Expanding College Access

More California high school graduates are academically ready for college than ever before. More are applying to and enrolling in college, and both the University of California (UC) and the California State University (CSU) are expanding access for example--UC pledged to enroll 10,000 more freshmen and transfer students between 2016 and 2018. But many qualified applicants were still turned away, which is a source of concern. Expanding access to college benefits individuals and the state as a whole. Greater numbers of underrepresented students enroll at CSU and the community colleges than at UC; increased competition and rising tuition may widen this gap. This may be because some parts of the system are more diverse than others; California's lowest-income high school graduates are more likely to start at a community college; most students who enroll in community college do not transfer to four-year institutions; and cost concerns may discourage low-income students from attending four-year colleges. Providing meaningful access to college is essential to California residents and the state economy. While projections suggest that the number of high school graduates will not change dramatically over the next 10 years, additional resources devoted to college access could boost college enrollment. [This publication is part of a briefing kit that highlights California's most pressing higher education challenges in eight key areas. For the complete briefing kit, see ED603851.]