The number of students admitted from underrepresented races to UCSD for Fall Quarter 2010 increased dramatically since last year, according to statistics released by the UC Office of the President last week. The admissions office accepted 16.6 percent — or 3,041 — more black, Hispanic and American-Indian students out of the total admit pool, a 6.9-percent increase from last fall.
It was also a record year for overall applications and admits: 48,073 students applied, compared to last year’s 47, 708, and the total number of students admitted increased by 3.7 percent, or 655 students. The overall admissions rate was 36.8 percent, down from 38 percent in 2009. A total of 18,334 students were admitted.
There was a rise in the number of minority applicants this year, but Associate Vice Chancellor of Admissions Mae Brown said she attributes the higher admit rate to the university’s augmented publicity and outreach efforts.
“We experienced an increase in applications during the November filing period, which included underrepresented students,” Brown said in an e-mail. “We visited high schools, participated in college fairs and used technology to extend our reach throughout the fall recruitment period. We are very excited about our increase in applications.”
A.S. Campuswide Senator and Black Student Union board member Desiree Prevo said the BSU has made recruitment community outreach a priority. This year, the BSU sent out a “Black Book” to black admits detailing cultural outlets on and off campus.
“The Black Book is an African-American resource guide,” Prevo said. “We want to show them they have a community, rather than just the 1.3 percent everyone publicizes.”
Prevo said the BSU also organized a Black Senior Weekend to coincide with admit day, allowing black admits to spend more time exploring the campus, and experiencing life at UCSD firsthand.
This marks the first year UCSD implemented a waitlist in its admissions process, offering 1,165 students the opportunity to remain on the list. According to Brown, the number of those students granted admission will depend on how many current admits choose to enroll.
Brown said the waitlist will help the university more effectively control enrollment levels, allowing for more students to be admitted should fewer enroll than originally projected.
“At this point, we are satisfied with the waitlist process,” Brown said. “From all indications, the UC system will continue to use the waitlist process for fall 2011.”
Last quarter, the BSU called for the university to change its admissions process from the traditional comprehensive review system — which evaluates applicants by assigning points to each component of their application — to the holistic review process used by UC Berkeley and UCLA. The holistic review process evaluates an application in its entirety. Brown said the UCSD Committee on Admissions is responsible for investigating the new program.
“The faculty is responsible for developing and approving any changes in the admission policy,” Brown said. “At this point, the committee is currently conducting research and analysis on holistic review. In addition, several meetings are being planned to familiarize various faculty committees, student groups and staff with both holistic and comprehensive review processes.”
Brown said she is uncertain when a holistic review process would be implemented, but said both forms of evaluating applications are effective.
“Both holistic review and comprehensive review adhere to the guidelines approved by the Board of Admissions & Relations with Schools,” Brown said. “Our analysis shows significant agreement in outcomes between both processes.”
Readers can contact Ayelet Bitton at [email protected].