California State University Overview

California’s State University (CSU) system is a network of 23 universities spread all over the state. Each school is unique, and students who can leverage their strengths of these schools have an excellent chance of starting a solid career with relatively low or even no student debt burden. CSUs are funded by the State of California, so there are definite reduced tuition and costs when compared to other college options.

At the end of the day, CSUs offer a fairly affordable 4-year college experience. CSUs offer B.As, B.S.s, Masters, and Doctorate degrees. Check out estimated costs here!

The average acceptance rate of CSUs is around 40%.

Estimated cost of attending a CSU ranges from 25,000-30,000 (including room and board).

Explore campuses at http://degrees.calstate.edu/campuses

Why Go?

The CSUs provide an excellent education to a wide range of students at an affordable price. The CSUs focus on undergraduate teaching; only a few campuses confer doctorate degrees at all, meaning smaller class sizes for lower division courses. The CSU education is great for "bachelors-to-career" majors, like CS and engineering. Many CSUs with renowned programs in business, engineering, and biology are preferred over some UCs, because CSUs take a more practical and hands-on approach to its education. CSUs are also known for their “fifth year” professional certificates like teaching and nursing.

CSUs also attract and serve a large and diverse population, with many students coming from various backgrounds and age groups. The emphasis on local students and on educational opportunity means that even students who live in dorms will meet a diverse population in age, background, and circumstance, providing a rich experience beyond the typical “college life.”

Pulled from "California Public System 101: CSUs"

Application Requirement

The California State University (CSU) selects applicants from the upper one-third of California's high school graduates. To qualify for regular admission as a first-time freshman you must:

a. Graduate from high school, AND
b. Earn a C or better (GPA Minimum of 2.5) in specific high school courses that satisfy the "a-g" requirements, AND
c. Qualify on the eligibility index. See the website for details.

For information about all campuses and registration: calstate.edu/apply

PERKS:

No SAT/ACT Test Scores Needed
No Essays
Low application fees
A single CSU Application Portal that applies to all campuses (should you so choose)

Subject Requirements

Fifteen units are required in the subject areas as listed below. All courses must have a grade of C or better. See your counselor if you earn a “D” in a required course before you make up that course. NOTE: One Unit is equal to 10 FUHSD credits.

• English 4 units

• Mathematics 3 units (Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II)

• Science with Laboratory 2 units (1 biological and 1 physical)

• Modern Language 2 units (must be in the same language)

• World History 1 unit

• U.S. History 1 unit (1 year U.S. History or U.S. History and U.S. Government) • Visual and Performing Arts 1 unit

• Approved Electives 1 unit

Students with competency in a language other than English may qualify for a waiver. Consult with your school counselor or any CSU campus admissions office for further information. Courses used to meet subject requirements for CSU admission must be on the approved “Courses to Meet Requirements for Admission to the University of California” (“a – g” Course List). See UC Articulation website at hs-articulation.ucop.edu/agcourselist

FUHSD's "a-g" courses

Want to find courses at your high school that meet “a – g” requirements for admission to the California State University system? Visit hs-articulation.ucop.edu/agcourselist and click on “High School Courses that meet UC requirements.”

Eligibility Index

The California State University (CSU) will continue to temporarily suspend the use of ACT/SAT examinations in determining admission eligibility for all CSU campuses for the 2022-2023 academic year.

First-time freshmen must meet the following eligibility requirements: be a high school graduate or equivalent; complete the 15-unit comprehensive “a-g” pattern of college preparatory course; and earn a qualifying “a-g” grade point average (GPA) as described below.

California residents and graduates of California high schools will be eligible for admission by earning a 2.50 or greater “a-g” GPA.
Any California high school graduate or resident of California earning a GPA between 2.00 and 2.49 may be evaluated for admission based upon supplemental factors such as number of courses exceeding minimum “a-g” requirements, household income, extracurricular involvement, and other available information that would inform the campus admission decision. Each CSU campus will determine the supplemental factors used with GPA to determine eligibility in these cases and communicate these criteria publicly for prospective students.
Non-California residents may be eligible for admission to the CSU by earning a 3.00 or greater “a-g” GPA along with other supplemental factors utilized by the individual campus, including those outlined by impacted campuses and programs.

California Resident Eligibility Index Chart

Impacted Admissions & Programs

Admissions to the top CSUs has grown fierce, and many campuses are facing impacted programs — programs with more eligible students than there is room. Seven campuses (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Fresno State, CSU Fullerton, Cal State LA, CSU Long Beach, San Diego State University, San José State) have declared that the entire campus is impacted — too many eligible students want to attend than the schools can accept. This also means certain majors are harder to get into than other majors. Check out which majors and campuses are impacted for the year 2022-2023 HERE.

What does this mean for admission? The excess of qualified applicants has forced schools to find ways to raise the bar. Students are now ranked on the eligibility scale, so the higher their GPA is, the greater the likelihood a student will get in. Especially in departments that are truly impacted, admission officers may consider:

— Your intended program of study (the major to which the application is made)
— Your college-preparatory courses in secondary school
— GPA earned in college-preparatory courses
— Your extra-curricular activities and work experience

In addition to knowing which programs are strongest at which schools, any student interested in CSUs must also consider impaction when choosing their campuses.

Finally, as part of the CSUs “Impaction and Redirection” program, an eligible student who is denied admission to an impacted campus will be offered a spot at another, non-impacted CSU without having to complete a new application. Students will have a limited time to accept the redirected admission offer.

For California students seeking a “career-ready” bachelor’s degree in a student-focused environment with a diverse student body, California’s CSUs are an excellent choice.

Pulled from "California Public System 101: CSUs"