The transition to college life begins for thousands of students on Sunday, Sept. 25, when families help their children move into residence halls at UC Davis. More than 22,000 students will begin the fall quarter with the first day of class Thursday, Sept. 29. During the first week students will be purchasing books and supplies from the campus bookstore as well as meeting faculty advisers and checking on financial aid opportunities. Ninety-five percent of the new freshmen come from every county in California with 5 percent being out-of-state and international, says Gary Tudor, director of undergraduate admissions at UC Davis. "We are very pleased with the high caliber of academic preparation, the excellent student mix and our statewide appeal," notes Tudor. Twenty percent of the freshman class will be students from underrepresented ethnic minorities, which is up 5 percentage points from any previous year, says Tudor. "One-half of all new transfer students will have participated in the Transfer Admission Agreement program with 55 community colleges throughout the state," he says. "The transfer agreements are wonderful tools for students and parents to ensure that students can enter as juniors and graduate in two years with a bachelor's degree."