The percentage of underrepresented students in UCLA's newly admitted freshman domestic class rose slightly, from 14% last year to 14.6% this year, according to preliminary admissions data.

The number of African Americans, Chicanos/Latinos and American Indians increased from 1,570 to 1,630, primarily because of a jump in the number of admitted Chicanos/Latinos, administrators said. UCLA admitted 1,277 Chicanos/Latinos for fall 2001, compared with 1,179 last fall.

But among African-Americans, the number dropped from 342 last year to 305 this year. They now make up 3.2% of the admitted class, down from 3.3% last year.

"While the growth of admitted Latino students is very encouraging, the decline in African Americans is disappointing and illustrates the need for continued efforts in outreach programs," said Rae Lee Siporin, director of Undergraduate Admissions and Relations with Schools. The number of American Indians, who remain the least represented among all ethnic groups on campus, dropped by one. For fall 2001, UCLA admitted 48 American Indian students, compared with 49 last fall.

Said Chancellor Albert Carnesale: "We've admitted a superb group of young scholars to UCLA with academic credentials that are among the best in the country. However, much still needs to be done to ensure that all segments of our state's population are adequately represented in the student body."

Systemwide, the number of California freshman admits (51,599) jumped 10.4% this year, compared to last year, with the number of underrepresented minority students within this group increasing by 17%, close to what existed in the last year when affirmative action was in place. In 1997, under represented students represented 18.8% of the admitted class.

One factor that seems to have not only boosted the number of UC applications, but increased them among underrepresented minorities from a large number of high schools, administrators noted, was the Eligibility in the Local Context program. Spearheaded by Gov. Gray Davis, it grants eligibility to the top 4% of students in each of the state's high schools based on students' grades in UC-required courses.

As one of the system's two premiere campuses where competition to get in is hottest, UCLA had to deny admission to nearly 30,000 who applied. Of the record 40,676 who applied, letters of admission were sent out to approximately 10,735 prospective freshmen. About 4,200 are expected to enroll for fall.

"Interest in UCLA has once again grown beyond expectations, as demonstrated by the largest applicant pool of any single campus in the country," Siporin said. "Unfortunately, the demand for places at UCLA creates a degree of competition among students that results in our having to deny many exceptionally well-prepared potential freshmen."

Admitted students now have until May 1 to indicate their intent to register at UCLA. Successful transfer applicants will be notified in May.

"The academic caliber of the students we've admitted is truly outstanding," Carnesale said. "Now we must focus our efforts on encouraging every one of these students to come to UCLA."

Some brief facts about the freshman admissions process:

• UCLA receives more applications from students with a 4.0 GPA than the university can admit.
• UCLA's admit ratio is approximately 27%, one of the lowest in the country. The only other state university with a similar ratio is the University of Virginia.
• The academic caliber of admitted UCLA students is at an all-time high. The average GPA of admitted students is 4.23, up from 4.16 last year. The average SAT score is 1,328, up from 1,327 last fall. Admitted students took an average of 17.8 honors and Advanced Placement courses, an increase from 16 in the fall of 2000. About 400 freshmen will come in technically as sophomores because of the honors and AP courses they've taken.