I have a 3.8 CSU GPA with no AP classes. Will I be equal to someone who has a 3.8 CSU GPA with AP classes? I am a high school junior so I understand it’s too late to take AP classes to boost my CSU GPA.
SDSU like all the Cal States do consider HS course rigor in their admission decisions. Since SDSU gets over 80,000 applications each year, it is to your benefit to be a competitive applicant which means taking advantage of rigorous courses at your HS.
SDSU admits by eligibility index and major.
EI= (CSU GPA x800) + (SAT Math + EBRW) or (CSU GPA x200) + (ACT composite x10).
If your EI is around 4100+ SAT or 1000+ ACT, even without AP classes, you can still be a competitive applicant.
Is someone with an eligibility index of 1000 without AP classes treated the same as someone with a 1000 who took AP classes? @Gumbymom
That is actually a good question. I can only refer you to the common dataset for SDSU which states in section C7 that your HS course rigor is very important in Freshman admission decisions. I would say that if your school offers Honors/AP/IB classes and you chose not to challenge yourself, that will impact your chances.
https://asir.sdsu.edu/Documents/CommonDataSets/CDS_2016-2017.pdf
they rank applicants only by their a-g course completion and eligibility index. Candidates with a high # of AP credits aren’t flagged in any way. If two applicants have the same EI and are on the bubble, both will see the same result.