UGA Requirements for Admission

What are UGA's admission requirements? While there are a lot of pieces that go into a college application, you should focus on only a few critical things:

  • GPA requirements
  • Testing requirements, including SAT and ACT requirements
  • Application requirements

In this guide we'll cover what you need to get into UGA and build a strong application.

School location: Athens, GA

This school is also known as: University of Georgia


Admissions Rate: 37.2%

If you want to get in, the first thing to look at is the acceptance rate. This tells you how competitive the school is and how serious their requirements are.

The acceptance rate at UGA is 37.2%. For every 100 applicants, 37 are admitted.

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This means the school is very selective. If you meet UGA's requirements for GPA, SAT/ACT scores, and other components of the application, you have a great shot at getting in. But if you fall short on GPA or your SAT/ACT scores, you'll have a very low chance of being admitted, even if you meet the other admissions requirements.


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UGA GPA Requirements

Many schools specify a minimum GPA requirement, but this is often just the bare minimum to submit an application without immediately getting rejected.

The GPA requirement that really matters is the GPA you need for a real chance of getting in. For this, we look at the school's average GPA for its current students.

Average GPA: 4.14

The average GPA at UGA is 4.14.

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(Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA.

With a GPA of 4.14, UGA requires you to be at the top of your class. You'll need nearly straight A's in all your classes to compete with other applicants. Furthermore, you should be taking hard classes - AP or IB courses - to show that college-level academics is a breeze.

If you're currently a junior or senior, your GPA is hard to change in time for college applications. If your GPA is at or below the school average of 4.14, you'll need a higher SAT or ACT score to compensate. This will help you compete effectively against other applicants who have higher GPAs than you.


SAT and ACT Requirements

Each school has different requirements for standardized testing. Only a few schools require the SAT or ACT, but many consider your scores if you choose to submit them.

You must take either the SAT or ACT to submit an application to UGA. More importantly, you need to do well to have a strong application.

UGA SAT Requirements

Many schools say they have no SAT score cutoff, but the truth is that there is a hidden SAT requirement. This is based on the school's average score.

Average SAT: 1310

The average SAT score composite at UGA is a 1310 on the 1600 SAT scale.

This score makes UGA Moderately Competitive for SAT test scores.

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UGA SAT Score Analysis (New 1600 SAT)

The 25th percentile SAT score is 1230, and the 75th percentile SAT score is 1410. In other words, a 1230 on the SAT places you below average, while a 1410 will move you up to above average.

Here's the breakdown of SAT scores by section:

SectionAverage25th Percentile75th Percentile
Math650600710
Reading + Writing660620710
Composite131012301410

SAT Score Choice Policy

The Score Choice policy at your school is an important part of your testing strategy.


UGA ACT Requirements

Just like for the SAT, UGA likely doesn't have a hard ACT cutoff, but if you score too low, your application will get tossed in the trash.

Average ACT: 29

The average ACT score at UGA is 29. This score makes UGA Moderately Competitive for ACT scores.

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The 25th percentile ACT score is 27, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 32.

Even though UGA likely says they have no minimum ACT requirement, if you apply with a 27 or below, you'll have a very hard time getting in, unless you have something else very impressive in your application. There are so many applicants scoring 29 and above that a 27 will look academically weak.

ACT Score Sending Policy

If you're taking the ACT as opposed to the SAT, you have a huge advantage in how you send scores, and this dramatically affects your testing strategy.

Here it is: when you send ACT scores to colleges, you have absolute control over which tests you send. You could take 10 tests, and only send your highest one. This is unlike the SAT, where many schools require you to send all your tests ever taken.

This means that you have more chances than you think to improve your ACT score. To try to aim for the school's ACT requirement of 32 and above, you should try to take the ACT as many times as you can. When you have the final score that you're happy with, you can then send only that score to all your schools.

ACT Superscore Policy

By and large, most colleges do not superscore the ACT. (Superscore means that the school takes your best section scores from all the test dates you submit, and then combines them into the best possible composite score). Thus, most schools will just take your highest ACT score from a single sitting.

However, in our research, we found that UGA does in fact offer an ACT superscore policy. To quote their Admissions Office:

If a student takes the SAT or ACT more than once, we will consider the best scores we receive for each section on either exam.

Source

Superscoring is powerful to your testing strategy, and you need to make sure you plan your testing accordingly. Of all the scores that UGA receives, your application readers will consider your highest section scores across all ACT test dates you submit.

Click below to learn more about how superscoring critically affects your test strategy.

How does superscoring change your test strategy? (Click to Learn)

For example, say you submit the following 4 test scores:

English Math Reading Science Composite
Test 1 32 16 16 16 20
Test 2 16 32 16 16 20
Test 3 16 16 32 16 20
Test 4 16 16 16 32 20
Superscore 32 32 32 32 32

Even though the highest ACT composite you scored on any one test date was 20, UGA will take your highest section score from all your test dates, then combine them to form your Superscore. You can raise your composite score from 20 to 32 in this example.

This is important for your testing strategy. Because you can choose which tests to send in, and UGA forms your Superscore, you can take the ACT as many times as you want, then submit only the tests that give you the highest Superscore. Your application readers will only see that one score.

Therefore, if your ACT score is currently below a 32, we strongly recommend that you consider prepping for the ACT and retaking it. You have a very good chance of raising your score, which will significantly boost your chances of getting in.

Even better, because of the Superscore, you can focus all your energy on a single section at a time. If your Reading score is lower than your other sections, prep only for the Reading section, then take the ACT. Then focus on Math for the next test, and so on. This will give you the highest Superscore possible.


