Really?
Admitted to Columbia, Cornell, Tufts, and Pomona–but not UC Berkeley?
This happened to an IYE college counseling student. She was admitted to top private colleges, but not to the top UC.
Such cases are becoming more and more common. For California students, UC admissions have become increasingly unpredictable.
Here’s why:
- California is giving less money for higher education. Also, school costs are up. Thus, the UC system has a budget gap.
- The newest UC President is closing budget gaps by increasing tuition revenue.
- Out-of-state and foreign students pay $23,000 more per year than native Californians.
- So the UCs are admitting more students from out of state, fewer from California.
What does this mean for California high school students? It means that you can no longer count on your qualifications to predict which UC campus will admit you.
Last year, 30% of UC Berkeley and UCLA admits were from out of state. Out of state students made up 22% of the schools’ total student body. This year, the UCs promised to admit 15% more in-state students for this fall. But that +15% is spread over all nine campuses. So next year, Berkeley and UCLA will again close their gates to many, many native Californians.
In such an environment, it’s even more important to craft a winning college application strategy. Such a strategy includes
- getting more creative about school selection
- becoming flexible about location and major
- developing a sound backup plan
Do you live in California and plan to apply to the UCs? If you want to learn more about crafting a successful college application strategy, sign up today for our college counseling services.