Curious: Why SDSU?

Colleges and Universities A-Z San Diego State University
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<p>Hi there,</p>

<p>My teen has applied to SDSU (3.7, 1170 SAT) and probably will barely miss being admitted. As someone who lived in SD for seven years back in the 1990s, I'm curious why so many really want to attend SDSU? I see a LOT of people posting here who have GPAs and other scores that would easily enable them to attend "better" schools. This includes both CA residents and, even moreso, out-of-staters.</p>

<p>Why my question is: why does your teen want to go to SDSU? Have you had an honest talk with them about it? Is it the locale, the "party school" reputation, or is it truly the "best" school for your son/daughter based on academic program, cost, etc.? </p>

<p>Just very curious. Happy to share here, too.</p>

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<p>I am curious if people who ask this question have educated themselves on the growth and distinction that SDSU has achieved in the last decade. I have received this question from many a judgmental misinformed parents of my child’s friends. “Better schools”?? “Party school”?? That’s a naive and frightening perspective! I have friends with children in college all across the country from small Christian schools to mid west schools and Ivy league schools. They are all “party schools” if your child wants them to be! At the same time I have friends who have students at SDSU that are living vibrant lives while getting an education WITHOUT partying! It is up to us as parents to spend our child’s growing years teaching them not to desire immediate gratification in all areas of their lives. If this job isn’t done then I’m afraid they are not ready to go away to college!
My daughter is ranked #1 in her class at a small Christian HS. My husband and I have completely been involved in her decision to choose a college and we are more than supportive with her decision because we can see what a fit SDSU is for her. After exploring ALL the opportunities that are available to her she has chosen SDSU for her own personal reasons that are too numerous to list. However it comes down to a personal choice of where you could see yourself living, growing and thriving! There is an energy and enthusiasm at SDSU that maybe only people who LOVE Southern California can understand. We are welcoming people who believe in going after dreams, taking chances, diving into challenges with an OPEN mind and having a zest for life and all the opportunities that exist for all of us if we are willing to work hard. My daughter felt that energy and enthusiasm from the staff and students when we visited SDSU 3 times in the last 6 months.
Our family has lived in other states and traveled to almost every state in the union. While they are all unique and wonderful places in their own right, southern CA is the place for us! Maybe that is something that some people can not understand or relate to but it is a fact. When it comes to living in SD everyone who loves Southern CA knows it’s the place to be! We can only hope and pray that our daughter will be able to make a home there when she has completed her education. BTW we are NOT SD residents.</p>

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<p>Both my daughters attend SDSU and couldn’t be any happier. They both will graduate this May. My younger daughter is graduating in 3 years with a major and a minor. My other daughter is graduating in 4 years with a major. 2 minors, and from the university honors program. They both feel that they have received a good education. If we were willing to pay for graduate school my younger daughter would stay. They have both made the most out of their time there. Very involved in honor clubs and sororities.They both could have gone to higher ranked schools, but SDSU was right for them. They are Aztecs for life. My son has applied and all we can do is keep our fingers crossed.</p>

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<p>Also we are not San Diego residents, but close Orange County.</p>

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<p>Why SDSU?<br>

  1. San Diego is an incredible place to go to college
  2. San Diego State is a beautiful campus
  3. San Diego State sports are incredible (had the #1 draft pick for baseball a couple years ago, have gone to bowl games the last couple of years, basketball team nationally ranked, and more)
  4. San Diego State Alumni are very active.
    My daughter graduated last year with a degree in math. I grew up in California and went to a “UC” and was somewhat of a snob. In the end she was choosing between UCI, UCSC and San Diego State. We toured each campus and the “feel” at SDSU was that the students were happy and healthy. I think the biggest selling point was when they took us through the recreation center on the tour and it was full of fit, happy and healthy people. My daughter had great professors, and enjoyed her time in the dorm and with her sorority. Lots of kids in her high school who applied to SDSU as their “safety” school were not admitted.<br>
    Yes, it has a reputation as a “party school”, but unlike other schools with that reputation (including my alma mater UCSB) the administration seems to be making a huge effort to get away from that.</p>
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<p>@lorilc and @tx5</p>

