33 Schools Miss Deadline for UC Admissions Program

By ANNA GORMAN

Dec. 1, 2000 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

Thirty-three public high schools in Southern California failed to participate in a new program that would have guaranteed their top students admission to the University of California.

They are among 134 public schools statewide whose administrators either missed the deadline to send students’ transcripts or decided their students didn’t need the program. Because of that omission, the top 4% of students at those schools will not have the same advantage in the highly selective application process as their peers.

This week, students across the state frantically worked to complete and send their UC applications, which had to be postmarked by Thursday. Each of the roughly 11,250 students from public and private schools who qualified for the new eligibility program received a number to mark on a UC application. That number is the student’s ticket to a coveted seat at one of the eight UC schools for fall 2001, though not necessarily the first choice.

About 85% of the state’s 852 public high schools participated in the new eligibility program this year. But 21 schools in Los Angeles County, 10 in Orange County and two in Ventura County missed the deadline.

Tessa Del Castillo said her daughter Pauline is ranked tenth out of a senior class of 626 at Channel Islands High School in Oxnard, and is applying to three UC schools: Davis, UCLA and Irvine. Del Castillo said she’s frustrated that the Oxnard school did not send in the transcripts.

“If it’s something that would really benefit their students, they should have done something about it,” she said. “It’s really too bad.”

Channel Islands administrators could not be reached for comment.

Several hundred students could be affected by their administrators’ failure to submit transcripts. But some of these high school seniors will get into UC schools anyway because they rank among the top seniors statewide. UC officials estimate that as many as two-thirds of the students who will be accepted through the 4% program may have already been eligible for admission.

The program began this year as part of an effort to reach out to schools that don’t send many students on to UC, typically those in minority and low-income neighborhoods. It allows students who are top performers at their high schools to get into a UC school--even if their grades and test scores would otherwise not be competitive. Under the new criteria, students will be compared with peers at their own high schools rather than with students statewide.

Though the new policy was intended to help minority students after affirmative action programs were banned, UC officials say it isn’t expected to significantly change the racial balance of the university.

High school administrators were asked to send the top seniors’ transcripts to the university by July 15, or by July 31 if they were granted an extension. Then the university reviewed those transcripts and selected the top 4% of students at each high school. Students still have to take the SAT and complete the required course work. Low test scores won’t disqualify the students, but will make it harder for them to get into the more competitive campuses, such as Berkeley and UCLA.

Manual Arts High School in South Los Angeles failed to meet the deadline because of a bureaucratic mix-up. The campus lost four administrators at the end of last school year, one of whom was responsible for calculating grade point averages, so the school had no way of identifying which students were eligible.

“It’s obviously something that should not be missed and won’t be missed again,” said the school’s college advisor, who would not give her name.

Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach missed the deadline because of a paperwork problem. Counselors there had identified nearly 50 top students for the UC program and forwarded the list to the records office. But a secretary, unaware of the strict deadline, left for summer vacation without mailing the transcripts. The list was still sitting untouched when the counselors returned to school in mid-August.

“We don’t intend to have that happen again,” said Dave Beard, the school’s head counselor.

Beard said the mistake would have only a minimal effect because most students at the academic magnet graduate with far more courses and credits than those required by UC campuses.

Santa Susana High School in Simi Valley didn’t participate in the program this year because the top 4% of students already qualified for UC admission, said counselor Tom Muenzer.

“I did not put anybody at a disadvantage,” he said. “This particular senior class has a real competitive edge.”

At Gov. Gray Davis’ urging, the UC regents approved the 4% program in March 1999. Soon after, UC officials began to send letters, hold workshops and make phone calls to inform schools about the program and how it works. They also set up a Web site with deadlines, sample parental permission letters and answers to typical questions.

“A whole host of efforts were made to let the schools know about the program,” said Terry Lightfoot, communications director for UC educational outreach.

UC officials are currently evaluating why schools did or did not participate.

“We understand the challenges,” Lightfoot said, “But we hope as time goes by it will be easier for more schools to participate in the program.”

Times staff writers Duke Helfand and Kimi Yoshino contributed to this story.

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No Admission

Here is a list of the 21 public high schools in Los Angeles County that failed to take part in a program that would have ensured their best students admission to the University of California.

Antelope Valley High School

Arcadia High

Beverly Hills High

Centennial High (Compton Unified)

Compton High

El Monte High

Inglewood High

Leuzinger High (Centinela Valley Union High School District)

Mayfair High (Bellflower Unified)

Norwalk High

Temple City High

Los Angeles Unified