The University of California announced today (April 18) that it has offered 86,865 students admission to its fall 2014 freshman class — an increase of 4.8 percent over preliminary counts for 2013. This record high number includes more Californians, more Latinos, and a broad range of out-of-state and international residents.
Preliminary data show the number of California applicants admitted — 61,120 — increased by 1.7 percent over last year. Californians continued to make up the vast majority of admitted students. Although four of UC’s nine undergraduate campuses made fewer offers to non-resident students this year, the overall number of such offers increased from a systemwide total of 22,761 in 2013 to 25,745 in 2014. It is important to note, however, that applicants from outside California traditionally decline UC admission offers at a higher rate than do Californians. It is expected that, systemwide, about 13 percent of enrolled UC undergraduates in 2014-15 will be out-of-state and international students.
“We are honored to extend admissions offers to this accomplished and diverse group of applicants to the University of California,” said Stephen Handel, associate vice president, undergraduate admissions. “In addition, UC will once again adhere to the California Master Plan by offering admission to all freshman applicants who meet the university’s standards for guaranteed admission.”
The preliminary outcomes for fall 2014 reflect increases in the numbers of admitted California applicants from historically underrepresented groups. Latinos — the largest ethnic group among UC applicants and the fastest growing ethnic group among California high school graduates — increased as a proportion of the total California admits from 27.6 percent in 2013 to 28.8 percent in 2014, making them the second largest ethnic group of admitted Californians behind Asian Americans. White students made up 26.8 percent of those admitted for 2014, followed by African Americans at 4.2 percent. UC continues to admit very large and growing proportions of freshmen who would be the first in their families to attend college (42.5 percent of admitted California applicants), are from low-income families (37.4 percent), and attended low-performing high schools (20.9 percent).
Admitted students have until May 1 to return their statement of intent to register, the final step in the admissions process before enrollment. In a change for the upcoming admissions cycle, the University of California will open its 2015-16 application for undergraduate admissions on Aug. 1, two months earlier than in previous years. Completed applications must still be submitted between Nov. 1-30, the same as in prior years.
Further details about the fall 2014 preliminary admissions outcomes can be found at www.ucop.edu/news/studstaff.html, which includes an information summary as well as tables that offer detailed breakdowns by campus, residency and ethnicity.