UCLA continued to receive transfer applications from high-quality students with diverse backgrounds for its fall 2002 class, resulting in an outstanding group of transfer juniors.

“UCLA remains extremely attractive to transfer students because we offer excellent academic programs in various majors at extremely reasonable fees,” said Vu T. Tran, director of Undergraduate Admissions and Relations with Schools.

The number of transfer applicants has grown at a steady rate in the past five years.

“UCLA has a beautiful campus, a world-class faculty, and has worked diligently to provide access to outstanding achievers from all walks of life,” Tran said. “Students also have many choices for extracurricular activities such as research, part-time employment and community services.”

The university, which was the most popular in California, has admitted 3,746 transfer students out of the 12,000 who applied. The average grade-point average of admitted transfer students is 3.56, and they completed an average of 102 units at either a community college or four-year institution.

Admission rates for historically underrepresented groups continue to grow. According to records, underrepresented students — those who are Native Americans, African Americans and Chicano/Latinos — make up 22 percent of the domestic admitted transfer class. UCLA admitted 770 of the 2,202 underrepresented transfer students who applied, up from 716 students out of 1,958 in fall 2001.

“We have worked hard to provide students, faculty and staff at community colleges with information and assistance that will help prepare students for admission to UCLA. Our mission is to provide access for all students, particularly those from underrepresented and low-income communities,” said Alfred Herrera, director of UCLA’s Center for Community College Partnerships.

In an effort to improve both the overall transfer rates and the diversity of the transfer pool at UCLA, the university is involved in outreach programs. UCLA is in a partnership with 35 community colleges across the state through its Transfer Alliance Program. Under the program, community colleges offer enriched academic programs and all courses necessary to transfer to UCLA, and they have designated faculty and counselors to work with students participating in the program.

In addition, the UCLA Center for Community College Partnerships works to develop and strengthen academic partnerships between UCLA and community colleges, particularly those with large underrepresented student populations. Among the institutions are East Los Angeles, West Los Angeles and Compton Community Colleges.

The transfer class includes 290 international students out of 1,456 who applied.