Applications Hit New High

San Diego State University received a record 74,458 undergraduate applications for the fall 2013 semester, the most applications ever received by the university.  

That is an eight percent increase over last year at this time when SDSU received what was then a record 68,968 undergraduate applications for fall 2012.

Breaking records

Among the 74,458 fall undergraduate applications are 53,913 freshmen, a seven percent increase over last year at this time, including Joey Bautista, currently a senior at St. Augustine High School in San Diego. Bautista has a 4.09 GPA and a 1350 SAT score and hopes to major in mechanical engineering.

"SDSU is a name and an organization that is very familiar to me. Both my mother and sister are Aztec alumni, and the pride that they have in being part of SDSU leaves me a sort of legacy," Bautista said. "I feel that I can benefit strongly, just as they have, from being part of the university, and the experiences I would have there could be something I can continue to pass down.

"SDSU is also a university which manages to find a strong balance between academic and personal development. The school is focused not only on an academic curriculum, but also opportunities and programs that promote student enrichment outside of the classroom," Bautista continued, noting that SDSU's student-run radio station, KCR, is something he'd like to pursue. "This balance is something I look for when I consider applying to colleges, and I feel that SDSU achieves it well."

Choosing SDSU

"We are extremely pleased to see a record number of students expressing interest in attending San Diego State,” said SDSU President Elliot Hirshman. “This interest reflects the strength of our academic programs, including opportunities for internships, undergraduate research experiences, and international study, as well as the richness and diversity of our campus life."

Upper-division transfer students accounted for 20,545 applicants, a 12 percent increase over last year.

Academic Excellence

As the number of applicants to the university continues to rise, so to does the academic caliber of students applying. The fall 2012 freshmen enrollees were among the most academically accomplished in university history with an average high school GPA of 3.6 and 1085 SAT score (based only on the math and verbal sections).  

A diverse group

The 2012 freshman class is also the most ethnically diverse SDSU has ever enrolled, with 56.1 percent considered students of color.

Of those, 30.3 percent are Hispanic — the highest percentage of Hispanic students ever. Students of color now make up 52.6 percent of SDSU’s total student population. Last year that number was 50.7 percent.

"What I am most looking forward to about college is meeting new people," Bautista said. "The bulk of my education was spent in a relatively small, private school environment. I look forward to breaking out of that mold and making new friends who have common interests. I look forward to being in that kind of a setting - one with all sorts of people."

Renowned for its academic excellence, San Diego State University is home to top-ranking programs in international business, entrepreneurship, speech-language pathology, geography and other areas. SDSU provides a well-rounded education experience for its students with opportunities to participate in top-quality research and international study.

Acceptance notification

Fall 2012 applicants can expect notification of acceptance by March 2013.

System-wide, the CSU has received more than 763,000 undergraduate applications during the priority application period which began October 1 and ended November 30.  That is an increase over last year's record fall application cycle, when the CSU received approximately 679,000 applications.

Financial aid

All fall applicants are encouraged to apply for financial aid by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid before March 2, 2013.