BY LAUREN BARTLETT
UCLA Today
UCLA has admitted 10,507 prospective freshmen for fall 2003,
compared to 10,388 last year, according to recently released
data. The new freshman class was selected from a record 44,941
applicants to UCLA, giving the campus a 23% admit rate, one
of the lowest in the country for public universities.
The overall applicant pool had exceptionally strong academic
qualifications, with nearly 19,000 students earning GPAs of
4.0 or above. Prospective freshmen had an overall grade point
average — including honors and advanced placement courses
— of 4.24, slightly higher than last fall’s 4.23.
The average SAT score for the admitted class was 1,333, up from
1,321 in fall 2002.
“We are thrilled to have admitted this extraordinary group
of young scholars with outstanding academic credentials,”
Chancellor Albert Carnesale said. “We will focus our efforts
now on encouraging these students to enroll at UCLA, and we
will look forward to welcoming them to the Bruin family.”
“High school students continue to be aware of UCLA’s
reputation for academic excellence, and they are working hard
aca-demically to be competitive for admission,” said Vu
Tran, director of the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and
Relations with Schools. “Unfortunately, because of the
high volume of applications we receive, we have to turn down
exceptional students whom other universities in the country
would love to have.”
The number of underrepresented students in the admitted freshman
class decreased slightly. Preliminary data show that Native
Americans, African Americans and Chicanos/Latinos constitute
16% (1,664) of the class, down from 17% (1,726) last year.
While the number of Chicanos/Latinos in the class remained nearly
the same as last year, UCLA experienced a decrease among African
Americans, from 332 last year to 281 this year, and a slight
decrease among Native Americans, from 39 last year to 36 this
year.
Approximately 18% of the admitted students come from low-income
families whose annual income is $30,000 or less.
Admitted students have until May 1 to indicate their intent
to register at the campus. UCLA plans to enroll 4,390 freshmen,
up from 4,250 last year.
Overall, UC admissions grew by 4%, with systemwide increases
for all major racial and ethnic groups, except for Native Americans.
