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Applying to a Cal-State School? Here’s What You Need to Know About the CSU System/Process

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Even among large state university systems in the U.S., the California State University system (referred to as Cal State or CSU, although there are other CSUs in the U.S.) is a behemoth. With a population of over half a million students, staff, and faculty members across its roughly two dozen branches, it plays a huge role in educating the state of California, and also attracts students from outside the state.

If you’re used to thinking of colleges as distinct, singular entities, you may find the mechanics of applying to a large state college system like Cal State to be somewhat confusing. If you’re from outside of California, you may also have questions about how your residency affects your application requirements and chance of being accepted.

Never fear, CollegeVine is here! In this post, you’ll find an outline of the Cal State system of colleges, their application processes and requirements, and the factors you’ll need to consider if you’re thinking about applying. Read on for our advice on making wise choices about the Cal State system.

A Brief Introduction to the Cal State System

The Cal State system as it operates today was created by the California Master Plan for Education of 1960 , but the colleges it consists of have existed for much longer under various names and groupings. Originally intended primarily to educate teachers, these colleges now offer undergraduate and graduate degrees in a full range of fields.

Today, the Cal State system consists of 23 distinct campuses, some of which maintain additional “off-campus” branches that extend their reach to a larger number of students. You can find a full list of these campuses and detailed information on each campus on the Cal State website. Cal State also owns a number of other research and laboratory facilities throughout the state, including an observatory and a ship for training future mariners.

Like most state colleges, the Cal State schools were originally created to serve residents of that state. California residents still enjoy preferential treatment in admissions and a lower in-state tuition rate at the Cal State schools. However, students from other states and even other countries are also eligible to apply.

Currently, nearly 479,000 students attend Cal State each year, and the system lays claim to the title of largest (by population) 4-year state college system in the nation. It’s responsible for half the bachelor’s degrees awarded in California every year, and it awards more bachelor’s degrees each year than any other university system in the U.S.

It’s important to keep in mind that the California State University system is not the same as the University of California (UC) system. Both are systems of public universities in California, but each has its own policies, campus choices, and admissions procedures, and the UC schools are generally more selective and more expensive. To learn more about the UC system and its application requirements, visit the CollegeVine blog post How to Write the University of California Essay Prompts 2017-2018.

Applying to the Cal State System

To be eligible for admission to any of the Cal State schools, you must have successfully completed certain college preparatory courses while you were in high school. If you’ve completed these requirements, your high school GPA and your SAT or ACT scores are plugged into an established equation to produce the single number known as your Eligibility Index (EI).

Your EI is the main factor that determines admission to most of the Cal State schools and majors. Each school and major has its own EI cutoff for admission. This threshold may also depend upon where you live; students who come from the immediate area of the college and, more generally, the state of California receive preference in the form of lower EI cutoffs.

Applying to one or more schools in the Cal State system is different from applying to most other colleges in some significant ways. If you’re hoping to get admitted to a Cal State school, particularly one of the more popular campuses, you’ll need to follow the instructions carefully.

First of all, instead of the Common Application, Coalition Application, or another shared application system, the Cal State schools use their own application system, Cal State Apply. You must use this system to apply to any of the Cal State schools, and you can specify multiple Cal State schools on it if you’d like.

If you take a look at the Cal State admissions website , you’ll see that it lists a “priority application filing period” that lasts from October 1 to November 31 for admission in the next fall semester. The term “priority” is a bit of a misnomer here; at some of the more popular campuses, all the available first-year spaces may be taken during this time period.

In order to have the best possible chance at getting admitted to the Cal State college you’re interested in, you should always plan to submit your initial Cal State application during the priority application filing period. Some colleges in the system may continue to accept applications after November 31, space permitting, but this is not guaranteed.

In certain circumstances, you may have to provide additional information as part of your Cal State application. What this might require of you depends on the school and the situation. (We’ll discuss these circumstances in greater detail below.)

If you’re a first-year applicant (not a transfer applicant), you should not submit any additional documents with your initial application. After you submit your initial application, you’ll be contacted directly with instructions if and when more information becomes necessary. Don’t submit anything extra during the basic application process unless you’re specifically told to do so.

Impacted Campuses and Majors

One special piece of terminology that you’ll find used in the Cal State system is “impacted.” If a Cal State college, or a specific major at a Cal State college, is described as impacted, this means that demand for admission to this college or major exceeds the available space, making admission to this college or major much more competitive.

Whether a particular school or major is impacted can vary from year to year, but some campuses, like Cal State Fullerton , are already known to be impacted for the 2017-2018 application season. Impacted Cal State colleges generally require a higher EI for admission than the others, and impacted majors may require a higher EI than other majors at that college.

Impacted schools and majors may also base their admissions decision on additional information, requiring you to submit supplemental documents. Again, if these documents become necessary, the college will inform you and provide instructions for submission. Don’t submit any additional documents during the initial application process.

Admission for Non-California Residents

As we’ve mentioned, the Cal State system was established specifically to provide educational opportunities to students from California. For this reason, preference in admission is given to California residents, especially those living in the local area of a particular college, and to transfer students from the California community college system.

If you’re not from California, you’re still welcome to apply to the Cal State system. However, you should be aware that you’ll be subject to higher admissions standards. The EI threshold for out-of-state applicants is typically higher, meaning you’ll need higher grades and test scores to get in, and you may also need to submit supplemental documents if the college requests them.

As with most state universities and colleges, it’s also more expensive to attend schools in the Cal State system if you’re from out of state. California residents enjoy lower in-state tuition.

Choosing a Cal State Campus

With so many campus options scattered across the entire state of California, you might find it hard to decide which Cal State schools to apply to. While the schools in this system have a lot in common, and are run by the same chancellor and group of administrators, each campus also has a distinct character of its own.

Some of the Cal State schools are located in major cities like Los Angeles, while others are set in suburbs or small towns. Each school offers its own set of majors, and some of the schools are extra-specialized — Cal Maritime, for instance, is a small Cal State school that only offers a few majors related to maritime science.

Fortunately, the Cal State system’s website provides tools that you can use to help make this decision. Along with information on each college and the academic and other programs they offer, this website offers a Campus Match Tool that allows you to search among the 23 different Cal State schools by factors like size, location, and athletic offerings.

For more details about each campus, it’s a good idea to explore the individual websites of the Cal State colleges you’re interested in, and even to visit and speak to current students to get a more personal perspective. You can find links to each of the Cal State colleges on the Cal State website.  

When you submit your initial Cal State application through the Cal State Apply system, you’ll be instructed to specify your campus(es) of choice. If any of the Cal State colleges you choose requires additional information from you in order to make a decision, the individual school(s) will contact you directly and provide more instructions for what to submit and how.

Considering the Cal State system may be a little overwhelming due to its breadth, but within that wide variety of programs, you may very well find one that’s perfect for you. Especially given the early deadlines of the priority application period, if you think any of the Cal State colleges might be a good fit for your less, it’s worth getting to know their process, checking whether you meet their requirements, and putting in your research in advance.

Curious about your chances of acceptance to your dream school? Our free chancing engine takes into account your GPA, test scores, extracurriculars, and other data to predict your odds of acceptance at over 500 colleges across the U.S. We’ll also let you know how you stack up against other applicants and how you can improve your profile. Sign up for your free CollegeVine account today to get started!

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Applying to a Cal State University in 2023

Updated: Sep 23, 2023

The California State University (CSU) is a public university system made up of 23 college campuses across the state of California​.

Whether your student is applying to one or four of the CSU colleges, they will still apply via the Cal State Apply Application .

Here’s what you need to know for the 2023-24 admissions cycle.

How do students apply to the CSUs?

The application opens Oct. 1 and has "phased deadlines," meaning some campuses will have earlier deadlines than other campuses. Eight campuses will close on November 30th, including Cal Poly San Louis Obispo and San Diego State University. You can verify deadline dates on each campus's website or look it up here.

What is admission based on?

Since 2022, the use of ACT/SAT scores in the admissions process has been suspended for all of the CSU campuses.

As a result, the 23 CSU campuses have implemented a multi-factor review to determine admission eligibility, which includes a combination of:

Completion of the 15-unit comprehensive “A-G” pattern of college prep courses with a qualifying GPA of 3.0 or higher for non-California residents

Supplemental factors

The GPA minimums and the weighting of supplemental information used may vary by campus.

Some CSU campuses are impacted or have programs that are impacted – meaning the number of applications received from qualified applicants is greater than the number of available spaces. These campuses may use a higher GPA minimum in their admissions process.

For example, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo gives extra consideration when students take beyond the minimum number of semesters required in some of the “A-G” subject areas, such as math, lab science, or language other than English. San Diego State University, in addition to considering all of the college-prep coursework students have taken during high school, also considers the performance and the number of units taken in courses most relevant to their intended major (see "Preparation Towards Indicated Area of Study").

The main section of the CSU application asks students to report the average number of hours they participated in extracurricular and/or leadership over the most recent 12 months, as well as the average number of hours they worked per week over the most recent 12 months. Note, students are not asked to list out the activities or work endeavors themselves, simply the amount of time spent engaged in them.

Insider Tip

Students applying to Cal Poly may also be given extra consideration if they indicate they have held a leadership position in any of their extra-curricular activities, or if 25% or more of their work experience is related to their chosen major.