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SAT/ACT Writing Section Requirements

Currently, only the ACT has an optional essay section that all students can take. The SAT used to also have an optional Essay section, but since June 2021, this has been discontinued unless you are taking the test as part of school-day testing in a few states. Because of this, no school requires the SAT Essay or ACT Writing section, but some schools do recommend certain students submit their results if they have them.

UGA considers the SAT Essay/ACT Writing section optional and may not include it as part of their admissions consideration. You don't need to worry too much about Writing for this school, but other schools you're applying to may require or recommend it.



Final Admissions Verdict

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Because this school is very selective, strong academic scores are critical to improving your chances of admission. If you're able to score a 1410 SAT or a 32 ACT or above, you'll have a very strong chance at getting in.

For a school as selective as UGA, rounding out the rest of your application will also help. We'll cover those details next.

But if you apply with a score below a 1410 SAT or a 32 ACT, you unfortunately have a low chance of getting in. There are just too many other applicants with high SAT/ACT scores and strong applications, and you need to compete against them.


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Want to build the best possible college application?

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We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools.

Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in.


Admissions Calculator

What are your chances of admission at University of Georgia?
Chances of admission with these scores:

Here's our custom admissions calculator. Plug in your numbers to see what your chances of getting in are.

Pick your test: SAT ACT

ACT Score
Your GPA

Note: Your admission decision relies not only on your GPA and SAT/ACT scores, but also on your coursework difficulty, extracurriculars, letters of recommendation, and personal statements. This tool provides only a simplistic estimate of your chances of admission. Instead of treating this tool as a crystal ball, we recommend you consider the big picture of what your chance means:
  • 80-100%: Safety school: Strong chance of getting in
  • 50-80%: More likely than not getting in
  • 20-50%: Lower but still good chance of getting in
  • 5-20%: Reach school: Unlikely to get in, but still have a shot
  • 0-5%: Hard reach school: Very difficult to get in
We recommend you apply to schools across a range of chances. Applying to some safety schools will guarantee you have a college to go to, while applying to some reach schools will give you a shot at getting into the school at the top of your range.

How would your chances improve with a better score?

Take your current SAT score and add 160 points (or take your ACT score and add 4 points) to the calculator above. See how much your chances improve?

At PrepScholar, we've created the leading online SAT/ACT prep program. We guarantee an improvement of 160 SAT points or 4 ACT points on your score, or your money back.

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Application Requirements

Every school requires an application with the bare essentials - high school transcript and GPA, application form, and other core information. Many schools, as explained above, also require SAT and ACT scores, as well as letters of recommendation, application essays, and interviews. We'll cover the exact requirements of UGA here.

Application Requirements Overview

  • Common Application Not accepted
  • Electronic Application Available
  • Essay or Personal Statement Required for some freshmen
  • Letters of Recommendation Recommended
  • Interview Not required
  • Application Fee $70
  • Fee Waiver Available? Available
  • Other Notes counselor evaluation

Testing Requirements

  • SAT or ACT Required
  • Scores Due in Office December

Coursework Requirements

  • Subject Required Years
  • English 4
  • Math 4
  • Science 4
  • Foreign Language 2
  • Social Studies 3
  • History
  • Electives

Deadlines and Early Admissions

  •  
    • Offered? Deadline Notification
  • Regular Admission
    • Yes January 1 April 1
  • Early Action
    • Yes October 15 December 1
  • Early Decision
    • No

Admissions Office Information

Our Expert's Notes

We did more detailed research into this school's admissions process and found the following information:

The main components of admission are high school GPA, rigor of courses, and SAT/ACT score, with GPA and courses weighted about 3:2 compared with SAT/ACT scores. Other factors, like service, intellectual pursuits, and extracurriculars are considered and may also help with merit scholarship decisions.

There are merit scholarships and an honors program, which both have priority review deadlines of December 1. Learn more about deadlines here. For the honors program, a separate application must be submitted once the basic University of Georgia application is submitted. 10-15% of honors students are given automatic admission based on GPA/test scores without submitting an application. Learn more about honors admissions here. For more on merit scholarships, some which require an application, see this page.

Source


Other Schools For You

If you're interested in UGA, you'll probably be interested in these schools as well. We've divided them into 3 categories depending on how hard they are to get into, relative to UGA.


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Reach Schools: Harder to Get Into

These schools are have higher average ACT scores than UGA. If you improve your ACT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.

School Name Location SAT Avg ACT Avg
University of Washington Seattle, WA 1410 32
Binghamton University Binghamton, NY 1430 31
Stony Brook University Stony Brook, NY 1396 31
Rochester Institute of Technology Rochester, NY 1352 31
University of Miami Coral Gables, FL 1387 31
University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, CA 1415 31
University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA 1405 31

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Same Level: Equally Hard to Get Into

If you're competitive for UGA, these schools will offer you a similar chance of admission.

School Name Location SAT Avg ACT Avg
Seton Hall University South Orange, NJ 1310 30
United States Military Academy West Point, NY 1331 30
University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst, MA 1358 30
Penn State University Park University Park, PA 1310 29
Syracuse University Syracuse, NY 1310 29
Temple University Philadelphia, PA 1241 28
University of Texas at Dallas Richardson, TX 1291 28

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Safety Schools: Easier to Get Into

If you're currently competitive for UGA, you should have no problem getting into these schools. If UGA is currently out of your reach, you might already be competitive for these schools.

School Name Location SAT Avg ACT Avg
Hofstra University Hempstead, NY 1246 27
Auburn University Auburn, AL 1304 27
Pace University New York, NY 1173 26
University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH 1223 26
University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, AL 1225 26
Quinnipiac University Hamden, CT 1210 25
Ohio University Athens, OH 1174 25

Data on this page is sourced from Peterson's Databases © 2024 (Peterson's LLC. All rights reserved.) as well as additional publicly available sources.


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Want to build the best possible college application?

We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League.

We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools.

Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in.


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