Is SDSU a good/reputable university?

College Search & Selection
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<p>Hi...California resident and incoming senior here lately thinking of going to college in San Diego. The three I would apply to are UCSD, USD, and SDSU. I doubt I can get into UCSD with my GPA (3.24UW) and SAT score (1690). While USD had beautiful architecture and was very clean, it gave off a vibe of dullness and emptiness, and I found the campus a bit smallish for my tastes, especially since it's not a small LAC. </p>

<p>So my only choice would be SDSU, which I wouldn't mind going to. I had gone by the campus before and the atmosphere seemed more exciting and collegiate. I can hopefully get a tour later this month, as my family and I are going to San Diego for a vacation. </p>

<p>Is San Diego State considered a good/reputable university, especially outside of the San Diego area? It seems better than other CSUs, as the applicants had higher GPAs and SAT scores than those at other CSUs. However, my dad doesn't seem to consider it good, as he asks me why I would want to go there instead of nearby Cal Poly Pomona or CSU Fullerton or Long Beach. Is it just considered some party school or is a degree from San Diego State actually worth something?</p>

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<p>how about USD?</p>

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<p>he talked about usd in his post. he also talked about ucsd and sdsu. he said he likely couldnt get into ucsd, he didnt like usd that much, but liked sdsu.</p>

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<p>My dad said something to a similiar degree before I decided to go to SDSU, he viewed it as the SDSU of the past too. But now SDSU has managed to surpass all those schools in numbers/endowment, everything.</p>

5

<p>i dont know what your dad is thinking, sdsu is alot better than csuf, csulb and cal poly pomona. they are the only major research conducting csu, grant doctorates degrees and is 2nd toughest and csu to get into. sdsu would be ranked after cal poly slo in terms of quality of overall education in the csu system.</p>

<p>its not like you have to party if you dont want to anyways</p>

6

<p>There's another option as well in the San Diego area - CSUSM (CalState San Marcos). It's a fairly new CalState school and is growing considerably. It's in a suburb area of San Diego county about 20 minutes from the beach and about 35-40 minutes from downtown. I believe it'd be easier to make it into CSUSM than SDSU.</p>

<p>If you know your major, take a look at what the candidate schools offer in that particular area. If you don't know it yet, then you want a school with enough breadth that they're likely to offer someting you'll end up interested in.</p>

<p>Keep in mind that USD is a private school and therefore costs much more than the state schools.</p>

<p>I don't see anything wrong with SDSU. My friend's D goes there and I've worked with people who have gone there. As long as you're serious about your studies and they offer the major you want, I'm sure you'd do fine. Also keep in mind that as SDSU gets more selective (which they are), the overall caliber of the students and programs will likely be on the rise.</p>

7

<p>SDSU is also a reach with your stats. It has no reputation outside of CA.</p>

8

<p>sorry, but while SDSU is a fine school, it has no more prestige than any other fine Cal State (with, perhaps, the undergrad biz program which is excellent). One plus factor for SD is it is slightly less of a commuter school and has more of a campus community than the others you mentioned. However, SDSU is 'impacted' and gives priority to SD County residents, so it's hard to get into out of county.</p>

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<p>a bit of a reach, the only factors they consider are gpa and scores, they make a number by multiplying your gpa and adding your test scores to make an admission number. Anyways I like SDSU, and I'M considering applying.</p>

10

<p>why are you limiting your self to just san diego schools. i would imagine you could get in at cal poly san luis obispo(depending on your major) and maybe santa barbara(if you have other stats going on for you).</p>

<p>Being a california resident and native, I personally don't hold any high value to any of the cal states, because mentally in my head I'm always thinking they weren't good enough for a UC, that's why they ended up at a cal state, especially if it's a commuter cal state.
But I know better and I know SDSU is a good strong school. But it won't get the wow reaction a school like ucsd would get, except maybe those other csu students who wish they could have gotten into sdsu.</p>

