I will be attending CSULA in the fall of 2016 as a Transfer student. I will be getting my bachelor’s in Sociology. I’m not going to be living on campus, but I’m just wondering how the school is like.
The teachers, administration, the area, food, students, events, ect… Just basically how the school is like!
Thanks.
BTW: I’m also not from this area… I’m from San Francisco, so everything is going to be new to me. I will be living in Anaheim area. How bad will the traffic be going to school every day?
That’s quite a drive during rush hour. You should be fine if you time your trips. Classes are crowded and there is lots of diversity; especially hispanic. Professors are great- many graduating from top-rated PhD programs and doing interesting research. Focus on your studies and go to office hours. Great events and performances are put on at the Luckman fine arts complex (Sinead O’Conner was booked there last year). Pool and fitness center are great. The campus and student union/Starbucks provide a nice environment.
The area is up-and-coming working class, with hipsters starting to migrate to the area (El Sereno and City Terrace/East LA) from Highland Park/Echo Park/Silverlake. A stone’s throw from the revitalized Downtown LA city center. You may want to move a bit closer, or live on campus, to be closer to DTLA. On the other hand, there is a MetroLink stop (San Bernardino line) that may be a more reliable way to commute and you can study on the train.
What sort of Sociology are you most interested in?
@ItsJustSchool I would definitely like to move closer but I’ll be moving down to SoCal with my boyfriend who will be going to UC Irvine. So we are trying to find a place that is in the middle of Irvine and Los Angeles. Fullerton and Anaheim seemed to be about in the middle, but it seemed like traffic no matter what going to LA was bad. I also saw some places in Cerritos but I have no idea how Cerritos is like. Do you happen to know?
The MetroLink sounds like a good idea. Does it stop at the school? I’m from the SF Bay Area and we get a lot of traffic as well, but we have a BART subway that helps with the traffic. Is there some kind of subway around there? Just trying to find other ways instead of always having to drive…
I’m interested in becoming a social worker. So my goal is to get my Bachelor’s in General Sociology and then get my Master’s in Social Work.
Thanks for your thorough reply by the way. I’m very very new to this area and I don’t know much of what to expect
Choose a place by a metro link, you’ll both be glad. You avoid the aggravation that’s traffic in the area AND you can study on the train.
There is a growing subway system. Starting May 20, you can go all the way to near the beach (Santa Monica, a couple of blocks to the beach) and can get into Hollywood, and many places. LA is more sprawled out than SF, so the subway is not as comprehensive, but it does cover a lot. There is also MetroLink, which is more of a commuter rail, and of course Amtrak.
Cerritos- I don’t know about. I think it is a very prosperous town.
I would live close to one campus to take advantage of libraries and other amenities, and commute to the other. Or live separately and get together on weekends. In the middle serves no one and is an annoyance for both of you.
There is a metro link stop and a busway stop at CSULA. Google Maps suggests using Amtrak or MetroLink to Union Station and the Busway to CSULA. (A busway is a bus with dedicated lanes- kind of like a train, but with rubber wheels instead of steel wheels on track).