What’s my D’s chances for getting into CSUF, CPP, CSUN, CSULB, or SDSU for Fall 2020?
Based on your EI and current year admission stats:
SDSU/CSULB: Reach
CPP/CSUF (Fullerton or Fresno: Toss up 50/50
CSUN: Likely
She definitely needs a couple of solid Safety schools. What is your local CSU?
@Gumbymom
Thanks! We’re in Alameda County, so CSU EB and SFSU. (She’ll probably apply to SFSU for Biology with a Zoology concentration too). However, she’s saying that she wants to go to school in So Cal. We have not yet seen CSU San Marcos and Channel Islands. Would you consider those in the “Likely” category?
CSU Channel Islands is a non-impacted campus so a very Likely and San Marcos a likely.
I have seen some of your comments regarding SDSU and EI scores. I have seen students accepted with very high GPA’s and lower (1080-1100) SAT scores. Yes SDSU is impacted and most majors are. However, it is not a 100% no with lower EI scores. Just FYI
My read for next year to be safe as a Bio major CSUF,3700, CPP 3900, CSUN, 3600 CSULB (note they ,4000 or SDSU 4150. San Marcos 3500, Channel Island 2900. Take a look at Sonoma and Chico as very residentail CSUs well within her reach.
Enjoy the ride.
@NCalRent Thanks! We did a self-guided tour of Chico, and I thought it would be a good choice, but when I was going to set up a formal tour there she said she’d rather go to school in Southern California. Sonoma seems like a nice small school but about 9 miles from the nearest decent size city either at Santa Rosa or Petaluma. anyhow I will probably have her apply to Chico and Sonoma also in case she changes her mind and decides she wants to be closer to home.
Also I would make a couple of corrections for the EI thresholds listed by @NCalRent with whom I rarely disagree. Based on the average GPA and test scores from last year, these would be the EI targets I would shoot for since she will not be a non-local applicant applying to an impacted major(s), especially Biology which is highly competitive due to its popularity. (Highest applied major at SDSU)
SDSU: 4300
CSULB: 4100
CSUF: 4000
CPP: 3950
CSUN: 3900
CSUSM: 3700
CSUCI: 2950
@Bear2mama: Yes applicants with High GPA and lower SAT/ACT scores are able to get into many impacted campuses and visa versa, but many also have local preference so their EI threshold is lower than for a non-local which should be taken into consideration. Take a look at the Decision threads and stats of the waitlisted/denied applicants whom thought many of these schools were safeties.
SDSU for example had 94,000 applicants with around 70,000 of them Freshman applicants. They accept around 24,000 for a class of 6,000 enrolled. That leaves 46,000 waitlisted or denied. The odds are against you even before you apply. I am just saying to apply widely, identify 2 solid safety (Very Likely) schools you are willing to attend and in the end you will have some good options.
use @Gumbymom numbers - I didn’t catch that bio had become such a competitive major at all of those schools. Thanks for the correction. It also look like my post got cut off (probably multi-tasking when i submitted) LB uses a modified eligibility index for STEM applicants which double weights the math section of the SAT.
https://www.csulb.edu/admissions/freshmen-eligibility-index. If she really wants to go to one of the schools you list, she should probably take another crack at the SAT, another couple hundred SAT points would put her in better contention at most of them.
I also agree with her advice about casting a wide net. Include several N Cal and So Cal schools - a handful of aspiratoinal aps is fine but, be sure she applies to several she’s likely to get into . Beauty is in the eye of the beholder CI and SM are both fairly new and IMHO (a neighbor just returned from a tour of both and confirmed this is still true) lack some of the critical mass and finishing touches that are common on and around most CSU campuses. Academically, they are both solid and they could be perfect for your daughter - just take a look before getting attached.
@Gumbymom Thanks so much! This was exactly what I was looking for - EI estimates for “non-locals” that consider majors. The SAT said that my D’s score was in the 67% so it somewhat makes sense that she’d probably only get into about 67% of those schools.
@NCalRent Thanks! I’ll check out that link for LB. Her SAT was an even 550 reading, 550 math. D is reluctant to take the SAT again, but maybe I can convince her to just study the Math if she really wants LB
Just got back from a tour of CSUCI, CSULA, and CSUSM. D seemed to be okay with all of them, although probably not her first choice. Hopefully, she gets into at least one of these, so she’ll have a “backup” or “safety” school.
We also saw CSU Fullerton. The tour guide said the EI for locals was 3800 and for non-locals was 4100. So, it might be out of her range of 4000. Anyhow, she wasn’t too excited about it, maybe just sour grapes. Finding parking for the tour in the completely full parking garage was a bit of a challenge.
Thanks for the update.
https://www.csun.edu/admissions-records/freshman-impaction lists CSUN EI thresholds for the just completed 2019 cycle.
Non local minimum was 3800 (local was 2950), or higher if impacted major threshold was higher. Biology was impacted, and had a 3800 minimum. These may change next year.
https://www2.calstate.edu/attend/degrees-certificates-credentials/Pages/impacted-degrees.aspx lists CSUCI as non impacted, with only nursing and mechatronics as impacted majors. So 2950 should get into that campus in other majors.
Thanks! I’ve updated the current list (with some guess work) of EI for non-local (biology majors) below:
SDSU: 4300
CSULB: 4100
CSU Fullerton: 4100
CPP: 3950
CSUN: 3800
CSUSM: 3700
CSUCI: 2950
Talked to my D last night about taking the SAT again in August in hopes of moving her EI up to the 4100+ range