Navigating the Labyrinth: Understanding the Hardest Majors to Get Into at UCLA

Gaining admission to UCLA is a coveted achievement, a testament to academic prowess and potential. However, the path to becoming a Bruin is not uniform for all applicants. The landscape of UCLA admissions varies significantly depending on the chosen major. This article delves into the competitive world of UCLA admissions, highlighting the majors with the lowest acceptance rates and exploring the factors that contribute to their selectivity.

The Broad Picture: UCLA's Overall Selectivity

UCLA's overall acceptance rate has been steadily declining, solidifying its position as one of the most selective public universities in the United States. For Fall 2024, UCLA received over 145,900 applications, admitting approximately 12,570 students, resulting in an acceptance rate of just 8.6%. This decline is attributed to UCLA's global reputation, the UC system's test-optional policy, and increasing international demand. Despite the surge in applications, the admitted pool remains relatively consistent in size, underscoring the intensifying competition.

Acceptance Rate by Major: A Strategic Overview

The acceptance rate by major shows how strategic choices shape opportunity. While UCLA's general acceptance rate hovers around 9%, the odds of acceptance fluctuate depending on the type of application and the chosen major. Some of UCLA’s most competitive programs, like Computer Science, Business Economics, and Film, can have acceptance rates as low as 3%, while less competitive majors may see rates above 20%.

Factors Influencing Major Selectivity

Several factors contribute to the varying levels of competitiveness among UCLA majors:

• Applicant Pool Size: Majors with a large number of applicants and limited available spots naturally have lower acceptance rates.
• Academic Rigor: Programs known for their demanding coursework and high academic standards tend to attract top-tier students, intensifying competition.
• Holistic Review: UCLA employs a holistic review process, considering factors beyond GPA, such as essays, extracurricular activities, leadership experience, and demonstrated passion for the chosen field.
• Major Preparation Requirements: Completion of major preparation requirements is one critical element.

The Toughest Majors: A Closer Look

Certain majors at UCLA consistently exhibit exceptionally low acceptance rates. These programs often attract a high volume of applications from highly qualified students.

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• Computer Science: Housed within the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering, Computer Science is notoriously competitive, with acceptance rates hovering between 3% and 6%.
• Business Economics: Situated under the College of Letters and Science, Business Economics is highly sought after, receiving approximately 6,000 applications annually and maintaining an admit rate near 6%.
• Film: This major demands not just academic excellence but also artistic vision. Applicants must submit creative portfolios and statements of purpose, making this process holistic yet cutthroat.
• Ecology, Behavior and Evolution: This major has a 20% admit rate.
• Economics: This major has a 18% admit rate.
• Human Biology and Society - B.S.: This major has a 19% admit rate.
• Psychobiology: This major has a 21% admit rate.

Navigating the Numbers: GPA and Standardized Tests

GPA is a critical factor in UCLA admissions. Most admitted students have weighted GPAs within the 4.18-4.33 range. However, UCLA's holistic review process acknowledges that academic achievements should be evaluated within the context of an applicant's individual circumstances. A 3.8 GPA while working part-time or supporting family may be viewed as favorably as a 4.2 GPA without such challenges.

Transfer Admissions: An Alternative Pathway

UCLA welcomes transfer students, particularly from California community colleges. While STEM and Business majors remain competitive for transfers, humanities majors offer more flexibility. UCLA’s transfer acceptance rate is 22.7% in 2025, accepting 6,403 of the 28,266 who applied. Although transferring to UCLA offers a higher acceptance rate and is often the more appealing path for students, the admissions priorities are similar to those for first-year applicants-in-state California residents come first.

Demystifying Major Specific Acceptance Rates

To gain a more granular understanding of major selectivity, it's essential to examine acceptance rates at the major level within UCLA's various colleges. Data reveals significant variations in admission rates across different disciplines.

The College of Letters and Science

This is the largest academic unit at UCLA, encompassing a wide array of disciplines in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. The data includes the number of applicants, admit rate, and the 25th and 75th percentiles for admitted students' GPAs. This information provides insights into the competitiveness of each major.

