I am building my college list, and was wondering if SDSU would be considered a reach, match or safety school?
Also, do CSU’s do alternate majors?
Based on SDSU’s criteria for this year, I would say close to a Match.
Thank you!
Thank you!
Thank you!
Hi @Gumbymom I was looking at my college list as a whole and am concerned by my lack of safety schools. My list includes UCLA(Dream School, and unlikely, but have good stories for insight questions), UCI,UCSB, UCSD, SDSU(Realistic dream school), CALPOLY, and CSULB. I know I will be admitted to CSULB because of my local area, but I don’t really want to go to a commuter campus across the street, could you help me figure out which are match, reach and safety schools and do you have any good suggestions for safety schools?
CSULB is a safety school for admission but not necessarily your major. Cal Poly SLO or CPP?
SLO would be a Reach for Kinesiology and all the UC’s you have listed would be Reach schools but your PIQ’s could be a tipping point. I said SDSU is a close Match but not a definite guarantee.
None of the UC’s offer Kinesiology so what major are you applying for these schools?
Cal Poly Pomona would be a Match school and probably CSU Fullerton which has a respected Kinesiology major.
For safeties, I would look at the non-impacted campuses for Kinesiology such as Channel Islands, Dominguez Hills, Chico, Sacramento and although impacted, Sonoma State.
Sacramento is a great option and you would probably qualify for their Honors college and they have a very extensive PT Internship program.
Since this year it is test optional for the UC’s and test blind for the CSU’s, it will be very difficult to determine acceptances.
2019 Freshman admit rates for UC GPA of 3.40-3.79 capped weighted and not major specific:
UCB: 1%
UCLA: 2%
UCSD: 9%
UCSB: 6%
UCI: 7%
UCD: 9%
UCSC: 40%
UCR: 53%
UCM: 80%
I had extensive medical issues in 10th grade which brought my GPA down, so I am talking about overcoming that obstacle to earn all A’s in junior year.
Is CPP a good residential place to live? that is high on my list.
For UCLA and UCSB I am applying under Physiology, while UCI I am applying under Exercise Sciences and UCSD I am applying under human biology.
What do you mean by not for my major for CSULB out of curiosity, I don’t know what you mean.
Also, I rechecked SDSU admissions page and saw the 2021 requirements, would AP Biology, Intro to KInesiology at LBCC, and Honors Anatomy and Physiology make my application look better than an applicant who doesn’t have any major prep?
CSULB guarantees local applicants admission but not into their first choice major. I know of some local applicants that were offered Undeclared and not their choice major so just an FYI.
From the CSULB website:
** Applicants who are considered ‘local’ based on their high school of graduation or military status who meet the CSULB minimum eligibility requirements but are not admissible to the major will be offered admission as an ‘undeclared’ student. Undeclared students will explore other appropriate majors through coursework and advising and must meet the major-specific criteria for the major prior to declaring a major by their junior year. Applicants should note that ‘undeclared’ is not a route to their initial intended major. Undeclared students work with university advisors to identify and succeed in alternate majors.**
CPP like the majority of Cal states are commuter schools. They still require Freshman to live on campus and you can have a good residential experience but it is not one of the more residential CSU’s like SLO, Chico, Humboldt and even SDSU.
The UC”s will consider your medical history but the bottom line still is GPA for the UC’s. It will be up to admissions to determine how much of an impact it will have in your application review.
With all the new changes to the admission requirements for these schools, it will be even more unpredictable so make sure the safety schools you end up applying are ones that you are willing to attend.
Thank you! By the way, would say CSULB is a match for Kinesiology, just wondering.
Being local for CSULB, it is a Match and I believe you have a good chance at Kinesiology.
For CSULB in 2019, 188 local applicants were admitted for Kinesiology with an average CSU GPA of 3.51. 99 student local students enrolled. With a 3.7 CSU GPA, you are in very good shape as a local applicant.
Thank you so much for looking at that data, it really helps my nerves!
Hi @Gumbymom I was filling out my UC application and am on the majors section, I applied under Physiology or Marine Biology for the schools, but am unsure about alternate majors, for my alternate major I would want to do something with a high acceptance rate, what would be some good choices?
@SDSUHopefulClassof2025: Do you want a major in the sciences, humanities, business as an alternate major?
Also not all UC’s will consider an alternate major in their application review.
My niece applied for Human Biology as an alternate Nutrition if it was an available major at the campus. She only applied to UCSC and UCD.
