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Date: January 24, 2007
Contact: Lauren Bartlett ( <a href="mailto:lbartlett@support.ucla.edu">lbartlett@support.ucla.edu</a> )
Phone: 310-206-1458 </p>
<p>UCLA Remains the Country’s Most Popular University with More Than 50,000 High School Seniors Applying for Fall</p>
<p>UCLA received 50,694 applications for the fall 2007 freshman class, making it once again the most popular university in the country.</p>
<p>Applications increased 7.1 percent at UCLA, while applications for the entire University of California system were up 5.3 percent. Preliminary data show that the overall number of underrepresented student applicants at UCLA — Native Americans, African Americans and Chicanos/Latinos — increased from 10,097 in fall 2006 (22.2 percent of 2006 applicants) to 11,414 for fall 2007 (23.6 percent). </p>
<p>This year, 2,444 African American students applied (5 percent of total applicants), up from 2,173 last year (4.8 percent). Applications from Chicanos and Latinos also increased — there were 8,711 applications (18 percent), compared with 7,650 (16.8 percent) last year. The number of Native American applicants dipped slightly, from 274 (0.6 percent) last year to 259 (0.5 percent) for fall 2007.</p>
<p>"It's heartening to see how many high school students want to come to UCLA," Acting Chancellor Norman Abrams said. "UCLA is one of the world's premier universities in both teaching and research, thanks to the exceptional quality of the students and faculty it attracts. I am especially encouraged by the increase in applications from African American students and other underrepresented minorities." </p>
<p>Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Janina Montero attributed the increase in the underrepresented minority applications to UCLA's commitment to enhance the diversity of the applicant pool through various new outreach activities and to the engagement of students, alumni, community groups and organizations.</p>
<p>"UCLA is committed to serving students in all communities, and I am pleased to see that our additional outreach efforts have resulted in more applicants to UCLA," Montero said. </p>
<p>The fall 2007 freshman class will be admitted using the holistic approach, which was adopted last fall by the faculty Committee for Undergraduate Admissions and Relations with Schools and approved by the UCLA Academic Senate.</p>
<p>In the past, applications were reviewed in sections, with two readers reviewing academics and a third reader reviewing personal achievements and life challenges. Under the holistic approach, each application is read and considered in its entirety by two readers.</p>
<p>Jenny Sharpe, chair of the faculty Committee on Undergraduate Admissions and Relations with Schools, said holistic review is another approach to implementing comprehensive review, the admissions policy adopted by the UC Regents for all campuses, under which an applicant's academic performance, talent, leadership and socioeconomic hardships are considered.</p>
<p>"The holistic approach provides a more complete picture of each applicant," Sharpe said. </p>
<p>Preliminary data for transfer applications show a slight increase in the number of applicants for fall 2007. UCLA received 13,382 applications, up from 13,137 the previous year. Of those, 2,677 (22.5 percent) were from underrepresented minorities, a slight increase over the 2,627 (22.2 percent) the previous year. There were 540 African American applicants (4.5 percent), up from 509 (4.3 percent) last year. Applications from Chicanos and Latinos remained at similar levels, with 2,034 applications (17.2 percent) last year, and 2,044 applications (17.1 percent) this year. For Native Americans, there were 93 applications (0.8 percent) this year, up from 84 (0.7 percent) for fall 2006.</p>
<p>Notifications will be sent to freshman applicants on April 1, and notifications for transfer applicants will begin on May 1.</p>
<p>NOTE: These figures were extracted from Jan. 22 files and may change slightly as applications continue to be processed. </p>
<p>-UCLA-</p>
<p>LB038</p>
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