What colleges should I apply?

Question

GPA: 2.75, SAT 1470

CSU Fullerton, CSU Pomona, Cal Poly, or CSU Long Beach?

What's the difference between Cal States and UC's?

Answer 1

The state of California has two systems, as do many states. The UCs were designed to be research universities, with a heavy focus on graduate programs, while the CSUs were planned to educate the masses of students for jobs basically needed in the state, such as teachers, nurses, etc. Much more money goes into the UCs, which are more expensive and harder to get into, but if you are an undergraduate student there, expect to be taught by teaching assistants, rather than their prestigious professors, most of the time. The CSUs are more focused on undergraduate students, and while their professors are generally not as prestigious, you get more attention from them.

Having said that, I've heard that you really need a minimum GPA of 3.0 in order to get in to even the CSUs. The ones you mention are among the more popular schools, and you will probably have some difficulty getting in unless you first go to a community college and transfer after two years. As to which one you might go to, that would very much depend upon what you want to study. I'm a Cal Poly Pomona grad, but I know faculty at Fullerton and Long Beach, and each has its advantages.