The University of California, Davis, has offered freshman admission to 11 percent fewer California high school students due to a state-mandated cut to UC's freshman enrollment. A total of 15,499 California high school students will be offered admission for fall 2004, compared to 17,418 in fall 2003.

Due to the statewide enrollment limit, UC Davis aims to enroll about 4,300 freshmen from California and elsewhere this fall, or 10.1 percent fewer than last fall; the campus also is planning for about 1,690 transfer students this fall, or 3.5 percent fewer than last fall. Together, these students will total 5,990, or 8.4 percent fewer students than last fall's 6,537.

The pool of applications from which admitted students were drawn was 2.4 percent smaller this year. A total of 29,607 California high school students applied for freshman status for fall 2004, compared to 30,345 for fall 2003.

The admission rate for California freshmen -- who continue to account for 95 percent of all admitted freshmen -- decreased, from 57.4 percent of applicants last year to 52.3 percent.

For the first time, UC Davis offered admission to an additional 2,340 California high school applicants under the Guaranteed Transfer Option. Students who are admitted under this program begin their postsecondary education at a community college and are guaranteed admission as transfer students in their junior year.

"We realize that the enrollment cuts brought about by the state's financial situation have led to disappointment for some applicants," says Leslie Campbell, interim director of undergraduate admissions. "We are pleased, however, that eligible students will have guaranteed admission to UC Davis as transfer students through this new program."

Student applications were evaluated using comprehensive review, a process that takes into account academic, socioeconomic and personal achievements. At UC Davis, specially trained faculty and professional staff read the applications.

Among California freshman applicants, there were gains in almost all academic measures.

Among those who stated their ethnicity and were admitted as freshmen, the overall proportion from traditionally underrepresented groups increased two-tenths of a percentage point. However, with fewer students being admitted overall, there were declines in the number of admitted students from all ethnic groups and sharp percentage decreases among African Americans and Caucasians.

Academic Measures

This year's mean high-school grade point average is 3.91, compared to 3.86 last year. And the mean number of "a-g," or subject requirement, courses among California admitted freshmen remained about constant at 46.7 this year, compared to 46.9 last year.

Mean scores on the Scholastic Assessment Tests this year were: SAT I Composite 1,249; SAT II Writing 621, and SAT II Math 642. Scores for last year's admitted freshmen were: SAT I Composite 1,232, SAT II Writing 608, and SAT II Math 634.

Among applicants who are in the top 4 percent of students in their high school, about 98 percent were admitted under the Eligibility in the Local Context pathway. They account for 28.5 percent of this year's admitted California freshmen, compared to 24.4 percent last year.

Socioeconomic Measures

Among California students admitted with freshman status in 2004, the percentage of those from families with parental incomes of less than $30,000 is 25.8 percent; last year, it was 23.0 percent. Those in the first generation of their family to attend college increased slightly, from 30.7 percent last year to 31.4 percent this year. Applicants from families with parental incomes of less than $30,000 and in the first generation of their family to attend college account for 18.1 percent this year, compared to 15.6 percent last year. Those from high schools scoring low on the Academic Performance Index remained almost constant at 19.9 percent, compared to 20.1 percent last year.

The urban-rural mix of California admitted freshmen is 9.2 percent rural, 40.7 percent urban and 50.2 percent suburban. Last year, the mix was 9.3 percent rural, 40.6 percent urban and 50.1 percent suburban.

Admitted Freshmen by Ethnicity

California freshmen from historically underrepresented groups -- African American, American Indian and Chicano/Latino -- account for 16.8 percent of this year's admitted students who stated their ethnicity, compared with 16.6 percent last year.

The percentage of Asian American students rose to 41.1 percent of this year's admitted students who stated their ethnicity, compared to 39.3 percent last year. Caucasians this year represent 40.4 percent of admitted students who stated their ethnicity, compared with 42.4 percent last year.

This year, 7.7 percent of all admitted students declined to state their ethnicity, compared with last year's 9.2 percent.

Changes in Numbers

With the decline in the number of students admitted to accommodate the state-mandated enrollment cut, there are decreases in the number of students from all ethnic groups.

The number of admitted California freshman students identifying themselves as members of historically underrepresented groups decreased by 8.7 percent, from 2,631 last year to 2,401 this year. Decreases were as follows: Chicanos and Latinos, from 2,078 to 1,975, or 4.9 percent; African Americans, from 456 to 336, or 26.3 percent; and American Indians, from 97 to 90, or 7.2 percent.

Students identifying themselves as Asian American this year decreased by 5.5 percent, from 6,216 to 5,873, and Caucasians decreased by 13.9 percent, from 6,713 to 5,782. Those who identified themselves as being from other ethnic groups decreased 5.0 percent, from 258 to 245, and account for 1.7 percent of all admitted students stating their ethnicity.

The decreases in the percentages of African Americans and Caucasians reflect, in part, declines in applications from these groups. There was an 8.4 percent drop in California freshman applications from African Americans, and there was a 6.1 decrease from Caucasians.

Those who declined to state their ethnicity decreased 25.1 percent, from 1,600 to 1,198.

The profile of admitted students at UC Davis generally reflects trends seen across the UC system this year. Systemwide admissions numbers, including those for the Davis campus, are accessible through a Web site of the Office of the President at http://www.ucop.edu/news/studstaff.html.

Deadlines

Admitted freshmen have until May 3 to indicate their intent to register at UC Davis. Admitted transfer students have until June 1. Students can indicate their choice to attend UC Davis online at http://myadmissions.ucdavis.edu.