The Class of 2021

UC Santa Barbara has offered a place in its fall 2017 entering class to a total of 26,879 high school seniors. The prospective UCSB freshmen were selected from a total of 81,828 freshman applicants — the largest applicant pool in UCSB history.

The unprecedented academic qualifications and diversity of applicants made fall 2017 admissions the most selective in campus history. With a top 10 ranking, 11 national centers and institutes, and more than 100 research units, UCSB offers unparalleled learning opportunities for undergraduate students. The world-class faculty includes six Nobel laureates, two Academy and Emmy Award winners, and recipients of a Millennium Technology Prize, a National Medal of Technology and Innovation and a Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics.

Of the applicants admitted to UCSB, the average high school GPA is an all-time high of 4.25, and the average total score achieved on the required SAT is 1996 out of a possible 2400. In addition, of all applicants admitted, 30 percent identify themselves as members of a racial or ethnic minority group. (Individual applicants are not identified to the campuses by race or ethnicity until after admission decisions are made.)

Admission to UC Santa Barbara continues to be competitive. This year, just over 32.8 percent were offered a place in next fall’s entering class, down from 35.9 percent last year.

Based on preliminary admissions data, of the 16,844 students seeking to transfer to UCSB, 8,984 California community college students have been offered a spot.

“We are very excited to welcome an exceptionally talented group of freshman and transfer students,” said Lisa Przekop, director of admissions at UCSB. “Their academic profile is the highest to ever enroll and they will make significant positive impacts on campus and in the community. 

“We placed extra efforts this year to provide advising services to community college students,” Przekop added. “During our fall outreach season, we were able to visit every California community college and will enroll our largest group of transfer students in campus history.”

UCSB acceptance letters were sent in mid-March, and applicants were able to check their admission status via a protected website. Freshman applicants accepted by any UC campus had until May 1 to submit a Statement of Intent to Register.

Led by Chancellor Henry T. Yang, UCSB officials and faculty and staff members have been working diligently to ensure that the class enrolled this fall is the campus’s most talented and diverse ever. In March, Yang served as the host of well-attended California receptions in Los Angeles and San Jose for high-achieving applicants. At these events, volunteers from the UCSB campus — faculty and staff members, as well as alumni and students — met with applicants and their family members to answer questions about UCSB academic programs, student life, financial aid and other topics. Receptions were also hosted at several locations outside of California.

The UC system in total offered admission to some 70,000 incoming California freshmen and more than 21,000 in-state transfer students. The preliminary admissions numbers also show increases in the proportion of Californians from historically underrepresented groups, as well as those from low-income families.

More California students are currently enrolled at the University of California than at any point in its history, and after last year’s enrollment jump of nearly 7,500 California students, UC is on track to meet its goal of adding an additional 10,000 Californians by the 2018-2019 academic year.