Los Angeles County sends more students to the University of California than any other part of the state. In fall 2025, 36,337 seniors from 472 LA County high schools applied to UC, and 76% were admitted to at least one campus, up from 64% in 2021. But where they got in, and where they actually enrolled, has shifted a lot in five years.
LA County at a glance, fall 2025
| Campus | LA County applicants | Admit rate 2021 | Admit rate 2025 | Share of LA enrollees 2021 | Share of LA enrollees 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UCLA | 27,356 | 11% | 10% | 16% | 18% |
| UC Berkeley | 18,164 | 19% | 16% | 13% | 12% |
| UC San Diego | 23,378 | 31% | 27% | 14% | 13% |
| UC Irvine | 25,577 | 19% | 19% | 16% | 12% |
| UC Santa Barbara | 20,663 | 26% | 31% | 8% | 9% |
| UC Davis | 14,291 | 40% | 41% | 9% | 8% |
| UC Santa Cruz | 11,765 | 54% | 67% | 7% | 7% |
| UC Riverside | 18,830 | 60% | 86% | 15% | 21% |
| UC Merced | 10,823 | 88% | 96% | 4% | 2% |
Where LA students actually go
UC Riverside is now the most common destination. About 21% of LA County students who enrolled at a UC in fall 2025 went to Riverside, up from 15% in 2021. Riverside admitted 86% of LA applicants in 2025 (60% in 2021), and many of those students chose to go.
UCLA is close behind. Around 18% of LA enrollees went to UCLA. UCLA admits only about one in ten local applicants, but those who get in almost always say yes: more than half of admitted LA students enrolled.
UC Irvine lost ground. Irvine’s share of LA enrollees fell from 16% to 12%, even though its admit rate for LA students held steady at about 19%. More LA students are choosing Riverside, Santa Barbara and UCLA instead.
How hard is it to get in from LA?
Applying from LA is not a disadvantage at UCLA: LA County applicants were admitted at 10.3% in 2025, a bit above the 9.6% rate for all California high school applicants. Berkeley is harder than it was, down from 19% to 16%, and UC San Diego fell from 31% to 27%. On the other side, Santa Barbara (26% to 31%), Santa Cruz (54% to 67%) and Riverside became noticeably easier to get into.
Big LA high schools, fall 2025
| High school | UC applicants | Admitted to any UC | UCLA | UC Berkeley | UC Riverside |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Granada Hills Charter | 502 | 70% | 10% | 12% | 91% |
| Arcadia | 495 | 85% | 9% | 14% | 91% |
| Diamond Bar | 417 | 88% | 10% | 18% | 95% |
| Santa Monica | 370 | 74% | 11% | 26% | 84% |
| Palisades Charter | 368 | 74% | 12% | 14% | 86% |
| Mira Costa | 367 | 71% | 12% | 17% | 91% |
| Palos Verdes Peninsula | 339 | 82% | 9% | 18% | 91% |
| Walnut | 305 | 82% | 9% | 11% | 86% |
Even at the strongest LA schools, UCLA admitted roughly 9–12% of applicants. Berkeley varied more, from 11% at Walnut to 26% at Santa Monica. Riverside admitted 84–95% everywhere, which makes it a reliable likely choice for students from these schools.
What this means for LA seniors
- Treat UCLA and Berkeley as reaches, even with a 4.0+. Fewer than one in five LA applicants got into either.
- UC San Diego and UC Irvine admitted roughly one in four or five LA applicants. They are targets for strong students, not likelies.
- Santa Barbara and Davis admitted 31–41% of LA applicants and are good targets.
- Riverside and Santa Cruz admitted most LA applicants in 2025 and work well as likelies; Merced admitted nearly everyone.
- Look up your own school’s five-year numbers: all Los Angeles County high schools.
These are past admit rates for everyone from LA County, not any one student’s chances. Major choice, essays and course rigor all matter. The UC application deadline is November 30.
Source: University of California, UC Information Center, admissions by source school, fall 2021 and fall 2025 freshmen from California high schools. UC hides counts of one or two students; we count hidden admissions as one and leave hidden enrollments out, so enrollment figures are slight undercounts. ScoreCalc is independent and not affiliated with the University of California.
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