The University of California (UC) system received a record-breaking number of applications this year, including a significant spike in first-year Latinx applicants.
In a recent news release, UC reported a 3.5 percent increase in enrollment with 210,840 applicants in fall 2022 compared with 203,700 in fall 2021.
Chicano and Latinx students made up 38 percent of applicants, a 4.1 percent increase from 2021. The surge marks the third year in a row that Chicano and Latinx students represented the largest ethnic group of first-year applicants, according to UC system data.
UC also saw an uptick in first-year applications from other racial and ethnic groups. Native American student applications increased by 32.8 percent, African Americans by 2.8 percent, and Asian Americans by 5.8 percent.
UC attributed the rise in applications to the system’s targeted outreach efforts and decision to suspend SAT and ACT requirements through 2024. The system plans to eliminate the need for standardized test scores for California residents by 2025.
“The University of California remains an institution of choice for so many hardworking prospective undergraduates,” UC President Michael V. Drake stated in the news release. “This diverse group of students has shown their commitment to pursuing higher education and we are thrilled they want to join us at UC.”
