New CSU Application Off to Rough Start
October 30, 2017
On June 1st, 2017, the California State University (CSU) launched a new application portal called the “Cal State Apply.”
“Eliminating the need to submit multiple applications, easy uploading of supporting documents and additional payment options are all features that make it more convenient for students,” said Eric Forbes, CSU’s assistant vice chancellor for Student Academic Affairs/Student Academic Support, in a press release.
The new website allows students to apply to multiple CSU campuses with just one application, as well as incorporates the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) application, automatically calculates overall GPA, and shares SAT/ACT with all campuses a student applies.
However, students and college counselors alike have encountered issues with the new application website that could potentially hinder a student’s chances of acceptance.
One initial problem was that the application provided no instructions as to if and where an applicant should include high school courses taken in middle school, such as Algebra 1, Geometry, and Spanish 1 and 2. The application was recently updated to include middle school courses under 9th grade.
“Eliminating the need to submit multiple applications, easy uploading of supporting documents and additional payment options are all features that make it more convenient for students,”
— Eric Forbes
There was also confusion surrounding how to fill out the A-G requirements. For example, a student who took an extra lab science would have the opportunity to put the course in either the “D” Lab Science category or the “G” college preparatory elective category. Having an extra lab science course equates to additional points in the CSU application system, but leaving the elective category empty could potentially automatically disqualify an applicant. The application has since been updated, but when contacted, different admissions officers at Cal Poly SLO provided conflicting responses.
Some students have experienced difficulties in which they partially or completely filled out the application, and then after October 1st the application reset and all their progress was deleted.
“What my counselor told me was that because the Cal State Application opened much earlier than it normally did, the website wasn’t actually ready, so when they updated it and added all the schools to it, it wiped anyone’s information that was in it before October 1st. And so all my info got deleted,” said senior Olivia Kato. “You best believe I was pissed!”
