Help Make a Decision for a Cal State University in Computer Science

My younger son is a 2nd year CS major at SDSU and he applied to all the schools listed including CSU Fullerton.

  1. Cal Poly SLO has an excellent CS program. The acceptance range hovers around 10%, so if you have the stats to get into the program, you should also consider several of the UC’s: UCSC/UCI/UCSD/UCD/UCSB/UCLA. Software Engineering is an easier admit, so you might want to consider this as an alternate major.
    SLO favors locals for transfer, so attending Cuesta will help your chances.

  2. SJSU again has a excellent CS program and also a tough admit. They publish their EI thresholds so you can get an idea of how you compare to last years class. EI for SAT CS: 4300 ACT: 1021 For Software Engineering SAT: 3600 ACT: 862.

  3. Cal Poly Pomona CS is impacted so again competitive. Going to Mt Sac and then transferring would probably be a wise move if you do not apply as a Freshman.

  4. CSULB: 3rd most competitive CSU overall and requires at least a minimum 3900 EI for a good chance at an acceptance as a Freshman. Again locals are given priority but if you maintain a good GPA at a CCC, transferring should not be an issue.

  5. SDSU: Competitive school/progarm. An EI of 4100/1000 or above puts in good standing for an acceptance. Very difficult to transfer in unless you attend a local San Diego CCC even with an articulation agreeement from out of area schools.

  6. CSUF: Very good program. Recommended by a friend whom received their masters at CSUF. Good transfer possibilities from area CCC’s. An EI of 3700/900 should get you in.

My son compared curriculum’s of all the Cal states that he was accepted to before making his decision (SLO was a rejection). Found the overall programs comparable, but college is just not about academics only. Fit is important. He chose SDSU for the academics/reputation/social scene and location.

Good luck.