Key differences on Getting in
- 1
U. Houston-Clear Lake's yield is 15 pts higher than U. California-Merced's
Yield rate - 2
U. Houston-Clear Lake admits 91% vs. 91% at U. California-Merced
Acceptance rate
Admissions
Getting in, fall 2024
Acceptance and yield, test score ranges, test policy, and what each college weighs.
The funnel
Quad's selectivity
- U. California-MercedAccessible
- U. Houston-Clear LakeOpen
Men and women
Acceptance rate for men and women who applied, where a college reports admissions by sex.
Test scores
SAT total,
Axis runs 900–1600. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.
ACT composite,
Axis runs 16–36. The dark tick marks the national median midpoint.
Test policy
- U. California-MercedTest-blind
- U. Houston-Clear LakeTest-optional
How they read a record
U. California-Merced
GPA, the high school record, and a college-prep program are required.
U. Houston-Clear Lake
, GPA, and class rank are all very important; tests are considered. 26% of first-years had a 3.75 or higher.
What they look at
| Factor | U. California-Merced | U. Houston-Clear Lake |
|---|---|---|
| High school GPA | Required | Very important |
| High school record | Required | Required |
| Class rank | Not considered | Very important |
| College-prep program | Required | Not considered |
| Recommendations | Not considered | Not considered |
| Essay | Required | Not considered |
| Legacy status | Not considered | Not considered |
| Work experience | Considered | Considered |
| Demonstration of competencies | Not considered | Not considered |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other tests | Not considered | Not considered |
Sources:IPEDS Admissions survey, Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Entered fall 2023;College Scorecard, most recent releaseAbout the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)
Figures are the newest each college has published; years can differ between colleges. Each value's ⓘ shows its source and year. Why