UCSC Chancellor visits North Monterey County High

As part of a yearly campaign to spread the UC message directly to students, UC Santa Cruz Chancellor George Blumenthal paid a visit to North Monterey County High School on Wednesday.

Blumenthal addressed students in grades 8-11 about the feasibility of a UC education and the importance of acquiring a college degree. The event also included workshops for seniors that are designed to address next steps for the various college systems, a workshop for parents, and a resource fair for students to get their questions answered.

UC leaders have been visiting schools that have lower than average college-going rates. The system-wide effort is targeted at schools that serve a high proportion of low-income and socioeconomically disadvantaged students. The effort has helped increase the numbers of students applying to UC by as much as 30 percent at participating high schools, officials said. It's unclear whether the effort has actually increased the number of students accepted from these schools.