University sees surge in applicants from underrepresented backgrounds
UCLA has received the largest number of applications in its history for fall 2021 admission, with steep increases in freshman applications from African American and Chicano/Latino students and a significant jump in in-state applicants.
Even amid the COVID-19 pandemic, freshman applications grew by 28%, from nearly 109,000 last year to almost 139,500, making UCLA once again the most applied-to university in the nation.
This year saw significant growth in the racial, ethnic, socioeconomic and geographic diversity of UCLA’s applicant pool, marked by a notable surge in applicants from groups that have been historically underrepresented on campus.
Freshman applications from African Americans rose by 48%, from approximately 6,100 last year to more than 9,000 this year, while those from Chicano/Latino students increased by 33%, from approximately 24,200 to more than 32,300. The number of Pacific Islander and American Indian freshman applicants also grew, by 34% and 16%, respectively.
“These significant increases are partly the result of our robust outreach efforts and our partnerships with high schools and community-based organizations, particularly in underserved communities,” said Youlonda Copeland-Morgan, UCLA’s vice provost for enrollment management. “But we also recognize that the removal of standardized testing as a requirement for admission played a role in these substantial increases.”
Applications from prospective Asian American and white freshmen also rose, by 22% and 35%, respectively, and freshman applications from California residents grew by 28%, from nearly 68,000 to more than 84,100.