<p>Thank you for your replies! This is precisely the kind of thing I was curious about, and you both seem to know very clearly why you and your scholars wanted to (or did) choose SDSU. Concrete, specific, and filled with facts. And sometimes, yes, it just comes down to “how it feels” – in fact, I personally believe that that gut feeling/instinct is something that is highly undervalued. </p>

<p>I do recognize the extra efforts that SDSU has made on several fronts. Frankly, when I got to researching the school more deeply several months ago, I was both shocked and impressed at its impressive credentials as a world- and nationally-recognized institution, the number of subjects in which it truly thrives, the “stock” that the U.S. government itself has invested in it. This ran very contrary to what I’d remembered from the SDSU of the late 80s, and the school is to commended for all of the effort it has no doubted required to get where it is today.</p>

<p>And yes, I do think it still fights a “party school” image, although the admin has fought that in the best way possible – by raising its game so significantly that it now has the means to select only those who are much more serious about academics than they are about the next kegger. That, in my mind, is the best, longest-lasting way to change a party school rep, and SDSU is doing it very well.</p>

<p>My question was really designed to suss out those who’d done their homework and those who hadn’t. More importantly, I wanted to hear HOW they’d done it and WHY they’d chosen. I didn’t have a position to advocate or defend – I simply wanted fair and thoughtful input. You two have giving it to me, and I thank you for your time.</p>

<p>@lil – I’m sorry you’ve had to endure actual questions (gasp!) from the “judgmental and misinformed.” It sounds as if the process of enduring them has worn you down a bit. Perhaps your case – not that you should even feel compelled to present one – would be better served by less defensiveness and condescension? As I’ve said, I’m all about gut feel, but certainly any school has more to offer than “energy, enthusiasm and zest.” I’m sorry you think my perspective is “naive and frightening.” Clearly, I’ve done my homework. Clearly, I’m willing to ask honest, candid questions that aren’t easily answered. And likewise, clearly you’re defensive about your choices. I’m sorry about that!</p>

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<p>By the way, tx5, I can totally relate to being a “snob,” unfortunately – I essentially did Ivy League, and will totally admit to going into this process with a skewed attitude. One thing I did learn, however, was how to perform research, ask fair questions, and leave dogma out of the conversation. :wink: Apparently, you learned the same things.</p>

<p>At the end of the day, though, it is about the right fit and right program for my daughter. That is our only agenda here. It is her life, after all. Sounds like it has worked out well for you all, and I’m happy about that.</p>

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<p>@tmj I don’t consider it enduring actual questions, that I don’t have a problem with. It’s the attitude and criticism that some parents give about SDSU being a party school. You absolutely asked a condescending question as well as insinuated that parents did not make an educated decision. when you asked us if we have had an “honest” conversation with our child or if our child is choosing the school because of it’s “party school reputation”. I have encountered plenty of “snobs” with these same questions since my daughter could clearly go to any UC. Frankly, I think the attitude it rude. You could have left out your “snob” attitude and asked simply “Why SDSU?” I find it amusing that you felt my condescension but not your own. I have no case to make except to say that people don’t need to criticize other’s choices. You must not have read my complete reply because I said that there are too many reasons to list why this is my daughter’s school of choice. Interesting as well that the other posters solely based their choice on the “feel” and “happy”, “healthy students”. The only clear information they provided you was their experience after having graduated SDSU. We have done our homework in actual conversations with experienced people which is why I did not need to ask “Why SDSU” and list the party school reputation as a possible reason for students choices.</p>

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<p>It’s by the beach. Which I loveee:)
And has a good speech path program</p>

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<p>Because it’s in a wonderful city for learning. It has diversity, an academic community with UCSD and USD nearby, and fosters social interactivity that bonds perople for life (what some of you call “partying”). The alumi are very active. Some of the best business people have come from SDSU, like Costco founder and CEO Jim Senegal. San Diego has a large engineering and life sciences ecosystem. There are many opportunities for internship.</p>

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<p>I jus wanted to go to a school near the beach to be honest but also because I want to major in marine biology or biology at the least and those type of schools offer that major.</p>

<p>Unfortunately i didnt get into CSULB nor CSUSD but I got into CSUSF & Humboldt but i wanted to be in SoCal. Those schools are all near a beach and have my major but I’ll just go to a community college then transfer hopefully I get into a school I like. ^.^ </p>

<p>Sent from my C5155 using CC</p>

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<p>But you did not attend an Ivy League and your grammar reflects that.</p>