United States Coast Guard Academy: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

The United States Coast Guard Academy is a federal service academy with an acceptance rate of 19%. The USCGA is highly selective, and the application process is different from many other schools. Applicants must meet eligibility requirements including U.S. citizenship, age, and marital status. Other components of the Coast Guard Academy application include a medical exam, a fitness assessment, and if requested by the admissions committee, a personal interview. Unlike other military service academies, applicants to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy are not required to obtain a nomination from a member of Congress. Interested students who meet eligibility requirements should schedule a visit to the USCGA and contact an admissions officer.

Considering applying to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy? 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, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy had an acceptance rate of 19%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 19 students were admitted, making Coast Guard's admissions process highly selective.

SAT Scores and Requirements

The United States Coast Guard Academy requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 77% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of the Coast Guard Academy's admitted students fall within the top 20% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy scored between 615 and 700, while 25% scored below 615 and 25% scored above 700. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 630 and 720, while 25% scored below 630 and 25% scored above 720. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1420 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.

Requirements

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The SAT writing section is optional for applicants to the Coast Guard Academy. Note that USCGA participates in the scorechoice program, which means that the admissions office will consider your highest score from each individual section across all SAT test dates.

ACT Scores and Requirements

The United States Coast Guard Academy requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 55% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of Coast Guard's admitted students fall within the top 22% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy received a composite ACT score between 25 and 32, while 25% scored above 32 and 25% scored below 25.

Requirements

The U.S. Coast Guard Academy does not require the ACT writing section. Unlike many universities, USCGA superscores ACT results; your highest subscores from multiple ACT sittings will be considered.

GPA

The U.S. Coast Guard Academy does not provide specific data about admitted students' high school GPAs; however, the admissions office indicates that most successful applicants have average GPAs of 3.5 and above.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to the United States Coast Guard Academy. 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

The United States Coast Guard Academy is a highly selective university with a low acceptance rate and high average SAT/ACT scores. However, USCGA has a holistic admissions process involving other factors beyond your grades and test scores. A strong application essay and glowing letters of recommendation can strengthen your application, as can demonstration of leadership potential, meaningful extracurricular involvement, and athletic ability. The U.S. Coast Guard Academy looks at the rigor of your high school courses in addition to your grades.

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 1200 or higher (ERW+M), and ACT composite scores of 26 or better.

Tuition Costs and Benefits

The U.S. Coast Guard Academy pays 100% of the tuition, room and board, and medical and dental care for Coast Guard Academy cadets. This is in return for five years of active-duty service upon graduation.

First-year cadet pay is $1,116 monthly (as of 2019) before deductions for uniforms, textbooks, a personal computer, and other incidentals.

Cost-reducing perks include regular active-duty benefits such as access to military commissaries and exchanges, commercial transportation, and lodging discounts. Coast Guard cadets can also fly (space available) in military aircraft around the world.

If You Like Coast Guard Academy, You May Also Like These Schools

Virginia Military Institute, West Point, the Air Force Academy, and The Citadel are all potential options for those considering a college affiliated with a branch of the U.S. military.

All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and the United States Coast Guard Academy Undergraduate Admissions Office.