San Diego State University is ending a program that guarantees admission to students who attended local high schools, it was reported today.
Starting Oct. 1, grade point averages and test scores will be considered in the case of every student asking for fall 2010 admission at SDSU, irrespective of that student's place of residence, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported. Until now, the standard for local students was lower.
University officials said the move is an effort to address severe state budget cuts, which have led to a smaller number of open spots for incoming freshman, according to the newspaper.
Prior to 2002, SDSU gave special preference to all students in the county over those applying from other regions. Since 2002, the admission guarantee program has applied only to students who graduated from high schools south of state Route 56. Students north of the highway were directed to apply to Cal State San Marcos.
SDSU officials are still working out a plan to give some extra credit to local applicants but haven't decided how much weight residence ultimately will carry in the acceptance process, the Union-Tribune reported.
The average grade point average for this year's freshmen from south of state Route 56 was 3.41, compared to 3.81 for all other freshmen. The average SAT score was 1,013 for freshman south of state Route 56, compared to 1,179 for those north of the highway.
