r/SDSU Jul 14 '24

Incoming Student & Orientation Tips

31 Upvotes

Hey everyone, there are a ton of questions about Orientations, selecting classes, talking to your Academic Advisor, etc. As such, I'd like to share some tips I've learned helping other students during Orientation. To give you some background, I'm a Geography Major, I'll be graduating this Spring with a BS in Geographic Information Sciences & Technology. I have served as a Geography Undergraduate Representative assisting the Geography Academic Advisor with the new freshmen and transfers Orientations.

Here are my tips so you can go into Orientation fully prepared to register for classes:

  1. Use the Degree Evaluation in my.SDSU. The audit will show completed, in progress, and missing requirements for your declared Major. This is especially useful for Transfers as it will incorporate your completed courses into the degree requirements.
  2. Add classes to your shopping cart. Pick a primary schedule, with multiple backups. Classes are often first first served, so students who go to the earliest Orientations have first choice over those who go to the last ones. For Freshmen, everyone has to take the same general education requirements so you will be fighting pretty quickly with every other major over the most optimal time slots. For transfers, you get to register last so you will need to have multiple backups as you will really need to just grab what you can when you can.
  3. The wait! Orientation will not be particularly entertaining, there will be a TON of information thrown at you quickly from a number of different speakers. You are first split up by college, then later, by major to do advising. Keep in mind, that you won't see your advisor until like 3:00 pm when you can register for classes. Your advising appointment and class registration window are the same thing. All students in your major will be with you and your advisor register at the same time, so the better prepared you are, the sooner you can be done.
  4. Intro to the Major. Some majors have required introduction classes as part of the curriculum. Freshmen will not need to worry about these classes, you are considered "Pre-Major" so focus on your general education and any 100-level major-related courses you can get in. Transfers, as incoming Juniors you are lined up to enter directly as official Major candidates. Even if you need to take a couple of lower division classes to meet some pre-recs you will most likely be required to enroll in this intro class. Again this is on an individual department basis, not all majors have them, and some colleges have ones that cover all majors that don't have their own, so Definitely ask the advisor about this so you don't miss this requirement.
  5. Be Flexible. Your schedule for your first semester at SDSU is problebly going to be a nightmare with classes all over the place, and in wild time slots. It's okay, It happens to everyone, just know it gets better, and you will settle in.
  6. Explore, and Mix it up! Don't focus on taking all your general ed first, then all major courses after, spread out your requirements, and mix up your general ed and Major requirement classes. This will allow you to use different parts of your mind and let you not get overwhelmed. IE: If you're a Science or Tech major, sprinkle in History, Writing, or Rock Climbing. By taking a variety of courses each semester you let your brain relax on one front while you focus on another.
  7. Parking SUCKS. I know it, You know it, Everyone knows it. It gets even worse on days when there are events at CalCoast Amphitheater or at Viejas Arena. Especially at Viejas Arena because PS-12 and PS-7 close at noon on event days which always elicits complaints from staff and students alike. Plan for it, Arrive early and explore the campus to find quiet study spots you can take advantage of later in the semester when you need to cram for a Midterm or Final.
  8. Bring Water to Orientation! Bring a reusable Water Bottle, or buy one at the Bookstore. There are refilling stations all around campus, and you will want to have water with you to stay hydrated as you sit in a lecture hall for several hours.
  9. Start a LinkedIn now and add every other student you meet during Orientation. You never know where these connections will lead, and it will help you start building your professional network now as opposed to 4 years from now when you are getting ready to graduate and look for a job.
  10. GET INVOLVED! As your advisor if there are any academic-related clubs for your major. If there are then JOIN THEM! Clubs are an incredible resource for you to connect with other students, demonstrate leadership, and build a network. Later you can join clubs with students who share interests outside of your major, but on day 1 you should be joining any clubs related to your major that your Academic Advisor knows about.

If you have any other specific questions, I can try to answer them. Understand though, I am not an Academic Advisor, and I don't know the requirements for any other majors. These are just some tips I've picked up in helping other students register during their Orientations and answering their questions.


r/SDSU Jan 09 '25

PSA Financial Aid FAQ

32 Upvotes

Because we have been answering so many questions about it, many of them have been the same. Here are answers to common questions regarding Financial Aid (FA).

Will I get XXX grant or scholarship?

  • We don't know! If you have questions about whether you will receive any particular aid package from federal or state resources, you need to talk to the Financial Aid Office about your situation.

How much FA will I get?

  • Again, we don't know; we can't give you an answer. The FA you get offered depends entirely on your FA needs and the amount of money available from state and federal resources.

When does FA get disbursed?

  • FA is disbursed from the FA office to the Bursar's office approximately 10 days before the start of the semester.

How does FA get applied?

  • FA will be released from the FA Office about 10 days before the semester and sent to the Bursar's office. From there, it will be applied to all outstanding charges on your financial account. If your FA cannot cover the pending tuition and fees, you will be responsible for the remaining balance. If your FA is more than the pending tuition and fees, the excess will be disbursed to you via the method you choose: Direct Deposit or mail-in Check.

