'Step right up, kids, get 'em while they last. College admissions, going fast. You don't want to miss out.'

California's high school students have always had a kind of fallback safety net when it came to their college educations. Good grades and decent test scores pretty much guaranteed that the Cal State or UC systems would have a seat for you in English Lit 101.

Seniors trying to figure out where they wanted to go and how much they could afford often took their sweet time deciding knowing that, in the end, good old State U was good old Stand-by You.

Late in applying? No problem.

Late in deciding? No problem.

But, like everything else in this financially busted state, colleges have taken a hit. Enrollment rollbacks at the Cal State and UC schools have closed off 2003 admissions at many schools, including the home-county campus, Cal State San Bernardino.

Late in applying, Last-Minute Larry?

You got a problem. Officials at CSUSB said new admissions for the fall semester won't be considered for anyone, except those applying to the teacher-credentialing program.

The "No Vacancy' sign flashes for you.

And if you wait too long again, you may get caught in what may be an early crush of applications from the Class of 2004, as well. The budget allows for no enrollment increases next year, either.

Despite a fee hike, which added about $500 to the bill, the number of students checking off the "will attend' box grew this year at the Cal States.

The reduced number of admissions isn't the only thing making Cal State spots more attractive than ever. Other sociological and economic factors are conspiring to turn the once perceived ho-hum landscape of Cal State schools into hillside lots, if not yet beachfront property.

The total cost of a Cal State or UC education is still a bargain, when held up next to the $30,000-and-up (and growing) per year norms at private schools.

Depending on whether you live at home or pay full fare for on-campus housing, UC Riverside estimates annual tuition, books and general living expenses in the $12,000 to $19,000 range.

Cal State San Bernardino puts its price in the $10,000 to $15,000 range. And most students can cut or defray some of those costs with aid packages, scholarships and loans.

At the same time, the value of a college education is dawning on more and more students, especially in places like San Bernardino County, which historically has sent low numbers of high school graduates to college. Programs aimed at boosting those numbers have become a local priority, and the colleges being targeted by these first-in-the-family adventurers are the more affordable schools. Spelled CSU.

Anyway, with no enrollment increases on the immediate horizon, things are suddenly a bit tighter at old Back-up State U. So just a little heads-up to the Class of '04 and beyond: You may need reservations.