What separated UC Berkeley accepted vs. rejected applicants this cycle? UC Berkeley admits about 11% of applicants by its official rate, and like every UC campus it's test-blind: SAT and ACT scores aren't considered at all.
We compared 154 UC Berkeley applicants from self-reported 2026 r/collegeresults posts: 53 admitted, 82 rejected and 19 waitlisted. All applied in the UC's single filing period. Berkeley turned down more of this sample than UCLA did (34% admitted, versus 39% at UCLA), even though UCLA's official rate is lower. This is part of a larger comparison of accepted vs. rejected applicants at top colleges, which explains how the data was collected.
People who post results skew strong, so compare the two groups with each other, not with your own odds. A difference of a few people can be noise.
The biggest gap: California residency
28 of 61 California residents in the sample were admitted (46%). Only 18 of 76 out-of-state and international applicants were (24%). Seventeen posters didn't say which state they live in and are left out of this split. That's the widest residency gap of any UC campus in our data, much wider than UCLA's 42% versus 35%. At UC San Diego, UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara and UC Davis, out-of-state applicants in this sample did as well as residents or better.
If you're applying to Berkeley from outside California, this is the most important number on the page. Strong out-of-state profiles were turned down at a high rate in this sample, so treat Berkeley as a reach even with top grades.
UC Berkeley admitted student GPA
| Admitted | Rejected or waitlisted | |
|---|---|---|
| Median unweighted GPA | 4.0 (45 stated) | 3.92 (74 stated) |
| Median weighted GPA | 4.64 (40 stated) | 4.44 (63 stated) |
| Median AP/IB courses | 12 | 11 |
| Median activities listed | 10 | 10 |
| National-level award | 77% | 63% |
Admitted applicants had a median 4.0 unweighted GPA, versus 3.92. 26 of the 45 admits who stated a GPA had a 4.0, versus 14 of 74 among everyone else. Course load and the number of activities were about the same. As at UCLA, with no test scores in play, the transcript stands out as the clearest academic difference. We compare GPA effects across all top schools in does a 4.0 GPA matter at top colleges.
Which activities Berkeley admits listed more often
- Founding an organization: 47% of admits versus 32% of everyone else.
- A paid job: 43% versus 28%.
- A selective summer program: 34% versus 20%.
- An arts or writing award: 25% versus 10%.
- A varsity sport (not recruited): 47% versus 35%.
Some showed up more among applicants who weren't admitted:
- Business or entrepreneurship: 11% of admits versus 23%.
- Music: 28% versus 38%.
- Community service: 55% versus 64%.
Two patterns have now held through every update: selective summer programs and paid jobs both came out ahead at Berkeley. Selective summer programs also came out ahead at UCLA and across all top schools, so that one is the most consistent. The varsity-sport gap has shrunk as the sample grew (it was 68% versus 41% with 19 admits), which is a reminder that small groups exaggerate.
Research (60% versus 51%) and internships (43% versus 37%) came with smaller gaps than before. National Merit showed up somewhat more among admits: 36% versus 26%.
What Berkeley applicants can take from this
- Out-of-state applicants face long odds here. About one in four out-of-state applicants in this sample got in, even though the sample skews strong.
- California residents: check your own high school's numbers. UC's fall 2025 data shows Berkeley admitting 12.7% of California high school applicants, with wide swings by school -- see Berkeley acceptance rate by high school.
- Your major choice matters. Admit rates vary by discipline at Berkeley, and some programs are far more selective than the campus rate: Public Health admits around 2%. See UC Berkeley business and public health acceptance rates and the UC major-specific acceptance rate penalty.
- The application is different from the Common App. No recommendations, no ED/EA, and four Personal Insight Questions instead of one essay. How UC admissions actually works covers the mechanics.
UC Berkeley's College Intel page carries the same applicant-profile comparison, updated as new posts are logged.
Sources
- College Intel's tally of self-reported r/collegeresults posts, 2026 admissions cycle (404 posts logged as of Oct 9, 2026; 154 with a UC Berkeley decision). Recruited athletes and transfer applicants excluded. Aggregates only; no individual post is reproduced, and no figure rests on fewer than 3 people.
- College Scorecard -- U.S. Department of Education (UC Berkeley's official admission rate)