APPLY ONLINE, UC, CSU SAY USING NET TO BECOME REQUIREMENT IN '05.

Byline: Lisa M. Sodders Staff Writer

Prospective students will have to apply online to California's state-supported university campuses beginning in autumn 2005 - a new requirement that some high school guidance counselors said will hurt students who don't have a home computer.

``They've just made more hoops for the kids to jump through,'' Eileen Doctorow, a college counselor at North Hollywood High School, said Tuesday. ``Especially with first-generation (immigrants') kids, there's nobody at home guiding them through the process, and they're doing it on their own.''

But officials with the University of California and California State University systems said more than 70 percent of students who applied last year did so online.

``Over the last few years, our applicants have displayed tremendous interest in filing online,'' said Leon Washington, associate director for enrollment management services at the CSU chancellor's office.

``Taking this step made perfect sense, especially now that both systems are implementing it at the same time.''

Susan Wilbur, director of undergraduate admissions at the UC president's office, said the online application has been improved to help students detect whether they've left a required section blank or made an error.

And while there will be a small cost savings from the online process, Wilbur said the main benefit will be helping the system handle the very large number of applications - 99,991 to the UC system alone.

Students who don't have computers can use them at school or at a public library or community center, officials of both systems said.

They said paper applications will be accepted only from students who have no other option. If they cannot go online even to download the application form, they can call admission offices and request a printout.

Cindy Duong, college counselor at Cleveland High School in Reseda, said the change shouldn't pose a problem for most students if they learn about the requirement early and plan ahead.

``So long as the students know there is a support system at the school and they're not being left to bumble through the process on their own, we'll help them get through it,'' Duong said.

Elenna Turner, college counselor at El Camino Real High School in Woodland Hills, said that students can work on the application on computers in the school library, but it's not the same as having a computer at home.

``They're widening the gaps with the haves and the have-nots,'' Turner said. ``Doing it at home is so much nicer.''

Lisa M. Sodders, [phone]

lisa.sodders(at)dailynews.com