UCLA once again attracted a very large volume of transfer applications from high-ability and diverse student applicants for its fall 2003 class.

"UCLA continues to be tremendously attractive to transfer students because the university offers excellent academic opportunities, reasonable fees, outstanding student support services and multiple extracurricular activities," said Vu T. Tran, director of Undergraduate Admissions and Relations With Schools. "Fortunately, we are able to increase our enrollment target for transfer students this fall to accommodate the increasing demand for a UCLA education."

The number of transfer applicants has grown at a steady rate in the past six years, and the admitted transfer class has maintained top academic credentials, the average GPA for admitted transfer students remains above 3.5. The average GPA remained high in spite of the fact that UCLA admitted about 1,400 more transfer applicants for fall 2003 than in fall 2002; the university plans to enroll 3,150 transfer students in fall 2003, up from 2,920 this academic year.

"UCLA's picturesque campus and world-class faculty are a magnet for outstanding students from a wide variety of backgrounds," Tran said. "The university also provides a wide range of activities, from research to community service."

The university, which was the most popular in California, has admitted 5,159 transfer students out of the 13,105 who applied. The average grade-point average of admitted transfer students is 3.53, and they completed an average of 102.4 units at either a community college or four-year institution. Admitted transfer students also have completed prerequisites for their declared majors.

"The university?s commitment to assist students from California community colleges is reflected by the fact that almost 90 percent of all transfer admits are state residents," Tran said.

The numbers of admitted transfer students from historically underrepresented groups, Chicanos/Latinos, African Americans and Native Americans, also grew.

The number of Chicanos/Latinos admitted for fall 2003 was 791, up from 628 for fall 2002. There were 150 African-American applicants admitted for fall 2003, up from 118 the
previous year. There were 32 Native American applicants admitted this year, up from 23 in fall 2002.

UCLA is involved in outreach programs in efforts to maintain the quality and the diversity of the transfer pool at the university. UCLA has a partnership with 39 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, including general education requirements and preparatory courses for majors. In addition, the community colleges have designated faculty and counselors to work with students participating in the program.

In conjunction with the University of California, UCLA also will implement a new admissions path, the Dual Admissions Program, in the coming year. Known as DAP, the program will offer eligible California students a guaranteed spot at one of the UC campuses, provided the students first complete an approved transfer program at a California community college. Students eligible for DAP are those who are ranked between the top 4 percent and 12.5 percent of their high school graduating class and who are not eligible to attend UC directly from high school. The first DAP students are expected to transfer to the system in fall 2006.

"UCLA is committed to working with the University of California and the community colleges to effectively implement the DAP program in the coming years," Tran said.

For fall 2003, 502 international transfer applicants were admitted. Many of these students attended a California community college.