Overall, a record 134,029 students applied for admission to one of the 10 UC undergraduate campuses — a 5.8-percent increase from last year’s 126,701. Freshman applicants increased 2.4 percent, from 98,002 to 100, 320. In addition, transfer student applications rose to 33,389 from last year’s 28,699 — a 17.5-percent increase.

UCSD saw growth in its applicant pool as well. The number of freshman applicants increased 2.3 percent — from 47,708 to this year’s 48,073 — while transfer applications shot up from 11,428 to 14,286 this year, a substantial 27.9-percent jump.

The racial breakdownsof applicants also shifted. American-Indian applicants increased 25.1 percent from 257 to 324, while the number of black applicants increased by 20.6 percent from 1,612 to 1,968. Mexican-American applications increased 5.8 percent, from 7,754 to 8.269.

According to UC Director of Admissions and Ethnic Media Communications Ricardo Vazquez, applicant growth in the UC system was the main goal of new eligibility requirements approved by the Board of UC Regents last year, which will go into effect Fall Quarter 2012. These requirements — proposed in Fall 2008 and approved Feb. 5, 2009 — expand the requisites to be considered for freshman admission. All California students who complete 11, instead of the original 15, of the university’s required college-preparation courses, may be considered. The minimum unweighted GPA has been lowered from 3.0 to 2.8, and the SAT II is no longer a requirement for eligibility.

In contrast to the passing of the relaxed applicant process, the regents agreed upon a plan last January to reduce freshman enrollment by 2,000 overall, due to state budgetary cuts.

According to Vazquez, the UC system reduced its typical incoming class by 2,300 freshmen last year. However, an additional 500 community-college transfers were enrolled when compared to the 2007-08 statistics.

Vazquez said the university has recently focused on enrolling more transfers.

“UC is really about the business of opportunity,” Vazquez said. “Transfer is a cost-effective option for many students, and UCOP and the regents think it’s important to keep the door open for them.”

He added that the university was still able to offer a place for every eligible student last year, but that enrollment may again decrease for the upcoming year.

Assistant Vice Chancellor of Admissions Mae Brown said no enrollment target has been finalized.

“We are in the process of finalizing the Fall [Quarter] 2010 undergraduate enrollment targets,” Brown said. “However, I think that we will continue to see a decrease in the number of freshmen and a slight increase in the number of transfer students.”

Brown expects the admit rate for Fall Quarter 2010 to decrease.

“We recognize that due to the reduction in freshman enrollment, we will disappoint many well-qualified students,” Brown said.

Readers can contact Angela Chen at [email protected].