With an acceptance rate below 20%, the United States Coast Guard Academy is one of the country's most selective colleges. To get in, you're going to need strong grades and standardized test scores. In the graph above, the blue and green dots represent accepted students. You can see that the majority of successful applicants had high school grades in the "A" range, combined SAT scores of 1800 or higher, and ACT composite scores of 26 or better.
Note that there are quite a few red dots (rejected students) and yellow dots (waitlisted students) mixed in with the green and blue in the graph. Many students with grades and test scores that were on target for the Coast Guard Academy did not get admitted. On the flip side, you'll notice a few students were accepted with test scores and grades a bit below the norm. This is because USCGA's admissions process is about much more than numbers. As a military academy, USCGA is looking for students who can handle the physical challenges required of military officers. Athletic involvement is important, and the application asks for an evaluation from a coach of PE instructor. All applicants must also pass a physical fitness exam. You'll also want to make sure you write winning application essays and get strong academic letters of recommendation. You can strengthen your application further by doing an optional interview.
To learn more about the United States Coast Guard Academy, high school GPAs, SAT scores and ACT scores, these articles can help:
- Coast Guard Academy Admissions Profile
- What's a Good SAT Score?
- What's a Good ACT Score?
- What's Considered a Good Academic Record?
- What is a Weighted GPA?
- Articles Featuring the United States Coast Guard Academy:
