University of California on track to enroll 10,000 more in-s

LOS ANGELES, July 6 (Xinhua)-- The University of California (UC) announced Thursday that it's on track to enroll 10,000 more in-state students by next year, offering spots to some 70,000 California freshmen and more than 21,000 in-state transfer students for fall 2017.

The total number of freshman admissions for the fall, including nonresident students, was 106,011, and for transfer students, the number was 24,685. More California students are currently enrolled at UC than at any point in its history, and after last year's enrollment jump of nearly 7,500 California students, UC is on track to meet its goal of adding an additional 10,000 Californians by the 2018-2019 academic year, according to data released by UC office of the president.

During the two-year period since fall 2015, UC admissions offers to California resident freshmen have increased by 13.2 percent.

The preliminary admissions numbers also show increases in the proportion of Californians from historically underrepresented groups, as well as those from low-income families.

"We welcome this accomplished, talented group of applicants to the university," said UC President Janet Napolitano in the statement. "All of us - in California, and throughout the nation and world - will be enriched by their talent, curiosity and drive to learn and succeed. The University of California educates the best and the brightest true to our mission of education, research and public service."

The goal of enrolling more in-state students comes at a time when admission to UC campuses is getting increasingly competitive because there are more and more applications from both in-state and out-of-state students.

UC is under pressure to enroll more in-state students. A state audit released in March 2016 accused UC of hurting local students by admitting too many out-of-state and international applicants to its campuses. But Napolitano denounced the findings, saying that deep cuts in state funding had compelled campuses to recruit more non-resident students, who pay 27,000 U.S. dollars more in annual tuition, and their dollars helped UC enroll more Californians, according to Los Angeles Times.