Does CSU consider 9th-grade year grades?

The majority of the CSU campuses use a GPA derived from “A-G” coursework taken in 10th and 11th grades only. Cal Poly San Luis Obispo continues to be the only CSU campus that will also include 9th grade in their GPA calculation.

Will CSU consider test scores, if submitted?

The CSU has made it clear that “in no case will standardized test scores be utilized in making admissions decisions for applicants. There will still be a section on the application where students can submit SAT and ACT scores, alongside AP and IB scores, but the test results will be used only for college-level math and English course placement for admitted students.

Will CSU count “credit” or “pass” pass grades?

Yes! The CSU campuses will consider course grades of “credit” or “pass” as fulfilling “a-g” requirements for those courses completed from the spring 2020 term to the summer 2021 term. Grades of credit/pass or no credit/no pass will satisfy eligibility requirements, but they will not be included in the calculation of high school GPA.

Is an essay required?

Although the CSU campuses will be looking at coursework and non-academic variables such as the hours spent in extra-curricular activities, the CSU system does not require any essays or personal statements and remains as objective as possible in making admissions decisions.

Do I need to submit my transcript or Letters of Recommendation?

Students will self-report their courses and grades in the application and do not submit letters of recommendation.

Where can I learn more about the CSU campuses?

Each CSU campus offers its own events. Find the campuses here and link to their admission events website pages. You can also visit with specific campuses in October:

Where can I learn how to navigate Cal State Apply Application?

Several resources are available to students throughout the admissions process:

Read the Cal State Freshman Application Guide

Read the Cal State Admission Handbook

Students can sign up for a virtual application workshop here . Be sure to scroll down to the very bottom of the page to "other ways to explore" and click on schedule .

Students can also wat ch Cal Poly's series of application videos.

Cal State Apply Coursework Entry Guide

Freshman Admission Requirements

Out-of-State CSU Eligibly Index

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CSU Requirements for Admission

Choose your test.

What are CSU's admission requirements? While there are a lot of pieces that go into a college application, you should focus on only a few critical things:

• GPA requirements
• Testing requirements, including SAT and ACT requirements
• Application requirements

In this guide we'll cover what you need to get into CSU and build a strong application.

School location: Fort Collins, CO

This school is also known as: Colorado State University

Admissions Rate: 90.8%

If you want to get in, the first thing to look at is the acceptance rate. This tells you how competitive the school is and how serious their requirements are.

The acceptance rate at CSU is 90.8% . For every 100 applicants, 91 are admitted.

This means the school is a nearly open admissions school. They accept nearly all students, so for the most part, you just need to submit an application to get in. But if you don't meet all their application requirements, you'll be one of the very few people who gets rejected.

We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies . We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools , from state colleges to the Ivy League.

We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools.

Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in.

CSU GPA Requirements

Many schools specify a minimum GPA requirement, but this is often just the bare minimum to submit an application without immediately getting rejected.

The GPA requirement that really matters is the GPA you need for a real chance of getting in. For this, we look at the school's average GPA for its current students.

Average GPA: 3.7

The average GPA at CSU is 3.7 .

(Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA.

With a GPA of 3.7, CSU requires you to be above average in your high school class. You'll need at least a mix of A's and B's, with more A's than B's. You can compensate for a lower GPA with harder classes, like AP or IB classes. This will show that you're able to handle more difficult academics than the average high school student.

SAT and ACT Requirements

Each school has different requirements for standardized testing. Only a few schools require the SAT or ACT, but many consider your scores if you choose to submit them.

CSU hasn't explicitly named a policy on SAT/ACT requirements, but because it's published average SAT or ACT scores (we'll cover this next), it's likely test flexible. Typically, these schools say, "if you feel your SAT or ACT score represents you well as a student, submit them. Otherwise, don't."

Despite this policy, the truth is that most students still take the SAT or ACT, and most applicants to CSU will submit their scores. If you don't submit scores, you'll have one fewer dimension to show that you're worthy of being admitted, compared to other students. We therefore recommend that you consider taking the SAT or ACT, and doing well.

CSU SAT Requirements

Many schools say they have no SAT score cutoff, but the truth is that there is a hidden SAT requirement. This is based on the school's average score.

Average SAT: 1178

The average SAT score composite at CSU is a 1178 on the 1600 SAT scale.

This score makes CSU Competitive for SAT test scores.

CSU SAT Score Analysis (New 1600 SAT)

The 25th percentile SAT score is 1080, and the 75th percentile SAT score is 1280. In other words, a 1080 on the SAT places you below average, while a 1280 will move you up to above average .

Here's the breakdown of SAT scores by section:

SAT Score Choice Policy

The Score Choice policy at your school is an important part of your testing strategy.

CSU has the Score Choice policy of "Highest Sitting."

This means that you can choose which SAT tests you want to send to the school. Of all the scores they receive, your application readers will consider the SAT score from your single highest test date (the sum of math, reading, and writing).

This is important for your testing strategy. Because you can choose which tests to send in, and CSU only considers your highest score on a single test date, you can take the SAT as many times as you want, then submit your strongest score. Your application readers will only see that one score.

Therefore, if your SAT score is currently below a 1080, we strongly recommend that you consider prepping for the SAT and retaking it . You don't have much to lose, and you can potentially raise your score and significantly boost your chances of getting in.

Download our free guide on the top 5 strategies you must be using to improve your score. This guide was written by Harvard graduates and SAT perfect scorers. If you apply the strategies in this guide, you'll study smarter and make huge score improvements.

CSU ACT Requirements

Just like for the SAT, CSU likely doesn't have a hard ACT cutoff, but if you score too low, your application will get tossed in the trash.

Average ACT: 26

The average ACT score at CSU is 26. This score makes CSU Moderately Competitive for ACT scores.

The 25th percentile ACT score is 23, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 29.

ACT Score Sending Policy

If you're taking the ACT as opposed to the SAT, you have a huge advantage in how you send scores, and this dramatically affects your testing strategy.

Here it is: when you send ACT scores to colleges, you have absolute control over which tests you send. You could take 10 tests, and only send your highest one. This is unlike the SAT, where many schools require you to send all your tests ever taken.

This means that you have more chances than you think to improve your ACT score. To try to aim for the school's ACT requirement of 23 and above, you should try to take the ACT as many times as you can. When you have the final score that you're happy with, you can then send only that score to all your schools.

ACT Superscore Policy

By and large, most colleges do not superscore the ACT. (Superscore means that the school takes your best section scores from all the test dates you submit, and then combines them into the best possible composite score). Thus, most schools will just take your highest ACT score from a single sitting.

We weren't able to find the school's exact ACT policy, which most likely means that it does not Superscore. Regardless, you can choose your single best ACT score to send in to CSU, so you should prep until you reach our recommended target ACT score of 23.

Download our free guide on the top 5 strategies you must be using to improve your score. This guide was written by Harvard graduates and ACT perfect scorers. If you apply the strategies in this guide, you'll study smarter and make huge score improvements.

SAT/ACT Writing Section Requirements

Currently, only the ACT has an optional essay section that all students can take. The SAT used to also have an optional Essay section, but since June 2021, this has been discontinued unless you are taking the test as part of school-day testing in a few states. Because of this, no school requires the SAT Essay or ACT Writing section, but some schools do recommend certain students submit their results if they have them.

CSU considers the SAT Essay/ACT Writing section optional and may not include it as part of their admissions consideration. You don't need to worry too much about Writing for this school, but other schools you're applying to may require it.

Final Admissions Verdict

This school offers nearly open admissions, which means they give almost every student an offer of admission. To be safe, you should aim for a 1080 SAT or a 23 ACT or higher . If you can achieve this, you're pretty much guaranteed a spot in the incoming class.

Admissions Calculator

Here's our custom admissions calculator. Plug in your numbers to see what your chances of getting in are. Pick your test: SAT ACT

• 80-100%: Safety school: Strong chance of getting in
• 50-80%: More likely than not getting in
• 20-50%: Lower but still good chance of getting in
• 5-20%: Reach school: Unlikely to get in, but still have a shot
• 0-5%: Hard reach school: Very difficult to get in

How would your chances improve with a better score?

Take your current SAT score and add 160 points (or take your ACT score and add 4 points) to the calculator above. See how much your chances improve?

At PrepScholar, we've created the leading online SAT/ACT prep program . We guarantee an improvement of 160 SAT points or 4 ACT points on your score, or your money back.

Here's a summary of why we're so much more effective than other prep programs:

• PrepScholar customizes your prep to your strengths and weaknesses . You don't waste time working on areas you already know, so you get more results in less time.
• We guide you through your program step-by-step so that you're never confused about what you should be studying. Focus all your time learning, not worrying about what to learn.
• Our team is made of national SAT/ACT experts . PrepScholar's founders are Harvard graduates and SAT perfect scorers . You'll be studying using the strategies that actually worked for them.
• We've gotten tremendous results with thousands of students across the country. Read about our score results and reviews from our happy customers .

There's a lot more to PrepScholar that makes it the best SAT/ACT prep program. Click to learn more about our program , or sign up for our 5-day free trial to check out PrepScholar for yourself:

Application Requirements

Every school requires an application with the bare essentials - high school transcript and GPA, application form, and other core information. Many schools, as explained above, also require SAT and ACT scores, as well as letters of recommendation, application essays, and interviews. We'll cover the exact requirements of CSU here.

