College applications are coming up and I know I want to apply to both of these colleges but need help picking my top choice. I plan on majoring in ecology and evolutionary biology and maybe majoring in wildlife ecology and conservation while studying marine biology in grad school. CSUMB is closer to home and I do love Monterey but it doesn’t have a wide variety of majors and I found the campus to be a bit underwhelming. I’ve never visited HSU but the campus seems gorgeous and I love the hands on approach they have to learning as well as the hippie community there. However, it is fairly isolated and cold so I feel like there may not be much to do up there since it is also a small town. I love the smaller feeling of both these colleges as well as the outdoorsy aspect of each of them and am confident I can get accepted into both it’s just a matter of choosing my top pick and I need help since I am very indecisive!
Why do you have to choose 1 school? Apply to both and then visit Humboldt before making your decision.
Note CSUMB doesn’t exactly have a marine bio major but, I agree - you should apply to several schools, see who lets you in, then select the best option. That gives more time and more options. Given your interest in a smaller campus, other coastal schools like Channel Island, SLO, San Marcos and Sonoma are worth a look.
What are your stats?
It’s true that Humboldt is isolated. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
One of the biggest complaints about the Cal State Universities is that most of them are “commuter schools”. The campuses are lively and bustling during the day, when classes are in session. But most of the students actually live elsewhere, and so they leave the campus area after their classes are over. This means that the campus atmosphere is pretty much dead in the evenings and on weekends, and that the social aspects of the college experience are lacking. You may find that CSUMB has a “commuter school” reputation.
A few Cal States, on the other hand, are known for a more traditional, residential college experience; these include Cal Poly SLO, Chico State, and Humboldt State. These campuses have much better social scenes, precisely because they are so isolated. Students don’t commute to Cal Poly or Chico or Humboldt, because they aren’t close to any major cities; this means that the campus area has just as many students in the evenings and on weekends as it does during the day. The students all live on campus or in town nearby, and the social scene is way better for that reason.
I have a 3.7 unweighted gpa, a 1220 on my sat and (I think) a 26 on my act but I am planning on taking the act and sat again as well as improving my grades from last year. I’m also out of state which limits me financially which is why I’m leaning towards hsu and csumb due to the western undergraduate exchange program
Yeah you’re definitely right and I will do that I just would like an idea regarding the pros and cons of each school (plus I overthink everything haha)
apply to several, visit the campuses and see what’s appealing. For most people, Humboldt is LOVE it or HATE it proposition. follow your gut after you visit.
Re: “commuter schools”
HSU has 88% of frosh living on campus, and CSUMB has 84% of frosh living on campus. Both are relatively high for CSUs. Overall percentage of students living on campus is much lower (25% at HSU, 46% at CSUMB), but there is a general tendency at many universities for residential students to live in nearby off-campus housing.
http://www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg05_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=663
http://www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg05_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=1829
What is your home state?
I can’t stress the campus visit enough for both of these schools. The stats and a virtual tour simply won’t give you a feel for what it is like to attend.
if you have been to CSUMB recently, you’d notice there are some really nice dorms but, the area around campus has a total Zombie Apocalypse vibe to it. There is some fresh development and lots of great biking/hiking trails on the old Ft Ord but, lots of the old buildings are standing there decaying in the fog. Because of this somewhat odd buffer zone, it would be very difficult to live off campus without having a car. Given the pace of change, that probably won’t be true in 5 years but, it certainly is today. At Humboldt, there is no buffer around campus, you could probably live your whole life as a student with out your own wheels - but, it is not for everyone.
This is true at Humboldt. Arcata is a legitimate California “college town”. It may not be as large or well-known as Berkeley or Palo Alto, or even Davis, Chico, or, San Luis Obispo, but the local atmosphere is clearly affected by a large percentage of student and faculty residents.
In contrast, you may not find a college town atmosphere at CSUMB. As noted above, the campus occupies only a portion of a large former military base. It is surrounded by undeveloped portions of the former base. The nearest communities (Seaside and Marina) are not noted for any collegiate vibe.
Another indicator of UC/CSU social activity: does the campus support a football team? You may or may not personally care for football, but if thousands of students turn up on campus on Saturday for a game, it does suggest that there is a level of interest in school activities that goes beyond just showing up for classes.
Most UC/CSU football teams are in the largest metro areas: Berkeley, San Jose State, Sac State, Fresno State, UCLA, San Diego State. But there are three exceptions: Davis, Cal Poly, and Humboldt State. All three are located in smaller towns outside the big cities – but they are college towns with lots of student life.
I live in Nevada and UNR is a great school that I’m applying to as well but I really want a change of scenery and a smaller college.
at this point, don’t worry about narrowing it down. apply to all the CA WUE schools that remotely interest you and see where you get in. Chico and Merced would be good additions to your list.
Enjoy the ride