Hello,
For a student with good stats trying to have a “safety” CSU, where residential life would be good (comfortable/not too commuter) and where the Honors College/Program is well-structured, which two would you recommend between
San Marcos, San Bernardino, Channel Islands, Chico?
(Would you include CSU-LA? Northridge? Fullerton?..)
Intended major: Physics, Applied Physics. Female, caucasian, atheist, athletic (potential D2 recruit/soccer).
I would recommend Chico State since it meets the criteria. Channel Islands is more residential than CSUSM and CSUSB, but not sure about the Honors program. I would not consider CSU Fullerton a safety, but I think it would have the best Honors/Physics program however, CSU Fullerton is still considered a commuter school but they have a good women’s soccer team.
I toured Fullerton and did not like it, but they do have a great women’s soccer team. Fullerton, CSULA, Northridge, Cal Poly Pomona are very much commuter schools and the people that I talked to that didn’t like going to the schools, really disliked them because they’re commuter schools and were unhappy with the campus life there. I’ve also heard terrible things about Channel Islands. I would go with Marcos, Chico, San Bernadino.
@Gumbymom, @boxandwhiskers : Thank you so much for your comments!
Is Fullerton better than CPP for Physics/Applied Physics?
What “terrible things” about CI, and how credible was your source?
I used to live right near CI and knew a lot of students who ended up transferring out of there because they really disliked it. I also hated living over there. Also, most of the students at my CC always referred to CI as the school that’ll take anyone because it’s desperate for students to attend (most likely because most people have heard that it’s a bad school). BUT that’s just the general hearsay around my school. I don’t think it’s ACTUALLY desperate for students, but it’s generally feared around my school as being the school no one really wants to transfer to, but will if it’s the absolute last resort.
What’s wrong? The students’ preparation? Motivation? The professors? the Student/instructor ratio? The facilities? Is it really remote, or in a sketchy area?
To me, it seems very similar to San Marcos (newer, still developing) but I can’t check on the ground.
Administration problems, bad counselors, lack of amount of classes, in a remote location, heavy work loads. It’s near Ventura and Oxnard which is pretty meth’d out.
On the plus side, those I knew who went there but left because they were unhappy with the school for the above reasons, liked the look of the campus, I guess there were good places to eat on campus, and enjoyed the small classrooms. Those I knew who went to the school who were not looking for a party scene or didn’t care about having a social life there liked it because they could just focus on school and not have to care about making friends or having a social life.
Northridge applicants should be aware of freshman impaction. If you are not in the local area you have higher admission criteria which is marked TBD and they will fill locally first.
http://www.csun.edu/admissions-records/freshman-impaction
http://www.csun.edu/admissions-records/apply-first-time-freshman.
Fullerton is on a very congested traffic corridor of Hwy 57. But a couple miles from the campus is at least a little socal style old school downtown area with stuff going on and a regular art walk. Where CPP is a bit more remote and suburban but near horsey stuff, but the commuting is not so bad. San Bernardino is a real pit and crime ridden area not sure how it affects campus. I think Fullerton would likely be better for physics than CPP but that may be not current info.
Chico is much more a college area but it has been a long time since I used to visit my sister and go tubing on the river and other outdoor stuff. I really know nothing about San Marcos.
San Marcos is a commuter school too. Most of the students tried to get into SDSU, but couldn’t so this is the little bro to SDSU. It’s in SD’s north county and is beginning to attract more instate students.
Its new and has established a decent reputation.
Thanks to you all! 
So, if I get the consensus here, San Marcos would be a better option than CI and SB, right?
When we toured Chico last October, we got such a good vibe. Nice size, friendly people, great little downtown area. We know it has a reputation for partying, but the overall feeling was very accepting, so I think you could stay away from that if it was your preference. My daughter loves to cook and was not excited to squeezed into trandtional style dorms, so the honors housing was especially appealing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNJGgVnWGwo
Yes, plus San Marcos is ½ hour from the North San Diego County Beaches: Carlsbad, Leucadia, Encinitas
Using your recommendations, the student has chosen San Marcos as absolute safety , over sb and ci, even though it has no honors program that I could find; plus cpp and Chico, because both have good honors programs. She may add Fullerton if funds become available.