• Humanities:
  • African American Studies: Applicants: 41, Admit Rate: 46%, GPA Range: 3.40-3.82
  • American Indian Studies: Applicants: 16, Admit Rate: 63%, GPA Range: 3.32-3.63
  • American Literature and Culture: Applicants: 154, Admit Rate: 47%, GPA Range: 3.59-3.93
  • Ancient Near East and Egyptology: Applicants: 3, Admit Rate: 0%
  • Applied Linguistics: Applicants: 20, Admit Rate: 65%, GPA Range: 3.68-4.00
  • Arabic: Applicants: 3, Admit Rate: 33%, GPA Range: 3.79-3.79
  • Art History: Applicants: 147, Admit Rate: 61%, GPA Range: 3.65-3.94
  • Asian American Studies: Applicants: 42, Admit Rate: 36%, GPA Range: 3.60-4.00
  • Asian Humanities: Applicants: 42, Admit Rate: 36%, GPA Range: 3.74-3.98
  • Asian Languages and Linguistics: Applicants: 43, Admit Rate: 30%, GPA Range: 3.66-3.90
  • Asian Religions: Applicants: 6, Admit Rate: 50%, GPA Range: 3.55-3.61
  • Central and East European Languages and Cultures: Applicants: 3, Admit Rate: 33%, GPA Range: 4.00-4.00
  • Chicana and Chicano Studies: Applicants: 25, Admit Rate: 40%, GPA Range: 3.37-3.86
  • Chinese: Applicants: 31, Admit Rate: 42%, GPA Range: 3.61-4.00
  • Classical Civilization: Applicants: 18, Admit Rate: 44%, GPA Range: 3.75-4.00
  • Communication: Applicants: 1,073, Admit Rate: 12%, GPA Range: 3.95-4.00
  • Comparative Literature: Applicants: 29, Admit Rate: 41%, GPA Range: 3.57-3.96
  • English: Applicants: 59, Admit Rate: 59%, GPA Range: 3.62-3.94
  • European Language and Transcultural Studies: Applicants: 4, Admit Rate: 0%, GPA Range: 3.85-4.00
  • European Language and Transcultural Studies with French and Francophone: Applicants: 15, Admit Rate: 40%, GPA Range: 3.71-3.91
  • European Language and Transcultural Studies with German: Applicants: 3, Admit Rate: 67%, GPA Range: 3.56-4.00
  • European Language and Transcultural Studies with Italian: Applicants: 2, Admit Rate: 0%
  • Gender Studies: Applicants: 124, Admit Rate: 52%, GPA Range: 3.57-3.92
  • Greek: Applicants: 0, Admit Rate: 0%
  • Greek and Latin: Applicants: 1, Admit Rate: 0%
  • History: Applicants: 402, Admit Rate: 62%, GPA Range: 3.63-3.95
  • Iranian Studies: Applicants: 4, Admit Rate: 0%
  • Japanese: Applicants: 41, Admit Rate: 63%, GPA Range: 3.54-3.94
  • Jewish Studies: Applicants: 4, Admit Rate: 25%, GPA Range: 3.94-3.94
  • Korean: Applicants: 26, Admit Rate: 50%, GPA Range: 3.58-3.87
  • Labor Studies: Applicants: 65, Admit Rate: 37%, GPA Range: 3.57-3.87
  • Latin: Applicants: 1, Admit Rate: 0%
  • Latin American Studies: Applicants: 95, Admit Rate: 6%, GPA Range: 3.61-3.80
  • Linguistics: Applicants: 90, Admit Rate: 53%, GPA Range: 3.58-3.96
  • Linguistics and Asian Languages and Cultures: Applicants: 17, Admit Rate: 53%, GPA Range: 3.78-3.88
  • Linguistics and Computer Science: Applicants: 14, Admit Rate: 35%, GPA Range: 3.75-4.00
  • Linguistics and English: Applicants: 13, Admit Rate: 46%, GPA Range: 3.62-3.84
  • Linguistics and Philosophy: Applicants: 3, Admit Rate: 67%, GPA Range: 3.27-3.58
  • Linguistics and Psychology: Applicants: 68, Admit Rate: 46%, GPA Range: 3.56-3.93
  • Linguistics and Spanish: Applicants: 8, Admit Rate: 38%, GPA Range: 3.05-3.47
  • Linguistics and Anthropology: Applicants: 3, Admit Rate: 30%, GPA Range: 3.76-3.90
  • Middle Eastern Studies: Applicants: 5, Admit Rate: 40%, GPA Range: 3.39-3.78
  • Nordic Studies: Applicants: 9, Admit Rate: 33%, GPA Range: 3.60-3.80
  • Philosophy: Applicants: 31, Admit Rate: 57%, GPA Range: 3.62-3.93
  • Russian Language and Literature: Applicants: 1, Admit Rate: 0%
  • Russian Studies: Applicants: 3, Admit Rate: 33%, GPA Range: 3.65-3.65
  • Sociology: Applicants: 1,135, Admit Rate: 46%, GPA Range: 3.74-4.00
  • Spanish: Applicants: 46, Admit Rate: 54%, GPA Range: 3.50-3.87
  • Spanish and Community and Culture: Applicants: 19, Admit Rate: 68%, GPA Range: 3.57-3.83
  • Spanish and Linguistics: Applicants: 7, Admit Rate: 71%, GPA Range: 3.40-3.79
  • Spanish and Portuguese: Applicants: 6, Admit Rate: 50%, GPA Range: 3.56-3.91
