Did you apply to UC Berkeley for next fall? What to know about the recent court order
The University of California, Berkeley announced Monday that it may have to reduce undergraduate admissions by more than 3,000 students for fall 2022 due to a court order.
The California 1st District Court of Appeals issued a decision on Feb. 10, ordering UC Berkeley to adhere to a lower court order that requires the school to freeze freshman enrollment at 42,347. This is the same level as the 2020-2021 school year.
UC Berkeley, one of the most prestigious public universities in the country, appealed this ruling to the Supreme Court of California Monday. It’s asking for an emergency stay.
If the ruling holds, here is what might happen, according to the university:
What will happen with new undergraduate admissions?
UC Berkeley would have to cut incoming enrollment by at least 3,050 students. This means the university will slash undergraduate admission offers by at least 5,100. Basically, 5,100 potential new freshmen and transfer students who would have received an offer from UC Berkeley, will not.
Typically, according to the university’s announcement, the campus sends about 21,000 offers of admission and enrolls around 9,500 students.
Why is the enrollment low?
The enrollment freeze is set at levels from the 2020-2021 school year, which was an “anomalous” or abnormal year, according to the university. Enrollment had dropped at this time because many new freshmen, continuing undergraduate and graduate students briefly suspended their enrollment due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Does this affect graduate student enrollment?
No.
Most admission notices for graduate students have already been sent out, the university said in its announcement, making it too late for the campus to reduce enrollment for these students in the upcoming school year.
What is this court case about?
The enrollment freeze was one part of a court decision that paused UC Berkeley’s Upper Hearst Project, an initiative to build new academic spaces and housing for students and staff. Local community organization Save Berkeley’s Neighborhoods filed a lawsuit concerning the environmental impacts of the project and effects of increased student enrollment.
When are acceptance letters going to be sent out?
Acceptance letters for fall 2022 will be sent out in February and March, according to the school. And because of the court’s decision on Feb. 10, the freeze of enrollment is in effect and UC Berkeley must follow it.
The appeal will be reviewed in the spring through to summer of this year, with a decision expected before the end of the year.
In an email statement to prospective students, UC Berkeley said it is “pursuing every possible option” to avoid the freeze and if it does not succeed, the university “will do everything in [its] power to mitigate the impacts on prospective students.”
What does it take to get into Berkeley?
In November, The Bee reported admissions standards for major California schools.
The UC system is not considering the SAT or the ACT in admissions or scholarship decision. Berkeley’s acceptance rate was about 14.5% at the time of the report.