Application Requirements Overview

• Common Application Accepted
• Electronic Application Available
• Essay or Personal Statement Required for all freshmen
• Letters of Recommendation 1
• Interview Not required
• Application Fee $50
• Fee Waiver Available? Available
• Other Notes

Testing Requirements

• SAT or ACT Considered if submitted
• SAT Essay or ACT Writing Optional
• SAT Subject Tests
• Scores Due in Office May 1

Coursework Requirements

• Subject Required Years
• Foreign Language 1
• Social Studies 2
• Electives 2

Deadlines and Early Admissions

• Offered? Deadline Notification
• Yes July 1 September 1
• Yes December 1 January 1

Admissions Office Information

• Address: 2545 Fort Collins, CO 80523
• Phone: (970) 491-1101 x1101
• Fax: (970) 491-7799
• Email: [email protected]

Our Expert's Notes

We did more detailed research into this school's admissions process and found the following information:

You can use the Common Application or CSU's own online application to apply. You can either send your ACT/SAT results from the test agency (which is standard) OR have the scores listed on your transcript. Furthermore, only one letter of recommendation is required.

Other Schools For You

If you're interested in CSU, you'll probably be interested in these schools as well. We've divided them into 3 categories depending on how hard they are to get into, relative to CSU.

Reach Schools: Harder to Get Into

These schools are have higher average SAT scores than CSU. If you improve your SAT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.

Same Level: Equally Hard to Get Into

If you're competitive for CSU, these schools will offer you a similar chance of admission.

Safety Schools: Easier to Get Into

If you're currently competitive for CSU, you should have no problem getting into these schools. If CSU is currently out of your reach, you might already be competitive for these schools.

Data on this page is sourced from Peterson's Databases © 2023 (Peterson's LLC. All rights reserved.) as well as additional publicly available sources.

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UNDERGRADUATE

Research & artistry, alumni & giving, a college of liberal arts department.

University Composition Program

Rhetoric and composition helps students learn how to compose their ideas. Here’s what our composition faculty have to say about how rhetoric and composition helps students become well-rounded writers and thinkers.

“I tell my students all the time writing is magic because we can write our thoughts from our head onto paper, see them, and then organize them. You don’t know what’s in your head until you get it all written down. Then you can organize it into a composed package to communicate what you want to communicate.” — Joe Schicke

“ In composition, I help my students expand their definition of argument. The purpose of argument is not to win an argument—it's to listen, to learn, to understand, and to empathize with other people. I want my students to think about their own arguments, their own beliefs in the law, and their own understanding of research in the context of trying to understand and listen to other perspectives and viewpoints.”

— Kelly Bradbury

Incoming Students

Writing is a life-long process that requires continual practice. Because writing is not a “one and done” skill, our composition courses build upon your existing writing, research, and communication skills so you are successful in the writing you will do at CSU, in your jobs, and during your career. Our composition courses are designed to build upon your knowledge of academic and public genres, audience awareness, research skills, and writing processes. You can learn more about CSU’s composition requirement .

Our composition courses aim to help you become well-rounded and competent writers by developing close and critical reading, writing, research practices to understand differing viewpoints and approach arguments critically. In your composition courses, you will practice finding and evaluating scholarly and popular research, composing different genres, writing to various audiences, drafting and revising your writing, and workshopping your writing through peer review. These are all important workplace skills.

To learn more about what lower-division composition course you need to take, visit the CSU Composition Placement Program .

Yes. And you can review your transfer credit by logging into RamWeb and then following these steps:

• On the home page, find the link called “View My Transfer Credit” under Records.
• To view how your prior coursework applies towards your degree, use the “Degree Progress Audit” link to run a degree audit.
• On your Degree Audit Report, check whether the All-University Core Curriculum (AUCC) Category 1A Basic Competencies – Intermediate Writing requirement has been completed or needs to be completed.

If you still have questions, send an email to [email protected]  and one of our program administrators will reply.

A rhetorical approach to writing means we focus more on the communicative situations in which we write than on the grammar and writing style of written English. All of our composition classes take a rhetorical approach, which means students learn how to refine their own purpose for writing while considering the needs of their intended audience. The relationship between writer and audience also impacts the genre selected, the content development, the document design, and the research conducted. The rhetorical approach gives you tools that you can use in all writing situations, whether it’s writing for social media, CSU classes, the workplace, or elsewhere.

Composition courses will give you experience in reading, peer-reviewing, and editing your own work to help you improve your writing style, grammar, and proofreading.

Each fall and spring semester, the English department offers several sections of CO150 specifically designated for non-native speakers of English.

Sections of CO150 for non-native speakers of English have the same objectives as CO150 for native speakers of English, including developing critical reading skills, understanding writing as a rhetorical process, developing a variety of rhetorical strategies to meet the needs of different audiences and purposes, and enhancing research and revision processes.

CO150 sections for non-native speakers of English are taught by faculty who have significant professional development in Teaching English as a Second Language and who understand the challenges non-native speakers may face when reading and writing in English.  Also, sections of CO150 for non-native speakers provide more support for assignment planning and revising, and they focus on helping students understand the important features of U.S. academic writing.

If you are interested in registering for one of these sections of CO150: College Composition, please contact [email protected] . Please include your CSU ID number with your email.

After you send this information, you will receive instructions about registering for the class with an override or, if all the classes are full, on how to be on the waitlist for the section of your choice.

Current Students

Our classes are designed for your fullest engaged participation in courses with a maximum of 24 students per class. Our faculty don’t just lecture. Instead, you can expect you will actively learn through regular in-class discussion, building your writing process skills, participating in individual and group workshopping, receiving written and/or oral feedback from faculty, and content-based peer review. To get the most out of our classes, we encourage you to regularly engage and contribute to each class through your critical reading skills, reflection, research, and experiences.

Read CSU's Student Conduct Code .

CSU’s Writing Center is free and offers writing support to all CSU students at all stages of the writing process—brainstorming, developing ideas, organizing paragraphs, researching, etc. Students can sign-up for an online or an in-person Writing Center  consultation.

The All-University Core Curriculum (AUCC) Intermediate Writing requirement can be completed in one of five ways:

• CO150 : Satisfactory completion of CO150: College Composition.
• Testing: Achieving a score of 5 on the Advanced Placement English Composition and Literature Test; or a score of 4 or 5 on the Advanced Placement English Language and Composition Test; or placing in CO150-section 550 (credit by exam for CO150) on the Composition Placement Challenge and Re-Evaluation Essay .
• Transfer Credit: Transferring equivalent credits from another college. (Students who transfer with less than 2.6 semester credits in composition will have the option of writing the Composition Placement Challenge and Re-Evaluation Essay . With a score of 5, we can request the additional credit be waived.)
• HONR193: Satisfactory completion of HONR193 (Honors students only).
• International Baccalaureate Scores : Submission of International Baccalaureate scores that document an English at the Higher Level score of 5, 6, or 7.

Credit for CO150 will not be given for College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) scores.

Students (except first-semester transfer and readmitted students) who have earned 60 or more Colorado State and transfer semester credits and who have not met this requirement will have a Composition HOLD placed on their record. Transfer and readmitted students will be allowed the initial term of enrollment before this restriction is imposed.

Before the start of every semester, undergraduate students are informed, via email from the Registrar, if they have not completed the AUCC composition requirement. After a student has earned 60 or more Colorado State and transfer semester credits without fulfilling the AUCC composition requirement, the email will also give notice that a Composition HOLD has been placed and provide information on how to remove the HOLD.

The procedure to remove a Composition HOLD is as follows:

• You can contact the Registrar’s Office immediately, if you are currently registered for CO130 or have transfer credit for CO130.
• If you need to complete the Directed Self-Placement Survey, once the Survey is completed, you can contact the Registrar’s Office.
• If you are in the Honors Track I program, you will need to register for HONR193.
• If you were automatically placed into CO130 or selected CO130 on the Directed Self-Placement Survey, you will need to select a section of that course for which to register.  After successful completion of CO130, you will need to register for CO150 the following term.   CO150 satisfies the All-University Core Curriculum Intermediate Writing requirement (AUCC Category 1A).
• If you were automatically placed into CO150 or selected CO150 on the Directed Self-Placement Survey, you will need to select a section of that course that works with your course schedule.
• If you were automatically placed into CO130 or CO150 and wish to challenge that placement, you will need to write the Composition Placement Challenge and Re-Evaluation Essay as soon as possible.
• If you chose to write the Composition Placement Challenge and Re-evaluation Essay, once your score has been entered, you can contact the Registrar’s Office.
• Once you have chosen a section of composition that works with your schedule, contact the Registrar’s Office in Centennial Hall by calling (970) 491-4860, or emailing [email protected] .  If sending an email, please do so from your RAMS email account and include your full name, CSUID number, and the CRN for the CO course for which you want to be registered.  Please make sure to have the CRN of the section you have chosen available in order to expedite your request.
• If a student drops or withdraws from the composition course or does not earn a passing grade, the grade of record may become an “F.” This grade of “F” will be included in the calculation of both the semester GPA and the cumulative GPA as a consequence of not completing the 60-credit completion requirement.

