Is SDSU a "commuter" college? Thoughts on campus atmosphere?

Do a lot of SDSU students commute to school? Curious what the vibe is on campus.

Any student outside the local service area is required to live on-campus for 2 years now so all Freshman’s and Sophomores that fall in this category will be living on-campus and many upperclass man live near campus. SDSU does have it share of commuters but no longer gives local priority so they have far more non-local students attending than in previous years.

I am not a student but my younger son attended SDSU and recently graduated this past May. He loved his time on campus and found it diverse, friendly and found the social scene very active. He said there is something for everyone.

The best way to determine the “vibe” is spend a day on campus.

Hopefully, some current students will be able to give more information and insight.

Thanks Gumbymom. I recently spent a day on campus and really liked it, but I think there are things you can’t really tell about a campus unless you’re there for an overnight or weekend visit.

By the way, you’re really helpful, Gumbymom! Thanks for all the info!!

My D is a freshman student and agrees that SDSU is not a commuter school. School spirit is strong and it meets her expectation of the complete college experience so far. We’ve heard that some CSUs were/are commuter schools but SDSU isn’t one of them.

As a local, alumna, and mom of an Aztec (who lived on campus for three years), I’d say the basic vibe on campus is a bit laid back (in a good way), focused and driven students, friendly beach town meets big city vibe. I’m on campus a lot for concerts, basketball games, shopping at the campus Trader Joe’s, and eating at Eureka, and it is a very busy, spirited, and engaged campus. Lots of events and activities happening seven days a week - during the daytime and nighttime. Students are all over the place, and they are always super friendly. You see tons of staff, faculty, and admins in the same dining places as the students, and everyone is usually smiling and welcoming. I’m obviously a parent, and every time I’m on campus, students walk past me and say hello. They’ll chat with me in the elevators and offer assistance if I look lost.

Lots of community support with a ton of alumni living in the city and county. Voters just passed a measure that will greatly expand the university over the next 20 years with a new football stadium, buildings, etc. You’ll see people of all ages, from babies to senior citizens, proudly wearing their SDSU-wear everywhere in the city. I’m seeing, as SDSU has become more competitive in admissions and in college rankings, more and more local high school students are opting to go to SDSU and have the total college experience by living on campus. Also, the commute can be horrible in San Diego, so it is often much easier for local students to live on campus instead of spending an hour in the morning and again in the afternoon trying to drive home. Plus, even though there are a lot of locals who attend SDSU, there are thousands and thousands of non-locals who attend the university, too.

I’m the mom to a freshman Aztec and both my husband and I are alum and we live in the San Diego area. It’s a wonderful school with a great atmosphere and energy! My son is thriving at SDSU and living on campus. But I’m a member of the FB group for SDSU parents and find that many out of town parents are surprised at the surrounding area to SDSU. San Diego is one of the largest cities in the US and there is the level of crime and homelessness that goes along with a major city. People come in unaware that while it’s a beautiful and seemingly safe campus, it’s not in the greatest area of San Diego and kids need to be aware of their surroundings. I have seen parents complain that the school does not build a big wall with gates to keep people out and that the campus police cannot get rid of all the homeless people in the area. It’s a fabulous school, but be aware that there are big city realities right there on campus too!