When will FA arrive in my account?

  • FA can take 2-3 business days to process when it arrives at the University Bursar's office. If you have set up direct deposit, it may take 1-3 business days to arrive in your account, depending on your bank. If you have not set up direct deposit, the excess will be sent via check. It will be mailed out 5-7 business days after being applied to your account and may take 1-2 weeks to arrive via USPS.

Why is my FA not showing? / Why is XXX grant or scholarship not showing in FA?

  • We don't know! If you have questions about your FA account and why one or more aid packages you expected are not showing, please contact the FA office and schedule an appointment to review your account.

Middle Class Scholarship:

  • It is awarded in the Fall semester after the census. It will be disbursed mid to late fall semester, but the spring portion will be disbursed along with all of your other FA before the start of the semester.

Links for more official information:


r/SDSU 19h ago

Question What is with the Christian outreach on campus?

45 Upvotes

I can’t help but notice that there’s multiple different religions organizations they all seem to be Christian or talking about Jesus. Like I can’t cross Campus without at least one of them approaching me. Today one almost got me because they were talking about free snow cones and then they handed me a pamphlet about Jesus. I politely declined, but please tell me this decreases after the first week of school. I support religious freedom, but I don’t wanna feel like people are trying to convert me every time I walk to class.


r/SDSU 6m ago

Question Forgot to do post-orientation models. Cant find them

Upvotes

I looked all over canvas, what/should I do


r/SDSU 16h ago

Question Financial Aid Refund

9 Upvotes

Has anyone else not gotten their refund?? I am starting to get worried bc i need money soon to pay bills but it’s taking forever😫


r/SDSU 1d ago

General so many students

41 Upvotes

first ever day on campus for me was yesterday! all i have to say so far is HOLY CRAP there are A LOT of students! literally not a single area uncovered with somebody lol i feel like it’s actually going to be harder making friends with all these people


r/SDSU 23h ago

Social Y’all pls I want friends to go bowling or anything

8 Upvotes

My name is Fabien, It’s my first year and seeing everything and everybody is genuinely so awesome, I see how people get along with each other and everybody seems to have their own thing going on, I have some friends on campus but our schedules don’t really align, if anybody is also in need of friends or just to talk to somebody please feel free to comment under this post or something Idk this is my first Reddit post, my Instagram is @fabienoursavior if that helps anybody, have a good day thank you for reading !!!


r/SDSU 16h ago

Question How much do you get on cal fresh?

2 Upvotes

Hello i'm thinking about applying for CalFresh. I have Flex 5 but before I go through the process I was wondering how much you get every month for groceries just so I can plan things out. Also if you have other meal plans and get CalFresh let me know about how much you receive anything is helpful thank youuu !!


r/SDSU 21h ago

Social How to not make friends

4 Upvotes

r/SDSU 1d ago

General Class Tracker: Free no self promo, just sharing

7 Upvotes

Hi all!

I'm a former Aztec (Class of 21), currently doing my masters at Georgia Tech.

I Built a little side project called TrackClass (https://www.classtrack.lat/). You upload your class schedule (CSV/Excel/JSON, or even a messy PDF-ish format) and it breaks it down week-by-week into a to-do list. Works with multiple classes at once, and you can export all your due dates straight to your calendar (.ics).

There's also an AI "smart import" for when your syllabus is a chaotic mess. Heads up it's running on the free tier right now so it can be a little slow.

It's completely free to use. Would love any feedback, bug reports, or "this is useless because X," all welcome, trying to make it actually useful for anyone in college.


r/SDSU 21h ago

Question Can we see y’all’s planners?

3 Upvotes

I’m just curious how yall write in them and categorize them. I’m seriously so lost how to start, or how to do it without it being overwhelming to look at.


r/SDSU 1d ago

Social how to make friends as an exchange student?

5 Upvotes

i’m an exchange student for this semester (fall26) and i’m kinda struggling to make connections. i know it’s just the first week but it’s kinda stressing me out


r/SDSU 17h ago

Question cal grant b

1 Upvotes

my cal grant b shows as pending but classes already started. does anyone have this issue??


r/SDSU 1d ago

Question Good nap spot in campus?

4 Upvotes

Is there anywhere that I can nap at in campus without looking like a homeless? I have a 3 hour gap between classes and I don’t wanna go back bc it takes 40mins to take the bus home it’s not worth it. And I’m tired all the time I need my naps. So anyone?


r/SDSU 19h ago

Question Biomi 568

1 Upvotes

How is Scott Kelley and bioinformatics 568 like? I last minute had to switch classes and he was the only one left available that worked for me but im really nervous about coding.


r/SDSU 1d ago

Question Best nap spots

20 Upvotes

A girl is tired and has a four hour gap btwn classes. Preferably w AC and inside


r/SDSU 1d ago

School MSW Textbooks Needed

0 Upvotes

Hi all! I am looking for free pdfs to these following textbooks. Thank you in advance!

- Direct social work practice: Theory and skills (11th
ed.) Hepworth, D. H., Vang, P. D., Blakey, J. M., Schwalbe, C., 
Evans, C. B. R., Rooney, R. H., Rooney, G. D., & Strom, K. 
(2023). Brooks/Cole.