Below is how they UC’s admit Freshman:
UCB:
Division (L&S, CNR, CoC, CED, CoE) matters for admission selectivity.
Within CoE (but not the other divisions), major matters for admission selectivity. Changing majors within the CoE after enrolling is not guaranteed, unless one is CoE undeclared.
Note that L&S admits students as undeclared; admission to capped majors (e.g. CS, economics, psychology, ORMS, statistics, art practice, and a few others) is by college GPA in prerequisite courses (and portfolio for art practice) after attending for a few semesters.
The business major is in a separate division and admits students in a competitive holistic process. Frosh intending business majors begin in another division (usually L&S), take the business major prerequisites, and apply (usually in their second years). They also need to take prerequisites for a backup major in case they are not admitted to the business major.
All students who apply to UC Berkeley and select a major within the College of Natural Resources are evaluated based on their application, not on the particular major they select.
Alternate majors not considered.
UCD:
Admission decisions are made based upon the qualifications of the applicant pool and the number of available spaces within each academic area:
• College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences admits by college
• College of Biological Sciences admits by college
• College of Letters and Science admits by division within the college
• (Humanities, Arts and Cultural Studies; Mathematics and Physical Sciences; Social Sciences)
• College of Engineering admits by academic department
Students applying as “undeclared” or “undeclared/exploratory” are considered within the college/division to which they applied.
Applicants are encouraged to list an alternate major, but not in the same area as the primary major (e.g., Computer Science Engineering with alternate Computer Science in the College of L&S). Occasionally, we admit to the alternate major.
UCI:
- Freshman Selection:
UCI admits into the University first and then into the major. In the case that UCI is unable to accommodate all qualified applicants in their first-choice major, those students who indicate a valid alternate major may be offered admission in that major or Undeclared.
UCLA:
For the College of Letters and Science, the applicant’s major is not considered during the review process.
The Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science admits students by declared major, with more emphasis on science and math programs.
The School of Nursing also places more emphasis on science and math programs and requires the submission of an additional supplemental application.
The School of the Arts and Architecture; Herb Alpert School of Music; and the School of Theater, Film and Television admit students by declared major (within the school), and put more emphasis on special talents through a review of portfolios and/or auditions, which are the most significant admission factors for these schools.
UCLA only guarantees review of an applicant’s first-choice major.
We typically do not admit to the alternate major
UCSD:
The campus does not admit students on the basis of academic major or choice of UC San Diego undergraduate college. Alternate majors are considered and capped majors are highly competitive. Also note: Capped majors require additional pre-req courses and specific GPA to be able to qualify if changing majors. Also if applying to a capped major, select an non-capped major as an alternate.
UCSB:
College of Letters and Sciences: Choice of major is not considered in selection to the College of Letters and Science. The exceptions to this rule are dance and music performance majors. Both majors require applicants to complete an audition in late January or early February.
College of Engineering: Students are selected by major for all engineering and computer science majors. Only applicants with a solid background in advanced high school mathematics will be considered for admission to engineering. This includes high grades in all math courses through grade 11 and enrollment in pre-calculus or higher in grade 12. A student not selected for their first choice major will be reviewed for admission to an alternate major outside of the College of Engineering if one was selected.
College of Creative Studies:
Applicants to the College of Creative Studies submit a supplementary application in addition to the general UC Application, which is reviewed by Creative Studies faculty. Students are selected within Creative Studies majors only. Applicants not selected for Creative Studies will automatically be considered for admission to the College of Letters and Science.
UCSC:
Important Note for Prospective Engineering Students: Choice of major does not influence the selection of first-year students, except for those applicants interested in a major offered by the Jack Baskin School of Engineering (BSOE). Freshmen who are interested in a BSOE program should be sure to indicate a BSOE proposed major. Students who do not indicate a BSOE program or who apply as undeclared might not be able to pursue a BSOE program.
UCR:
Admission by major but alternate/2nd choice major will be considered if applicant does not need their first choice admission standards.
For Business: Freshmen students must apply to Pre-Business under the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHASS). The College breadth requirements and the prerequisites for a Business major are completed during the freshman and sophomore years. An application is submitted at the end of the sophomore year. Upon acceptance, students become Business majors and are then advised in the Business Department. Students from any academic major may also complete a Business minor.
@Gumbymom where can I find the average GPA of 3.97 that you mention. I am looking at the 19/20 common data set and it says 3.77. Should I be looking somewhere else?
Thanks.
@ffgiaco: The 3.97 GPA is from 2019. SDSU has not posted the average CSU GPA for 2020.