Which csu is best

The CSU schools try to make higher education accessible and accommodate the needs of their students. Students often talk about how helpful the professors are, and many CSUs offer honors programs for capable students who want a more academically challenging education.

Furthermore, some CSUs offer online education or classes at smaller branch campuses to accommodate the needs of their students.

You can easily determine if you meet the minimum requirements to gain admission to a CSU. Keep in mind that some CSU schools and majors within CSU schools are impacted while others are not which means they have more applications each year than they have space. If a college isn't impacted, that means that all those that meet the minimum admission requirements are admitted. If a school or major is impacted, you have to exceed the minimum eligibility index to gain admission.

Here's more information on impaction. I created a table comparing the total enrollments undergraduate and graduate students , average standardized test scores, and acceptance rates for each of the Cal State campuses. Take a look at the table to get an idea of the size and selectivity of each CSU institution.

In terms of selectivity and reputation, there isn't much distinction between many of the Cal State schools. They also have considerably lower acceptance rates than the rest of the CSUs.

US News incorporates many factors into its rankings including academic reputation, selectivity, graduation rate, freshman retention rate, and the financial resources of the institution. Remember that college rankings are not a perfect science , and while you can use rankings to inform your decisions and get a general idea of how schools are viewed, you should try to find the college that's best for you. We can help.

PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies.

We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools , from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. Many of the Cal State colleges are very similar because they're California public universities that share the same governing board. The biggest differences between most of the schools are related to their locations, sizes, and percentage of commuter students; the fewer who live on campus, the more likely it is that it's primarily a commuter school.

Here are brief profiles of each school so you can gain a better understanding of its location and what makes it unique compared to the other Cal State schools. I included the most popular majors, freshman retention rate, and the percentage of students who live on campus.

Additionally, I've provided student reviews for each college from Niche , a website that provides reviews, rankings, and statistics about neighborhoods and schools. I tried to include positive and negative reviews that were representative of many of the comments I read.

It has a population of about 47, It's a very nice, quiet area. That gives the school more of a community feel on campus and students have a more traditional college experience. Due to the small class sizes of many classes, students are able to get a hands-on learning experience. This university is in a quarter-system so it is extremely fast-paced. Housing is very nice for continuing students but can be very expensive if not covered by financial aid.

Some areas that need improvement include:. I love Cal Poly! The people I've met so far are fun and open minded. There is so much to do in San Luis Obispo, with different beaches so close and the hills for hiking. In addition, all the teachers are supportive and very knowledgeable.

I've had the opportunity to participate in activities that have made me grow as a person, such as research labs, tutoring, and college athletics. This school offers so many different possibilities in terms of experience and career, and it's a very accepting school of people from all different backgrounds. SDSU offers incredible opportunities to students! The opportunity to study at one of the best public schools in the nation, the opportunity to get involved on campus, the opportunity to develop leadership skills, the opportunity to network with incredibly successful alumni, and of course the opportunity to enjoy one of America's most beautiful cities!

My biggest advice is to take advantage of these opportunities! I can say with complete confidence that by taking advantage of those opportunities, I have set myself up for a successful and rewarding future! I enjoyed my online courses at SDSU. With professors that were familiar with using an online platform, I found the courses very convenient and sometimes better than my experience with in person classes.

To keep the students engaged with each other we used many break out sections with smaller groups and discussion boards to discuss our readings. I believe there are many classes that could be taught online allowing students who live further from campus save money on the commute. Pomona is located about 45 minutes east of Los Angeles.

Its population is about , The city is home to the Pomona Fairplex. Pomona offers students a diverse, urban environment outside of a big city. Cal Poly Pomona is quite welcoming and diverse. It definitely made a statement to ensure that diversity was something to be embraced. CPP has given me a decent college experience so far. The "learn by doing" philosophy is present within the curriculum. There are a handful of professors that have been very helpful in ensuring that you do the best that you can in their class.

Social, academic, or career opportunities are available, but somewhat difficult to seek out. Something that I wish would change is the class registration process. I wish there were more available classes so that students get the classes that they need instead of being stuck on a waitlist or not even being able to add the class. In addition, I wish that there were more informed counselors so that students can get personalized help with registering for classes or graduating on time.

I love my school. I came from a small high school, and being that Cal Poly Pomona is smaller in size compared to some other California universities, this school was the perfect transition for me. The campus is beautiful, the people are kind, and I have been able to take several awesome engineering courses so far.

Within the laboratory portion of this course, I was able to build a mini rose float with my class. Within my lab, I was able to help build a miniature version of last year's float. It was a very exciting project, although it required much time and effort. This assignment strengthened my patience, and group-working skills. I will always remember my class' mini float. If I could choose a college to attend all over again, I would not change a thing. My school is perfect for my major and intended future career.

The educational aspect is right for me, and the overall environment is wonderful as well. Fullerton is located in northern Orange County, about 45 minutes south of Los Angeles. The population is roughly , Fullerton is pretty close to Disneyland. It has more of a suburban feel. Students tend to feel like they have to join clubs and get involved on campus to make friends and have a more enjoyable college experience.

The campus is small and very close to downtown Fullerton and Disneyland. I recommend doing more than just going to school: interact with clubs, go to teacher office hours, and sign-up on events on campus to get the full experience of being at CSUF. The campus is old, but slowly are adding modern improvements to the campus. The campus is good and is close to a lot of places a student might go such as parks, restaurants, mall, or movies. The degree you get here is the same everywhere else and probably cheaper too.

First off, I am really happy that I chose the college I am attending now. It is a huge commuter school and I am one of those commuters. I have met some really great people and hope to make more new friends through the next few years. I think my experience thus far would be different if I actually lived on campus or in the off campus apartments.

