Choosing a School:
UC, CSU, Private, Community Colleges?
California has two state university systems: the California State University system and the University of California system. Both are excellent systems with very good universities. Historically, the UC system has been more research oriented and the CSU system has been more focused on teaching. That said, San Diego State University ranks in the top 6.7 percent of higher education institutions in the classification of “Doctoral/Research University-Intensive.”
It is very important for students to choose a school based on the quality of the department where they plan to study. Students should research the background of the professors in their area of study, the student to professor ratio and the department distinctions. For a list of distinctions at SDSU, please visit the President's Office website.
Private schools are independent of state support and vary greatly in quality and price. Some are religious and others may focus on a specific subject area. Private schools do not receive funding from the state government.
Community Colleges are a very popular route for students pursuing a university degree in California. Community colleges are two year schools where many general education and pre-major classes are offered. Typically, students attend a community college for two years and then finish the remaining two years at a four year university. The time to graduation usually totals four years and the degree from the university is the same. Students often opt for a community college for a number of reasons, including the following: later admission deadlines, lower per unit cost, lower English language requirements, and sometimes because of geographic proximity.