It took almost 500 venting posts before someone finally realized what’s needed is change, pressure on the CA legislature, and posting a petition. I will read it and likely sign it (even though this is my last CA high school senior, I might have CA grandchildren). . .thanks.
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Yes I’ve read this too. DE is the new thing for sure. It proves to a university that a student can already succeed in actual college classes. It’s like a relief for them.
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And I noticed from the graph that fewer private school students even accept UC offers when admitted. I worried about this with my DD in her private Christian high school–most end up at private Christian colleges, and the UC yield from her high school isn’t high. But I’m grateful it seems UC overlooked the low yield from her high school, offered admissions to the top students anyway, and now she has 3 (maybe 4 after next week?) really good UC campus options to choose from.
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I’m suspicious of some data I see on the first-gen section of the UC website. So they are saying 82% of UC first-gen graduate in 6 years, while only 12% of first-gen in other states graduate from college in 6 years? I’m skeptical.
Remember there are two kinds of private schools: parochial/religious, and non-sectarian. In my DD’s private Christian school, the students won’t even apply to UCSB because it is a “party school” (sigh). No one has applied from her school to UCSB for years until this year when my DD did! And she was admitted! So grateful I now have evidence that UC doesn’t “hold a grudge” against high schools with low UC yield (and even low UC apps). They will offer admittance to top students regardless.
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You’re right. I’m thinking more about the day schools in SF.
Yeah! for your daughter! Is she leaning towards a specific campus?
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So nothing that I have come across so far indicates either that a specific first-gen% (e.g. 40%) is a goal / target for the UCs (their 2030 goals dashboard does not include this), or that there is a separate admissions process for first-gen (beyond the 6% admission by exception which could be used for many different considerations, and is far less than the 40% number anyways). It seems all the definitions around first-gen seem to be more with reporting, or with providing outreach / resources / information that make it easier to navigate university and /or the application process. The 40% is an outcome, but not necessary of a differentiated admissions process.
Could anyone point to anything from the UCs explicitly stating that there is a different policy / goal / process ?
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As an international it has been eye opening to see the frustrations of CA residents. Frustration is very understandable. You pay taxes and some OOS with lower profile gets an admit.
After reading the profiles of some of the waitlisted and rejected people in general I do get the feeling that it is easier to get admissions to a UC school as OOS/International. But a few points I am sure everyone knows…
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Should state schools take “any” OOS? If the answer to that is yes and @20% is OK then that can only happen by making two separate lists. One for in state and one for OOS.
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In state yield is probably very high. So not many more than the ones eventually join get admissions.
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OOS yield is probably very low. (we have from UCSD but mostly not going to join. True even if Cal admits because there are other options which are much cheaper)
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If the answer is don’t admit any OOS then that would be unfair considering enough California folks go to other states as well. It will also have repercussions in terms of higher costs for everyone because those 20% probably give 40% of the revenue.
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I do know that the UCs have specific support programs for first generation students because they are cognizant that these students may come from low resourced schools and lack the family knowledge to receive support from home.
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How does one know which CC classes are transferable? We are OOS.
There is no specific articulation for OOS transfer courses so you have to use Assist.org for CA CC’s and match descriptions.
The transfer course must:
- be listed in the institution’s official course catalog for the year in which the course was completed
- include the same, or similar, content to UC undergraduate courses
- require the same, or similar, prerequisite coursework
- be offered at the same level of instruction.
Many times you will not know until the UC’s evaluate the College transcript.
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I agree, my daughter was dual enrolled- no AP’s, will graduate with an AA. Was accepted at UCLA, UCSD, UCSB - we are OOS. Waiting on UCB.
She’s never had formal tours of UCSC, UCSB, UCD, or Cal Poly SLO so we’re going to tour all of them so she can get the “vibe” of each. And if she’s admitted to UC Berkeley we’ll tour that too. If I had to guess I’d say she’ll choose/leaning toward UC Davis (and I sort of hope she “clicks” with that campus because I know the housing situation there is the easiest/cheapest of them all) but I know from experience that campus “vibes” make a big difference. I checked and luckily the scheduled tours are not during their Spring breaks so the campuses won’t be empty.
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Yes, there are 13 criteria UC uses for admission and first-gen is specifically listed in one of them, #12:
12. Academic accomplishments in light of your life experiences and special circumstances, including but not limited to: disabilities, low family income, first generation to attend college, need to work, disadvantaged social or educational environment, difficult personal and family situations or circumstances, refugee status or veteran status.
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Did she know which classes she would get credit for before taking them? I’m wondering how to approach this with my younger kid, if she wishes to apply to the UC’s.
Got it. So presumably UC offers more support programs for first gen than other states do.
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Based on this looks like the OOS acceptance rate for UCB is just 2.9 . It is lower than Ivies too
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The 2.9% is only for OOS applicants with <5 AP/IB, if I understand the post correctly. The overall OOS admit rate quoted in the post was 8.5%.
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I think those are fair questions, and I do believe a geographically diverse enrollment is a benefit. BUT, there was a time (pre-2008) that the UC system was still regarded as the jewel state uni system, but only enrolled <~5% undergrad students OOS/Intl. Many Californians (myself included) see the increase from 5% to 22% (starting to come back down) as a response to solve budget issues rather than an attempt to make UCs better and provide better value/performance for CA taxpayers. I have no reason to believe intl students are any less qualified, but do believe that budget pressures have swung the pendulum too far to intl enrollment and it is time to swing back to closer to the pre-1998 model.
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that said I don’t want to go back to those 5% days. I would prioritize instate and then international and then OOS in that order. The state is lowering it to 18% and frankly that’s still higher than what I’d like.
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