UCs Consider Admitting More OOS to Boost Revenue

Parents Forum
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<p>University of Colorado has relied on OOS students for years to boost its coffers. At one point, more than 25% of the undergrads were Californians, many of whom chose CO because they didn't get into U of CA. I believe, these students are a mixed blessing. Their often less-than-stellar academics hardly raises the academic atmosphere, and their OOS tuition still hasn't been able to make up for the lack of funding from the state.</p>

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<p>hmom5, I don't think an income-based fee structure is necessarily a bad idea. I'd still rather pay $35k a year for (most) UCs if that would mean most students are finishing in 4 years over $30k a year for a small private in-state. But that's a fit issue for my kids. Other families, of course, might feel differently. </p>

<p>I agree with your analysis about students being bumped down the food chain (UC to CSU to CC), agree that it's cheaper to fund CCs, but disagree that everyone will still get educated. It's more likely that some types of students--returning to school, looking for part-time certification, first-gen, recent high school grads with weak high school records--will be squeezed out.</p>

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<p>Maybe they should offer the OOS spots at those UC campuses that might not have operated at capacity - like UCR and UCM. I wonder how many OOS students are pining to attend UCR and UCM? Note - I don't know if these campuses operated at capacity or not - I see UCR was at its highest capacity ever this last year.</p>

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<p>I can't imagine many will pay the $40K for the bottom UCs. I had not focused on this, but we're probably only talking demand for the top 3.</p>

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<p>hmom5:</p>

<p>I think you're right that the focus would probably be on only the top 3 or so but since the top 3 always turn down in-state UC eligible students every year then admitting more OOS will definitely mean some IS students who would otherwise be able to attend UCB/UCLA/UCSD would have to bump to another UC or CSU or other.</p>

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<p>3% OOS at UC Irvine.</p>

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<p>UC Irvine has some stellar profs that were recruited by Ivies. It may be bottom UC but in some areas, it has strengths comparable to Berkeley.</p>

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<p>During the booming 1960s, California had the economy and the political foresight to build UC Riverside, San Diego, Irvine, and Santa Cruz. Contrast to preparation of "Tidal Wave II" and increasing population, California only built one UC campus, Merced, and is now facing tough economic realities.</p>

<p>The main fingers of blame fall squarely on inexperienced politicians who can't put together a budget for the 7th largest economy in the world and the ballot initiative process in California. </p>

<p>Fortunately, Mark Yudof is a highly respected leader and enters at a critical time for UC...it will be interesting what capital he can employ.</p>

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<p>Right - which is why the idea that the UCs somehow need more "diversity" is nonsense. They're already getting people "from every corner" just by admitting CA residents.</p>

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<p>Coureur, what are your thoughts on what the UCs should do? Something's got to give. My nephew recently graduated from UCLA. It was a mess his last 2 years with class sections being cut making it almost impossible to get out in 5 years. And the cuts keep going.</p>

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<p>^^ My D hasn't had issues getting classes but she's in the school of engineering so that might make a difference. It's hard to imagine not being able to graduate in 4 years for most majors or even less for some majors assuming one doesn't change their major once they start on it and that they take a full load. Do you what kinds of classes were difficult to get?</p>

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<p>ucsd<em>ucla</em>dad:
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Maybe they should offer the OOS spots at those UC campuses that might not have operated at capacity - like UCR and UCM.

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<p>You are wishing. Even in-state students (who are not admitted to UCLA or UCB) turn down full-ride scholarships to UCR to attend other UCs.</p>

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<p>^^ I should have put the ;) after my post.</p>

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<p>Nephew majored in business econ, but don't really know which classes were hard to get.</p>

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<p>UCI would be considered a mid-tier UC, not bottom by any means. Unfortunately, its location in planned development suburbia doesn't have the magic of Berkeley, UCLA and Santa Barbara. Too bad...</p>

<p>UCI is starting a law school this coming year. Its recruitment tool...free tuition to the inaugural class. It's hoping to jump start its reputation by snagging law school students who might otherwise go to top law schools.</p>

<p>We'll see if it works. As ucla<em>ucsd</em>dad says, people give up full rides at UC Riverside to go full pay to UCLA. Seen it happen at our local high school.</p>

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<p>^^ And UCR is developing a school of medicine which might change the face of that campus.</p>

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<p>I echo this comment. We all know of the big 3 UCs, but according to US News rankings, UCD, UCI, & UCSB are all tied for the 7th best public university in the country. From my lenses I would definitely consider them all excellent schools, with each having their own unique advantages.</p>

<p>While Irvine most definitely is not a great college town, it is consistently rated as one of the safest cities in the U.S. It is also very close to some awesome areas, such as Newport Beach.</p>

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<p>Actually, this is just dead wrong. Although Michigan's overall population has been growing more slowly than the national average for some time and recently actually declining slightly, the number of Michigan HS grads nonetheless reached an all-time high in 2008 at approximately 110,000. Roughly 60 to 65% of them---that is, 65,000 to 70,000 students---may be expected to attend college. That's plenty large enough an in-state pool to fill the roughly 6,500 freshman slots available at the University of Michigan. There's no absolute shortage of Michigan residents who would fill those slots if offered admission; far from it. From this point forward, the number of Michigan HS grads is expected to shrink slowly, roughly 10% over a 10-year period, to about 98,000 in 2018. Enough to raise concerns about the quality of the in-state applicant pool, perhaps, but not nearly enough to create problems in absolute numbers available to fill the freshman class.</p>

<p>No, Michigan;s move to increase OOS enrollment is not driven by demographic necessity. Instead, it's a shrewd financial move, as well as a shrewd move to enhance the quality of its student body. </p>

<p>And to those Michigan residents who want to complain about their kid being displaced by an OOS student, I will say again: you can't get something for nothing. The Michigan legislature isn't providing nearly enough support to allow the 17,000 or so Michigan residents who are currently attending Michigan to get the world-class education they're getting. Those in-state students are heavily cross-subsidized by OOS students, endowment revenue, annual alumni giving, football revenue, sports licensing agreements, faculty research grants, medical complex revenues, and the other sources of revenue that make up approximately 93% of the university's annual budget. So you have a choice: if you want to insist the university is for Michigan residents only, fine; but you'll either have to pay a whole lot more than you're currently paying, or accept a sharp decline in the quality of what what the university can deliver for your kids, and in the economic benefits of research and innovation driven by the university in its present state of excellence.</p>

<p>And the same, I submit, goes for California. I think the handwriting is clear: as went Michigan, so goes California. It's only a matter of time before the UCs begin admitting a larger number of OOS applicants to boost their tuition revenue in order to compensate for cutbacks in legislative appropriations. As they say, you can't squeeze blood from a turnip.</p>

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<p>
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We all know of the big 3 UCs, but according to US News rankings, UCD, UCI, & UCSB are all tied for the 7th best public university in the country.

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I think all of the UCs are among the best public universities in the country.</p>

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<p>It seems like this is the bigger problem.</p>

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<p>The simplest way to fix it would be to restore funding. To do that you need to fix the budget deficit. Restoring the vehicle license fee and repealing Prop 13 would certainly help.</p>