Academics
Many students choose Cal State University---East Bay for its 鈥渁ffordable鈥 tuition, 鈥渟mall class sizes,鈥 and 鈥渟trong鈥 business, nursing, and teaching programs. Students say CSUEB is dedicated to 鈥渉elping the students get where they need to be as soon as possible鈥 so that they can be 鈥渞eady for the real world.鈥 A senior explains, 鈥淐SUEB has been very convenient for me because I work 50-plus hours a week and need to complete this education as soon as possible. I am usually able to work the school scheduling around my work and family.鈥 Most students agree that the 鈥渞easonable鈥 and 鈥渦nderstanding鈥 professors are incredible.鈥 They note that the small class sizes allow faculty 鈥渢o focus more on the students.鈥 In addition, 鈥淎ll the teachers are required to have office hours.鈥 Most here find the overall experience positive, noting the variety of offered experiences. 鈥淚鈥檝e run into good courses and bad, great professors and ones that may be better suited [to] a loony bin, challenging material and easy,鈥 says a junior. However, red tape can be an issue, as 鈥淧aperwork gets lost very often, which makes it extremely frustrating on the students鈥 part.鈥 The university is making strides in addressing this issue. It recently introduced MyCSUEB, a new web-based portal which makes online services more accessible. Many also praise the 鈥渆xcellent鈥 new president and the 鈥渂etter direction鈥 in which things have been heading under his leadership.
Student Body
In general, CSUEB attracts diligent and career-minded students, the majority of whom 鈥渨ork at least part-time鈥 and 鈥渉ave families to care for.鈥 Needless to say, 鈥淢any more parents attend [CSUEB] than other schools.鈥 This student profile is due to change as a result of the university beginning to emphasize a more traditional four-year undergraduate experience. Additionally, besides having a wide generational range of students, the campus also reflects the multicultural community native to the San Francisco Bay Area. CSUEB 鈥渋s an extremely diverse campus in terms of both ethnicities and attitudes.鈥 A senior explains that this 鈥渃ulturally diverse atmosphere that promotes educational growth鈥 is a 鈥済reat asset.鈥 Despite coming from a multitude of backgrounds and places, students here have a shared seriousness about their studies. At CSUEB, 鈥淎lmost everyone here is serious about their education鈥 and 鈥渆xtremely focused.鈥
Campus Life
During the school day, CSUEB bustles with student clubs, theater and music productions, fraternity and sorority meetings, and sports. However, since the majority of CSUEB students commute to school, things slow down after hours and 鈥渄uring the weekend鈥 when the campus becomes 鈥渁 ghost town.鈥 While this may lead some to take a dim view of campus social life, others say there are plenty of ways to relax with your friends after class. 鈥淔or fun, students can socialize in the Student Union, watch sports [on] the big screen, play pool and table tennis, or have some beers at the pizza spot just off campus,鈥 reports a senior. Addionally, CSUEB is addressing social concerns by expanding their freshman-year experience, primarily through the learning communities program. Located in the suburb of Hayward (with an additional campus in Concord), CSUEB鈥檚 location is 鈥渂reathtaking鈥 with its panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay. Thanks to its proximity to public transportation, 鈥淵ou can access almost every fun activity in the Bay Area鈥 with ease. 鈥淚t is close to everything: San Francisco, Santa Cruz, and an hour and a half from Sacramento,鈥 says a contented student.
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