Okay, so, basically, I’m a high school senior currently going through the application process and am planning on applying here. From what I’ve seen, it’s a nice school, has the majors I want, is in the state I want to move to, and is a school I can at least get into (I have an 81 avg and an 1840 on the SAT, although, I also go to a competitive high school).
Basically, since I’m quite sure I’ll get admitted, I want to know some things.
First off, is moving from New York to California a bad idea?
Second, is the school a safe and accepting environment from an African-American student?
Third, will I enjoy it?
Are there good intern programs?
And finally, will the high school I’ve attended be considered in an admission process? For instance, my B here would be an A at most schools.
@lordobito my D2 also applied from out of state. For CSU Northridge you will need a minimum eligibility index of 3502 to be considered. Go on the CSU Mentor website to figure out how to calculate your eligibility index:
On the application, you will self report your GPA (using courses from 10th grade on). You will be able to add extra points for honors and AP courses. Otherwise you will need to follow the standard 4.0 grading system (a = 4, b = 3, etc.) in your calculation.
You will be asked to send actual transcripts once your mid-year senior year grades are available.
The application period closes Nov. 30 so don’t delay getting your application and test scores submitted.
One more tip: depending on your major, some of the programs are highly competitive and require supplemental material. Here is the list:
Can you afford paying $36K/ year to attend which includes tuition/room/board? Little to no financial aid for OOS students. Also last year due to impaction, only local applicants were accepted.
@Gumbymom I was wondering about that. I knew that one of the two - LB or Northridge, only accepted local applicants last year but couldn’t remember which one. We knew it would be a long shot if D2 applied - she’s basically at the back of the line for all the CSU schools. Meeting a higher Ei doesn’t guarantee admission - it only allows you to be considered! (and if there’s no room, there’s no room . . . ).
CSU Northridge website actually says that non-resident students are “not affected by impaction” (and cite the higher CSU-wide EI of 3502 for admission). Wasn’t sure if that meant they automatically are granted admission if they met this index? I think the wording is confusing because I would think one can still qualify and yet not be granted a spot if the local pool fills it up first.
D2 also applied to SJSU and her intended major has an EI of over 4000! - she still clears it, but again that only allows her to be considered . .
All of D2’s schools of interest: Fullerton, SJSU, LB and Northridge accepted non-resident students for fall 2014. I don’t think the stats are yet available for fall 2015 but if you know of them please send me a link. She applied on 10/1 and met the EI for all her schools and so now it’s really about waiting and seeing what happens.
And you are correct that it will be about $36 - $37 K to attend. And with a minimum of five years of attendance. Not her first choice obviously but some of their programs in her area of interest have a national reputation and that’s why she applied. :0
The CSU’s are public universities funded by California taxpayers. The Cal States are very popular with residents because they are very good and they are cheap for residents. Northridge has some excellent programs; it is safe, impacted, and it is sunny southern California.
State-paying residents are not going to provide scholarships to have OOS students attend full schools. So OOS students pay full fees. Be prepared to pay $36K per year. Coming to California for educational purposes immediately identifies anyone as an OOS full pay for 4 years. Gaining instate residency status is almost impossible.
The CSUN tuition and fees page shows the INSTATE costs. http://www.csun.edu/stufin/tuition. You have to calculate your additional costs of the OOS supplemental fees per unit and semester.
The cost of attendance page: http://www.csun.edu/prospectivestudents/cost-attendance is a little more accurate with costs noted to be anywhere from 22K to 24K but this fee does not include the extra $372 per unit required of OOS students. So add another $10K per year for the OOS estimated unit fees.
Add to that, the cost of living in California is very expensive. Our public transportation is lousy, so add some dollars for that. Most people drive because they have to.
@“aunt bea” so basically, the one school I really wanted to attend and could have gotten into, I can’t attend due to cost? Why do I even bother trying to be happy
@“aunt bea” this is so helpful!! I wish I had run across something like this last year when I started looking into California state colleges. It definitely would have made all my research a lot easier!
