Access Denied: Rising Selectivity at California's Public Universities 

Join us for a webinar as we release our latest report

 Access Denied: Rising Selectivity at California's Public Universities

 November 30, 2015

11:00 am – 12:30 pm

The state of California is at a crossroads: the value of a college degree in the 21^st century has never been greater. More California high school students are preparing for college and want to attend, just as more employers are demanding more highly skilled workers.  However, our public universities cannot accommodate all eligible students and our state has failed to invest the resources necessary to expand college access to keep pace with this demand. 

In response to the mismatch between student and workforce demand and a shortage of spots in California’s public universities, join us for the release of Access Denied: Rising Selectivity in our Public Universities, a review of admissions standards at the University of California (UC) and the California State University (CSU) systems, where we explore the impact rising standards have on students today and on our ability to produce the college graduates we need. 

Our research confirms that today's students are having a tougher time than previous generations when applying to the UC and CSU. Fierce competition has meant the average grade point average (GPA) of admitted students in 2014 to six of the nine UC campuses is over a 4.0. And students applying to the CSU find a system where six campuses have raised the admissions standards for all freshman applicants and the number of impacted majors has risen by 135% since 2004 – which means students need higher GPAs and SAT scores for in-demand major(s) at 21 of 23 CSU campuses.

Confirmed Speakers:

Thomas A. Saenz (Campaign Board Chair), President and General Counsel                               Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF)

Eloy Ortiz-Oakley, Superintendent-President,                                                                                           Long Beach City College, Regent, University of California

Michele Siqueiros, President                                                                                                                             The Campaign for College Opportunity

 Lynda McGee, College Counselor                                                                                                      Downtown Magnet High School