<p>I am a California resident and eligible in the statewide context. I was rejected by all the UC’s I applied to, so I should be in the referral pool. However, I never got any email saying I was granted admission into Merced. Is this because there are just too many applicants in the referral pool that Merced cannot accept all of them? I do regret not applying to Riverside and Merced, but now I feel that Merced is my only option now and that I actually want to attend.</p>
<p>You should call the UCM admissions office as soon as possible and ask about your status. I believe UC is still guaranteeing admission to anyone who meets the eligibility criteria.</p>