Admissions

MERCED, Calif. — Though UC Merced looked back this year to celebrate the 10^th anniversary of the campus’s groundbreaking, signs of what the future will hold continue to come into focus.

Those signs include cutting-edge research moving forward in the San Joaquin Valley -- the state's fastest growing region -- and around the world, the growing campus, and the ever-strengthening bond between the campus and the community.

Students who visit the UC Merced Students First Center (SFC) in the lobby of the Leo and Dottie Kolligian Library will see it’s different from other student services offices.

University of California, Merced, Chancellor Dorothy Leland will visit Merced High School Oct. 18 as part of Achieve UC, a systemwide initiative to show high school students how they can attain a University of California education.

The idea behind the event is to inspire students to aim for college, then provide them with the information they need to get there.

The University of California, Merced, began its eighth academic year with 5,760 undergraduate and graduate students, up nearly 11 percent to a new high, according to data released today (Sept. 27).

The increase proves that demand for UC Merced grows, despite a difficult economic environment. Space constraints forced the university to limit undergraduate enrollment for the first time ever this year, though graduate enrollment and research have not been affected.

The University of California, Merced, begins its eighth academic year today with record enrollment of approximately 5,600 students, a 23 percent increase in graduate-student enrollment and 26 newly hired faculty members to teach and conduct advanced research that may someday change the world.

Francisco Abendano Jr., a sophomore at Madera High School, is like many 15-year-olds. He is active in sports, enjoys spending time with his friends and is already taking the necessary steps to get into college.

The Center for Educational Partnerships (CEP) at the University of California, Merced, has teamed up with the Fresno Unified School District to support an important mission — helping more high school students graduate and get accepted to college. 

Through a unique partnership, full-time coordinators from the CEP will work with high school counseling teams at every Fresno Unified high school in an effort to increase college-going rates.

The University of California, Merced, continues to see growing interest from prospective students, as witnessed by a 9.9 percent rise in applications over the 2011 academic year according to data released today by the UC Office of the President.

The University of California, Merced, today announced total enrollment for the Fall 2011 semester is 5,198, exceeding 5,000 students for the first time thanks to the largest freshman class in the campus’ history.

The total marks an increase of nearly 19 percent over last year, confirming steady demand for the newest UC campus and illustrating the need for increased funding for new facilities. It’s also just two students shy of the 5,200 projected for next year in the three-year funding agreement signed with the UC Office of the President in 2010.

The Bright Family Foundation has donated $2 million to the University of California, Merced, to provide advising and learning support services to students during their first year and beyond.