions Factors

What UC Davis Looks For

UC Davis rates 2 factors as very important: rigor of high school courses and academic GPA.

How UC Davis rates each factor

Each college sorts 18 factors into four levels on its Common Data Set.

Very important

Important

Considered

Not considered

The numbers behind the class

Overall admit rate

44.3%

45,674 of 102,988 applicants

Early decision admit rate

No early decision

Admitted from the waitlist

38.6%

3,758 of 9,747 who stayed on it

Enrolled first-years had an average high school GPA of 4.03.

Email me what UC Davis looks for

A link to this page, plus the comparison table for every college we track.

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Frequently asked questions

What does UC Davis look for in applicants?

UC Davis rates 2 factors as very important: rigor of high school courses and academic GPA.

Does UC Davis consider legacy status?

UC Davis rates alumni relation as "not considered" in its 2025-26 Common Data Set.

Does UC Davis track demonstrated interest?

UC Davis rates the level of an applicant's interest as "not considered".

What is UC Davis's waitlist acceptance rate?

9,747 students stayed on the waitlist and 3,758 were admitted, a rate of 38.6%. The number changes a lot from year to year because it depends on how many admitted students enroll.

Source: UC Davis’s own Common Data Set 2025-26, Section C. Last checked 2026-10-08. The ratings are the college’s own description of its process. Counts are for one entering class.