California State University, San Marcos College Portrait
California State University, San Marcos333 S. Twin Oaks Valley Road San Marcos, CA 92096
(760) 750-4848
California State University, San Marcos
http://www.csusm.edu/
California State University San Marcos has become one of the fastest growing campuses in the CSU system. Providing access to a high quality education and preparing the leaders of tomorrow remain at the core of what we do. Cal State San Marcos embraces and symbolizes twenty
Living in the Cougars Community
The Cougars Community
Student Life is one of our five strategic priorities at CSUSM. Our students are encouraged to: • Get Involved! We have 80+ student organizations and many opportunities for students to engage with faculty and staff outside the classroom. • Advocate! Associated Students, Inc. (ASI) is an active student government which advocates and addresses student needs and which oversees the Women’s Center and the LGBTQ Pride Center. • Engage! Our Athletic program includes Men & Women’s Soccer, Cross
The Big Picture: How many students were on campus in Fall 2010?
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| Total Students | 9,722 | |
|---|---|---|
Undergraduate Snapshot
| Total Undergraduate Students | 8,851 | |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | ||
| Women | 5,382 | 61% |
| Men | 3,469 | 39% |
| Race/Ethnicity | ||
| American Indian / Alaskan Native | 60 | 1% |
| Asian | 885 | 10% |
| African American / Black | 245 | 3% |
| Hispanic | 2,532 | 29% |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 47 | 1% |
| White | 3,872 | 44% |
| Two or More Races | 262 | 3% |
| International | 149 | 2% |
| Race/Ethnicity Not Reported | 799 | 9% |
| Where do CSUSM undergraduates call home? | |
|---|---|
| California | 97% |
| Other US States & Territories | 1% |
| Other Countries | 2% |
| Residency Unknown | <1% |
| How old are CSUSM undergraduates? | |
| Average Age | 23 |
| Percent of Undergraduates Age 25 or Older | 21% |
New Student Applications (Fall 2010)
New Freshmen High School Background and Test Scores
Test(s) Required for Admission: SAT or ACT recommended
| Test Scores of Enrolled New Freshmen | ACT | SAT |
|---|---|---|
| Composite | 17 - 22 | |
| Math | 17 - 23 | 440 - 550 |
| English | 16 - 22 | |
| Critical Reading | 430 - 530 |
50% of admitted students have test scores within the ranges listed, 25% have scores above, and 25% have scores below.
| High School Background of Enrolled New Freshmen | ||
|---|---|---|
| Percent in top of graduating class Data Not Available | ||
| Average High School GPA (4-point scale) | 3.18 | |
| Percent who submitted High School GPA | 100% | |
Sticker Price: How much does it cost on average?
Typical Undergraduate Costs for 2009-10 without Financial Aid (Full-Time, In-State Students)
Total Typical Cost of Attendance: $21,583
Out-of-State & Other Costs
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The cost to attend California State University, San Marcos varies based on the individual circumstances of students and may be reduced through grants and scholarships.
How much would I pay?
Financial Aid: How much help is there to pay?
Scholarships & Grants
- 64% of 2009-10 full-time undergraduates received need-based grants or scholarships; the average award for the year was $7,792. Scholarships and grants are financial aid that does not need to be repaid and is sometimes referred to as gift aid.
Annual Need-Based Loans
- 52% of 2009-10 full-time undergraduates received need-based work-study and/or loans (not including parent loans); the average loan for the year was $4,246. Loans need to be repaid. Typically, repayment starts once you are no longer enrolled full-time. Please refer to page 12 of the Funding Education Beyond High School guide on the US Department of Education's Federal Student Aid website for more information about Financial Need.
Percent of 2009-2010 Full-time Beginning Students Receiving Each Type of Financial Aid
NOTE: Students may receive aid from more than one source.
CSUSM Classes & Instructors
| Classroom Environment | |
|---|---|
| Students per Faculty | 24 to 1 |
| Undergraduate classes with fewer than 30 students | 51% |
| Undergraduate classes with fewer than 50 students | 91% |
| Total Full-Time Instructional Faculty | 222 |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Are Female | 52% |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Are Persons of Color | 34% |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Have the Highest Academic Degree Offered in Their Field of Study | 100% |
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Campus-based Housing
27% of new freshmen live in campus-based housing or residence halls.
6% of all undergraduates live on campus
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Campus Safety
California State University San Marcos has an outstanding record of safety, with a campus climate conducive to learning and an enjoyable atmosphere for students, faculty and staff. While we are dynamic, growing university involved with our surrounding community, we still maintain an extremely low rate of crime.
Campus Crime Statistics
Carnegie Classification of Institutional Characteristics
The Carnegie Classification's were created "to reference the great diversity of colleges and universities in the United States, and ... enable [people] to identify groups of roughly comparable institutions." For information on the Carnegie Classifications system, please visit their website: http://classifications.carnegiefoundation.org/
- Basic Type
- Master's Colleges and Universities (medium programs)
- Size and Setting
- Medium four-year, primarily nonresidential
- Enrollment Profile
- High undergraduate
- Undergraduate Profile
- Medium full-time four-year, selective, higher transfer-in
- Undergraduate Instructional Program
- Arts & sciences focus, some graduate coexistence
- Graduate Instructional Program
- Postbaccalaureate comprehensive
NOTE: Institutional classifications based on the Carnegie 2005 edition.