The Writing Center can help you with research. We also encourage you to use the CO130 research guide , the CO150 research guide , the CO300 research guide , and the CO301X research guide .  If you need additional help, visit the Composition Program and English research librarian's website .

Go to the Registrar's Repeat Delete webpage for more information.

You can find your professor and their email address on the Composition Program Faculty page.

CO301A, CO301B, CO301C, and CO301D are “writing in the disciplines” upper-division composition courses tailored more closely to students’ disciplines. The CO301* courses help focus students’ writing toward their disciplines and potential careers. You will want to select the course that most closely aligns with your major and/or is required by your department. More information on these courses can be found in the CSU catalog .

If the grade you receive is different from the grade listed in Canvas, such as a grade entry error, please email your professor to alert them of the error. For other concerns, email the Composition Program administrators at [email protected] .

Please email your concern and the course number and section to the Composition Program administrators at [email protected] .

Our Composition Program courses are specifically a space for learning and practicing invaluable writing and researching processes that cannot be replicated by generative artificial intelligence (AI) . While the ever-changing (and exciting!) new developments with AI will find their place in our workforces and personal lives, in the realm of education, this kind of technology can counteract learning. This is because the use of AI diminishes opportunities to learn from our experiences and from each other, to play with our creative freedoms, to problem-solve, and to contribute our ideas in authentic ways. In a nutshell, college is a place for learning, and this AI simply cannot do that learning for us. Academic integrity plays a vital role in the learning that takes place in all Composition Program courses, and submitting work as your own that was generated by AI is plagiarism. For all of these reasons, any work written, developed, created, or inspired by generative artificial intelligence does not lend itself to our learning goals and is a breach of ethical engagement and CSU’s academic integrity policy.  

ACT / SAT Test Scores

• ACT: see actstudent. org/scores for instructions to request scores for CSU. Our ACT code is 0504.
• SAT: see sat. collegeboard.org/scores/send-sat-scores for instructions to request scores for CSU. Our SAT/College Board code is 4075.
• Allow 2-3 weeks for scores to arrive at CSU from the testing agency.
• by email to [email protected]
• by postal mail (CSU Admissions, 1062 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins CO 80523-1062)
• by fax to (970) 491-7799
• Pictures of score reports, screenshots on your computer, unofficial copies, etc. are not accepted.
• Scores reported in full on high school transcripts are also accepted if processed through Admissions or the Registrar's Office.
• All scores must be processed by the Admissions Office and part of the student's official CSU record. For more information, contact Admissions at (970) 491-6909 or email [email protected] .

If your scores are on file at CSU and you want to see them, you can access your student record online. Log in to RAMweb.colostate.edu using your eID, navigate to the Records section (right column) and select ACT, SAT & GRE Scores .

If you were admitted to CSU without test scores , then you are in Group 2 for Composition Placement and need to complete the DSP . You also have the option of writing the Composition Placement Challenge and Re-evaluation Essay.

Transfer Credit

With certain scores on AP or IB tests, students can earn credit for CO130 (Academic Writing), CO150 (College Composition), and/or E140 (The Study of Literature).

Advanced Placement Test: English Literature and Composition

• Score of 3 = E140 credit
• Score of 4 = E 140 credit and CO130 credit
• Score of 5 = E 140 credit and CO150 credit

Advanced Placement Test: English Language and Composition

• Score of 3 = CO130 credit
• Score of 4 = CO150 credit
• Score of 5 = CO130 credit and CO150 credit

Students who receive BOTH a 5 on the AP Composition and Literature test AND either a 4 or 5 on the AP Language and Composition test are awarded credit for E140, CO130 and CO150.

• CO150: College Composition credit will satisfy the All-University Core Curriculum Intermediate Writing requirement (AUCC Category 1A).
• E140: The Study of Literature will satisfy 3 of the 6 credits required for the All-University Core Curriculum Category 3B Arts/Humanities requirement.
• CO130: Academic Writing will satisfy 3 elective credits.

Official score reports must be submitted for advanced-standing credit to be awarded.  Unofficial copies will not be accepted . Instructions to request scores can be viewed at http://apscore.collegeboard.org/scores/score-reporting CSU’s Code is 4075.

International Baccalaureate Scores:

• Standard Level : Score of 4, 5, 6, or 7 = CO130 credit
• Higher Level : Score of 4 = CO130 credit
• Higher Level : Score of 5, 6, or 7 = E140 and CO150 credit
• Standard Level : Score of 4, 5, 6, or 7 = E140 Credit
• Higher Level : Score of 4 = E140 credit
• Higher Level : Score of 4 = E140, CO150, and 3 elective credits
• Higher Level : Score of 5, 6, or 7 = E140, CO150, and 6 elective credits

Credits Satisfaction

Check Credit Status

An official copy for any IB (International Baccalaureate) exam must be sent to Colorado State University. Unofficial copies will not be accepted . Requests to have scores sent to CSU may be submitted through:

Transcript Officer International Baccalaureate North America 475 Riverside Drive, Ste 240 New York, NY 10115 Phone: 212-296-4464 Fax: 212-889-9242 Email: [email protected] Website: www.ibo.org Obtaining Transcripts

• Log in to RAMweb.colostate.edu using your eID
• On the home page you will find a link under Records called “View My Transfer Credits.”
• On your Degree Audit Report, check whether the All-University Core Curriculum AUCC – Category 1A Basic Competencies – Intermediate Writing requirement has been completed or needs to be completed.

If a transferred course does not have an equivalent at CSU and you believe that course could transfer to CSU as CO150, please email [email protected] for further review. We will need to see a detailed syllabus for the course you have taken.

Questions about your transfer credit should be directed to the Registrar’s Office: (970) 491-7159 or [email protected] .

Your credit for CO130 will act as a per-requisite for CO150, so you can register for CO150 without completing the DSP.

We do recognize that some students enter the University with higher levels of writing skills than we might expect given the composition courses they have taken. If you’d like to try to “test out” of CO150, you may challenge your composition transfer credit evaluation by writing the Composition Placement Challenge and Re-Evaluation Essay . With a score of 5 or higher on the essay, we will email the Transfer Office to request that your CO130 course be transferred in as CO150. CO150 credit satisfies the All-University Core Curriculum Intermediate Writing requirement (AUCC Category 1A).

Please note, the test out option for transfer credit of CO130 applies to earned coursework and does not apply to CO130 credit earned via AP or IB examinations. Also, only scores of 5 or higher for those with transfer credit in CO130 will be awarded credit for CO150. If you earn a score of 3 or 4 you will need to take and pass CO150.

If your transfer course is fewer than 2.6 semester credits, we recommend you write the Composition Placement Challenge and Re-Evaluation Essay .

With a score of 5, we will email the Transfer Office to request that your composition course be transferred in as CO150 and we will request they waive the additional one credit. CO150 credit will satisfy the All-University Core Curriculum Intermediate Writing requirement (AUCC Category 1A).

You can receive an override to register for CO150 by contacting [email protected].

We don’t require students in this situation to write the Composition Placement Challenge and Re-Evaluation Essay , but we do highly recommend it.

If a student with old Composition credit writes the essay and earns a score of 5 we can transfer in their old Composition credit as CO150 and fulfill the AUCC Intermediate Writing Requirement (Category 1A).

Please note that only scores of 5 or higher will mean you are awarded credit for CO150. If you earn a score of 3 or 4 you will need to take and pass CO150.

To transfer your Composition course to CSU as CO150, you will need to write the Composition Placement Challenge and Re-Evaluation Essay .

With a score of 5 or higher on the essay we will email the Transfer Office to request that your LGEN1** course be transferred in as CO150. CO150 credit will satisfy the All-University Core Curriculum Intermediate Writing requirement (AUCC Category 1A).

Directed Self-Placement (DSP)

If your standardized test scores place you into Group 2, you will be required to complete the Directed Self-Placement (DSP) Survey. The Survey is not a placement test; it is a 10-minute survey designed to help you decide which composition course -- CO130 or CO150 -- is right for you.

To find the Directed Self-Placement Survey:

• Log in to your RAMweb account at ramweb.colostate.edu
• Click on the Menu button on the top right .
• Click on the Registration menu item to expand the list of options.
• Select the Directed Self-Placement (DSP) Survey link.

Please note that only students who place into Group 2 based on their standardized test scores will have access to the DSP link through RamWeb.

Students completing the survey will be assessed a $12 charge, which will be billed to their student account. Payment of these charges is expected even if the student subsequently chooses not to attend Colorado State University after completing the DSP.

The Directed Self-Placement Survey has 20 questions about your writing process and experiences, critical reading, and rhetorical knowledge. Answer the 20 questions carefully and honestly. Doing so will help you:

• Gain insight into your current reading and writing practices, especially in light of your prior experience in writing courses
• Understand what will be expected of you in CSU’s college-level composition courses
• Decide which composition course—CO130: Academic Writing or CO150: College Composition—is right for you.

In the end, the decision about which writing course to take is yours, and this is your opportunity to make a well-informed decision. 

