Hello everyone! I’m new here ? Parent of a senior this year who wants to pursue an animation degree. His first choice school is San Jose State University, which is impacted and their animation program is super competitive, but he will also apply to to CS Fullerton, CSLB, CSUN, CSLA, and a couple of privates. He was on track to be accepted I believe with his (10-11) gpa of 4.3 and his SAT score of 1450 but now that they won’t consider SAT scores I’m worried that he won’t be accepted at SJSU. He is ranked 1st in his class with straight A’s, a lot of honors and AP classes, but no sports, and just a few EC, a little volunteering. Since the CSU’s haven’t yet posted what their supplemental criteria will be for evaluating applications I’m concerned that maybe they will give more weight to the EC’s and his chances will drop. If anyone has any insight on how the CSU’s will be evaluating applications without the SAT on impacted campuses and programs, that would be great, and how you think his chances will be. Thanks in advance!
Is 4.3 his GPA as recalculated for CSU purposes (same as UC weighted-capped GPA)?
https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/
If so, it is close to the maximum possible.
@ubalumnus yes, that’s his recalculated 10-12 only gpa. His full weighted gpa is a 4.50 Do you think that alone will be enough? We will still sent his SAT score in as I think they said it would help with GE placements, and my hope is that even though they say they won’t use the SAT scores, maybe it will help anyway?
https://www.sjsu.edu/admissions/impaction/freshmen-impaction-results/index.php
Last year, a 4300 Eligibility Index (roughly 3.75/1300) got you into that program. He should be comfortably over that threshold but, things are gonna be weird next year. No SAT for CSUs plus a lot of gap year kids makes all of the CSUs hard to predict this year. Apply really broadly.
I’d include UCSC, CPSLO, and SDSU so he’ll have a couple more traditional, residential freshman experience options.
Good luck
@NCalRent thank you! Yes, that is something else I’m really worried about after hearing that it was around 20% of this years freshman decided to take a gap year which in my mind, will make it that much harder for my guy to get in. We will for sure check out those other schools you mentioned and thanks again. ?
For 2019, SJSU had 553 Freshman applicants for Animation, 210 admitted making a 38% acceptance rate. 75 enrolled from the 210 admitted so with a competitive GPA, I would say he has a great chance at an acceptance. No breakout of GPA for the major.
For CSULB in 2019, 1007 students admitted in to the Art major with an average CSU GPA of 3.82 and 232 enrolled. CSULB does not break out the different major options under the Art major.
Chico and East Bay offer these programs:
California State University Chico, Chico
Programs available: BS Computer Animation & Game Development
California State University East Bay, Hayward
Degrees offered: BFA Video Animation
Chapman and USC are other schools to consider for Animation.
@Gumbymom thanks so much for chiming in! All the info you shared was great. You said that SJSU had 75 enroll out of the 210 accepted, do you know if that is average or lower compared to prior years? I am wondering how many took a deferral and will be coming in next year?
He wants to do 2D Animation, not computer gaming animation, so the Chico and Hayward Programs won’t work for him. But USC and Chapman are both on his list to apply. We are in Sacramento, and he doesn’t want to be far from home. In fact, he would prefer to stay at home, but only one JC here has a program that would work for him. Sac State, UC Davis, and UOP all have media programs but don’t really offer 2D Animation so SJSU is the closest to us.
There are a ton of great schools in So Cal that offer Animation so he will be applying to several but since he wants to stay close to home those will be plan B choices.
Here is the link for the information I posted on SJSU. You can select which year, first time freshman, college and major you want to view.
http://www.iea.sjsu.edu/Students/Applications/apply_major.php
@Gumbymom that is a cool tool thanks! Looks like not a lot of difference between 2018 and 2019 so that makes me feel better that not too many took the year off. ? Thanks again!