  • Study of Religion: Applicants: 4, Admit Rate: 75%, GPA Range: 3.28-4.00
• Social Sciences:
  • Anthropology - B.A.: Applicants: 284, Admit Rate: 63%, GPA Range: 3.51-3.93
  • Economics: Applicants: 1,195, Admit Rate: 18%, GPA Range: 3.85-4.00
  • Education and Social Transformation: Applicants: 20, Admit Rate: 48%, GPA Range: 3.66-3.90
  • Geography: Applicants: 68, Admit Rate: 53%, GPA Range: 3.59-3.95
  • Geography/Environmental Studies: Applicants: 64, Admit Rate: 52%, GPA Range: 3.66-3.90
  • Global Studies: Applicants: 144, Admit Rate: 40%, GPA Range: 3.62-3.95
  • Human Biology and Society - B.A.: Applicants: 81, Admit Rate: 38%, GPA Range: 3.82-4.00
  • Human Biology and Society - B.S.: Applicants: 118, Admit Rate: 19%, GPA Range: 3.78-4.00
  • International Development Studies: Applicants: 71, Admit Rate: 32%, GPA Range: 3.74-3.98
  • Political Science: Applicants: 1,134, Admit Rate: 47%, GPA Range: 3.71-3.97
  • Psychology: Applicants: 2,186, Admit Rate: 24%, GPA Range: 3.77-4.00
  • Public Affairs: Applicants: 87, Admit Rate: 38%, GPA Range: 3.62-3.93
• Natural Sciences:
  • Anthropology - B.S.: Applicants: 53, Admit Rate: 32%, GPA Range: 3.40-3.71
  • Astrophysics: Applicants: 52, Admit Rate: 38%, GPA Range: 3.65-3.99
  • Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences: Applicants: 10, Admit Rate: 10%, GPA Range: 3.79-3.79
  • Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences/Maths: Applicants: 3, Admit Rate: 33%, GPA Range: 3.28-3.28
  • Biochemistry: Applicants: 286, Admit Rate: 38%, GPA Range: 3.78-3.95
  • Biology: Applicants: 1,050, Admit Rate: 22%, GPA Range: 3.75-4.00
  • Biophysics: Applicants: 11, Admit Rate: 18%, GPA Range: 3.66-3.92
  • Chemistry: Applicants: 195, Admit Rate: 36%, GPA Range: 3.68-3.94
  • Chemistry/Materials Science: Applicants: 20, Admit Rate: 25%, GPA Range: 3.83-4.00
  • Climate Sciences: Applicants: 8, Admit Rate: 13%, GPA Range: 3.45-3.45
  • Cognitive Science: Applicants: 260, Admit Rate: 34%, GPA Range: 3.78-4.00
  • Computational and Systems Biology: Applicants: 28, Admit Rate: 32%, GPA Range: 3.52-3.77
  • Data Theory: Applicants: 30, Admit Rate: 39%, GPA Range: 3.86-4.00
  • Earth and Environmental Science: Applicants: 58, Admit Rate: 24%, GPA Range: 3.52-3.79
  • Ecology, Behavior and Evolution: Applicants: 46, Admit Rate: 20%, GPA Range: 3.34-3.93
  • Engineering Geology: Applicants: 4, Admit Rate: 25%, GPA Range: 3.38-3.38
  • Environmental Science: Applicants: 137, Admit Rate: 34%, GPA Range: 3.50-3.84
  • Financial Actuarial Mathematics: Applicants: 61, Admit Rate: 6%, GPA Range: 3.83-4.00
  • Geology: Applicants: 19, Admit Rate: 53%, GPA Range: 3.65-3.86
  • Geophysics: Applicants: 4, Admit Rate: 0%
  • Marine Biology: Applicants: 44, Admit Rate: 9%, GPA Range: 3.55-3.95
  • Mathematics: Applicants: 184, Admit Rate: 33%, GPA Range: 3.80-4.00
  • Mathematics for Teaching: Applicants: 18, Admit Rate: 33%, GPA Range: 3.62-3.82
  • Mathematics of Computation: Applicants: 14, Admit Rate: 50%, GPA Range: 3.81-3.98
  • Mathematics/Applied Science: Applicants: 26, Admit Rate: 35%, GPA Range: 3.82-3.95
  • Mathematics/Economics: Applicants: 135, Admit Rate: 38%, GPA Range: 3.85-4.00
  • Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics: Applicants: 145, Admit Rate: 39%, GPA Range: 3.70-3.94
  • Molecular, Cell, and Developmental Biology: Applicants: 169, Admit Rate: 43%, GPA Range: 3.80-4.00
  • Neuroscience: Applicants: 192, Admit Rate: 25%, GPA Range: 3.68-3.98
  • Physics: Applicants: 145, Admit Rate: 34%, GPA Range: 3.75-4.00
  • Physiological Science: Applicants: 153, Admit Rate: 23%, GPA Range: 3.67-3.95
  • Psychobiology: Applicants: 196, Admit Rate: 21%, GPA Range: 3.66-3.94
  • Statistics and Data Science: Applicants: 198, Admit Rate: 35%, GPA Range: 3.85-4.00
• Interdisciplinary Studies:
  • Asian Studies: Applicants: 54, Admit Rate: 37%, GPA Range: 3.77-4.00
  • European Studies: Applicants: 6, Admit Rate: 17%, GPA Range: 3.95-3.95