I had two sibs who both attended UC schools from out of state - an older brother who went to Cal Berkeley and a younger sister who started at Irvine and transferred to Berkeley later on. Both were able to establish residency and in-state tuition status after a year; however, this was back in the 70’s / 80’s and the threshold was definitely more strict by the time my sister applied - she had to prove financial independence, etc. It doesn’t surprise me to learn that CA has tightened up this loophole considerably since then and we’ve pretty much figured that D2 would not be able to claim in-state tuition status during her 5 + years at at CSU school (and five years is far more realistic than four).
Due to higher tuition, a likely need for a car for some of her CSU choices and no expectation of merit aid, it’s no surprise that CSU is NOT her first choice (nor ours). Her interest, however, is animation and obviously the location is good for that plus the schools have outstanding programs. She knows people from Fullerton who have gotten jobs in the industry so wanted to apply just in case. I think her situation is more particular than, say, someone who wanted to do engineering or business or nursing or other popular majors which exist in numerous quality programs throughout the country. Unfortunately, D2 is going to be paying a lot regardless of where she attends because the best programs tend to be nationally-ranked private art colleges or excellent state programs in states we are not residents of.
If someone is good with google or patient enough to dig through some of the school websites (or even just the CSU main website) they can actually find enrollment #'s for non-residents. What they’ll find is that there are a few but I mean a few. Per College Navigator the enrollment of non-resident/non-international students (so a typical OOS US student) would be about 1%of the student population for many of the CSU campuses.
<< aunt bea so basically, the one school I really wanted to attend and could have gotten into, I can’t attend due to cost? Why do I even bother trying to be happy>>
@LordObito are you looking at the SUNY schools? That’s going to be your least costly option, obviously. Or check out University of Central Florida in Orlando (if you like nice weather). My D2 was just accepted there. Big school, LOTS of majors. Not as expensive as the CSU system for OOS students.
As mentioned earlier the big constraint for the CSU schools is impaction - but even if admitted you have to be realistic about the costs. We estimated about $37,000 per year for D2 all-in (tuition, fees, room & board, books, personal). And as I mentioned earlier, it would be VERY difficult to get out in four years. Better budget for at least five. (That’s true for UCF as well, btw).
You might check out private colleges in CA if you have your heart set on that state. Private school tends to be way more expensive than public BUT 1) there are more scholarships available sometimes, and 2) you have a higher probability of graduating in four years.
@Mamelot: Thanks for the updated information regarding CSUN and OOS applicants. I know last year that had posted on their website, that only local applicants were going to be admitted. I guess they have revised their admission requirements and want those OOS fees.
I haven’t seen the 2015 Freshman/Transfer admission stats for the Cal States listed in regards to OOS/Local and Non-local in-state admissions as of yet.
@LordObito, Did you know that we have a lot of schools in southern California that will offer scholarships to you if your stats are good? Most of them have a religious affiliation but it is not “forced”.
As a URM, this is a major hook for the private schools. (The UC’s and CSU’s cannot use affirmation action to admit students; its against the law). You can apply to USC, Chapman (OC), Loyola Marymount, the Claremont Colleges, USD, Pt. Loma Nazarene (in San Diego). Yes, they are very expensive, but if you are a need-based student, you can probably get a decent financial aid package to make your education affordable. Santa Clara, in the bay area has decent financial aid if you can get in.
California is very laid back and accepting of all cultures. It is very popular with immigrant populations.
(At my kids’ high school, there were 87 languages spoken!) So, it is very diverse.
Actually, @LordObito, two of the schools that @aunt bea mentioned - USC and Loyola Marymount - have excellent animation programs. USC is one of the best. They both require submitting a portfolio. D2 doesn’t have much in the way of observational drawing so she opted for schools that don’t require one. Chapman may have an animation dept - can’t remember.
