FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, October 29, 1996
Terry Colvin (510 ) 987-9152

UC INFORMATION, APPLICATION JUST A MOUSE CLICK AWAY

Nov. 1 -- the first day for filing applications for admission to the University of California -- marks an important day in the lives of more than 50,000 high school seniors who will be deciding which campus they would like to attend next fall.

This year that task will be easier thanks to state-of-the art technology and the Internet as thousands of students use Pathways, UC's World Wide Web admissions information site, to collect up-to-the-minute facts about the nine-campus system.

And, for students in 58 high schools and community colleges across the state, filing a UC application this year will be as easy as a mouse click. These students will be able to apply for admission directly over the Internet, making paper-and-pencil application a thing of the past. Electronic applications can be filed at home, at school, on a laptop computer or anywhere a student has access to a computer with a link to the Internet.

Coordinated by the UC Office of the President in cooperation with the eight general campuses and business partner IBM, the Pathways project provides a direct link via the Internet between these students and the university. Through the use of the World Wide Web and other Internet tools, Pathways collects grades and other academic records,students' essays and other information used to determine admission. Pathways incorporates the latest security measures to protect the integrity of student information and records.

"Pathways is exciting for two reasons," said UC President Richard C. Atkinson. "First, it puts in the hands of students cutting-edge technology that will greatly simplify the application process and allow them to file information at the click of a mouse."
"Second, Pathways shows how a cooperative partnership between the university and industry, in this case IBM, is helping UC work more efficiently and effectively," he said.

From the beginning, IBM has been an active partner in Pathways. IBM consultants served alongside UC administrators on a task force that planned the program. For the pilot, the firm has provided hardware, software, and services to help develop the application and pilot the system.

Pathways uses client-server technology combined with an easy-to-use interface to assist students, parents and counselors in managing applications. This year, some 2,000 students are expected to file their applications electronically. Eventually most of the 70,000 applications UC receives annually will be filed through Pathways. UC is also exploring with California State University system developing a joint electronic application sometime in the near future.

Pathways promises to bring a fundamental transformation in the way the university conducts outreach and counseling, distributes information to prospective students and handles the application process.

"Pathways is another example of how new technology is radically transforming the way everyone does business," said Dennis Galligani, UC assistant vice president for student affairs. "Pathways provides students access to university information when they want it and access to what they want."

"I see it as good service to students," said Carla Ferri, UC statewide director of undergraduate admissions. "Gathering information about college and applying for admission can be an intimidating experience for many students. Pathways makes that task easier and the task less daunting."

For those who decide to apply to UC, Pathways should make the dreaded fall ritual simpler and more efficient.

"With Pathways, it will be a lot less laborious to fill out an application and there should be less error," said Jim Dolgonas, UC director of information systems and computing. "Receiving information electronically will also provide opportunities to further streamline university admissions processes in the future."

Pathways will also reduce the amount of paper generated in the undergraduate admissions process. Eventually, all applicant information will be stored in electronic files; even transcripts from other schools and colleges and SAT scores will be transmitted electronically.

Pathways, however, is more than an electronic admissions program. When fully implemented, it will be a state-of-the-art online outreach, counseling and admissions system unlike any currently in use. Many universities now allow students to file their applications on computer disks, but several features distinguish Pathways from those programs.

For example, students will be able to call up Pathways on the Internet and access general information about UC campuses - academic programs, housing, faculty, financial aid, extracurricular activities - the kind of details contained in campus catalogs and brochures.

The advantage of providing the information online is that it can be changed daily, whereas printed materials can sometime contain outdated information even before reaching counselors or students.

Eventually, Pathways will include photographs and short films. "A student will be able to see a film clip of a chemistry course at UC Santa Barbara or a clip showing dorm life at UC San Diego," Dolgonas said.

Students will also have the ability to store information in a Pathways portfolio that they could later use in completing the admissions application. As early as the ninth grade, students can begin keeping a record of their classes, extracurricular activities, honors and awards and other personal achievements.

With Pathways, students will also be able to compare the classes they are taking or plan to take with a list of classes that fulfill UC's admission requirements.

UC's annual undergraduate application period runs from Nov. 1 to Dec. 2 this year. Last year 69,952 students applied during the filing period, including community college transfer students. Students filing electronically this year will pay the same $40 per campus application fee as student filing on paper, except they will be billed by UC after their applications are received.

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Editors: Pathways may be viewed at the following World Wide Web address: http//www.ucop.edu/pathways

Students at the following California high schools may file UC applications electronically through Pathways:

Oakland Technical High (Oakland)
Davis Senior High School (Davis)
Cosumnes River College (Sacramento
Century High (Santa Ana)
Santa Ana High (Santa Ana)
University High (Irvine)
Irvine High School (Irvine)
Irvine Valley CC (Irvine)
Rancho Santiago Community College (Santa Ana)
Rancho Santiago Community College
North Orange Campus (Orange)
Saddleback Community College (Mission Viejo)
Bravo Medical Magnet (Los Angeles)
Mayfield Senior High School (Pasadena)
Taft High School (Woodland Hills)
Pasadena Community College (Pasadena)
Santa Monica CC (Santa Monica)
Indio High School (Indio)
J.W. North High School (Riverside)
Rancho Verde High School (Moreno Valley)
Rubidoux High School (West Riverside)
Temecula Valley High School (Temecula)
Riverside Community College (Riverside)
Santa Barbara CC (Santa Barbara)
Alisal High School (Salinas)
Cupertino High School (Cupertino)
Del Mar High School (San Jose)
Edison High School (Fresno)
Gilroy High School (Gilroy)
Hanford West High School (Hanford)
Harbor High School (Santa Cruz)
Henry M. Gunn High School (Palo Alto)
Homestead (Cupertino)
Independence High School (San Jose) 
Leland High School (San Jose)
Los Altos (Los Altos)
Los Gatos High School (Los Gatos)
Lynbrook (San Jose)
Madera High School (Madera)
Marin Catholic High School (Marin)
Monta Vista High School (Cupertino)
Notre Dame High School (San Jose)
Wm. C. Overfelt High School (San Jose)
Palo Alto High School (Palo Alto)
Roosevelt High School (Fresno)
Salinas High School (Salinas)
San Lorenzo Valley High School (Felton)
Sanger High School (Sanger)
Santa Cruz High School (Santa Cruz)
Seaside High School (Seaside)
Sierra High School (Tollhouse)
Silver Creek High School (San Jose)
Soquel High School (Soquel)
Watsonville High School (Watsonville)
Westmont High School (Campbell)
Yerba Buena High School (San Jose)
Cabrillo College (Aptos)
Canada College (Redwood City)
College of the Sequoias (Visalia)
De Anza College (Cupertino)
Fresno City College (Fresno)
Foothill Community College
Mission College (Santa Clara)
San Jose City College (San Jose)
Skyline College (San Bruno)
La Costa Canyon High School (La Costa)
Torrey Pines High School (Encintas)