UC Sees 13 Percent Jump In Undergraduate Applications

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The University of California is reporting a big jump in the number of students applying for undergraduate admission.

University officials said Thursday that a record-high 160,939 students applied for fall 2012. That's 13.2 percent more than last year.

The number of freshman applicants jumped 19.1 percent, driven by a 56 percent spike in applications from out-of-state and international students. Applications from transfer students fell by 4.2 percent.

UC attributes the increase in part to a new admissions policy that's intended to broaden the range of applicants. One big change is that applicants are no longer required to take SAT subject exams.

The university says it saw small increases in the numbers of applications from African American and Latino students, as well as applicants from low-income families.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.