Unlocking The Doors to California’s Most Selective Colleges
The University of California system, a renowned higher education network, remains heavily skewed towards Asian and White students, leading to a disproportionate exclusion of Black and Hispanic students. This issue underscores a critical challenge in achieving true diversity and equity in higher education.The Supreme Court's decision to end race-based affirmative action in college admissions is poised to reduce Black and Hispanic enrollment at elite U.S. universities. In California, this affects private institutions like Stanford and Caltech, while public universities like UC Berkeley and UCLA have had such bans for over 25 years.
A recent analysis of California's higher education landscape focused on four-year colleges, excluding online-only and community colleges. Among roughly 180 institutions, about 30 public universities do not employ race-conscious admissions. Notably, nearly 90% of California's private colleges have high acceptance rates and likely never considered race in admissions. Just 12 institutions are "highly selective," representing only 12% of the state's college population. Stanford, for instance, had less than 1% of California's undergraduates in 2021.
The majority of California students attend accessible colleges, with over 100 schools admitting at least 75% of applicants, educating over 40% of undergraduates. The 23 California State University (CSU) campuses, where over half of California's undergraduates enrolled in 2021, notably serve Black and Hispanic students and economically disadvantaged individuals, promoting upward mobility.
The disparity in student demographics within the UC system is not a reflection of these groups being less common or less deserving of a higher education; instead, it reflects systemic issues related to access, resources, and opportunities.
Source: U.S. Department of Education
These charts show which Californians go to the most selective colleges
Author: Nami Sumida | Sept. 18, 2023