UCR Accepting Fewer Students

Slightly more than 62 percent of prospective freshmen who applied to UC Riverside were admitted for the fall 2011 term, compared to 75.9 percent of applicants a year ago, according to figures released today.

There were 16,203 students accepted this year and 18,402 last year, data from the University of California showed.

"These numbers reflect that it's increasingly more and more difficult to get in at UCR,'' said campus spokeswoman Kris Lovekin. "There are more applications, but we are accepting a smaller percentage as we become a more and more selective campus.''

Economic challenges are a factor in admissions, Lovekin said.

UCR Chancellor Timothy White said last month the campus was anticipating an estimated $50 million budget shortfall in the 2011-12 academic year, stemming from reductions in state support. He said program cuts and layoffs were highly likely.

UC officials are grappling with a proposed $500 million reduction in state funding, which could grow depending on what happens to Gov. Jerry Brown's budget proposals in the Legislature.

The number of out-of-state and international students admitted to UCR this year increased 56 percent. Nonresidents pay roughly $23,000 more a year to attend a UC system school.

About 94 percent of applicants admitted to UCR's 2011 freshman class were residents, compared to 96.7 percent in 2010, according to figures.

System-wide, 10.7 percent of those offered admission were from outside California, compared to 8.7 percent last year and 7.6 percent the year before.

International students make up 7.4 percent of the group, up from 5.3 percent last year and 4 percent in 2009. --City News Service