The University of Guadalajara (UdG) may be Mexico’s second largest public university but it doesn’t have space to accommodate many thousands of young jaliscienses, both rich and poor, who want to continue their educations after high school.
Out of 53,470 applicants for courses in the coming semester, only 18,021 have been accepted – 33.7 percent. Those with limited economic resources who were denied a place will either have to wait until next year and apply again, or enroll in one of the many low-cost private so called patito universities, where the academic quality is not always guaranteed. More affluent students who were shut out can choose costlier private institutions.
One of President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s campaign promises was to ensure that all Mexicans had access to higher education. How this will work in practice and how it will be funded is not clear.
The acceptance rate for the UdG preparatorias (high schools) was better at 80 percent.