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What is Impaction?

In order to manage enrollment while preserving the highest quality academic experience and services to students, the California State University (CSU) system allows campuses to declare impaction. Impaction allows each campus to manage enrollment of new students based on approved local criteria.

At CSUSM, impaction applies to specific majors, depending on whether an applicant is a freshman or transfer student.

Impacted Majors at CSUSM

Impacted majors have more qualified students interested in declaring these majors than can be accommodated in current courses.   

Freshman Students

  • Biology

    CSUSM admits eligible students in our local admission area and admit additional students from outside of our local admission area up to the 175 total freshman that we estimate we are able to serve.

  • Business Administration
    CSUSM admits eligible students under a "Pre-Business" status. Students later apply to a competitive process at Junior standing based upon GPA in pre-business core courses.
  • Electrical Engineering
    CSUSM admits eligible students in our local admission area and additional students from outside our local area are considered on a space available basis. 
  • Nursing (Basic Nursing Program)

     The Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (TBSN) is an impacted program. This major is authorized to use supplementary admission criteria to screen applications. First-time freshman admission decisions will be based on college readiness and GPA. Local area applicants will be given priority over non-local applicants. This major is not eligible for early admission decision. Applicants admitted to their alternate major, and not accepted into the TBSN major by the start of the fall term, will not be able to switch majors or apply to the impacted major at a later date.

  • Software Engineering
    CSUSM admits eligible students in our local admission area and additional students from outside our local area are considered on a space available basis. 

Transfer Students

  • Business Administration
    CSUSM admits eligible students under a "Pre-Business" status. Following admission, students apply to a competitive process based upon GPA in pre-business core courses.
  • Nursing

    The TBSN major is an impacted program. This major is authorized to use supplementary admission criteria to screen applications. Transfer applications are rank-ordered pursuant to Supplemental Admission Criteria outline on our TBSN website.  Local area applicants will be given priority over non-local applicants. 

    Transfer applicants to the TBSN to BSN will be reviewed for admission and, if CSU Eligible, conditionally admitted to the alternate major of choice.  Decisions for the TBSN to BSN major are completed and communicated in April and May. Transfer applicants should plan their Intent to Enroll and fee based on the alternate major of choice due to limited admissions into TBSN to BSN. Applicants not accepted into the Nursing major by the start of the fall term will not be able to switch majors or apply to the impacted major at a later date.


Out-of-Area Nursing Students

For the past three admissions cycles, CSUSM has not had the space available to accommodate non-local area applicants to the nursing program.  Although we cannot always predict future enrollment trends, we do anticipate this level of impaction to continue.