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Admissions & Student Outreach

Freshman

Am I a freshman applicant?

A first-time freshman applicant is a prospective student who has not taken college courses after graduation, beginning with the fall semester following their high school graduation. In addition:

  • Students who attend a college or university summer term immediately after high school graduation are considered freshman applicants.
  • Students who complete college/university courses while in high school are considered freshmen, regardless of the units earned. 

Am I eligible for admission to CSUSM?

Freshmen applicants to CSUSM who meet the following criteria are eligible for admission to non-impacted majors (read more about impacted majors here). Please note that CSU campuses do not consider ACT/SAT exams in determining admission eligibility.

Eligibility Criteria
  1. Graduate from high school or equivalent
  2. Complete the 15-unit comprehensive “A-G” course pattern of College Preparatory Subjects with grades of “C-” or higher by the end of the spring semester prior to admission. Courses completed in the summer prior to admission will not be considered for admission purposes.
  3. Earn a qualifying GPA in “A-G” courses during 10th - 12th grade (see below for calculation details and minimum GPA by admission area)

What is the 'qualifying GPA'?

GPA Calculation

Definition

The high school GPA used for admission evaluation is calculated based on grades earned in all approved college preparatory “A-G” courses taken after the 9th grade in 10th, 11th and 12th grades. This GPA is sometimes labeled "Acad GPA 10-12" or "CSU GPA" on high school transcripts.

    • The high school GPA is based upon work completed after grade nine but prior to high school graduation. Summer sessions following grade nine are included in the calculation.
    • College-level work recorded on the high school transcript as meeting high school graduation requirements or recorded only on a college transcript is used to calculate high school units and GPA.
    • Courses taken in 9th grade or earlier: Although college preparatory subject requirements may be met through satisfactory completion of courses taken prior to the 10th grade, the GPA used in calculating the minimum CSU admission eligibility is based only on work completed after grade nine.

For more information regarding the high school GPA, please see the CSU GPA Calculator.

Minimum GPA by Area of Admission

Below are the minimum GPA requirements for applicants, based on admission area.

Show All
  • Local Area Applicants

    Applicants who graduated from a high school in the CSUSM local admission area must earn a 2.00 GPA.

  • California HS Graduates/Residents Outside of Local Admission Area

    Applicants who graduated from a California high school from outside the CSUSM local admission area must earn the following high school GPA and/or supplemental factors:

    In addition to the minimum eligibility criteria above, applicants must meet the following criteria:

    •  2.50 or greater GPA

    OR

    • 2.00 and 2.49 GPA and supplemental factors, including application fee waiver eligibility, first-generation status, and foster youth status, military affiliation, or applicants from San Diego and Riverside counties.
  • Out of State / Non-Resident Applicants

    Applicants who graduated from a high school outside of California and/or non-resident applicants must earn following high school GPA and/or supplemental factors:

    • 3.0 or greater GPA

    OR

    • 2.0 and 2.99 GPA and supplemental factors, including application fee waiver eligibility, first-generation status, and foster youth status, or military affiliation.