CO130: Academic Writing

In CO130, you will develop and practice effective writing strategies and skills, such as how to brainstorm ideas, how to summarize and critically evaluate sources, how to develop and organize your drafts, how to consider your audience when writing, and how to reflect on your growth as a writer. Because writing isn’t a one-and-done experience, CO130 includes time for workshopping, peer review, revision, and instructor feedback before you submit your final draft. Finally, CO130 is focused on academic writing, so you will learn to write a variety of academic genres. The skills you learn in CO130 can be applied to all of your CSU courses, and we hope you do. This 3-credit course does not fulfill the All-University Core Curriculum Intermediate Writing Requirement (AUCC Category 1A) but will prepare you for success in CO150.

CO150: College Composition

In CO150, you will deepen your knowledge about how to write several academic and professional genres for specific audiences and contexts. You will build upon your existing writing and research strategies for university, professional, and public audiences, including how to incorporate scholarly and professional sources into your writing to persuade your readers, how to clearly communicate your purpose and reasons for writing, how to meet  academic and professional audience expectations, and how to use reflection to improve your writing. CO150 values writing as a process, so you will have time for workshopping, peer review, revision, and instructor feedback. CO150 moves at a faster pace than CO130. The skills you learn in CO150 can be applied to all of your CSU courses, and we hope you do. This 3-credit course fulfills the All-University Core Curriculum Intermediate Writing Requirement (AUCC Category 1A).

You may also find this short video useful in understanding the differences between the courses.

When you have completed the DSP, you will be able to register for EITHER CO130 or CO150.  Remember, even if the DSP score suggests CO130, you may take CO150 if you feel it’s the best fit for you—and vice-versa. If you are unsure about which course is right for you, you can consult your advisor for additional support and information.

Please note that only students who place into Group 2 based on their standardized test scores will have access to the DSP link through RamWeb. If you think you fall into Group 2 and cannot access the DSP link through RamWeb, please contact us .

Composition Placement Challenge and Re-evaluation Essay

Placement into Composition courses is based on standardized test scores; however, we understand that these scores don’t always fully reflect your scholastic abilities and motivation for success. That is why we offer the Composition Placement Challenge and Re-evaluation Essay. Writing the essay offers you the chance to place directly into CO150: College Composition rather than taking CO130: Academic Writing , or the opportunity to “test out” of CO150: College Composition .

We recommend completing the Composition Placement Challenge and Re-evaluation Essay in the follow scenarios:

• You have been placed into CO150 and believe that your writing skills are exceptional and exceed the expected outcomes for CO150.
• You have been placed into CO150 and believe that you have fulfilled the requirement through transfer courses that have not been approved by the University.
• You have been placed into CO130 and believe you have the writing skills and motivation necessary to succeed in CO150.
• You have been placed into CO130 and would like to avoid taking CO130 because, as an elective credit course, it does not fulfill the AUCC requirements necessary for graduation.
• You have composition credit over 10 years old.

The Composition Placement Challenge and Re-evaluation Essay is proctored and available online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

First, you will register with the online proctoring program. Then, you will have 90 minutes to:

• Read a designated article on a debatable topic.
• Summarize its main ideas in an organized and detailed essay.
• Explain why you agree and/or disagree with the central claims of the article.
• Support your position with references to and analysis of the article, as well as illustrations from your (or others’) personal experiences.

Because CSU values academic integrity, the Composition Placement Challenge and Re-Evaluation Essay is proctored to ensure legitimate authorship.

Your total cost for the online Composition Placement Essay will be $31: a $22 charge will be billed to your student account for processing and rating your essay, and an $9 charge will be paid to the online proctoring provider, Examity, who ensures academic integrity. Payment of these charges is expected even if the student subsequently chooses not to attend Colorado State University after writing the essay.

To prepare for the Composition Placement Essay, we suggest that you read an argumentative article in a newspaper or magazine. Practice summarizing the main ideas of the argument, explaining whether you agree or disagree with the author’s viewpoint, and supporting your position with evidence from the article and your personal experience.

The following writing guides on Writing@CSU can help you prepare for the Composition Placement Essay.

• Writing Arguments
• Development
• Organization
• Critical Reading
• Writing Summaries

Students with learning disabilities can contact the Student Disability Center at (970) 491-6385 or email [email protected] . We will give students the accommodations they require to write the Composition Placement Challenge and Re-Evaluation Essay.

The Composition Placement Challenge and Re-evaluation Essay is rated by Composition faculty based on the schedule below. If you submit an essay during the date range in the first column, your scores will be available on RamWeb by 5pm on the date listed in the second column.

You can check your results on your RamWeb homepage . On the right-hand side, under “Records” select "Composition Placement Essay Results."

The Composition Placement Essay is rated on a scale of 2 through 6. Based on your score, you will be placed in one of three categories:

• Placement into CO130: Academic Writing - CO130 serves as a prerequisite for CO150, which means after successful completion of CO130, you will register for CO150.

Score of 3, 4, or 5

• Placement into CO150: College Composition - Successful completion of CO150 will satisfy the All-University Core Curriculum Intermediate Writing requirement (AUCC Category 1A).
• Test-Out Credit via Placement into CO150-Section 550 - You will receive 3 credits for CO150. You will have satisfied the All-University Core Curriculum Intermediate Writing requirement (AUCC Category 1A). Students considering writing the Composition Placement Challenge and Re-evaluation Essay to test out of CO150 should consider that earning a 6 requires outstanding critical thinking skills and a sophisticated writing style.

If you have questions about your placement, please email [email protected] . Please note: You will not be allowed to rewrite the Composition Placement Essay unless there are extenuating circumstances (and special written permission from the Composition Program).

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California Colleges: UC vs CSU

• By Susanna de Chenonceau
• October 3, 2012
• 33 Comments

I often hear students say: “Palm trees and movie stars, beaches, convertibles and suntans–for college? Sign me up!”  If you dream of In-n-Out burger and the Sunset Strip almost as much as you dream of getting a stellar college diploma, consider one of the highly-regarded California colleges.  To apply to be a California college student in a California state college, you need to understand the difference between the three-tiered public education systems in Cali: the UC system, the Cal State system, and the California Community Colleges.

University of California system The UC system consists of 10 campuses enrolling 191,000 students: Berkeley Davis Irvine Los Angeles Merced Riverside San Diego San Francisco Santa Barbara Santa Cruz

Cal State University system The Cal State system consists of  23 campuses enrolling 414,000 students. Because of increased applications from qualified applicants, the following 16 have implemented higher admissions standards:

• Chico State
• Fresno State
• Cal State Fullerton
• Humboldt State (for freshman only, popular with out-of-state students, too)
• Cal State Los Angeles
• Cal State Long Beach
• Cal State Northridge (for freshman only)
• Cal Poly Pomona
• Sacramento State
• Cal State San Bernardino
• San Diego State (very popular with out-of-state students, too)
• San Francisco State
• San Jose State
• Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (very popular with out-of-state students, too)
• Cal State San Marcos
• Sonoma State

The currently un-impacted campuses include: Bakersfield, Channel Islands, Dominguez Hills, East Bay, Maritime, Monterey, Stanislaus.

Notes on the two systems In the 3 tiered state public education system, the UC schools and CSU schools give admissions preference to students transferring from California Community Colleges.  Because of the 3 tiered system, the UC schools are considered the research universities, awarding BA, MA, and PhDs; the CSU system focuses on teaching, awarding BA and MA degrees, and the Community Colleges award two-year degrees as a stepping-stone to either the UC or CSU system. The UC schools attempt to admit California students in the top 1/8th of their graduating classes; the CSU schools attempt to enroll students in the top 1/3rd of their classes. All students can attend Community College.

Special Considerations with UC/CSU applications Something that out-of-state applicants need to be aware of is that both systems have very small windows for applying: the applications open on October 1 and close on November 30.  There are no exceptions and no late applications are accepted.

Out-of-state students who are interested in applying to the UC and CSU schools should also be aware that both systems require a full year of a visual or performing art (VPA) in the SAME art.  You do not need to take the two semesters of art in the same year, as long as they are in the same discipline.  For example Beginning Photo and Advanced Photo, Beginning and Advanced Ceramics, Choir, Band, Drama, etc–you need one, full, total year.  Yearbook and Journalism do not count as a VPA.  Check the requirements on the UC admissions page.

The UC schools require four essays that you can choose from eight prompts, and each essay has a 350 word limit. These are called the Personal Insight Questions and can be found here on the UC website.

CSU schools do not require essays.

UC and CSU schools do not require transcripts be sent until June, after acceptance, to verify each application.

No rec letters are required.

You can do one application for all UC schools–and you only need to send your test scores to one school because they all share scores in their system.

You can do one application for all CSU schools.

Eligibility Index and Applying for for CSU schools On the main CSU website  you can run the Eligibility Index to see if your grades and test score make you eligible for admissions.  Do this before you apply.  CSU undergraduate admissions are based on applicants’ GPAs and test scores and course rigor, and generally do not consider items such as personal statements, SAT Subject Test scores, interviews, or recommendation letters.

Does 9th Grade Count? For both the UC system and the CSU system only “a-g” courses taken in sophomore and junior year are used for preliminary GPA.  You cannot include freshman year classes. However, 9th grade will be calculated in class rank.  This is important for the UC system because if you are a California state citizen and you rank in the top 9% of the state OR in the top 9% of your high school you are guaranteed admission to a UC.  Also, remember that when you send your transcript, your freshman year grades will be visible to the colleges although they will not be taken into consideration.

