California State University--Long Beach

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Students Say - Academics
"California State Universityâ€"Long Beach is "very large and diverse," "affordable to virtually anyone," and "geared toward preparing students to enter the real world." There are eight colleges and tons of majors. "The academic experience at this school is what you make of it," says a political science major. "You can make it competitive by the classes you take or you can skate by." Many CSULB faculty members are "wonderfully passionate" and "available outside of class," "especially in the upper-level courses." "Teachers are here because they want to teach, not do research," says an aerospace engineering major. Sadly, though, "some need to learn how to teach." On the whole, students report that the majority of professors are "very knowledgeable," however "The bad ones…are terrible." Administratively, "paperwork can be messy and slow." Also, "there's a culture [of people who believe] that graduating in a timely manner is unimportant." "It's difficult when classes are only offered once during a semester or once during a full year," notes a junior."

Students Say - Campus Life
""Long Beach State is a big commuter school" and many students lament that "there is no real sense of community." Others disagree. "There's plenty of campus life, culture, and activitiesâ€"you just have to look," counters a senior. "When walking from class to class, it's pleasant to see the juggling club on the lawn, a reggae band playing near the dining hall, and the Filipino American Club discussing Justice for Filipino-American veterans." This "beautiful" campus boasts "clean architecture" and "several tasty food joints." The baseball and the women's volleyball teams are perennially "compete for national titles." For a smattering of students, "Greek life is awesome." "Dorm life on campus is great," but there is a "severe lack of housing." Also, "there could be more lighting in dark areas" and "parking is a huge problem." "It takes me 30 minutes to find parking then another 30 minutes to walk to my class because the parking lot is so damn far away," says a junior. Off campus, "Long Beach itself is not the prettiest area." It's "laidback" though, and provides "a wide array" of coffee shops, restaurants, and bars. The beach is just "five minutes away" and "lots of people surf." Nearby Los Angeles also offers endless possibilities."

Students Say - Student Body
"At Cal Stateâ€"Long Beach, "everyone is very different." "You can be yourself and no one will mind," says one student. It's a "very relaxed" and "mellow" crowd. "Our school has one of the most diverse student bodies of any school in the nation," gloats a junior. "Think of any social/religious/ethnic archetype and we've got ‘em in drovesâ€"liberals, conservatives, religious zealots (Western and Eastern), adamant atheists, and a greater variety of skin color than a 1990s diversity promotion." Many students are "working part-time or full-time." "There are students here that are attending school solely for the social interaction and just happen to receive an education," relates a senior. "There are also those here solely for the education and interact socially only through their classes. Every student has a place where they can feel welcome and enjoy themselves.""

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