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<p>dad's points are dead on. first decide what you want to study. next examine closely the curriculum and faculty within that major. is the major well developed in areas you like or want to study? or is the major merely a nominal one? next examine the faculty credentials. do most faculty hold doctoral degrees from major research universities? do they have professional experience in your area of interest as well? finally, compare at the campus level. there's no point going to a big name campus in a major that is not distinguished.</p>

<p>you are right that pomona, beach and fullerton for the most part are great options right in your backyard. but maybe you want to GET OUT of covina and that's understandable too. san diego may be a comfortable distance, far enough but not too far.</p>

<p>if you need help bump back.</p>

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<p>"Being a california resident and native, I personally don't hold any high value to any of the cal states, because mentally in my head I'm always thinking they weren't good enough for a UC, that's why they ended up at a cal state, especially if it's a commuter cal state."</p>

<p>i was shocked by this statement (which was somewhat recalled with 'but i know better')</p>

<p>THE DIFFERENCE between a UC school and a CSU is not necessarily reputation, ESPECIALLY if one's looking at a major. Communications programs, for example, tend to be STRONGER in CSU programs than in UC. </p>

<p>CSU Programs tend to be more hands on (when the field allows) and UC Programs tend to be more research involved and lecture based. Which is 'better' depends on which is right for you and your major.</p>

<p>It's been said a couple times, but I'd like to reiterate and say that you should be looking at the colleges and the strengths of the department for your major, and not the school itself, if you want to determine what is good/reputable for your needs.</p>

<p>All degrees are worth 'something' -- the weight it holds depends on the program you majored in. A program that's strong in one school may be weak in another (despite the terrific reputation).</p>

<p>And don't stress too much about finding THE best school after high school. In most careers it is becoming more and more necessary to have a Master's Degree along with a bachelor's.</p>

<p>Happy Hunting!</p>

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<p>unfortunately it takes a lot more work and time to determine strength of major than strength of university, and in many cases it's a matter of conjecture unless you have someone who knows the field of study. data abound on rankings of institutions but scarcely little is out there for the public to see about strength of majors.</p>

<p>what every school SHOULD have in their web based and printed materials, however, are:</p>

<ol>
<li><p>is the major field accredited by the leading agency of that area? (ie, AEJMC for communications or AACSB for business)</p></li>
<li><p>is the major field of study broadly and deeply represented by a curriculum IN THAT FIELD? (this is where many UC campuses fail in business, for example, when undergraduates want an accounting or marketing major and end up taking mostly economics and psychology type classes)</p></li>
<li><p>is the major field of study populated by a full time (tenure track with professiorial rank) faculty with terminal (doctoral) degrees from major universities such as from the Ivy League, Big Ten and Pacific Ten?</p></li>
<li><p>is the major field of study located on a campus where there is some degree of competitiveness for admissions? you be the judge on "how much" selectivity matches your abilities. even for the CSU system you must be in the top quarter of your graduating high school class in state.</p></li>
</ol>

<p>if these questions are not answered positively--or not answered at all--i would move on to other options. if more data such as placement information is available these would be pluses.</p>

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<p>UCSB and Cal Poly are not possible with those stats. Does the uw gpa include any electives, don't forget the CA formula, look at all the other posts on UC sites to get the formula...it does not include electives..a-g courses only. What about SBCC?</p>

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<p>QUOTE:why are you limiting your self to just san diego schools</p>

<p>I'm not. I'm considering other schools across California and the West, including other CSUs as well as UCs.</p>

<p>Some of you have asked me for my majors. I am considering studying:</p>

<p>Sociology (offered at SDSU)
Marketing (offered at SDSU) or Business Admin w/focus in marketing
Urban Studies (offered at SDSU)</p>

<p>Maybe:
Geography (offered at SDSU)
Political Science (offered at SDSU)-I've had bit of a fascination w/politics these past few years
Environmental Studies-I've always been one for the environment</p>

<p>Also, here are my stats for more information:</p>

<p>My 9th-12th rank is 108/478-within the top 25%-at least it was the last time I checked my transcript.
My HS doesn't weigh GPAs for honors/AP.</p>

