Academic Pipeline and Student Success

Opening UC’s academic pipeline

About six in 10 California public high school seniors who enroll at UC are from historically underrepresented groups. However, approximately only four out of 10 seniors from California public high schools who persist past the first year of college are from underrepresented groups. This indicates that UC is not adequately retaining the diversity of its students enrolled from California public high schools.

UC's diversity outcomes are assessed in part by examining steps along the education pipeline. The University of California's multiyear framework — UC 2030 — focuses on expanding the pipeline from K–12 schools to the university and, further, from the first year of college on through graduation and beyond, to graduate or professional degrees and to careers. A benefit of eliminating gaps for students from underrepresented groups is that a greater proportion will go on to graduate school; one of the goals of growing graduate enrollment is to increase spaces for these students. An increase in the diversity of UC's doctoral students will also increase the availability of potential faculty hires, thereby supporting efforts to create a larger, more diverse pool of talented professors.

To learn more and see the full scope of our academic pipeline activities, please explore systemwide K–12 programs and our programs for undergraduate and graduate students.