UCLA has admitted 15,455 stellar high school seniors from all 50 states and 69 countries for its fall 2012 freshman class. Among them are 9,263 California residents, 85 percent of whom will graduate in the top 9 percent of their high school class.
Taken together, these students are expected to make up UCLA's most ethnically, geographically and socioeconomically diverse class to date.
Among Californians, Latinos experienced the largest jump in admissions, from 17.5 percent of the total last year to 21.1 percent for fall 2012. African Americans, Americans Indians and Asian Americans also increased as a proportion of the admitted class, while the proportion of admitted white students declined by 4 percentage points to approximately 26 percent, reflecting ongoing changes in the demographics of California high schools.
Nearly 32 percent of admitted California residents would be the first in their family to graduate from a four-year college, and just over 32 percent come from low-income families.
UCLA Chancellor Gene Block said he is delighted by this year's admissions outcomes and impressed by the quality of admitted students. "These outcomes clearly show that despite our budget challenges, UCLA continues to be a beacon of access and opportunity for students from all backgrounds, including families who traditionally have not enjoyed the benefits of higher education," Block said. "I look forward to welcoming this outstanding group of freshmen who undoubtedly will become the next generation of visionaries and groundbreakers at UCLA."
Facing over-enrollment from last year, when 440 more freshmen than expected enrolled at UCLA, the campus was forced to reduce its admission of California residents for fall 2012 by nearly 1,800 students to reach its enrollment target of approximately 4,000 California resident freshmen.
"Given the uncertainty about our budget for 2012-13, taking on more students without corresponding state funding would have placed a significant strain on our faculty, courses, support services and space that would have affected the educational excellence parents and students expect from UCLA," said Youlonda Copeland-Morgan, UCLA's associate vice chancellor for enrollment management. "Despite our challenges, we kept our enrollment target for California resident freshmen at our historical average of approximately 4,000 students. Our commitment to them and the state remains strong and steady."
In addition to California residents, UCLA offered admission to 6,192 out-of-state and international students, an increase of 1,554 over the previous year. Because non-residents accept their admission offers at a much lower rate than Californians, the campus increased its number of admission offers to non-resident students this year, as it hopes to enroll approximately 1,425 non-resident freshmen.
This target is consistent with UCLA's goal of increasing its proportion of out-of-state and international students to approximately 18 percent of all undergraduates over the next few years. Currently, out-of state and international students make up approximately 12 percent of all undergraduates.
"These students do much more than help us ensure that the quality of our educational programs is protected in the absence of adequate state funding," Copeland-Morgan said. "They contribute to the intellectual and social vibrancy of a global campus and prepare all our students to work and compete in a global society."
All nine UC undergraduate campuses are releasing data on fall 2012 freshman admissions today. In total, the University of California offered admission to 80,289 freshman applicants for the fall 2012 term at the UC system's nine undergraduate campuses.
In addition to its freshman class, UCLA will be offering admission to 5,300 transfer students for the fall 2012 term. Transfer students will be notified of UCLA's admissions decisions by April 20. Admitted freshmen must submit their Statement of Intent to Register by May 1, while transfer students have until June 1 to accept their admission offers.
UCLA is California's largest university, with an enrollment of nearly 38,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The UCLA College of Letters and Science and the university's 11 professional schools feature renowned faculty and offer 337 degree programs and majors. UCLA is a national and international leader in the breadth and quality of its academic, research, health care, cultural, continuing education and athletic programs. Six alumni and five faculty have been awarded the Nobel Prize.
Source: University of California--Los Angeles