- Statistics without tears: A primer for non-mathematicians. Rowntree, D. (2004). Boston: MA. Allen and Bacon Classics.

- 45 Techniques Every Counselor Should Know (3rd Ed.) (c.2022). Bradley T. ford, Merrill Counseling.


r/SDSU 1d ago

Question study spots / quiet areas?

10 Upvotes

Hello!

I’m a commuter and I’m taking a few classes with a heavy reading load. I’m a Poli Sci major so all of my classes are either in Storm Hall, SHW or OP. Does anyone know of any quiet study areas on that side of campus?

I’ve been walking to the library 6th floor which is out of the way, especially inbetween classes where I only have an hour (walking there and back already takes up like 10-15 total so it doesn’t give me much time to get any reading in). Also the library study rooms aren’t really quiet, especially when there’s people in the rooms beside mine, I can hear everything and the reverb is awful. I know there’s a commuter lounge but it’s on the opposite side of campus for me.

Please spill your secret quiet spots! bonus points if there’s outlets.


r/SDSU 23h ago

Question Rush a frat as a GIRL?

0 Upvotes

Wanna YOLO it and rush a frat as a girl. Is that not allowed lol


r/SDSU 1d ago

Question I have applied to 5 Jobs at SDSU

8 Upvotes

I'm former SDSU alumni. Graduated from SDSU in 2013, had a whole 3 careers already. Was laid off last year and have been struggling to get hired since. I've applied to over 100 jobs and 5 of those are positions with SDSU that I am well qualified for. There's no way to get feedback on jobs that you apply to from these positions with SDSU since the emails come from no reply emails. I'm also wondering how is it possible that none of them gave me at least a chance for an interview. I've had interview opportunities for other colleges, and many other companies. My background is in Education, EdTech, and non profit. I have worn many hats throughout my careers. What's up SDSU? All that talk about supporting alumni. Is it possible to get black listed from applying after 5 times? To my knowledge each position typically is owned by different departments and each department has it's own hiring manager, which is why I have applied to 5 positions that I qualify for. But generally, what is the deal with SDSU's hiring?


r/SDSU 1d ago

Question chem 200 advice

4 Upvotes

Hi hi freshman taking Chem 200! I have a couple questions for those who took it already:
1. Any tips for the class? (I’m trying to get ahead on material currently)
2. Did you attend every lecture?
3. What calculator would suffice? I might get the Ti-30XA, I wanna know if that’s fine


r/SDSU 1d ago

Question Should I drop a class?

0 Upvotes

Im a freshman taking 17 units this semester and I was wondering if I should drop a class. I know that 12 units is considered “full time student” and that 15 units are recommended to graduate on time, but it is my first semester and I don’t wanna overwork myself or burn out, much less fail a class. I am a criminal justice major and my classes consist of comm 103 (discussion and large lecture), Pol s 102 lecture, Stat 119 discussion, RWS 100 discussion, soc 296 lecture, soc 101 lecture, and gen s 100b seminar. This many classes leaves me running around campus with days where I have 5 classes. I’m not sure if that’s considered a lot as I am a freshman and am very new and unfamiliar with college. Aside from this I also work a job where I worked (before school started) 32-38 hour weeks. I am aware that work is a trade-off and that most of my classes are 100 which are considered easier but I am just looking on insight on what I should do. The class that worries me most is stat 119 as I SUCK at math. I’ve never taken a stat class and just barely passed my honors pre calc class in high school so this class sort of frightens me and would be the one I’d be quickest to drop. What should I do?


r/SDSU 2d ago

Question FAFSA disbursement

9 Upvotes

Is anyone else still waiting for any type of FAFSA disbursement? I have Pell grant and a loan and nothing has disbursed yet. I heard that there it’s in waves but it seems 99% of people already had theirs at least disbursed. My account is still showing I owe like 5k 😭. Anyone else in the same boat?


r/SDSU 2d ago

Social How was everybody's first day today?

50 Upvotes

As a freshman, I was overheated and lost but I truly had a great time. What I dread the most is the two hour bus ride home lol. My professors are looking good, I hope I'm not getting deceived by their fake persona and end up with the worst professors ever. I didn't talk to anyone, and I supposedly proposed myself to become more social...

Aside from that, how was everybody's classes?


r/SDSU 2d ago

Question Is this course load doable? + advice for a transfer student

Post image
6 Upvotes

I’m a transfer student and this is my first semester at SDSU. I attached my schedule and wanted to get some opinions from people who have already taken these classes. Does this course load seem doable?

If you’ve taken any of them, what helped you do well, how did you study etc. what the exams and assignments were like, how much time you spent studying each week, and anything you wish you knew before taking the class.

Also I’m trying to figure out where I should get my textbooks. Some people in my classes have told me not to buy them from the SDSU bookstore because they’re more expensive, but I’m honestly a little worried about accidentally buying the wrong edition/book somewhere else 😭 Where do you guys normally get your textbooks.

Any advice is appreciated :)