UC San Diego Freshman
and Transfer Data for Fall
2009 Applicants are Announced

January 23, 2009

By Pat JaCoby

The University of California, San Diego has received 47,025 freshman applications for  Fall 2009, down 340 applicants, or 0.7 percent, from the previous year. The 11,483 transfer student applications, however, showed an increase of 1,641 students or 16.7 percent from 2008. Applications of both underrepresented freshman and transfer students increased.

The UC Regents have directed reductions in freshman offers at six campuses, including UC San Diego. Of the Fall applications, projected UCSD enrollment is 3,775, reflecting  a reduction of approximately 500 freshmen from last year’s offers of enrollment.

Mae Brown, assistant vice chancellor for Admissions and Enrollment Services, said the slight decrease in freshman applications reflected the state projection that California’s public high school graduating class will be smaller in 2009 than 2008. The transfer figures, meanwhile, show the University’s emphasis on strengthening the transfer route as a path to UC.

Brown said the academic quality of the applicant pool continues to be outstanding, as this year’s applicants attained a mean high school grade point average (GPA) of 3.78 and an average SAT reasoning test scores of 592, 634 and 604 for Reading, Math and Writing, respectively. The average transfer GPA of the applicant pool is 3.30.

As the numbers show, UC San Diego continues to be one of the most popular universities in California and the nation, Brown said. She attributes UC San Diego’s continuing popularity to its growing competitiveness, its top-tier and award-winning faculty, the quality of its academic programs and, last but not least, its fabulous location and stunning San Diego coastal setting.

Data for the UCSD freshman applications of underrepresented students for Fall 2009 show a 1.9 percent increase. A total 1,638 African-Americans (slightly down from 1,651 last year), 5,911 Mexican Americans (up from 5,775 last year), 1,923 Latinos (up from 1,881 last year) and 259 Native Americans (up from 243 last year) applied for the Fall 2009 quarter.

Transfer student applications of underrepresented students for Fall 2009 show a 25.2 percent increase from the previous year. A total 321 African Americans (up from 279 last year), 1,104 Mexican Americans (up from 883 last year), 467 Latinos (up from 357 last year) and 79 Native Americans (up from 55 last year) applied.

Of the 47,025 UC San Diego freshman applicants, 8,301 were identified as the top percent of their high school graduating class. The average GPA of these Eligible in the Local Context” students is 4.17”.

More than 4,300, or 9.2 percent, of the freshman applicants are from San Diego and Imperial Counties. The largest percentage of the applicants, at 45.1 percent, come from Los Angeles, followed by San Francisco at 22.1 percent.

More than 1,300, or 11.6 percent, of the transfer applicants are from San Diego and Imperial Counties. The largest percentage of these transfer applicants, at 45.8 percent, come from Los Angeles, followed by San Francisco at 16.6 percent.

The most popular majors chosen by the freshman applicants, in order, are biology, economics, psychology, chemistry and political science. All UC campuses are continuing to see more women than men among the freshman applications, with UC San Diego recording 53.6 percent females compared to 46.0 percent males. Approximately 24.3 percent applying to UC San Diego for Fall 2009 represent the first in their family to attend college.

Media Contact: Pat JaCoby, 858 534-7404