San Francisco State University

Date: Apr 26 2016
Major: Geography and Geosciences (This Major's Salary over time)
I love the Geography department at SFSU. I switched from Environmental Studies to Geography because of the professors. Like any university, there are good departments and bad ones. I cannot speak for the other departments. I came in as a freshman with 6 credits from AP tests. I am on track to graduate a semester early (Fall 2017). Many people will tell you that if you go to a state school you'll be there for at least five years. That's not necessarily the case. I've stayed on top of my graduation requirements without the help of an advisor (honestly, they're worthless). The school's website and your student portal give you all the information you need to stay on track. I live on campus. My freshman year I lived in Mary Ward (traditional dorms). It was great for meeting people. I am a naturally shy person and wouldn't have been able to meet as many friends if I had been in an on-campus apartment. But the dorms force you to socialize with other people. The only downside is the shared bathrooms (separate for men and women). Get used to shitting in public. This year I am living in UPN (on-campus apartments). I love it here. From the outside, they look like a drug addict's haven but they're actually nice on the inside. The RAs aren't all up in your shit like in the dorms, the Village, and the Towers. I don't even know who my RA is. I am considering living off campus next year, but as I'm sure you know, rent in this city is completely outrageous. The city is incredible, though. You can't ever claim to be bored. There's always something going on. I am not involved on campus. There are frats and sororities. I have friends in both and they love it. There isn't any sort of "sorority row" or anything like that. Some of them do get houses together, but don't expect that. Campus is located in a great spot not far from shopping centers, the beach, or public transportation. We're actually much closer to Daly City than to downtown SF, but there's a muni stop at the top of campus that can take you into the city in no time. I am originally from LA, so this whole public transportation thing was a bit of a shock for me. But I adjusted quickly. Buy a clipper card! You can get them on campus in the Cesar Chavez building or at Walgreens. This is a commuter school, so even though I did make a lot of friends in the dorms, it's tough making friends in your classes. I know so many people who commute every day from the East Bay, etc. It makes it hard to get to know them better. I love it here and I don't regret my decision to come here. However, I have two friends who are leaving after this year because they hate the school. It just comes down to your department and your attitude. If you want to party, we have parties. If you want to learn, we have good professors. If you want to be a hipster, you'll fit right in. If you're a vegetarian or vegan, you'll love it here. Campus is pretty dead on the weekends, but that just forces you to go out and explore the city.