<p>My Course List & Grades (P stands for college prep)
Summer School 2003:
Health A</p>

<p>9th Grade-both semesters
Biology Honors-B/B
Composition & Literature I Honors-B/B
World History Honors-A/B
Geometry P-A/B
Spanish I P-A/A
PE (non-academic)</p>

<p>Summer School 2004:
Art Appreciation 1 P-A
Art Appreciation 2 P-A</p>

<p>10th Grade-1st Semester
AP World History-B/C (4 on the exam)
Chemistry Honors 1st sem, Chemistry Concepts P 2nd sem (dropped Chem H because I got a D)-D/B
Composition & Literature II Honors-B/B
Algebra II P-B/C
Spanish II P-B/B
PE (non-academic)</p>

<p>Summer School 2005:
Intro to Computer Applications-A
Computer Applications-A</p>

<p>11th Grade-Both Semesters
AP Biology-B/B (2 on the exam)
AP US History-A/A (4 on the exam)
Advanced Art P-A/A
Composition & Literature III P (didn’t make it into AP Lit)-A/A
Trigonometry & Pre-Calculus P-D/C (may take 1st sem over if my school will let me)
Spanish III P-A/B</p>

<p>My Planned 12th Grade Schedule:
AP Environmental Science
AP Macroeconomics w/Government
AP Spanish
Composition & Literature IV P
I'm tentatively scheduled for finite math, but i'm not sure now which math I'll be taking next year
Psychology P 1st semester; Speech P 2nd semester (maybe)</p>

<p>Test Scores: </p>

<p>SAT I: (may take it again in Oct)
Verbal: 590
Math: 490
Writing: 610</p>

<p>SAT IIs:
World History: 720
Biology E: 580
US History: 670</p>

<p>ECs:
Awards: None in HS, but I got a Congressional award in 8th grade for volunteer work.
Community Service: I have done volunteer work for Key Club, and this summer I'm volunteering at the local library, helpingout for their Summer Reading Program.
Sports: None
Clubs: Key Club, Spanish Club, Crackdown</p>

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<p>SoCalkid8807:</p>

<p>UCB/UCLA: Super Reach
UCSD: Reach
UCI/UCSB/UCD: Slight Reach
UCSC/UCR/UCM: Match</p>

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<p>you're a reach for san diego with those stats since you are outside its service area. but as i recall covina is in both pomona and fullerton's service areas and therefore you could get in non impacted programs at either place. if you choose marketing shoot me an email since that's my field. urban studies is impacted at pomona. your stats also would support an admit at san marcos if you like san diego county. almost any UC would be a reach.</p>

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<p>With my stats, which of these Cal States that I'm considering would be reaches, matches, or safeties? I'm considering:</p>

<p>Cal Poly Pomona
Cal Poly SLO
Fresno (maybe)
Fullerton
Humboldt (maybe)
Long Beach
Northridge (maybe)
San Diego (of course...I wrote the thread about it)
San Francisco</p>

<p>Also, can I find any maps of the individual CSU service areas???</p>

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<p>Reaches:
Cal Poly SLO
San Diego State</p>

<p>Reach/Match:
Long Beach
Fullerton (not really sure, maybe match. i wouldnt know because im in their service area so everyone with at least a 3.0 gets in. but this campus is impacted for first time freshmen)</p>

<p>Match:
Cal Poly Pomona
(i personally know people who got into this school with similar stats to yours)</p>

<p>Safety: (just meet minimum csu requirements and you will be admitted because these are not impacted campuses)
SFSU
Fresno
Humbolt
Northridge</p>

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<p>no way at SLO and unlikely at san diego state. service area match at pomona and fullerton. slight reach at beach since out of service area. and as surfer says all the others are safeties. i would add san marcos to my list if i were you which also would be a safety.</p>

<p>you might try calling the chancellor's office in long beach to see if you can get service area maps, though as i recall they are rather a list of public and private high schools served. another good program worth looking at is san jose state.</p>