Cal State University, Fullerton: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

Dr. Allen Grove is an Alfred University English professor and a college admissions expert with over 20 years of experience helping students transition to college.

California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) is a public university with an acceptance rate of 53%. Established in 1957, Cal State Fullerton is one of the largest universities in the California State University system. Fullerton's 236-acre campus is located in Orange County near Los Angeles. The university offers 55 bachelor's and 55 master's degree programs. Business is the most popular program among undergraduates. In athletics, the CSUF Titans compete in the NCAA Division I Big West Conference.

Considering applying to Cal State Fullerton? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs of admitted students.

Acceptance Rate

During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, Cal State Fullerton had an acceptance rate of 53%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, approximately 53 students were admitted, making CSUF's admissions process competitive.

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to California State University, Fullerton. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in with a free Cappex account.

Admissions Chances

Cal State Fullerton, which accepts half of applicants, has a selective admissions process. What makes the difference between an acceptance and a rejection? Unlike the University of California System, the California State University admission process is not holistic. Except for EOP (Educational Opportunity Program) students, applicants do not need to submit letters of recommendation or an application essay, and extracurricular involvement is not part of the standard application. Instead, admissions are based primarily on an eligibility index that combines GPA and test scores. Minimum high school course requirements include two years of history and social science, four years of college prep English, three years of math, two years of laboratory science, one year of visual or performing arts, and one year of a college preparatory elective. The reasons why an applicant with adequate scores and grades would be rejected tends to come down to factors such as insufficient college preparatory classes, high school classes that weren't challenging, or an incomplete application.

Be aware that California State University, Fullerton is designated as impacted because it receives more applications than can be accommodated. Due to impaction, the university holds all applicants to a higher standard. In addition, particularly competitive majors such as Nursing, Computer Engineering, Music, and Dance, have additional requirements for eligibility.

The majority of accepted students had GPAs of 3.0 or higher, SAT scores (ERW+M) of 950 or higher, and ACT scores of 18 or higher. Higher numbers will obviously improve your chances, and note that the middle of the graph does have some red (rejected students) hidden behind the blue and green. Some students with grades and test scores on target for CSUF still get rejected.