It's time to rethink college tours
Traditional campus tours feel impersonal and can leave you with more questions than answers. You’re just a face in the crowd following a scripted tour led by a random guide. Is this really the best way to make one of the biggest decisions of your life?
SchoolScoops is the smarter, more personal way to tour colleges
Private and personalized tours
With traditional tours you’re just a number in a big group, making it hard to ask the questions that matter most. With SchoolScoops 1-on-1 tours and video chats you can ask all the questions that are important to you.
Choose your own guide
On a typical college tour, the school assigns you a guide. SchoolScoops lets you pick a guide who matches your academic interests, hobbies, and personality. You'll get authentic insights and advice from someone who truly gets you.
No scripts, just scoops
Traditional campus tours are essentially a sales pitch—the guide works for the school and their job is to show you the highlights. SchoolScoops guides don’t work for their school, so there’s no sales pitch—just genuine advice to determine if the school is a good fit.
Find the school for you
Choosing where to go to college is a major decision and a huge investment. SchoolScoops 1-on-1 tours and video chats go beyond the basics to help you make a well-informed college decision.
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What customers are saying
Get to know UCSD
University of California, San Diego is a top public research university known for its innovative spirit, collaborative culture, and cutting-edge scholarship. With strengths across the sciences, engineering, arts, and social sciences, UCSD fosters critical thinking, interdisciplinary exploration, and global engagement while preparing students to become leaders and changemakers.
Overview
UCSD, founded in 1960, is a public research university located in La Jolla, California. It offers a broad range of undergraduate and graduate programs across the sciences, engineering, social sciences, arts, and humanities, and emphasizes innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and hands-on research opportunities.
Size
UCSD has a total enrollment of over 43,000 students, including both undergraduate and graduate students, creating a large, diverse, and dynamic academic community.
Acceptance rate
UCSD has an acceptance rate of around 24%, making it one of the more selective public universities in the country. Among admitted students who submitted test scores, half scored between 1300–1520 on the SAT or 29–34 on the ACT.
Cost
For the 2024 academic year, UCSD offers financial aid through a combination of grants, scholarships, work-study, and loans. The UC system’s Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan covers tuition and fees for California residents with family incomes below $80,000 who qualify for aid. Approximately 70% of UCSD undergraduates receive some form of financial assistance.
Ranking
UCSD is ranked No. 29 among National Universities in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report list and stands as the No. 6 public university in the nation, reflecting excellence in academic quality, faculty resources, student outcomes, and social mobility.
Academics
UCSD offers more than 140 undergraduate majors across the arts, humanities, social sciences, engineering, and natural sciences, with additional graduate and professional programs. It maintains a student-to-faculty ratio of about 19:1, supporting both large-scale research opportunities and individualized academic pathways.
Traditions
UCSD's most cherished traditions include the annual Sun God Festival, the vibrant Hullabaloo carnival, the Midnight Madness basketball event, and the beloved Triton Day welcoming new students. The campus also celebrates its playful rivalry with UC Irvine, often highlighted by the spirited “Cannon Battle.”
Campus landmarks
UCSD’s most iconic landmarks include the striking Geisel Library at the campus core, the Stuart Collection of public art highlighted by the “Fallen Star” house and “Sun God” sculpture, the modern Conrad Prebys Music Center, the Birch Aquarium overlooking the Pacific, and the eucalyptus groves and cliffs of La Jolla that frame the university’s coastal setting.
Student body
Over 80% of UCSD students come from California, but the student body also represents all 50 states and more than 100 countries worldwide, reflecting the university’s strong commitment to cultural, geographic, and international diversity.
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Become a guideYour UCSD questions, answered
Is UC San Diego better than UCLA?
UCLA generally ranks higher overall, particularly in fields such as English, biology, and psychology. That said, UC San Diego is especially well-regarded for its strength in STEM, with standout programs in engineering, computer science, and the sciences.
What is the GPA requirement for UC San Diego?
For first-year applicants, UC San Diego requires a minimum GPA of 3.0 for California residents and 3.4 for non-residents in all A–G college-preparatory courses, with no grade lower than a C. In practice, admitted students are often much higher—competitive applicants typically present a weighted GPA of 4.0 or above. For transfer students, the minimum GPA is 3.0, and the middle 50% of admitted transfers in Fall 2022 had GPAs between 3.48 and 3.91.
How far is UC San Diego from the beach?
UC San Diego is right next to the Pacific Ocean in La Jolla. Parts of campus are within walking distance to the beach, making it easy for students to head down for a swim, surf, or sunset after class.
Is UCSD a walkable campus?
UC San Diego's picturesque campus is a great place to explore for walkers of all fitness levels. Click a route names below for individual google maps.
Are freshmen allowed to have cars at UC San Diego?
Generally, freshmen living on campus are not permitted to have cars during their first year. Exceptions may be granted for medical needs or verified off-campus employment. UCSD encourages students to use alternative transportation options such as shuttles, public transit, Zipcar, and ridesharing.
Do freshmen have to live on campus at UC San Diego?
No, UC San Diego does not require freshmen to live on campus. However, it is strongly encouraged, as first-year students benefit from the two-year housing guarantee and the convenience of being close to classes, dining, and student life.
Does UC San Diego have Division I sports?
Yes. The UC San Diego Tritons compete in NCAA Division I as members of the Big West Conference, fielding teams across a wide range of men’s and women’s sports.
How do you take a tour of UCSD?
UC San Diego offers student-led campus tours that showcase the main academic, residential, and coastal areas of the university, along with an information session on admissions and student life. Visitors can also explore at their own pace with a self-guided tour or experience the campus through a virtual tour online.
Does UCSD offer private campus tours?
Yes, through SchoolScoops, you can book a private campus tour led by a student guide of your choice.
Interested in other schools?
SchoolScoops also offers tours and video chats at many other schools
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