“The number of transfer students applying to UCSD has increased every year, whereas the number of spots available for them has not,” Committee on Admissions undergraduate representative substitute Adam Powers said in an email. “Accepting every transfer guaranteed under TAG would bring the composition of UCSD’s enrolled population far outside the guidelines set by the state, which mandates a certain ratio of new to continuing students.”
Students under TAG must complete UC math and English composition courses, and maintain a minimum 3.5 GPA. Students must transfer as juniors.
Powers estimates that UCSD’s transfer admissions target for the 2011-12 academic year was 2,410 students. However, 3,602 TAG applications were submitted under the new 3.5 GPA requirement. Under the 2010-11 academic year’s 3.0 GPA requirement, 4,900 TAG applications were received.
The committee recognized the need to make a decision about TAG since at least last year, Powers said.
According to Powers, community college students who acquired full-time status by or before Fall 2011 will still be eligible to transfer to UCSD under TAG. The change will affect students who start at community colleges next year.
The 2010-11 committee, a standing committee within the Academic Senate, was composed of seven faculty members, former Sixth College Provost James Lin, ex-officio member Assistant Vice Chancellor of Admissions Mae Brown and undergraduate student representatives Jeremy Akiyama and Kristina Pham. Powers said that he and AVP of Academic Affairs Mac Zilber sat in for Akiyama and Pham on the day of the vote.
Powers said that the elimination of TAG is unlikely to have any effect on future levels of transfer students at UCSD.
“The number of overall transfer applicants raises every year, so I would expect that whatever the requirement for admission is, UCSD will consistently hit its target for transfers,” Powers said.
Despite continued interest in UCSD, Powers said that the composition of the campus may be of concern. According to Powers, the average GPA of admitted non-TAG transfers was 3.9, which Powers said is considerably higher than the required 3.5 GPA.
“It was assumed publicly by myself, and somewhat confirmed by the committee, that the elimination of TAG would place additional importance on UCSD examining factors other than academic achievement when evaluating transfer applications, in line with their ‘individualized review’ methodology — which considers the strength of the individual in all aspects of their scholarship,” Powers said.
TAG programs are currently offered at UCSB, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UC Santa Cruz and UC Merced. UCLA and UC Berkeley do not offer TAG programs.