California is a state that offers two world-class public school systems, so spend some time researching the different personalities and vibes of these esteemed public institutions of higher learning. No matter what your major and learning style, there is certainly a great school for you in sunny California!

• applying to csu , applying to uc schools , california state system , university of california system

33 Responses

Please update this to include the personal insight questions, 350 word limit. Your previously accurate but now incorrect information pops up as an answer to the required writing for UC applications. Time to update. Thanks!

Dear Patti, Many thanks and it should all be up-to-date now. Let us know if you see anything else, of course! All the best, Susanna

My daughter earned a D+ in freshman algebra 1. Her counselor said she didn’t need to take summer school to improve the grade because it was a freshman class. However, the CSU website says she has to have a grade of C- or better in the required A-G classes. Does she need to repeat Algebra 1 prior to graduating?

Hello! CSU counts classes in grades 10-11, so the counselor is correct. That said, it would be good for your daughter to redo the course so that she does not have gaps in her knowledge moving forward. Hope this helps. Best, Susanna

hi is it true that all CSUs don’t require letters of recommendation? Because when I googled “sacramento state university freshman deadlines”, I saw the important dates and deadlines and one thing that caught my eye was that it said Deadline to Submit two Letters of Recommendation is on Jan 31. But I thought all CSUs don’t require them.

Hi Chris! It is correct that CSUs do not require rec letters, so go back to that page where you read that and make sure:

A. That you were ONLY reading the college’s actual website. NEVER trust third party websites on college info. 🙂 B. That you were not maybe reading about a scholarship or Honor. 🙂

Hope this helps! Yay, college! Susanna

Hi, although the CSU platform does not require essays nor recommendation letters, are there Cal State schools that allow this as an optional asset to the application? More specifically, do you know if SDSU does?

Hi John! No, SDSU and the CSU schools do not allow rec letters or essays or any supplemental info for their apps. You can always call the office and ask what to do if you feel you have an exceptional situation or bit of info to convey. Yay, college! Susanna

I have a few questions:

1. Just to double check, CSUs do not have any supplement essays on their application right? 2. For the application fee of a CSU, is it $70 per school or $70 flat for your whole application (including all schools you choose to apply to)?

Hi Vanessa! That’s correct. No rec letters or essays for CSU schools, and it’s $70 per school on that one application. You can, though, send your SAT or ACT test scores just to one school and they share them in their system. The UC schools also share SAT/ACT scores. 🙂 Susanna

So neither systems ask for letters of recommendation? Or are they just optional?

Neither system accepts them at all. Susanna

Does Cal state schools share information with UC schools. For instance if I sent 2 SAT scores through college board to a Cal state, but only one of those two to UC, will that UC receive the other SAT that I sent to Cal state but not to them

Hi Liam! Nope, the CSU and UC systems are separate. 🙂 You need to send everything to each system separately. Yay college! Susanna

Do UC’s only require the piq’s or a personal essay as well?

Just the 4 Personal Insight Questions, and the a SLEW of activities which are tedious to do well!! Susanna

Just a heads up for kids applying to UC schools: I’m not sure that the following statement is true:

“This is important for the UC system because if you are a California state citizen and you rank in the top 9% of the state OR in the top 9% of your high school you are guaranteed admission to a UC.”

My older daughter graduated from a CA school in 2018. She was ranked #3 in her class (350 students), had an unweighted GPA of 4.0 and got a 1400 on her SAT. Waitlisted at all 3 schools she applied. Was never contacted about choosing another campus. Luckily, she was accepted early and got a great merit scholarship at her first choice school (Clemson University).

Not sure how the whole “guaranted admission” is supposed to work, but it didn’t work out for us.

Dear Cathy, Thank you SO much for posting this! I haven’t checked this post in years so you are absolutely correct that these things can change. I would counsel ALL students to check data like this freshly every year. 🙂 Thanks again, Cathy! Susanna

UC and CSU schools do not require transcripts be sent until June, after acceptance, to verify each application. what does this mean

UC and CSU will use your transcript in June (if you are admitted) to verify that you told the truth on your application.

Download my new (free) phone app which will help you get into college by answering every single question like this. 🙂

app.collegemapper.com

Yay, college! Susanna

Hello! I am applying to UC Davis and University of Nevada. I know Nevada isn’t in California but it says there’s no essay for that college is that true? And do you know any codes for fee waivers?

Hi Shamara! You can call each college to get a fee waiver. They are very happy to give them. I do not believe you need an essay for UN but ask them when you are on the phone. :). Yay, college! Susanna

Hi Ms. Susanna, I’d like to get accepted into Cal Poly SLO as a physics major undergrad, my GPA is a 3.31, and i’ve chosen to NOT enter my SAT score of 1260. Do you think I should enter my SAT based on Cal Poly’s SLO previous admissions? I’m not a CA resident btw. But I believe the types of classes i took/am taking right now in senior year are very appealing (all STEM electives and AP’s & Honor’s), my grades have shown much improvement since sophomore year, and my ap scores are as follows: 4 on AP Bio, AP Lang, and AP world & 3 on AP Psychology and AP Physics 2

They will allow students to not submit SAT scores this year, but https://www2.calstate.edu/apply/eligibility-index makes me question if I should put the test score in to fulfill the ‘eligibility index’ (?). Do you think I should enter it, based on the stats of students accepted into Cal Poly SLO?

I think you need to enter all of your classes and grades to see what your re-calculated GPA is in the CPSLO application. Also, check the Common Data Set from 2019 for CP to see what their average test score was. If you are well above the average, submit the scores. If not, do not.

Hey I am from Florida and with all 9th to 11th in consideration. I put all my information accurately on the high school courses. The thing is that I did not do well my 9th grade year but i did really well 10th to 11th so with that It brings my gpa to a 3.0 but when I was in the CAL STATE a-g courses summary it said that my calculated gpa is a 3.7. Is that because only my 10th to 11th grades were calculated? What would they think of the drastic change from the 3.7 in calculated gpa to my actual 3.0?

Hi Giovanni! Yes, Cal State does not look at 9th grade so they will use a 3.7 to evaluate you! 🙂 Great news! Good for you for doing so well! Keep it up, Susanna

Please I applied to cal state Fresno ,I wanted to ask that in case things don’t go well will I be given another campus or do I have to apply to a different campus

Also when will you need to submit your college essay

You would have needed to apply to each Cal State school separately, on the same application, and they do not require essays. If you are not admitted, you can make an appointment with the Admissions office there to ask what your next steps can be. Good luck!

Does CSU or State schools require SAT/ACT scores to apply?

Hi there – No – all the CSU/State schools are test blind. See: https://www.calstate.edu/apply/freshman/getting_into_the_csu/pages/testing-requirements.aspx

Yay, College!

I believe they are test optional.

Do colleges take into consideration improvement of senior year grades? For example, last semester of junior year my grades dropped. If I maintain above average grades senior year, will it affect my chances of getting into college, or improving my GPA?

Yes, they will, but you will have to tell them that you are on an upward trend and that you will send them first quarter and midyear grades promptly.

Use the additional info space to explain the grade dip, but be positive and state what you learned and how you grew. No blaming. Feel free to ask us more questions about this.

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ELS503 Research Skills Guide: Topic 8: Essay Writing Techniques

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• 3.7 Let's try our search on Google Scholar
• 4.1 Requesting a scanned copy of a paper article
• 4.2 Interlibrary Loans/Document Delivery
• Topic 5: Evaluate your results
• Topic 7: EndNote
• Topic 8: Essay Writing Techniques
• Topic 9: Assessment- Test

In this topic

• Essay writing techniques

Writing your assessment - support

Charles Sturt University also has other services which can help you to get the best possible results for your work:

• Turnitin Software - A Turnitin account allows you to check your own writing for inadvertent plagiarism or quotation errors.  Detect and fix problems before submission. Some assessments will require you to submit your work to Turnitin before final submission! 
• Access support guides and advice to help you understand and prepare for your assignments in the Learning Skills section of the Student Portal .
• The Study Success Forum is an ideal place to post those vexing questions about assignment writing techniques. Find it in Interact2 > Study Success > Discussion.
• Why not attend an Academic Skills workshop  online to enhance or refresh your academic writing skills.
• Make an appointment with an Academic Skills adviser for personal help seven days a week.

Structuring your essay

This YouTube video explains how to structure an essay.

Other useful resources

Writing an essay in 12 steps - This resource provides an overview of the essay writing process from the first draft to the final version.

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California State University, Fullerton | CSU Fullerton

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Want to see your chances of admission at California State University, Fullerton | CSU Fullerton?

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California State University, Fullerton | CSU Fullerton’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

Common app personal essay.

The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don‘t feel obligated to do so.

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you‘ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

What will first-time readers think of your college essay?

CSU application essays?

