As announced by UC Merced earlier this month, the campus will now guarantee admissions to Merced Union High School students who meet certain eligibility criteria. Furthermore, there is a possibility that this plan could expand to other areas of the Central Valley, but it is still too soon to say whether this would be plausible.
According to the LA Times, “juniors [at Merced Union High School] who complete 15 prescribed college preparatory courses and maintain a weighted 3.5 GPA with no grades lower than a C would be assured a spot beginning in fall 2022.”
The goal of the program is to increase the accessibility of higher education for those in underserved communities around the Merced area. Although the plan still holds many prerequisites, officials hope that this plan will encourage local students to start and finish studying at a four-year university.
The program also aims to make for an easier transition to university, eliminating the need to transfer, as well as making it easier to apply and receive financial aid.
However, should students still need assistance with applications, financial aid forms, and/or any other college-related information, do not hesitate to reach out to Central Valley Scholars. Furthermore, we will be offering workshops in the near future on personal statements and financial aid, amongst other topics.
To read more about UC Merced’s announcement, please click the link to the following LA Times article: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-03-16/uc-merced-to-offer-guaranteed-admission-for-eligible-local-students?c_cid=34db293d6d&mc_eid=50478a27ed
About The Author
Rafael Franco Flores (He/Him)
Rafael Franco was raised in the small farming town of Kerman, CA, where he resided until graduating from Kerman High School in 2016. Thereafter, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a double bachelor's in English and History at the University of California–Los Angeles (UCLA), graduating with Departmental Honors in English, Cum Laude Latin honors, and Phi Beta Kappa membership. While at UCLA, Rafael developed a passion for critical theory and Romantic literature and hopes to continue studying these fields at the graduate level. In the past, Rafael interned for UCLA’s student newspaper, The Daily Bruin. He hopes to use his past experience in journalism as an editor for Central Valley Scholars in hopes of creating valuable resources for students in the Central Valley.