SACRAMENTO — As high school seniors endure the grueling springtime ritual of college admission decisions, the state auditor on Tuesday released a report affirming the frustrations of many California families: The University of California softened admissions standards for out-of-state students, who pay triple the fees, even as it turned away record numbers of in-state applicants.

The finding — vehemently disputed by UC President Janet Napolitano — adds fuel to an already red-hot debate over which students are admitted to the highly competitive university system, especially at prestigious campuses such as UC Berkeley and UCLA. In the past five years, as their in-state admission rates fell to record lows, the proportion of out-of-state undergraduates at both schools doubled, rising to 25 percent and 23 percent, respectively.

“This is horrific,” said Rohini Ashok, a San Jose parent whose son was rejected from his three top UC campuses last year and enrolled at the University of Michigan. “Someone has to go in there and figure out who is responsible.”

 

 

State audit: University of California lowered admission standards for out-of-state students