I was accepted to both but now I’m so torn…I want to work in wildlife/conservation/marine wildlife research either for a nonprofit or at the state/federal level for say, Fish & Wildlife, or National Park or Forest Service, etc. It seems many CSUMB and HSU alumni go on towards these kinds of positions, but there are still so many pros and cons to each.
CSUMB - beautiful and convenient location, great marine science program, generally higher ranked (going off US News 2020 rankings) but not as stellar of a campus, not many major options other than biology and marine science, more expensive area to live in, less of a college town feel.
HSU - Great wildlife and biology programs with devoted resources, awesome curriculum with hands-on classes, gorgeous but isolated location with hippie/stoner rep (I’m a left-leaning independent, you could say, so this doesn’t bother me at all, but I’m curious if it affects job prospects)
Any thoughts? Also, I’m visiting both campuses in the next couple of weeks and I think that will GREATLY affect my decision, but still any advice is greatly appreciated.
I think it depends on what is more important to you. As you probably know, Monterey Bay/ San Francisco Bay Area is an amazing place for marine life studies and research opportunities. Thinking about the future, I wonder if it’ll be beneficial by being local to the area for internship/job opportunities while you attend school. You wouldn’t have to think about a crazy commute if you did find some opportunity to intern in Monterey Bay. I agree, the cost of living in Monterey would be more expensive, however, it is less expensive compared to the areas immediately surrounding SF. However, that isn’t to say you would have less opportunities by going to HSU. I think the pros vs. cons are nuanced in either direction.
Thank you both for the advice, and I apologize for the late reply. It took some soul searching and weeding through all the advice from friends and family, as well as a trip to Monterey, but I confirmed my enrollment to CSUMB. The location and opportunity are too good to pass up. I also noticed the experience I would get at CSUMB would be most fitting for the types of internships and jobs I’m interested in. It just goes to show you should always trust your gut.