Loyola Marymount University is one of the most prestigious Jesuit universities in the United States and the oldest Catholic university west of the Mississippi River. Founded in 1911, LMU has a long history. This private university rests on 150 acres of beautiful land in Los Angeles, California.
Today, the school provides valuable opportunities for students to reach an expansive array of career goals. The university offers:
- 58 minor programs
- 1 education doctorate
- 46 master’s degree programs
- 1 doctorate in juridical science
- 55 undergraduate major programs
- 14 credential programs
- 1 juris doctorate
One of the Jesuit tradition’s original foundations is something LMU excels at—service to others. There are ten service organizations at Loyola Marymount University and the Center for Service and Action. The students at this dedicated university contribute almost a quarter million hours of donated time each year to various community-based organizations. Not only that, taking religious-centered courses is a requirement for graduation.
With 10,004 total students, Loyola Marymount University has a student-to-faculty ratio of 11 to 1, with 222 registered student clubs and organizations on campus. Seven schools and colleges make up the university, and the average undergraduate class size is 20 students.
If you’re hoping to spend your college years as a student at LMU, it’s essential that you understand what kinds of students the school seeks, what the profiles of accepted students look like, and how you stack up against your peers who will also be applying for admission to LMU.
The Loyola Marymount Acceptance Rate: Is It Hard to Get into LMU?
Loyola Marymount is a fairly competitive college. In order to succeed, you will need to ensure your grades are high, your service to others is exceptional, and your extracurriculars present a well-rounded profile.
For the class of 2025, the university received 495 applications during its early decision admissions round, and 210 of them were accepted. This made the LMU acceptance rate for that round 42%. For the regular round and early decision round together, the university received 18,576 applications for admissions.
A total of 9,314 students were invited to attend the university, which means the overall LMU acceptance rate for the class of 2025 was 51%. Your individual chances of being accepted to the school depend on your academic profile and several other factors.
From grades to extracurriculars to test scores and volunteer work, you need to have everything in order to get into LMU!
The LMU Acceptance Rate: Class Rank, GPA, and Test Scores
Academics are crucial to determining your chances of acceptance at LMU. Applicants with a history of excellence in the classroom exemplify part of the Jesuit ideal of service. Of course, other parts of that service should be evident in additional areas to create a stand-out application for admissions.
GPA
High school students who applied and were accepted to Loyola Marymount University’s class of 2025 had an average cumulative GPA of 3.92. Almost 36% of them graduated with a perfect 4.0 GPA. The class of 2026 had a higher average cumulative GPA: it was 4.0.
Class Rank
Not every high school participates in ranking students in each class. If yours does, Loyola Marymount will consider your rank when deciding whether to invite you to attend the school or not. While you are learning about the Loyola Marymount University acceptance rate, you should also pay attention to the average class rank of incoming freshman students.
For the class of 2025, almost three-quarters (72%) of students graduated in the top 25% of their class. In addition, 37% of accepted students graduated in the top decile of their high school class.
SAT and ACT Test Scores
As you have browsed the internet for information about the Loyola Marymount University acceptance rate, you may have come across information about the change in testing the university has followed over the past few years. Currently, submitting your SAT and ACT scores is optional for LMU.
Nonetheless, the test scores of those who submitted their test scores and entered Loyola Marymount University in the fall of 2022 were plenty impressive. The middle 50% range for SAT scores was 1300–1400, and the median 50% range for ACT scores was 29–32.
Understanding the Loyola Marymount Acceptance Rate: What Is LMU Looking for in Students?
Even though Loyola Marymount is a Catholic university, that doesn’t mean it excludes students of other faiths or beliefs. The school welcomes everyone to attend as part of its mission to foster respect among all students and an appreciation of the different faiths people have.
However, if you are Catholic, you will likely be very comfortable on campus since the foundation of the school’s curriculum, programs, and classes is the Jesuit tradition.
Community Service and Volunteering
The university is interested in students who demonstrate the ideals of the Jesuit tradition, including service. Therefore, if you have a history of contributing to your school and your community and a track record of volunteering your time and effort to worthy causes, it will help you stand out to the admissions committee.
Academics and Adventure
As far as academics are concerned, LMU seeks students who are inquisitive, ambitious, and bright. The admissions committee looks for students with solid academic records and a history of high performance in numerous subjects.
The university offers numerous opportunities for internships, community-based learning experiences, and study-abroad excursions around the globe. It seeks students to participate in and grow these programs.
High School Courses and Preparation
Although there are no stringent requirements for high school courses to get into Loyola Marymount, the school recommends that applicants complete the following courses to prepare for the rigorous academics at LMU:
- One year of academic electives
- Three years of social sciences
- Three years of a foreign language
- Three years of mathematics
- Four years of English
- Two years of laboratory science
Some of the most popular offerings that Loyola Marymount offers prospective students are the summer programs for high schoolers. If you’re considering applying for admission at LMU, you may be interested in its pre-college summer happenings.
Attending one of the summer programs can give you the opportunity to experience life at the university first-hand. You’ll come away with a more educated perspective to help you decide whether LMU is the right college for you.
Loyola Marymount Acceptance Rate: How Does LMU Rank Students?
According to LMU’s most recent Common Data Set, the school considers numerous factors when choosing applicants for its next incoming freshman class. There is one admissions factor that Loyola Marymount considers to be “very important”: your grade point average, or GPA.
The committee considers the following “important”:
- Your character
- The caliber of your personal essay
- Your skills and talent
- The rigor of your high school courses
The following criteria are “considered”:
- Test scores (SAT and ACT when required)
- Your class rank, if applicable
- Whether you are a legacy student
- Your work experience
- Whether you’re a first-generation student
- Teacher recommendations
- Your volunteer work
- Your extracurricular activities
Factors that are not considered include your residence, religion, race, or ethnicity. Loyola Marymount also does not consider any interviews or demonstrated interest.
How to Improve Your Chances of Getting into LMU
Despite the competitive Loyola Marymount University acceptance rate, you can boost your chances of admission success in a few different ways.
Achieve a 1370 SAT or 31 ACT Score
Even when submitting test scores is optional, it’s still important if you want to boost your chances of being accepted to LMU. In light of COVID-19 regulations, if you can safely sit for these tests, it’s recommended that you do so. You can take them more than once to achieve a high enough score to impress the admissions committee at LMU.
Write Inspiring, Engaging Essay Answers
Essays are a common part of just about every college application. They allow applicants to relay personal things about them, helping the admissions committees get to know them as more than just test scores and GPA numbers.
This highly-ranked college offers the opportunity to respond to two optional essay questions; it’s recommended that you do so. When cultivating your answers, be careful not to just repeat statistical information found elsewhere on your application.
Instead, you might discuss something from your family life or relationship with friends. You can talk about extracurriculars and your experiences with volunteering in your community, too. Be sincere and genuine; don’t stuff your answer full of words you think will impress the admissions committee, because they won’t.
Earn a GPA of at Least 3.85
The average GPAs of students accepted to LMU rise through the years, which means it becomes more difficult to gain admission. Aim to earn at least a 3.85 GPA, but a 4.0 is ideal. Remember that there is only one admissions factor that LMU considers to be very important: your GPA.
How to Get into Loyola Marymount University
When you’re ready to apply to LMU, submit your completed application along with any supporting documentation and your application fee before the appropriate deadline. The early decision binding deadline is November 1, along with the early action non-binding deadline. The second early decision deadline is January 8, and the regular decision deadline is January 15.