The data reveals the competitive landscape within each department. For instance, programs like Communication, Economics, and Psychology have relatively low admit rates despite a high number of applicants. Conversely, some smaller programs in the humanities or less conventional science fields may have higher admit rates.

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Note: The number of applications to majors marked with an asterisk greatly exceeds the space available. In most cases, this means that both the GPAs and completion of preparatory coursework from successful applicants tend to exceed the overall average.

Strategies for Success: Maximizing Your Chances

While navigating the complexities of UCLA admissions can be daunting, several strategies can enhance your chances of acceptance:

• Academic Excellence: Strive for a high GPA and excel in challenging coursework relevant to your chosen major.
• Strategic Major Selection: Consider the competitiveness of different majors and explore alternative options that align with your interests and skills.
• Compelling Essays: Craft authentic and compelling essays that showcase your personality, experiences, and passion for your chosen field.
• Meaningful Extracurriculars: Engage in extracurricular activities that demonstrate leadership, teamwork, and a commitment to making a difference.
• Strong Letters of Recommendation: Cultivate relationships with teachers and mentors who can provide strong letters of recommendation highlighting your academic abilities and personal qualities.
• Meet Major Preparation Requirements: Ensure you complete all necessary preparatory coursework for your desired major.

Beyond the Numbers: The Holistic Review Process

UCLA's holistic review process emphasizes that admission decisions are not solely based on academic metrics. The admissions committee seeks to understand each applicant's unique story, considering their background, experiences, and potential contributions to the UCLA community.

The Value of a UCLA Education

Despite the fierce competition, the rewards of a UCLA education are substantial. Graduates gain access to an elite alumni network, command high early-career salaries, and benefit from unparalleled research and internship opportunities in Los Angeles.

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