<p>I cannot find them anywhere! Do CSU’s not require essays of any sort? Is it just the UC’s? Also I heard that you should submit an essay if you are applying for an impacted major but where are the prompts?</p>

<p>In general, CSUs do not require admissions essays. Some impacted majors and campuses have additional requirements, and the additional requirements may or may not include an essay. Check here for information about which majors/campuses are impacted [Impaction</a> | Student Academic Support | CSU](<a href=“ http://www.calstate.edu/SAS/impactioninfo.shtml]Impaction ”> http://www.calstate.edu/SAS/impactioninfo.shtml ) . If your selections are impacted, investigate the website of the campus to which you are applying for more information about additional requirements. It is likely they will contact you with the additional requirements after you submit your application to CSU Mentor.</p>

<p>CSU’s are numbers indexed based for admissions. If essays were involved they’d need armies of readers to weed through a lot of very bad essays.</p>

College of Business

How to nail your scholarship application essay.

When it comes to applying for scholarships, the task can be immediately overwhelming. Where do you find scholarships? How do you apply? What do they each require? This is going to take forever!

But at Colorado State, we do things a little differently. We’re so proud of our one-and-done scholarship application process. Almost all CSU scholarships live in the same place, and can be applied for with one application, one time, and that’s it. The Colorado State University Scholarship Application (CSUSA) takes a big hurdle out of your path right off the bat. Completing the CSUSA enters you for nearly every scholarship at CSU that you’re eligible for. Now all you have to do is nail that application essay … and we’re here to make that part easy, too. Here are some insider info, tips, and even a few essay excerpts to help you as you tackle your essay.

#1. It’s less formal than you think

Did you know that your scholarship application essay is meant to help us see the most-authentic version of you, your journey, and your goals? We’re not looking for a formal essay here. You won’t need to analyze anything, look for metaphors, or even write a structured outline when you start (but you can if it helps you).

The essay prompt might ask you to tell your story, highlight your ambitions, and explain how you see yourself succeeding in this big ol’ world. Essay prompts range from what kind of career you see yourself in, and how college might help you get there. They might ask you to describe a challenging event, explain how you navigated it, and how it inspires you to go forward in life. The essay is so much more your story than anything else. The more YOU you are, the better. Don’t worry too much about intros, transitions, structure, or formal conclusion paragraphs when you first sit down to write. Let it flow and be you.

• Tip : Write your first draft like you’re talking to your best friend, your favorite teacher, your mentor, your coach. Your voice/tone should be genuine, passionate, and infused with the vibe you’d give if you were telling your biggest dreams to your biggest cheerleaders. We’re rooting for you here.

#2. Vulnerability is your superpower here

Perhaps the biggest tool in your toolbox when it comes to writing a genuine, powerful essay is your willingness to be vulnerable. While vulnerability may seem like a weakness in some arenas, it’s your superpower in the scholarship application essay. So what exactly is it, and how can you use it to your advantage?

Vulnerability, by definition, is the willingness to show emotion or to allow one’s weaknesses to be seen or known. There can be some risk involved in being vulnerable, and that’s often why it has such a big impact. You’re essentially giving away your armor, and that allows you to create connection at a deep, emotional level. To put vulnerability to work in a story or experience, try to remember how you felt in that moment, and what was running through your head. Instead of just recounting events as they happened, retell them as YOU experienced them. Let emotion guide your story instead of rehashing a timeline of events. The story, told as it moved through you, is what makes the connection.

• Tip : As you recount an event or moment in your essay, try to incorporate the senses. What did you see, hear, smell, feel? Let emotion be your guide, but paint the picture fully.

#3. Word choice matters (and not in the way you might think)

One question you should ask yourself as you draft your essay is if the words you’re using actually suit you. Would you use these actual words if you were talking to someone? One thing that can derail your authenticity in writing is trying to use big or “impressive” words that wouldn’t naturally flow from you in your daily life. We’re not saying you shouldn’t use a thesaurus, but be choosy. If the word doesn’t “fit” you when you’re casually speaking, we’re going to feel that in your essay, too.

• Tip : Read your essay aloud while recording yourself. Does it flow? Are there words that you stumble over as you read them? If so, put those words into the thesaurus and see if anything comes up that doesn’t trip you up as you read. It should feel as natural to read it as it would if you were talking to a friend.

#4. Always, always, always get a proofreader (or two)

While it’s not the most-glamorous advice, we cannot stress enough the importance of having someone — and, preferably, multiple someones — review your essay. Even the most-seasoned professional writer will make errors, even after multiple drafts. Typos, missing words, tense errors, and even disorganized thoughts can distract readers from your beautiful, unique story. Our advice is to find a proofreader who can dial in your punctuation and grammar, and another who can help you with the more-subtle aspects of good writing, like flow, tone, and structure. You want to start and end strong, plus have a robust, visually and emotionally stimulating middle.

• Tip : Draft your first version raw without any expectations of yourself. Answer the essay prompt as if you’re writing in your journal. Then find a reliable proofreader (preferably outside the house, like a teacher) to help you level it up and polish it up. After you’ve done a little spiff, show it to a second proofreader. Fresh eyes mean everything.

Some essay excerpts to inspire you

Ready to learn more about the csu scholarship process.

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Prairie Smallwood

Prairie Smallwood is a writer and content creator for the Office of Admissions at Colorado State University. She is passionate about education and exploration, and knows that going to college can be both an adventure and an overwhelming experience. She aims to create content that helps students through that journey — the wonderful, the scary, and everything in between.

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How to Structure an Essay

Essay writing is a fundamental skill, a basic task, that is expected of those who choose to pursue their undergraduate and master’s degrees. It constitutes a key requirement for students to complete a given course credit. However, many students and early career researchers find themselves struggling with the challenge of organizing their thoughts into a coherent, engaging structure. This article is especially for those who see essay writing as a daunting task and face problems in presenting their work in an impactful way.  

Table of Contents

• Writing an essay: basic elements and some key principles  
• Essay structure template 
• Chronological structure 
• Problem-methods-solutions structure 
• Compare and contrast structures 
• Frequently asked questions on essay structure 

Read on as we delve into the basic elements of essay writing, outline key principles for organizing information, and cover some foundational features of writing essays.  

Writing an essay: basic elements and some key principles

Essays are written in a flowing and continuous pattern but with a structure of its own. An introduction, body and conclusion are integral to it. The key is to balance the amount and kind of information to be presented in each part. Various disciplines may have their own conventions or guidelines on the information to be provided in the introduction.  

A clear articulation of the context and background of the study is important, as is the definition of key terms and an outline of specific models or theories used. Readers also need to know the significance of the study and its implications for further research. Most importantly, the thesis or the main proposition should be clearly presented.  

The body of the essay is therefore organized into paragraphs that hold the main ideas and arguments and is presented and analyzed in a logical manner. Ideally, each paragraph of the body focuses on one main point or a distinct topic and must be supported by evidence and analysis. The concluding paragraph should bring back to the reader the key arguments, its significance and food for thought. It is best not to re-state all the points of the essay or introduce a new concept here. 

In other words, certain general guidelines help structure the information in the essay. The information must flow logically with the context or the background information presented in the introductory part of the essay. The arguments are built organically where each paragraph in the body of the essay deals with a different point, yet closely linked to the para preceding and following it. Importantly, when writing essays, early career researchers must be careful in ensuring that each piece of information relates to the main thesis and is a building block to the arguments. 

Essay structure template

• Introduction 
• Provide the context and share significance of the study 
• Clearly articulate the thesis statement 
• Body  
• Paragraph 1 consisting of the first main point, followed by supporting evidence and an analysis of the findings. Transitional words and phrases can be used to move to the next main point. 
• There can be as many paragraphs with the above-mentioned elements as there are points and arguments to support your thesis. 
• Conclusion  
• Bring in key ideas and discuss their significance and relevance 
• Call for action 
• References 

Essay structures

The structure of an essay can be determined by the kind of essay that is required.  

Chronological structure

Also known as the cause-and-effect approach, this is a straightforward way to structure an essay. In such essays, events are discussed sequentially, as they occurred from the earliest to the latest. A chronological structure is useful for discussing a series of events or processes such as historical analyses or narratives of events. The introduction should have the topic sentence. The body of the essay should follow a chorological progression with each para discussing a major aspect of that event with supporting evidence. It ends with a summarizing of the results of the events.  

Problem-methods-solutions structure

Where the essay focuses on a specific problem, the problem-methods-solutions structure can be used to organize the essay. This structure is ideal for essays that address complex issues. It starts with presenting the problem, the context, and thesis statement as introduction to the essay. The major part of the discussion which forms the body of the essay focuses on stating the problem and its significance, the author’s approach or methods adopted to address the problem along with its relevance, and accordingly proposing solution(s) to the identified problem. The concluding part offers a recap of the research problem, methods, and proposed solutions, emphasizing their significance and potential impact. 

Compare and contrast structures

This structure of essay writing is ideally used when two or more key subjects require a comparison of ideas, theories, or phenomena. The three crucial elements, introduction, body, and conclusion, remain the same. The introduction presents the context and the thesis statement. The body of the essay seeks to focus on and highlight differences between the subjects, supported by evidence and analysis. The conclusion is used to summarize the key points of comparison and contrast, offering insights into the significance of the analysis.  

Depending on how the subjects will be discussed, the body of the essay can be organized according to the block method or the alternating method. In the block method, one para discusses one subject and the next para the other subject. In the alternative method, both subjects are discussed in one para based on a particular topic or issue followed by the next para on another issue and so on.  

