West LA Times

UCLA has welcomed its newest undergraduate class, which is noted for its diversity and academic achievements. Among the 10,445 first-year and transfer students is Christian Lee, a transfer student from La Mirada, California. Lee expressed his excitement about joining UCLA's School of the Arts and Architecture to pursue a degree in arts with a focus on photography.

“I can’t express how excited I am to be here,” said Lee. “Not a single day goes by that I’m not grateful. The transfer community is incredible."

This year, UCLA saw an increase in the number of transfer students, with 3,832 new transfers making up 37% of the incoming class. More than 90% of these students transferred from California community colleges. Gary Clark, UCLA’s associate vice chancellor for enrollment management, commented on this trend: “We are especially excited to see our transfer applications increase for fall 2024 following a couple of years of declines.”

The university continues to emphasize diversity and social mobility among its student body. A third of domestic students are first-generation college attendees, while 35% identify as members of historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups. Additionally, socioeconomic diversity is evident with 34% coming from low-income households.

“UCLA’s commitment to inclusive excellence is truly reflected in this extraordinary class," Clark stated.

Brooke Wilkerson and Luis Barbosa are among the new transfer students who have found UCLA welcoming. Wilkerson highlighted her passion for research at UCLA while Barbosa spoke about his connection to the university through cultural ties as a Mexican American.

Barbosa shared his perspective as a first-generation student: “I’ve come to realize there’s so much beauty being first-gen."

These developments coincide with UCLA's recent recognition by U.S. News and World Report as the top public university in the nation for eight consecutive years.