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Student Activities and Involvement at CSUSM
Students who are actively involved in their own learning and development are more likely to be successful in college. Colleges and universities offer students a wide variety of opportunities both inside and outside the classroom to become engaged with new ideas, people, and experiences. Institutions measure the effectiveness of these opportunities in a variety of ways to better understand what types of activities and programs students find the most helpful.
Institutions participating in the VSA program measure student involvement on campus using one of four national surveys. Results from the one survey are reported for a common set of questions selected as part of VSA. Following are the selected results from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). The questions have been grouped together in categories that are known to contribute to student learning and development. The results reported below are based on the responses of seniors who participated in the survey.
Group Learning Experiences
- 84% percent of seniors worked with classmates on assignments outside of class.
- 44% of seniors tutored or taught other students
- 22% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week participating in co-curricular activities such as student organizations and intramural sports
Active Learning Experiences
- 83% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week preparing for class
- 6% of seniors worked on a research project with a faculty member
- 6% of seniors participated in an internship, practicum, or field experience
- 35% of seniors participated in community service or volunteer work
- 1% of seniors participated in study abroad
- 95% of seniors made at least one class presentation last year
Institutional Commitment to Student Learning and Success
- 98% of seniors believe this institution provides support for student success
- 80% of seniors rated the quality of academic advising at this institution as good or excellent
- 75% of seniors reported that this institution provided help in coping with work, family and other non-academic responsibilities
- 96% of seniors reported working harder than they thought they could to meet an instructor's standards or expectations
Student Interaction with Campus Faculty and Staff
- 52% of seniors believed that the campus staff were helpful, considerate, or flexible
- 68% of seniors believed that faculty are available, helpful, or sympathetic
- 94% of seniors reported that faculty members provided prompt feedback on their academic performance
- 58% of seniors discussed readings or ideas with faculty members outside of class
Experiences with Diverse Groups of People and Ideas
- 63% of seniors reported that they often tried to understand someone else's point of view
- 89% of seniors reported their experience at this institution contributed to their understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds
- 54% of seniors often had serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity
Student Satisfaction
- 81% of seniors would attend this institution if they started over again
- 84% of seniors rated their entire educational experience as good or excellent
- 73% of seniors reported that other students were friendly or supportive
Evaluation of Experiences
Survey Administration Process
Survey Information
Majors and Degrees
| Degrees awarded at California State University, San Marcos in 2009-10 | |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 1,794 |
| Master's | 151 |
| Total | 1,945 |
| Areas of Study with the largest number of bachelor's degrees awarded in 2009-10 | |
|---|---|
| BUSINESS, MANAGEMENT, MARKETING, AND RELATED SUPPORT SERVICES | 19% |
| Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities | 10% |
| Communication and Media Studies | 10% |
| Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing | 9% |
| Psychology, General | 7% |
| Links to degree programs at California State University, San Marcos |
|---|
Bachelor'sMaster's |
Student Success & Progress Rate
A 85% four-year success and progress rate means that 85% of students starting in Fall 2004 either graduated or are still enrolled at a higher education institution four years later.
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Counts for the Fall 2004 entering class shown in the graph above.
- 599 First-Time, Full-Time Students
- 764 Full-Time Transfer Students
Success & Progress Rate Table
Retention of Freshman Class
First-time students in Fall 2009 that returned for their second year: 80%
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Student Learning at California State University, San Marcos
All colleges and universities use multiple approaches to measure student learning. Many of these are specific to particular disciplines, many are coordinated with accrediting agencies, and many are based on outcomes after students have graduated.
Graduates of California State University San Marcos will, 1) express a coherent purpose and point of view in written and other formats, including writing clearly and concisely, demonstrating proficiency in a second language and effectively presenting ideas; 2) apply critical thinking to arrive at thoughtful conclusions based on logic and sound reasoning; 3) demonstrate competence in electronic and information technologies; and, 4) possess a global and interdisciplinary perspective, appreciate and value the racial, ethnic, social and cultural diversity and combine insights from several disciplines to more fully understand today's complex problem.
Learning Assessment Examples
Pilot Project to Measure Core Learning Outcomes
Colleges and universities participating in the College Portrait measure the typical improvement in students' abilities to think, reason, and write using one of three tests. This is part of a pilot project to better understand and compare what students learn between their freshman and senior years at different colleges and universities.
2008-10 Results from the Collegiate Learning Assessment
The Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA) measures critical thinking, analytic reasoning, problem solving, and written communication using a performance task and an analytic writing task. The scores from the tasks are reported separately below.
Test Administration Process
Test Information
Performance Task Results for First-time, Full-time Students
The increase in learning on the performance task is at or near what would be expected at an institution testing students of similar academic abilities.
Freshman Score: 1014
Senior Score: 1211
CLA score range: 400 to no maximum score.
Average ACT scores for tested students
Freshman Score: 20
Senior Score: 22
Average EEA scores for tested students
Freshman Score: 975
Senior Score: 1030
Analytic Writing Task Results for First-time, Full-time Students
The increase in learning on the analytic writing task is at or near what would be expected at an institution testing students of similar academic abilities.
Freshman Score: 1038
Senior Score: 1233
CLA score range: 400 to no maximum score.
Average ACT scores for tested students
Freshman Score: 20
Senior Score: 23
Average EEA scores for tested students
Freshman Score: 975
Senior Score: 1036