Despite the state of California’s commitment to increase in-state freshman student enrollment at state schools such as the University of California, the numbers continue to show more out-of-state students benefiting from admission in California. Meanwhile, California high school graduates are leaving in droves, finding their educational opportunities at out-of-state schools to be more inviting. UC admission has been notoriously difficult to achieve with so many students across the globe wanting to study under UC’s top-rated faculty. Just this year, UC received 181,419 applications from students wishing to enroll in the fall, but UC was forced to turn away most, admitting only 71,086 of those applicants.
Higher Out-of-State Enrollment
Among California applicants, only 12% were admitted to UCLA this year compared to 22% of out-of-state applicants. At UC San Diego, 26% of in-state applicants were admitted while 51% of out-of-state applicants were admitted. 29% of in-state applicants were admitted to UC Santa Barbara in comparison to 47% of out-of-state applicants. As you can see, the number of out-of-state students far exceeds the number of California residents at three of UC’s top campuses.
Competition Driving Students Out-of-State
The competition for enrollment seems higher than ever, and California students hoping for the same opportunities for their future as out-of-state students are finding those opportunities outside of California. One example is Arizona State, which has seen an increase in enrollment of California students since 2002 of more than 200%. As California graduates choose to attend Arizona State and other high-quality out-of-state institutions, the likelihood of many of these students returning to California after graduation decreases, which has many California lawmakers worried.
Looking to the Future of In-State UC Enrollment
If California wants to keep its high school graduates pursuing opportunities in-state, which is sure to benefit the Golden State more than if they took their talents and resources elsewhere, UC and other state colleges will need to continue to increase the likelihood of in-state enrollment for qualified high school graduates.