The preliminary enrollment data for the first admissions cycle using the new holistic approach was released Friday, showing a significant increase in the number of underrepresented minorities who plan to enroll as freshmen, including 203 black students.
The most recently released data shows the number of students who submitted statements of intent to register (SIR) for the 2007-2008 school year ““ a good indicator of what next year’s freshman class will look like.
The total number of students who decided to submit a SIR was 4,636, a number that is slightly down from 2006, and academic factors such as average GPA and the number of honors courses incoming students take are up, which administrators say is a positive increase.
But the number of first-generation and low-income students ““ those whose families make less than $30,000 per year ““ who were admitted and submitted SIRs declined.
Last year, when 96 black students submitted SIRs, UCLA administrators and members of the community labeled the situation a “crisis,” and UCLA changed the way it reads applications to the holistic review process.
“We are certainly out of crisis mode,” said Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Janina Montero, referring to the number of black students who submitted SIRs. “I think (outreach) efforts by alumni and students paid off, … but we won’t know for sure until we survey the admitted students.”
Acting Chancellor Norman Abrams echoed Montero’s sentiment, saying he is “very pleased” with the numbers, but especially with the yield for black students.
This year, 51 percent of black students who were accepted decided to enroll, versus an overall yield of 39 percent.
Abrams said a private scholarship offered to all incoming black students, combined with other factors including an increase in direct recruitment efforts for all students offered admission ““ as well as community and student organizations increasing recruitment of black students specifically ““ helped to raise the yield for black students.
“The yield percentage is the highest we have had in the past dozen years,” he said. “To exceed 50 percent is rare and unusual, and exceeds my wildest expectations.”
But while the number of black and other underrepresented minority students is up for next year, the total enrollment is down slightly.
Last year and this year’s enrollment target was 4,700, according to a UCLA press release, and the number of enrolled freshmen in 2006 was 4,809. Because the number of students enrolled was slightly higher than the target, UCLA admitted fewer students to compensate, Montero said.
The number of students enrolled from families who make less than $30,000 a year also declined from 955 in 2006 to an estimated 689 for 2007.
“The low-income numbers point to the fact that holistic review needs to be carefully studied,” said Marwa Kaisey, Undergraduate Students Association Council president. “We need to look carefully at how it is impacting the campus.”
In addition to declines in low-income students, first-generation college students also decreased from 1,691 in 2006 to an estimated 1,260 in 2007.
Tina Park, USAC external vice president, said these numbers were disturbing because the new holistic process was supposed to increase the number of students from a broad range of backgrounds.
But Park also added that the increase in the number of black students, especially the difference in yield, showed the positive result of the administration working with student groups and community members to achieve a goal.
“I hope they learn from this experience,” she said.
Another notable trend in the admissions data was that almost every measurable academic factor increased, on average, for admitted students. For example, from 2006 to 2007 the average GPA increased from 4.14 to 4.18 and the average number of honors courses taken increased form 16.8 to 17.5.
“The level of achievement is up in academic as well as personal indicators,” Montero said.