SDSU Or Fresno State?

Okay, so I am a transfer student and I need to make a final decision asap!!!.. I can’t decide between Fresno State Or San Diego State. Not to sound like a cheater or anything, but I looked up the professors for both schools on rate my professor and I noticed that the Criminal Justice Professors for Fresno State had a lot of 4.0 and above for EASINESS. Whereas, SDSU did too but most were considered “Hard” according to students on rate my professor. I’ve visited both schools ONCE. I liked BOTH campuses except I didn’t like the city of Fresno. I am a beach person and I love the water and the beach and Fresno did not have that at all. It was too hot and no beach!!! all fields! On the other hands, I love So-Cal. San Diego had the nice weather, beaches, people,etc. My question was, whats more important? To go to a school where the professors are “easy” for your major? (Fresno in my case) and be miserable in the area. Or go to an area where you’ll love and let it be more challenging at school? (SDSU in my case)? PLEASE Help me out people. What would you guys do if you you guys found out that teachers were “easier” than your dream school. Would you go to a school just because you’ll be able to pass the classes with no problem? or just go to a nice area and the school of your dreams although the professors are “HARD” according to “Rate my professor”… Please and thank you people! By the way, I want to work at a juvenile hall and build myself up as a probation officer… Thank You

If there is no difference in cost, I would say go with SDSU. Aside from the surrounding area, which is a big plus, it is one of the better programs in the CSU system. As long as you are paying for college, why wouldn’t you want to attend the program that gives you the most for your money? I personally would not put a lot of stock in the ratings from 2 different schools as the students who did the ratings attended only one of the two schools and therefore are not comparing them to each other. However, SDSU is a more difficult school as far as acceptance rates and so has a slightly higher caliber of students. You will probably find a little more serious student there and will probably find the classes more challenging as a result. You must be a good fit for the school if you were accepted. If you are afraid of a little hard work than go with Fresno, but if you want to spend 2+ years in a beautiful area with lots to do at a well regarded college program, than go with SDSU.

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@takeitallin Thank you, also, do you know if criminal justice is popular at SDSU? It’s insane because SDSU was my dream school and after doing all this research I’m debating, but I do like Criminal Justice. I’ve aced every class at community college. I just want to know if they have a good program because every teacher I asked which school they would recommend they would always out the top of their head mention Fresno, Sacramento, Csulb or even Csun… But Im going through loans and financial aid… the cost is not much of a difference.

SDSU by far…

@NCalRent Are you familiar with sdsu?

I am familiar with both cities and schools. if I had to spend a few years at either, San Diego no question. It is a much nicer place to be, weather, recreation, you name it. Honestly, pull up the weekend (for any weekend, all year) forecast for both, they tell me where you’d rather be. You say yourself, Fresno is sketchy and you prefer the beach… need i say more?

If you wanted to study something Ag related, that might tip the scales to Fresno, I don’t know a ton about the CJ programs at either but, that’s not the type of specialty that would require you to live someplace you’ll be miserable. A CJ degree from SDSU will carry every bit the weight a CJ degree from Fresno, Sac, etc, maybe more.

Go where you’ll be happy. You will perform better.

@NCalRent Maybe next week I’ll have to visit both areas… How about with the schools? are you familiar with them?

Unless you have plans to stay and live in the central valley (long term), I vote for SDSU.

What are your future plans with your CJ degree?

@arc918 I don’t have plans to stay in Fresno to tell you the truth… To me, the city looked VERY DEAD!. However, I did like the campus. I’m a beach person and I LOVE So-Cal LA,SD,etc. The only thing that might be keeping me from going to sdsu is that after I might not find a job… I plan on working at a juvenile detention center (juvenile hall) and build my way up to a probation officer…

@NCalRent Sorry for the last comment lol … I asked you the same questions twice… Would it be alright if I direct message you?

My nephew studied CJ at SDSU. I’m Aztec alumna. Nephew loved the school but had difficulty in the major.

Just because it’s 20 minutes from the beach doesn’t mean that it is an easy school. You will have to work hard there. Jobs might be difficult to come by because San Diego is a popular destination for a lot of new grads and they don’t seem to realize that jobs can be tough to get in a popular destination. You do end up paying for the weather. The rents are very expensive.

That being said, nephew followed the basketball and football programs at SDSU. He took the trolley to school so that he wouldn’t have to pay for parking on campus.

My son went to Fresno for CJ. They actually have a very good program, including a working crime lab. I don’t know about the “easy” professor reviews… he felt he learned a lot.

His overall assessment was “loved the school, hated the city.”

Right - and you’ll spend 15-20 hours in class per week… leaving lots of time to take in the surrounding community.

@NCalRent i was in Fresno yesterday and i couldnt take the heat! lol

SDSU by far. Better academics & a better experience. If you can’t find work in the area after college, you can always move for a job. You can’t go back and change a miserable college experience, though.

It doesn’t matter what some random ratings say, they accepted you because they think you can do the work. If the program’s more rigorous, it just means that it’ll prepare you better for your field + it’ll look better to employers.