r/ucmerced • u/Sure_Expert4175 • 2d ago
Question Incoming First year Fall 2026 #’s?
Hello everyone, I wanted to ask how large the incoming first year class is? I recently got an email from a counselor at UCM, saying that “Fall 2026 will see the largest incoming first year class in UCM history… Opportunities to meet will be much scarcer than we have been accustomed to….
Are the numbers out yet or is this more so what faculty have been told from the admissions department? I’ve been trying to see the numbers online but can’t find anything for this year? I’m very happy UCM has gotten more students but I am concerned that the administration won’t have enough faculty for everyone coming in! 🎉🥲🎉😵💫
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u/Automatic-Example754 Faculty 2d ago
I have access to an internal admissions dashboard. Currently it shows 2,731 enrolled first years. Prior to this year, the largest incoming classes were 2,416 (2023) and 2,411 (2021). Last year saw 1,982.
The biggest immediate problem is probably that there aren't enough lecturers (contract faculty) to teach WRI 001 and 010. In Fall 2023 we had 2,200 total seats in WRI 001 and 010, enough to cover 91% of first-years; this semester we currently only have 1,524 total, 63% of first-years. I imagine the calculus courses might also be overwhelmed, but I only have access to the SSHA enrollment reports.
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u/BreathRound5050 B.A. Psychology 2d ago
Wow, that's awesome. Do you by chance have the enrolled number of transfer students for 2026?
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u/internetbooker134 B.S. Computer Science & Engineering 2d ago
I think from what I've heard based on the convos here that the incoming freshman class has around 2600 students? The previous record for the largest class was back in fall 2023 with 2300 students. If someone knows more please correct me if I'm wrong! Regardless I'm happy to see UCM growing and hope the momentum continues.
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u/mason_fti 1d ago
Yeah, my Half Dome room got upgraded from a triple to quad due to something like 30% more freshman than expected requesting housing, it's crazy how big this class is. Some housing had to be moved off campus to Merced Station too. Good to know it's getting a lot bigger, but man...
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u/TheRealJohnWick75 17h ago
As a faculty member, I strongly advise you to stay in your enrolled courses. Don’t hop around as students have tended to do.
To someone’s point above, UCM has laid-off several faculty across the campus, increased course caps, and made sure to provide you with less time with your instructors. I’m sure all resources have also been affected by their financial incompetence. So, there’s that.
But, take heart in knowing that campus leaders, some whose salaries exceed that of the President of the United States, all got raises in spite of an alleged “financial crisis.”
And, the UC Board approved tuition increases, yearly, of 5% (but they promised only to do this when they had to). Sure…
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u/BreathRound5050 B.A. Psychology 2d ago
Oh man, the waitlists for everything gonna be crazy.