UC Riverside had a 12.4 percent hike in applicants for fall 2018 over fall 2017, the largest increase of any campus in the UC system.
UCR registered its largest-ever number of applicants, at 60,285, and showed the largest percentage increase in transfer applications of any UC campus, at 13.2 percent.
“This record in applications is consistent with our growing stature as a world-class research university dedicated to student success,” said Cynthia Larive, provost and executive vice chancellor of UCR. “We are especially pleased by the dramatic increase in transfer applications as we work toward our goal of doubling the number of community college students entering UCR.”
Sixty percent of fall 2018 UCR applicants are first-generation college students, and 54.1 percent are from low-income families. In those measures, UCR was outpaced in the UC system only by UC Merced.
Systemwide, the University of California registered its 13th consecutive year of record-breaking highs, with more than 221,000 students having applied for undergraduate admission to the UC campuses for fall 2018, an overall increase of 5.7 percent over fall 2017.
All nine undergraduate UC campuses saw gains in total applications, with 4.6 percent at Berkeley on the low end and 12.4 percent at Riverside the highest. Across the system, freshman applications increased by 5.7 percent, while transfer applications rose 5.5 percent.
“We are thrilled by yet another record-shattering year of applications from freshman and transfer students who want to attend UC,” said UC President Janet Napolitano. “The steady momentum of increasing application numbers underscores the university’s standing as one of the best higher education institutions in the world.”
UC received 119,626 freshman applications from California high school seniors and 34,347 applications from California Community College transfer students, increases of 7.1 percent and 6.9 percent, respectively. Data for California Community College transfer students will ultimately reflect an even higher increase because applications for the Merced, Riverside, and Santa Cruz campuses are still open to transfer applicants through Jan. 8, 2018.
Latinos remained the largest ethnic group among California freshman applicants, maintaining 37.2 percent of the applicant pool. At UCR, Latinos comprised 47 percent of the freshman applicant pool.
Among California Community College transfer applicants, Latino students surpassed white students as the largest ethnic group, rising to 28.4 percent of the applicant pool from 26.8 percent last year. At UCR, the fall 2018 Latino transfer applicant figure was 33.9 percent, an increase of 2.3 percent over the previous year.
More California students are currently enrolled at the University of California than at any point in its history. After last year’s enrollment jump of nearly 7,500 California students, UC is on track to meet its three-year goal of adding an additional 10,000 Californians by the 2018-2019 academic year.