FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, October 07, 2002
University of California Office of the President

Media Contacts:
Hanan Eisenman
(510) 587-6194
hanan.eisenman@ucop.edu

Underrepresented student graduation rates up at UC, outpace rest of nation

The University of California is far surpassing national averages across the nation in the number of underrepresented minority students who graduate.

UC's findings come in the wake of a recent American Council on Education (ACE) study showing that graduation rates for underrepresented students nationwide remained relatively low in the 1990s compared with other demographic groups.

ACE found that at NCAA Division I colleges and universities nationwide, 38 percent of African American and American Indian students and 46 percent for Hispanic students entering in the fall of 1994 had graduated by 2000. UC rates were higher for all ethnic groups. UC had freshmen graduation rates of 56 percent for African American students, 64.3 percent for Chicano students, 68.8 percent for Latino students and 65.7 percent for American Indian students.

Overall, 63.3 percent of UC underrepresented minority students (African American, Latino/Chicano and American Indian) entering in the fall of 1994 had graduated by 2000. The graduation rate for underrepresented minority students at UC rose to 67.5 percent by 2001.

In addition, UC persistence rates have been steadily rising. Persistence rates for underrepresented students continuing through to their third year at UC have increased from 67.9 percent for the entering class of Fall 1984 to 81.9 percent for those who entered in Fall 1999.

Graduation rates for all students remain high at UC. Within six years of entering as freshmen in 1994, 75.2 percent graduated by 2000, up from 70.7 in 1985. For transfer students, 78.2 percent of them had graduated by 2000 after attending UC for four years, up from 71.8 percent in 1985. By 2001, graduation rates for freshmen went up even more, reaching 76.1 percent.

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