<p>I assume your friend is moving from another state to CA?
CA has a huge public school system. There are the UCs - University of California schools (UCB, UCLA, UCSD, UCI, UCSB, UCD, UCSC, UCR, UCM) and the CSUs - Cal State University Schools (often called CSUN, CSULB and also called SJSU, SFSU, etc).
The UC schools are committed to educating the top 10%-12.5% of CA HS graduates. The CSUs are committed to educating the top 33%. (This is all based on my memory 30 years ago, things may have changed).</p>
<p>CSUN is a very good school within the CSU system. The area is nice, not dangerous or scary. Hot weather. Need a car. </p>
<p>CSULA is not as good of a school within the CSU system. Not as nice area. Weather not as hot as CSUN. Need a car, but might be able to get around with public transit.</p>
<p>Not sure about dorms etc. Many students commute to both those schools, although my instinct would lead me to believe that more students dorm at CSUN than CSULA. CSULA feels more like a cc. Both places have film programs. Oh yes, and American Idol’s Hollywood week for this season was filmed in CSUN’s auditorium this year.</p>