The tightening of admissions standards at California's public universities is creating stress from the top down that's felt locally.

To meet an ever-constricting state budget, both the University of California and California State University systems are chopping the number of students they admit and upping their admissions standards.

The state directed CSU to cut 40,000 students over the next two years and UC needs to eliminate about 2,500 per year. Regents in both systems also increased student fees; 32 percent in the UC system and 30 percent in the CSU system.

The effect locally means high school students are applying to more universities than they traditionally have and Sierra College is expecting larger-than-average class sizes.

Jill Haley, a guidance counselor at Nevada Union High School, said new enrollment

restrictions are causing headaches for local high school students.

“I've never seen it this bad,” Haley said. “Students have always had safe schools, schools they knew they'd get into, and now there are really none that are safe.”

She said both parents and students are stressed about getting into and affording state-run colleges.

As a result, Haley said NU students are applying to CSU schools like Humboldt and Sacramento state universities, campuses NU students don't usually apply to, Haley said.

“They're also looking outside of the state and taking advantage of the (Western Undergraduate Exchange- a program offering discounted out-of-state tuition at public universities in more than 10 Western states),” Haley said. “With the fee increase in California, (the University of Nevada, Reno) is almost the same price; kids are also looking at the University of Oregon and really hoping to take advantage of out-of-state schools.”

Both Haley and Bear River High School guidance counselor Judith Vogel said more students are looking at attending community colleges for their first two years before transferring into four-year universities.

“Quite a few families are considering a community college more out of a concern for financial aid,” Vogel said.

Demand for seats rises

Enrolling in a community college and getting a seat are two different things, though.

Paige Dorr, a spokeswoman for the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office, said community colleges face a major problem with a flood of students who otherwise would attend UC and CSU campuses.

“We're definitely having issues because unfortunately we're facing budget cuts but can't close admissions to community colleges,” Dorr said. “So students may not be able to get into the classes they need. Class sizes are going to get larger and registration will close early.”

Dorr said there is concern that if first-year students can't enroll in the courses they need, they won't bother going to college.

Locally, though, administrators say they don't anticipate classes filling.

“We still have room at the Nevada County campus,” said Stephanie Ortiz, dean of the

Grass Valley-based Sierra College branch. “We're working closely with faculty to make sure we're offering enough courses in those areas of greatest need. We've been able to pursue a strategy of careful, smart growth.”

Kim Bateman, dean at Sierra College's Tahoe-Truckee campus, said the same holds true for her location.

“We're in a very unique position in that our building is fairly new and we're still building our enrollment,” Bateman said.

Sue Michaels, a representative with Sierra College's main branch in Rocklin had the following advice for students.

“Students that are going to get the classes they need have to register early,” Michaels said. “There's nothing wrong with applying right now for next year, at least that way you're in our portal and can register as soon as fall classes are available.”

Fall registration opens next summer.

To contact Staff Writer Kyle Magin, e-mail kmagin@theunion.com or call 477-4239.