Back in the day, it used to be easier to earn admission to a University of California school for out-of-staters as compared to in-staters. And why? Because out-of-staters paid higher tuition fees than residents of the state of California. Because the UC schools loved their tuition dollars, they favored the non-Californians. But we, along with many others used our soapbox in college admissions to urge the UC schools to favor their own students over the students from other states and nations. The tide would soon turn. The UC schools, long criticized for putting their state’s own students at a disadvantage in its admissions process, would admit more California residents in the years to come. And now, it seems the top UC schools will go even further to give California residents a leg up — should an amended state budget bill pass.

Proposed Legislation Would Favor Californians in UC Admissions Process

As Teresa Watanabe reports for The Los Angeles Times in a piece entitled “Top UC campuses would reduce out-of-state student admissions, add Californians under proposal,” “Three top University of California campuses — UCLA, UC Berkeley and UC San Diego — would reduce their share of out-of-state and international students to make way for more local residents, and the UC system would admit 6,230 more freshmen in 2022, under an amended state budget bill posted Friday. The legislation pledges to deliver by 2022 what would be the largest single-year infusion of state funds to increase California student enrollment at UC campuses. The proposal comes after the university system was inundated by a record number of applications for fall 2021 in a year of high emotion and myriad questions over the admissions process and frustration over the lack of seats for qualified students. The state would provide enough funding to reimburse the campuses for the loss of nonresident supplemental tuition, which amounts to nearly $30,000 per student and $1.3 billion collectively each year.”

Californians Deserve an Edge in UC Admissions Process

We support this proposed legislation in California. It’s not that we don’t support the right of students from outside California’s borders to earn admission to top UC schools. It’s just that California residents, who were long at a disadvantage in the UC admissions process, deserve to have a leg up in their own state. After all, their parents pay California state taxes, which are among the highest in the nation. So, yes, we at Ivy Coach wholeheartedly support the earmarking of more slots in each incoming class at the likes of UC Berkeley, UCLA, and UCSD. Virginians, you’ve got a great public school within your state. Same to you, Michiginians. And same to you, North Carolinians. Your children should have an advantage in admissions in your own states, too!