About San Diego State University

Founded in 1897, San Diego State University. is a Public college. Located in California, which is a city setting in California, the campus itself is Urban. The campus is home to 29,860 full time undergraduate students, and 4,828 full time graduate students.

The San Diego State University Academic calendar runs on a Semester basis. In the school year the student to faculty ratio was 29:1. There are 876 full time instructional teachers. Degrees awarded at San Diego State University include: Bachelor's Degree, Masters Degree, Post-master's certificate, Doctor's degree.

Quick Facts

Acceptance Rate34%
Application Deadline
Application Fee55
SAT Range1000-1220
ACT Range23-28

Admissions at SDSU are considered More Selective, with ,191% of all applicants being admitted.

In the school year, of the students who applied to the school, only 8 of those who were admitted eventually ended up enrolling.

0% of incoming freshmen are in the top half of their high school class. 0% were in the top quarter, and 0% were in the top tenth. You can apply online.

STUDENT LIFE

We asked, and students answered these important questions about student life at San Diego State University.

San Diego State University REVIEWS

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  • How would you rate on-campus housing?

    340 Students rated on-campus housing 3.6 stars. 14 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate off-campus housing?

    306 Students rated off-campus housing 3.5 stars. 0 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate campus food?

    424 Students rated campus food 3.9 stars. 31 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate campus facilities?

    430 Students rated campus facilities 4.1 stars. 37 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate class size?

    430 Students rated class size 3.4 stars. 16 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate school activities?

    430 Students rated school activities 4.1 stars. 44 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate local services?

    430 Students rated local services 4.2 stars. 43 % gave the school a 5.0.

  • How would you rate academics?

    431 Students rated academics 4 stars. 42 % gave the school a 5.0.

What's your overall opinion of San Diego State University?

172 Students rated San Diego State University

Ivan - 12/07/2022

SDSU is a great school to attend, I absolutely love spending time in class and being able to share my opinions and thoughts with the class and professor. Thus far all of my professors have settled office hours and have kept to that schedule, I find that really convenient if I need extra help, and they have also provided their email in case we have quick questions.

Kristen - 07/23/2022

San Diego State is a great opportunity for someone looking for a fresh start. The social life is huge and everyone finds a welcoming group of friends. With the amount of students, it’s easy to find your people and find new opportunities some schools don’t offer.

Diana - 07/08/2021

The overall environment of San Diego state gives off a chill vibe. As a freshman, you will most definitely make friends quicker than you think. The meal plan and forming is overly expensive, but it builds your college experience.

Pankaj - 06/01/2021

Good balance of academic and social life. Good for international students who want to settle in because the campus setup works better. Business is a good major here and international students should mix this with courses which are making it a STEM Degree.

San Diego State University FAQS

  1. What is the Acceptance Rate at San Diego State University?

    The fall 2020 acceptance rate for San Diego State University is 34%. That means, out of _____ applications received in 2020 , _____ students were offered admission. The number of males who applied was _____ vs the number of females which was _____.

  2. What should every freshman at your school know before they start?

    Study hard, apply to all the colleges you can. Seperate yourself from the crowd that drags you down and only hang out with people that will be positive for you. These people will do something selfish later on anyway so have a head start.

    Read all  385 answers
  3. Describe how your school looks to someone who's never seen it.

    San Diego State is a sprawling, beautiful school that has buildings as eclectic as it's students.

    Read all  85 answers
  4. What do you consider the worst thing about your school? Why?

    nothing at this point

    Read all  77 answers
  5. What's unique about your campus?

    The size of the campus is perfect for the time it takes to get from class to class. Also, the library and eating commons are in great locations.

    Read all  73 answers
  6. Describe the students at your school.

    great group fun to be around helpful

    Read all  71 answers
  7. What kind of person should not attend this school?

    Anyone who is serious about achieving a college education should definately attend this school.

    Read all  70 answers
  8. What's the one thing you wish someone had told you about freshman year?

    I wish I had known about all the help and extra resources that are offered at San Diego State such as workshops, tutoring, and outisde classes for relevant help. Everyday learn about something knew that is offered at school, and most of it is free.

    Read all  64 answers
  9. What kind of person should attend this school?

    If are focused on your studies, but still like to have a social life then San Diego State is perfect. You can't be afriad of a large lecture, and you can't be afriad of asking a question.

    Read all  60 answers
  10. What's the most frustrating thing about your school?

    I think the most frustrating aspect is trying to get the classes you need. I basically had priority registration this semester, and I still didn't get one of the classes I was hoping for. This makes me worried about getting my classes when I'm a junior because they don't have priority.

    Read all  57 answers
  11. Describe your favorite campus traditions.

    It's known as a party school because it is a party school

    Read all  57 answers
  12. Here's your chance: Say anything about your college!

    Rather than focus on just GPA, SDSU encourages students to get real hands-on experience in the field they wish to pursure.

    Read all  50 answers
  13. What do you brag about most when you tell your friends about your school?

    This school has a beautiful campus and it's tons of fun.

    Read all  40 answers
  14. What is your overall opinion of this school?

    The best thing about SDSU is the diversity and the structure and layout of the campus. If I could change one thing, I would change the class size and how classes are decided upon. The school is very large, but for me, its just right. When I tell people that I go to SDSU, there is normally an impressed reaction, however most people bring up the fact that it is considered a "party school." When I am on campus, I spend most of my time either in class, walking around, or in the library. San Diego is pretty much a young city. The area around SDSU, which is called the College Area, is a small version of a college town. SDSU's administration is decent, however there could be a lot of changes made. The most recent controversy on campus are usually when a student dies from alcohol or drug related factors. There is a good amount of school pride, however when it comes to sports, the pride is not very intense. The most unusual thing about SDSU is although there are about 40,000 people that go to this school, it is easy to run into people that you know on a regular basis. An experience that I will always remember is being in my sorority, Delta Gamma and all the experiences that I have had in that. I hear students complain the most about the difficulty in parking and also the difficulty involved in getting into classes, expecially the classes that you want.