I feel as though I would be more involved and really help me explore what else is out there. The campus is very pretty and has many art statues and productions around campus. Each college on campus has their own unique area, but come together to provide students with multiple resources. One thing I would change about my school is the parking. It being a commuter school, they need more parking options, and to lower the parking pass price. So far, I am very excited about all the opportunities that Fullerton has to offer.

I am already involved with activities and clubs. I have chosen classes with academic advisors and am developing many new relationships with people from different parts of California.

It's about 20 miles south of downtown Los Angeles. There are about , residents in Long Beach. My school is extremely diverse, which I think makes it unique, and full of friendly, approachable students.

Although if I could do it all over again, I wish I could have chosen a college that would feel more like a college experience, as many students at my school commutes and there virtually no fun campus life. I attended community college prior to coming to Cal State Long Beach and this was my dream school while I was in high school. I was so excited to come to this school. While I would of loved to go to a school that had a major football team, this is what was going to fit my family's budget, location and degree.

I got everything I wanted out of school and more. My department had amazing teachers that were incredibly experienced and knowledgeable, which made advising super simple. I have zero complaints about my experience. I love that at CSULB I am taught by professors who really care about my education and who push me to succeed on a daily basis. I also enjoy all the academic resources, such as the University Library and the 24 hour study place in the student union, as well as the extracurricular resources, such as the bowling alley in the student union and the Student Recreation and Wellness Center, just to name a few!

Lastly, CSULB has amazing psychological counseling services available to students everyday, who make the transition to college as well as overcoming the common college obstacles so much easier to tackle. Cal Maritime is located in Vallejo.

Vallejo is a very diverse area. Cal Maritime doesn't have many academic offerings, but it's a great option if you're interested in one of its programs. California State Maritime Academy is a small university that offers you the chance to really get to know your classmates and teachers. That being said it is a majority male school going into the male-dominated maritime industry.

There is only one dining center on campus with pretty bad food and the dorms aren't that great either. Campus amenities are small but decent. You are required to wear a uniform while on campus and stand watches either on the ship, in the engine room, or in the parking lot box depending on your major.

It does have a lot of alumnae connections and graduates tend to be high earning. Each one of these programs has been skillfully developed and is taught by experienced professors to deliver a stunningly successful learning environment. The diversity for majors is pretty small.

Generally people come here already knowing what they intend to major in. This is fantastic if you know what you want to do with your education at age Crippling if you don't. San Jose is the third largest city in California by population.

Only Los Angeles and San Diego are larger. It has about 1 million residents. Many high-tech industries and start-ups are in or near San Jose. SJSU is a super diverse campus and there's always something to get into. However, it is very impacted making trying to get into classes almost impossible. San Jose State University is located in a great location. It is walking distance to many popular places in Downtown, and it is located in the Silicon Valley where there are always job opportunities.

There are also plenty of extra curricular activities available, on and off campus. I have met a great number of people who have made the best out of their experience at SJSU and have come out of it with a great career and enjoyable memories. Obtaining an internship and career at SJSU is amazing, because we are in the heart of silicon valley and only 45 minutes from SF, there is a lot of opportunity here because employers want to hire us.

The college is actually on an old military base. Seaside is about 2 hours south of San Francisco and an hour south of Santa Cruz. The population is about 34, It's only a couple of miles east of Monterey, which is an upscale coastal city that features the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium. California State University Monterey Bay is an amazing school focused on sustainability, marine life and biology. Although I am not a biology major, I am very proud of the ways my college has focused on being Eco-friendly and doing its part in helping the environment.

It's a small, but growing college so a lot of attention is given to students. There are so many opportunities as well for all students such as scholarships, research projects, jobs, etc. There is also an outstanding amount of care from advisors if you begin to slip and they walk you through everything and do their best at assisting you in any way.

This school is definitely not for everyone. My experience has had good parts and bad parts. My biggest tip would be to get involved on campus or in a club. And, bring a car if you can. The parking pass is kinda high in price but life will be so much better with a car.

Fresno is the largest city in the Central Valley of California. It's in between Los Angeles and San Francisco. There are about , people in Fresno, but the area is still associated with agriculture and many of the surrounding cities are heavily involved in agricultural production. Even though Fresno State is a commuter school, it does offer big-time college sports, and there's more school spirit there than at some of the other Cal State schools.

I honestly love California State University, Fresno. Not only are the educational and sports aspects of the college amazing, but the unity and school spirit are more than I could have asked for.

The people I have met and friendships I have formed will last a lifetime. I would choose this school again in a heartbeat. Bulldog born, bulldog bred! It is a good school with a lot of resources available to students. However, there are many things that can be improved to make student life easier and better such as more food options on campus, better transportation systems including bikes. Also, I do not feel safe. At all. As a Criminology major, classes get filled up so fast and many are only offered at night which leaves me to worry about walking in the dark, something I shouldn't be fearful of in my own campus.

More than anything, I should not have to push back my graduation year or semester due to not being able to enroll in the classes I need even if I am a senior already. This is absurd. Great school for a great price. Tuition is very affordable in comparison to other schools. Publishing Top Two Column 2. Publishing Top Two Column 3. Publishing Top Two Column 4. Publishing Top Three Column 1. Publishing Top Three Column 2.

Publishing Middle One Column. Publishing Middle Two Column 1. Publishing Middle Two Column 2. They also have concentrations in film scoring and jazz many famous jazz players are professors here.

Music is not a popular major on most CSU campuses, so 56 undergraduate students is a pretty large amount. Log in. My feed All communities Peer essay review Scholarships. Log in Sign up.

My feed School List Suggestions. GaelleD 0 answers, 1 vote.