UCSD Receives Record Number of Applications for Fall 2011

UC San Diego has received 53,000 freshman and 17,000 transfer applications for the Fall 2011 term. Not only has UCSD broken its own application record, but is has received the second highest number of applications in the UC system, second to UCLA.

All campuses saw record numbers in freshman applications this year. The greatest increases were at San Diego (11.2%), Merced (8.9%) and Riverside (8.5 %).

Freshman applications were up 12.1% and transfer student applications were up 19.9% from 2010. The mean high school grade point average of applicants is a 3.77; the average GPA among transfer students is 3.29.

Chancellor Maryanne Fox is excited about the increased interest in the San Diego University but sites concern due to the budget restraints of the current econemy. Fox explains, “We are pleased to receive a record number of applications from students with such outstanding academic qualities. As our outreach efforts continue to attract more talented first-generation and underrepresented students, we are concerned about the persistent decline in state funding for higher education and how it will affect access for our prospective hard-working and promising students.”

The recent budget proposal from Governor Brown proposes $500 million in cuts from the University of California budget. If this proposal passes, this will be the first time in history the collective tuition payments made by students will exceed state contributions.

In a press release today UCSD revealed data that shows the university is attracting more underrepresented students than ever before. Fall 2011 shows a 27.4% increase in these students.

A total 2,192 African-American freshmen (up 12.8% from 2010) applied along with 620 African-American transfers (up 16.8% from 2010).

Applications from Latinos also increased this year, with 10,780 applicants from freshmen (up 31.8%) and 2,917 applications from transfers (up 48.5%).

Mae Brown, Assistant Vice-Chancellor for Admissions and Enrollment Services attributes the increase to UCSD’s numerous outreach efforts.

These numbers reflect applicants only. Time will tell what enrollment data will look like, but from these early reports, the University of California system has a tremendous number of qualified students to choose from.