    Read all  10 answers
  15. What is the stereotype of students at your school? Is this stereotype accurate?

    The common stereotypes of the students at San Diego State University is that we are all a bunch of party kids. This is definitely not true. A lot of the students end up attending the top graduate schools in the nation and SDSU was ranked #1 small research institute for a while.

    Read all  10 answers
  16. What are the most popular student activities/groups?

    The most popular organizations on campus are the Greek Fraternities and Sororities. I am involved in the Delta Gamma sorority. We have almost 200 female members in are actively involved with community service organizations and social organizations. In my experience in the dorms, no one really left their door open in the dorms. As far as athletics, basketball is widely supported but football is not. I am not sure about the dating scene. Most guys that I come across at SDSU are jerks and are immature. I met my closest friends through my sorority and meeting guys out at fraternity parties. If I am awake at 2am on a Tuesday, I am either hanging out with my roommates at my house, out partying with my friends, or studying at the library. If you are looking for a party, regardless of the day, night, or time, it is almost impossible not to find one. Last weekend, I went out to the bars down in Pacific Beach with my friends. Many times on Saturday nights, I either go out to dinner with some friends, studying at the library, or hang out at my house. When I go off-campus, I either go shopping, out to eat, down to the beach, or out to the bars.

    Read all  9 answers
  17. What are the academics like at your school?

    Many of the classes that I have taken at SDSU are very large and the professors don't usually know your name unless you visit their office hours regularly. My favorite class this semester is an upper division GE called Sociology355: Minority Group Relations. It is very fun and interesting. The teacher is very laid back and down to earth. We discuss really difficult topics, but can always laugh during class. My least favorite class this semester is my Biology100: Introduction to Biology class. It is very impersonal and involves a lot of busy work and time. Students at SDSU study a lot, however it depends greatly on the student. Class participation is common in smaller, more intimate classes. Large class usually never involve participation. Yes SDSU students have intelligent conversations outside of class, but that also depends on the people you are talking with. The most unique class that I have taken so far at SDSU was my Spanish211:Conversation and Reading class. We went on lots of field trips and had a very fun and involved class. I am a Public Administration minor. So far, I have had little to no contact with the department or professors outside of class. I feel that the requirements for SDSU are very fair, however, they make it very difficult for students to actually get into the major that they prefer because all of the majors are so impacted. I think that the education at SDSU is definately geared toward getting a job, however, many classes teach real life experiences in the classroom setting.

    Read all  9 answers
  18. Is the stereotype of students at your school accurate?

    Yes and No

    Read all  8 answers
  19. What is the stereotype of students at your school?

    Mad dumb bitches, mad frat guys, fake as hell.

    Read all  7 answers
  20. Why did you decide to go to this school?

    First off, I wanted to attend a college that was not near my hometown. I love Milpitas and all, but I knew there were other schools that could offer more for me. San Diego State has a prestigious Nursing program, and that's what got me hooked. The whole ares of San Diego seemed like a good place for me to simply explore and live up my college years. So, that's why I chose it. :)

    Read all  3 answers
  21. Describe the dorms.

    Traditional dorms aren't that bad, for it being traditional dorms anyways. I guess this is coming from me who lives in the most basic dorm with the most basic meal plan, I guess I learned to live with what I have. Seeing a lot of different people in my hall makes my days at State interesting nonetheless. As for my roommate... Hmm, my roommate and I get along and all, but I'm gone most of the day, so I hardly see her. Our room is evenly divided into three areas, leaving each with our own third of the room, and then there's the final third used as common space. I'm happy with the location of my dorm room, it's near the end of the hall, which means BIGGER ROOMS. ...As for the bathrooms.. My goodness, their gross. Community bathrooms are just nasty in general. Enough said. Sorry Zura Hall.

    Read all  2 answers

Student Body

Students

54%

female

46%

male

29,860

Total Undergrad Enrollment

4,828

Total Grad Students

14%

Out-Of-State

80%

In-State

6%

International

Organizations

300

Student Organizations

19

Fraternities

20

Sororities

Housing

Yes

On-Campus Housing

10%

of students living on campus

Student Diversity

% American Indian/Alaskan Native
N/A
% Asian/Pacific Islander
14%
% Black or African-American
4%
% Hispanic/Latino
31%
% White or Caucasian
33%

TUITION & AID

All students must apply yearly for financial aid. This process starts with the FAFSA. Though financial aid deadlines vary by school, it is a good idea to apply as soon as possible. For the upcoming school year, you can apply as early as October 1 for the FAFSA. Additional school aid will be dependent on the FAFSA results.

62% of students attending San Diego State University receive some sort of financial aid. 28% were awarded federal grants. While 32% received federal loans. Many students do also need to apply for additional private student loans.

Cost Out of State

$18,244

Tuition and fees(Out of state)

$1,818

Books and Supplies

$14,812

Room and Board

34,874

Total On Campus

Actual Cost By Income Level(W/Financial Aid)

Family Income
Cost
$0 - $30K
$8,654
$30 - $48K
$10,735
$48 - $75K
$14,896
$75 - $110K
$19,468
$110K & UP
$21,424

We use student reviews and the most current publicly available data on our school pages. As such, we don't typically remove or edit college information. Sources for school statistics and data include the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System. Portions of college data include copyrighted material, which is reproduced on this website by permission of Wintergreen Orchard House, a division of Carnegie Communications. © 2009-2016 by Wintergreen Orchard House. All rights reserved.

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