Sonoma State University: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

Sonoma State University is a public university with an acceptance rate of 90%. Part of the California State University system, Sonoma State's 269-acre campus is located 50 miles north of San Francisco. The school owns two nature preserves that provide research opportunities for students in the natural sciences. Sonoma State's schools of Arts and Humanities, Business and Economics, and Social Sciences are all extremely popular among undergraduates. The university offers 40 bachelor's degree programs and 14 master's programs. In athletics, the Sonoma State Seawolves compete in the NCAA Division II California Collegiate Athletic Association.

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

Acceptance Rate

During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, Sonoma State University had an acceptance rate of 90%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 90 students were admitted, making Sonoma's admissions process less competitive.

SAT Scores and Requirements

Sonoma State University requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 89% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of Sonoma State's admitted students fall within the bottom 29% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to Sonoma State scored between 490 and 590, while 25% scored below 490 and 25% scored above 590. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 490 and 580, while 25% scored below 490 and 25% scored above 580. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1170 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at Sonoma State University.

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Requirements

Sonoma State does not require the SAT writing section. Note that Sonoma State will consider your highest score from each individual section across all SAT test dates. SAT Subject test scores are not required but may be used to fulfill certain core course requirements.

ACT Scores and Requirements

Sonoma State University requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 36% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of Sonoma State's admitted students fall within the bottom 40% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to Sonoma State received a composite ACT score between 18 and 23, while 25% scored above 23 and 25% scored below 18.

Requirements

Sonoma State University does not require the ACT writing section. Unlike many universities, Sonoma State superscores ACT results; your highest subscores from multiple ACT sittings will be considered.

GPA

In 2018, the average high school GPA of Sonoma State University's incoming freshmen class was 3.22, and 47% of incoming students had average GPAs of 3.25 and above. These results suggest that most successful applicants to Sonoma State have primarily B grades.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to Sonoma State University. 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

Sonoma State University, which accepts 90% of applicants, has a less selective admissions process. 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 (A-G college preparatory requirements) include four years of English; three years of math; two years of history and social science; two years of laboratory science; two years of a foreign language other than English; 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 Sonoma State is designated as impacted for some majors because it receives more applications than can be accommodated. Due to impaction, the university holds applicants to certain majors to a higher standard.

In the graph above, the green and blue dots represent accepted students, and you can see that the majority of successful applicants had high school averages of "B-" or higher, SAT scores (ERW+M) of 950 or higher, and ACT scores of 18 or higher.

If You Like Sonoma State University, You May Also Like These Schools

• Cal Poly Pomona
• Cal State Fullerton
• Cal State Monterey
• Cal State Sacramento
• San Jose State University

All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and Sonoma State University Undergraduate Admissions Office.