UC eclipses application record

Union-Tribune 1/25/07

By Eleanor Yang Su

A record number of students applied to the University of California's nine undergraduate campuses for fall 2007, including more African-American students, whose drop in enrollment at some campuses recently prompted student rallies and community outcry.

The number of black freshman applicants rose 3.7 percent, or 52 additional applicants, at UC San Diego, and 12 percent, or 271 applicants, at UCLA, according to the campuses.

UCSD and UCLA have the lowest number of black enrollments in the university system, making up about 1 percent and 2 percent of the freshman class, respectively.

Administrators said yesterday that they believe the boost in black applications and those of other minorities is the result of several efforts, including expanded high school recruitment visits.

“The most important reason for the increase is the popularity and academic reputation of the campus is growing,” said Mae Brown, UCSD's assistant vice chancellor for admissions and enrollment services. “We've also increased our outreach efforts and worked with alumni to help with that.”

Another factor fueling the growth may be the increase in size of California's high school graduating senior class, Brown said.

UC received a total of 87,213 freshman applications, an increase of 5.3 percent over last year. More applications rolled in to all UC campuses except UC Santa Cruz, where they dipped by about 76, or 0.3 percent. UCSD, where freshman application numbers rose by 3.3 percent, continues to receive the second-highest number of applications in the system after UCLA.

While freshman applications are up, a 2 percent decline in the number of California community college transfer applicants has concerned some administrators. Nina Robinson, UC's director of policy and external relations in student affairs, said the university is studying the issue and considering the impact of a recent dip in community college enrollment.

“It's disheartening that we're not making the progress we'd like to see,” Robinson said of the transfer figures.

The average academic qualifications of the freshman applicant pool remained largely unchanged at many campuses, with a weighted grade-point average of 3.76 at UCSD and 3.78 at UCLA. Test scores on the college admissions SAT reading and math exam averaged 1,217 at UCSD, up five points from last year. They rose eight points at UCLA, to 1,218.

More information can be found at www.ucop.edu/news/studstaff.html