The Bay Area blog of The New York Times reports on how recent budget cuts have changed the admissions landscape of the University of California school system. Some of the significant changes include:
- Competition: The system received a record number of applications this year (100,000), and admitted the fewest applicants ever (except at UC Riverside and UC Merced). UCLA had the lowest acceptance rate, while Berkeley had the highest GPA for incoming freshmen (4.19).
- Admissions: 1,500 admission spots were cut this year. To help the university achieve that goal and maximize admissions flexibility, it created its first waiting list ever.
- Opportunity: More students from low-income families (who make less than $60,000 a year) can now attend the UC schools because of the new Blue and Gold Opportunity Plan, which will cover system-wide fees for these students.
- Geography: The student body at the University of California campuses has become more diverse and more widely represented, internationally-speaking. 25% more out-of-state and international students attended the UC schools this year, as compared to last, rising from 7,634 to 9,552. Such an increase will provide an extra $43.5 million in nonresidential fees to the university.
- Freshmen: In 1960 the University of California guaranteed admission to the top 12.5% of graduating high school seniors. Today, that number has been reduced to 9%.
- Transfers: This past year there was a 21% increase in the number of state community college transfer applicants.
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Read the full article: University of California System Changes