Frequently asked questions on essay structure

An essay structure serves as a framework for presenting ideas coherently and logically. It comprises three crucial elements: an introduction that communicates the context, topic, and thesis statement; the body focusing on the main points and arguments supported with appropriate evidence followed by its analysis; and a conclusion that ties together the main points and its importance .  

An essay structure well-defined essay structure enhances clarity, coherence, and readability, and is crucial for organizing ideas and arguments to effectively communicate key aspects of a chosen topic. It allows readers to better understand arguments presented and demonstrates the author’s ability to organize and present information systematically. 

Yes, while expert recommend following an essay structure, early career researchers may choose how best to adapt standard essay structures to communicate and share their research in an impactful and engaging way. However, do keep in mind that deviating too far from established structures can hinder comprehension and weaken the overall effectiveness of the essay,  By understanding the basic elements of essay writing and employing appropriate structures such as chronological, problem-methods-solutions, or compare and contrast, researchers can effectively organize their ideas and communicate their findings with clarity and precision. 

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How much do you need to know about how your spouse spends money? Maybe less than you think

Associate Professor of Marketing, University of Michigan

Disclosure statement

Scott Rick received a grant from the Russell Sage Foundation for the joint/separate account experiment described here.

University of Michigan provides funding as a founding partner of The Conversation US.

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Love is in the air, and wedding season is upon us.

Like many elder millennials, I grew up watching sitcoms in the 1980s and ‘90s. Whenever those series needed a ratings boost, they would feature a wedding. Those special episodes taught me that weddings usually involve young lovebirds: think Elvin and Sondra from “The Cosby Show,” Cory and Topanga from “Boy Meets World,” or David and Darlene from “Roseanne.”

But those were different times. People are getting married later in life than they used to: In the United States, the median age of newlyweds has grown to 28 for women and 30 for men.

This trend means that many Americans now enter marriage after being self-reliant for several years, including managing their own money. Will they be eager to change that once they get married? Don’t count on it. A 2017 Bank of America survey suggests that millennial married couples are around 15 percentage points more likely than their predecessors to keep their finances separate.

This is not necessarily a good development. As a behavioral scientist who studies money and relationships , I find that joint accounts can bring partners closer .

There are some risks, however. Joint accounts create transparency, and intuitively, transparency feels like a good thing in relationships. But I argue that some privacy is important even for highly committed couples – and money is no exception .

The newlywed game

Behavioral scientists Jenny Olson , Deb Small , Eli Finkel and I recently conducted an experiment with engaged and newlywed couples . Each of the pairs had entirely separate accounts, but they were undecided about how they wanted to manage their money moving forward.

We randomly assigned each of the 230 couples to one of three groups. One group kept their money in separate accounts; one merged their cash into a joint account and stopped using separate accounts; and one managed their money however they liked.

We followed couples for two years, periodically asking them to complete surveys assessing their relationship dynamics and satisfaction. Our relationship quality measure included items such as “I cannot imagine another person making me as happy as my partner does” and “Within the last three months, I shouted or yelled at my partner.”

Among the couples who could do whatever they wanted, most kept things separate. They and the couples assigned to keep separate accounts experienced a steady decline in relationship quality over time.

This is a fairly typical pattern. For instance, in a large study that tracked U.S. couples’ marital happiness for 17 years , sociologist Jody Van Laningham and colleagues found that “marital happiness either declines continuously or flattens after a long period of decline.”

Declines during the first two years of marriage are particularly important. Social scientist Ted Huston and colleagues call those first two years the “connubial crucible .” They find that relationship dynamics that develop during that crucial period can foreshadow relationship quality for many years to come.

Couples in our study who were prompted to take the plunge into a joint account, however, maintained their initial level of relationship satisfaction over the course of the two-year experiment.

Tit-for-tat

Our survey results suggest that, by turning “my money” and “your money” into “our money,” a joint account can help to reduce scorekeeping within a relationship. For example, we found that couples with joint accounts were more likely to agree with statements such as “When one person does something for the other, the other should not owe the giver anything.”

Relationships usually don’t start with a scorekeeping orientation. In the 1980s and ‘90s, psychologist Margaret Clark and colleagues conducted experiments where partners had the option of keeping track of each other’s contributions to a shared task. They observed that intimate relationships often begin with a “communal” orientation, where partners help one another without keeping careful track of who’s doing what.

Eventually, however, they take on more of an “exchange” orientation – where inputs are tracked and timely reciprocity is expected. Couples that manage to stave off a tit-for-tat mindset tend to be happier .

Too much of a good thing?

The data from our experiment with young couples clearly suggests that using only a joint account is better than using only separate accounts. However, I argue in my new book, “ Tightwads and Spendthrifts ,” that just a joint account is probably not optimal.

When partners use only a joint account, they get an up-close-and-personal view of how the other person is spending money. This kind of transparency is normally viewed as a good thing.

Some commentators argue that a healthy marriage should have no secrets whatsoever. For example, Willard Harley, Jr., a clinical psychologist who primarily writes for Christian audiences, argues that you should “reveal to your spouse as much information about yourself as you know : your thoughts, feelings, habits, likes, dislikes, personal history, daily activities, and plans for the future.”

In addition, if your goal is to minimize optional spending, research suggests that the transparency that comes with a joint account can be helpful. We spend less when someone is looking over our shoulder.

Still, there are reasons to believe that complete transparency can be harmful for couples .

Many people have become convinced that if they could just stop buying lattes and avocado toast, they could invest that money and become rich. Unfortunately, the underlying math is highly dubious, as journalist Helaine Olen points out in her book “Pound Foolish .” Still, many people view small indulgences as their primary obstacle to wealth. Complete transparency around these financially inconsequential “treats” can lead to unnecessary arguments .

Also, spouses may have different passions that their partner does not fully understand. Expenses that seem perfectly reasonable to another hobbyist may seem outrageous to someone without the proper context – another source of avoidable disagreements .

'Translucent,’ not transparent

I propose that many couples may benefit from a combination of joint and separate accounts.

A joint account is essential for ensuring that both partners have immediate and equal access to “our money.” Ideally, all income would be direct-deposited into the joint account, which would help to blur the gap between partners’ earnings. Conspicuous income differences can jeopardize relationship quality .

Separate accounts attached to the joint account can allow some privacy for individual purchases and help partners maintain a sense of autonomy and individuality. Each person gets to spend some of “our money” without their partner looking over their shoulder. Spouses would have a high-level understanding of how much their partner is spending per week or per month, but avoid the occasionally irritating details.

This kind of partial financial transparency – what I call “financial translucency ” – could help couples strike the right balance between financial and psychological well-being.

Of course, this approach requires a lot of trust. If the relationship is already on thin ice, complete financial transparency may be necessary. However, if the relationship is generally in the “good, but could be even better” category, I would argue that financial translucency is worth considering.

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• Bank accounts
• Personal finance
• Behavioral science
• Ethical question

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Guest Essay

Boys Get Everything, Except the Thing That’s Most Worth Having

By Ruth Whippman

Ms. Whippman is the author of “Boymom: Reimagining Boyhood in the Age of Impossible Masculinity.”

The 20-year-old college student and gamer I met in Cedar City, Utah, didn’t seem particularly amused by his own joke that he was a cultural cliché. He lived in his grandma’s basement, and barely left the house except to go to classes. He spent the vast majority of his free time online — playing video games, watching porn and hanging out on Discord, the heavily male-skewed communication platform, where users gather in communities devoted to topics ranging from the innocuously nerdy to the utterly horrifying. By his own admission, he was brutally lonely.

During the pandemic, he was a moderator for a Discord community, at first mainly sorting out technical problems and weeding out trolls. But one night, an adolescent boy called him over voice chat, and started sharing how lonely and depressed he was. He spoke with the boy for an hour, trying to talk him down and give him hope. That call led to more like it. Over time, he developed a reputation as an unofficial therapist on the server. By the time he left Discord a year or so later, he’d had about 200 calls with different people, both men and women, who spoke of contemplating suicide.

But it was the boys who seemed the most desperately lonely and isolated. On the site, he said, he found “a lot more unhealthy men than unhealthy women.” He added: “With men, there is a huge thing about mental health and shame because you’re not supposed to be weak. You’re not supposed to be broken.” A male mental-health crisis was flying under the radar.

I have spent the last few years talking to boys as research for my new book, as well as raising my own three sons, and I have come to believe the conditions of modern boyhood amount to a perfect storm for loneliness. This is a new problem bumping up against an old one. All the old deficiencies and blind spots of male socialization are still in circulation — the same mass failure to teach boys relational skills and emotional intelligence, the same rigid masculinity norms and social prohibitions that push them away from intimacy and emotionality. But in screen-addicted, culture war-torn America, we have also added new ones.

The micro-generation that was just hitting puberty as the #MeToo movement exploded in 2017 is now of college (and voting) age. They have lived their whole adolescence not just in the digital era, with a glorious array of virtual options to avoid the angst of real-world socializing, but also in the shadow of a wider cultural reckoning around toxic masculinity.

We have spent the past half-decade wrestling with ideas of gender and privilege, attempting to challenge the old stereotypes and power structures. These conversations should have been an opportunity to throw out the old pressures and norms of manhood, and to help boys and men be more emotionally open and engaged. But in many ways this environment has apparently had the opposite effect — it has shut them down even further.

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