UC freshman pool of applicants decreases

For the first time in 10 years, the number of freshman
applicants to the University of California dropped, falling at all
but one of the eight UC undergraduate campuses.

With bulging student populations on campuses statewide, the
decrease in the applicant pool for the coming academic year is an
unexpected turnout.

In-state, out-of-state and international students are all
included in the applicant pool.

Opinions vary on the reasons behind the decrease.

The last time the applicant numbers dipped was 1993, when
student fee increases peaked. Student fees have remained steady
since then ““ until last year, when they increased by 40
percent.

“I’m sure for in-state students, increased fees are
a factor. … I’m sure that you can predict much of this, but
I think there is definitely an impact here. We’re really just
not getting as much money here as other colleges across the
country,” said Matt Kaczmarek, the external vice president of
the Undergraduate Students Association Council.

Kaczmarek is also the chairman of the UC Students
Association.

However, others say student fees are not directly at fault.

“I doubt it. I think it’s because the fees tend to
be much more elastic ““ the fees can go a long way before
families and students are prevented from paying,” said Mark
Bottorff, a member of the Western Association for College Admission
Counseling.

Bottorff is also the associate dean of admissions at University
of Redlands.

“My guess is that students are self-selecting out of the
UC system and will either head toward the Cal State system or the
community colleges,” he said.

Out-of-state students could be directly deterred by the fee
hikes and a lack of sufficient financial aid, Bottorff said.
Out-of-state students bear the brunt of the fee hikes and pay
considerably more than in-state students.

International student enrollment took a sharp decline this year,
dropping 18.2 percent systemwide.

Tighter federal immigration policies are viewed by many as the
major reason for fewer international student applicants.

The UC anticipated this year’s drop in applicants to a
certain degree. A projection for UC enrollment growth had predicted
an increase of about 63,000 potential college students from 2000 to
2010, but 2003-2004 had been cited as an anomalous year because of
a lack of growth among the number of high school graduates.

The UC’s enrollment pool may also decrease in the future
because under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposed budget,
enrollment growth at the UC would be cut by 10 percent.

The 10 percent cut translates to 3,200 students. The UC Office
of the President plans to suggest admitting about 400 fewer
students for each campus next year.

Schwarzenegger’s administration says the 3,200 students
who are denied admittance to the UC can attend a community college
for two years and then transfer to the UC campus of their
choice.

With the budget pressures riding on everyone’s minds, the
news that the number of applicants has fallen this year is not
necessarily bad.

“A slight reduction may actually ease some pressure on the
(UC) system,” said Hanan Eisenman, a spokesman for the UC
Office of the President.

Kaczmarek is not optimistic about the future of UC
enrollment.

“If this budget situation continues, then it could really
be an impact on the future applicants,” Kaczmarek said.