<p>I’d be surprised if you got rejected from UC Riverside. Not only is its poly sci program well developed and other related programs strong, but the massive population increase in the IE has led to a number of major demographic shifts as well as questions about urban expanse, commuting, waste management, etc. </p>
<p>UCSB may be a high match for you but its undergraduate political science program is quite rigorous, and requires students to participate in basic undergraduate research. However Goletta isn’t exactly the most happening place for policy. </p>
<p>Long Beach is an excellent place to study local politics although it’s a much heavier commuter school than CSUF which has recently expanded on campus life. </p>
<p>Cal State San Marcos also has a pretty interesting relationship with some Native American reservations and has helped craft policy for them in the past although I’m not sure if they’ve continued the work or how many general opportunities most political science majors have. </p>
<p>If you’re interested in the environment, and want a smaller private, you may want to check out St. Mary’s College although it’s rather removed from Oakland or other more politically interesting cities. </p>