CSU Monterey Bay (November 26, 2024)

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Cal State Monterey Bay

11.26.24 Campus Visit Report

Lindsay Woodard - San Marcos High School



ADMISSIONS



ACADEMIC

  • Student-to-faculty ratio is 18:1

  • The sophomore tour guide has had classes as small as 10 and as large as 35

  • First-Year and Second-Year Experience

  • SCUBA certification on campus with a reasonable course fee

  • Mechatronics major

  • Library

    • Has a cafe

    • Computer lab with free printing

    • Cooperative Learning Center (tutoring)

      • Drop-in hours and one-on-one appts

    • Undergrad Research Opportunities Center

      • “Research” can include conference attendance

    • Career and academic advising

    • Makerspace with classes

    • Study rooms

      • Can be booked for 2-hour blocks of time

    • Therapy dogs every week (Blue and Dolly)

      • Petting zoo during finals week

    • Can reserve textbooks

      • Available for a few hours, days, or online

    • Hours are 7am-11pm

      • Closes earlier on weekends

      • Extended hours during finals

    • Floors get quieter as they go up

      • Third floor is dead silent

  • Capstones for every student

    • Includes everything from films to research papers

  • Sustainable Hospitality major

  • College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences

    • The film major has editing labs

    • There’s a student art gallery

  • Kinesiology, Marine Science, Psychology, and Business are the largest majors, yet they are not impacted

  • Most students graduate in four years or fewer

  • Study abroad

    • Japan, Australia, and Scandinavia are popular

    • There is no additional cost for study abroad



SOCIAL

  • All students a free Monterey Bay Aquarium pass one time per year

  • 7,500 undergraduates

  • 62% female

  • Hispanic-Serving Institution

  • 72% first-generation students

  • 90% of students live on campus

    • Students are required to live on campus their first two years unless their family lives within a 30-mile radius

  • Print and digital student newspaper

  • There’s a pep rally every Thursday

  • There are trips to off-campus climbing gyms

  • Theatre productions are open to all students, not just theatre majors



CAMPUS

  • Founded 1994; former army base

  • 1,350 acres

    • Lots of undeveloped space

    • Ropes course

    • Hiking trails

  • Housing

    • No communal bathrooms in any residence hall

    • 1 bathroom per room

      • Rooms can be 2-4 students

    • Communal kitchen in each residence hall

    • Laundry included in tuition

    • Lots of living learning community options

    • LLCs and 2nd year students and above have a large number of housing options

    • East Campus is two miles away and is full apartment style

      • There is a shuttle to main campus

      • These apartments are available furnished or unfurnished

  • Dining

    • There is s Starbucks on campus

    • One main dining hall plus several other eateries

  • All students can have cars on campus

    • $400-500 to park anywhere on campus for the year

    • Less if parking just in the residence hall parking lot

    • If a student doesn’t have a car, bike, or scooter, there are off-campus shopping and dining options just 5 minutes away

      • Public bus (free) serves a 30-mile radius of campus

  • There is a shuttle that runs all over campus

  • 2 rec centers/gyms on campus

  • There’s a pool open to all students

  • There’s a ropes course

  • The Business and Information Technology building has no heating or A/C due to windows that automatically adjust based on temperature conditions


FINANCIAL

  • Lowest tuition of any of the CSUs!

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