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July 11, 1997

Freshmen planning to attend UC up nearly 5 percent

By UC News Office

Nearly 25,200 California high school graduates are planning to attend the University of California as freshmen in the fall, up about 1,100 or nearly 5 percent over last year.

Complete information on total enrollment, including graduate student enrollment, is not yet available.

Over 62 percent of the students offered freshman admission for the fall say they plan to attend, up 2 percent over last year. The largest percentage increase of students who have been admitted and have decided to attend is among African American students. Of the African American students admitted, 64.3 percent plan to enroll, up from 57.4 percent last year.

All ethnic groups except American Indians and Latinos show increases in the overall number of students planning to attend, with the largest increases among white and Asian American students.

"The increased student interest in attending the university is a testament to the quality education provided by the University of California system and to the attractiveness of our campuses to California's brightest high school graduates," said UC President Richard C. Atkinson. "We are especially pleased to see the increased number of ethnic minority students who accepted our admissions offer and we want to emphasize that UC welcomes students from all of California's diverse population. These increases suggest that undergraduate minority students continue to find the university a welcoming environment."

Proportion of ethnic groups

Actual enrollment figures will not be known until this fall after classes begin. However, based on the number of African American, Chicano, Latino and American Indian students who have indicated that they will enroll, the proportions of those groups in the fall freshman class generally will remain the same.

African Americans would continue to make up 3.9 percent of freshmen, American Indians 0.8 percent compared to 1 percent last year, Asian Americans 29.2 percent compared to 28.8 percent, Chicanos 10.1 percent compared to 10.3 percent, East Indian/Pakistanis 2.9 percent compared to 2.6 percent, Filipino Americans 5.1 percent compared to 5 percent, Latinos 3.5 percent compared to 3.8 percent, whites 38.9 percent compared to 38 percent. Those who declined to state their ethnicity and other groups are 5.8 percent of the class compared to 6.7 percent.

Students planning to enroll

Systemwide, the increase in freshmen planning to attend in the fall was generated by significant gains in students at the Riverside, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz campuses.

The number of freshman students intending to register at Riverside is up 584 (36 percent), San Diego 752 (25 percent), Santa Barbara 383 (11.4 percent), and Santa Cruz 189 (11.2 percent).

The other four campuses anticipate smaller freshman enrollments. The decreases were planned to make up for larger than planned freshman enrollments last year. The number of freshmen intending to enroll at Irvine is down 396 (-13.1 percent), Davis 202 (-6.1 percent), Berkeley 156 (-4.9 percent), and Los Angeles 30 (-0.8 percent).

Ethnic groups showing increases in the number of students planning to attend are: East Indian/Pakistani up by 80 students (12.5 percent), white up 637 (7 percent), Filipino American up 76 (6.3 percent), Asian American up 408 (5.9 percent), African American up 50 (5.4 percent), and Chicano up 68 (2.7 percent). The number of American Indian students dropped by 42 (17 percent) and Latino students by 37 (4.1 percent).

Students accepting admission

Overall, 62.2 percent of all prospective freshmen who were offered admission say they plan to attend, up from 60.2 percent in fall 1996. Among African American students, the rate increased from 57.4 percent last year to 64.3 percent this year. The rate for East Indian/Pakistani students went from 63.5 percent to 68.7 percent, whites from 55.6 percent to 58 percent, Chicanos from 59 percent to 60.2 percent, and Asian Americans from 68.8 percent to 69.3 percent. The rate for American Indian students accepting admission went down from 68.6 percent to 66.6 percent and for Latino students from 58.5 percent to 58.3 percent.

"We are pleased about the increases in the rate of acceptances," said Dennis Galligani, UC assistant vice president for student academic services. "However, the university still has much work to do to ensure that student diversity continues. To further that goal, the university is in the process of intensifying and expanding its outreach efforts. Our message to students of color has not changed. We want them to consider UC as one of their choices to complete their education."

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