Is UCLA or Notre Dame more selective overall?

UCLA is typically viewed as the more selective admit in sheer volume and application pressure, while Notre Dame is also extremely selective but evaluates a somewhat different applicant pool and class-building process. UCLA gets an enormous number of applications every year, especially from California residents and students who see it as a top public option, which creates intense competition.

For a student comparing raw admissions difficulty, UCLA often feels tougher simply because of the scale of demand and the number of very strong applicants competing for limited seats. It is one of the most sought-after public universities in the country, and that popularity pushes selectivity very high.

Notre Dame can be just as hard for certain applicants, especially those aiming for a school with a strong residential culture, Catholic identity, and a more personal private-university environment. Students who match that culture well and present a clear fit may find Notre Dame more predictable than UCLA, but not easier in any broad sense. For applicants without a strong alignment to what Notre Dame values, it can feel every bit as competitive.

So if your question is which school is more selective overall in the broad national sense, UCLA usually has the edge. But for an individual student, the harder admit can depend a lot on residency, academic profile, and how naturally your application fits what Notre Dame is trying to build.