Emma Do received a letter of acceptance from UC Santa Cruz in July 2023 after months of being waitlisted. Originally set to start at UC Riverside in the fall, Do jumped at the opportunity to attend her father’s alma mater. But the offer came with a catch: she’d have to wait until winter 2024 to begin her studies in Santa Cruz.

“I found it to be kind of confusing,” Do said. “[My family and I] called some people and assumed that they probably just didn’t have room for housing since it’s kind of late.”

Do, who plans to study global and community health with a biomedical concentration, is one of 132 first-years who accepted an alternate offer to postpone their enrollment until winter quarter. UCSC extended the same offer to 1,086 prospective students. 

Under pressure from California lawmakers to admit more in-state students, UCSC admitted a record-breaking 50,381 undergraduate students for the 2023-2024 school year — 10,200 more than the previous year. However, UCSC saw only a slight enrollment increase, with around 5,496 new students for this year. 

Associate Vice Chancellor of Enrollment Management Michelle Whittingham expressed that admitting a winter class allows UCSC to get closer to reaching the state’s annualized enrollment goal set in a compact with Governor Newsom.

“This is the first year [we are admitting first-year students in winter] as part of a more strategic enrollment management,” Whittingham said. “In part, this was due to the state’s support for expanding access to California students.”

Additional resources open up in winter due to students departing for various reasons, most often graduation or withdrawal. UCSC administration considered continuation rates, housing capacity, and course availability when deciding to admit a winter class.

“When we’re looking at different parts of [admission], housing plays a part,” Director of Undergraduate Admissions Timetra Hampton said. 

“We want to ensure that we can have adequate housing for all of the students that we would like to come. And so sometimes that’s the reason why we offer students in winter — to ensure that we have the housing capacity for a student.”

Winter students were guaranteed on-campus housing for winter and spring quarter instead of the usual three, and were notified of their room assignment on Dec. 4. Out of the 132 winter frosh enrollees, 126 are in residence across the 10 colleges on the university campus. 

A major change to student housing was announced by UCSC on Jan. 23 explaining the priority-based system would be replaced with a “housing lottery,” open to all continuing students. However, winter admits are disadvantaged as they receive two-quarters of guaranteed housing and no longer obtain priority housing consideration for their second year.

“I feel that it is unfair that I will no longer have priority as a second year,” said first-year winter admit Emma Do in an email to City on a Hill Press. “I understand that this new system is implemented to be fairer to upperclassmen; however, I strongly believe that everyone should get the chance to experience apartment housing, even if it is only for one year.”

Concerns regarding the residential and academic transition for winter admits were addressed by Michelle Whittingham and Timetra Hampton. They encourage winter admits to involve themselves in campus resources and activities to avoid feeling isolated from fall cohorts.

The advising department implemented additional programming through a strategic enrollment management council to help support students in their transition. The required college core courses were made available in winter for incoming first-year students and the sizes of introductory-level classes were increased in areas of interest indicated by winter students.

Do urges UCSC to provide additional support for winter admits during the fall quarter regarding academic planning. To make up credits, she took classes at her local community college this past fall at the recommendation of the UCSC admissions office. 

First-years who enroll in winter and do not take additional courses outside of UCSC, are not on track for a traditional spring graduation. Instead, they would graduate in the fall of their 5th year. 

“Knowing the graduation requirements is really important to make sure that everyone graduates on time, especially when you’re coming in [winter],” Do said.

Do said that experience adjusting to college life has been easy and positive– crediting her core class for introducing her to other first-year winter admits. However, the same cannot be said for everyone.

“I know some [winter admits] who are struggling with adjusting since most people got accepted into fall quarter,” said Do. “They don’t know that many people who were accepted during the winter quarter and are going through that change with them.”