CSU: Eligibility

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Section 8: Applying-CSU
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Examination Requirement
  • The ACT Assessment OR The SAT Reasoning Test

Test scores are required unless you have a grade point average above 3.0 and are a resident of California.

Even if you have a GPA above 3.0, it is useful to take either an SAT or ACT as the score may indicate if you do not need to take English and math placement tests after you are admitted and before you enroll at the CSU.
Eligibility Index

The CSU uses a calculation called an eligibility index (see below) that combines your high school grade point average with the score you earn on either the SAT or ACT tests.

The eligibility index for out-of-state students is higher and admission requirements for international students are somewhat different.

Calculating your Grade Point Average:
Go to this website to calculate your Cal State GPA:

http://www.californiacolleges.edu/admissions/california-state-university-csu/gpa_calculator.asp

Once you calculate your grade point average, you can use this formula to see if your grade point average and test scores meet the minimum required eligibility index.
California residents must have a minimum eligibility index of 2900 using SAT scores or 694 using ACT scores. (The SAT score component for CSU is the sum of the mathematics and critical reading scores. Neither ACT nor SAT writing scores are included in the calculation of the CSU Eligibility Index.)
California nonresidents or non-graduates of California high schools must have a minimum eligibility index of 3502 using SAT scores or 842 using ACT scores.

If you apply for admission before you graduate from high school, you should compute your GPA using grades earned in a-g courses completed after the 9th grade. Do not include grades you expect to earn in courses you have not completed.
If you are a California high school graduate (or a resident of California for tuition purposes), you need a minimum eligibility index of 2900 using the SAT or 694 using the ACT.

SAT Scores:

ACT Scores:

(Your GPA ) x 800 + Your SAT Total

>>>My index is
______

(Your GPA ) x 200 + (10 x ACT Comp)

>>>My index is
______

Non-residents of California are required to have a minimum eligibility index of 3502 (SAT) or 842 (ACT).

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California State Universities: Eligibility for California Residents
Eligibility Index Table for Residents of California or
Graduates of California High Schools
GPA ACT SAT GPA ACT SAT GPA ACT SAT
Score Score Score Score Score Score
3.0 and above qualifies for any score
2.99 10 510 2.66 17 780 2.33 23 1040
2.98 10 520 2.65 17 780 2.32 23 1050
2.97 10 530 2.64 17 790 2.31 24 1060
2.96 11 540 2.63 17 800 2.3 24 1060
2.95 11 540 2.62 17 810 2.29 24 1070
2.94 11 550 2.61 18 820 2.28 24 1080
2.93 11 560 2.6 18 820 2.27 24 1090
2.92 11 570 2.59 18 830 2.26 25 1100
2.91 12 580 2.58 18 840 2.25 25 1100
2.9 12 580 2.57 18 850 2.24 25 1110
2.89 12 590 2.56 18 860 2.23 25 1120
2.88 12 600 2.55 19 860 2.22 25 1130
2.87 12 610 2.54 19 870 2.21 26 1140
2.86 13 620 2.53 19 880 2.2 26 1140
2.85 13 620 2.52 19 890 2.19 26 1150
2.84 13 630 2.51 20 900 2.18 26 1160
2.83 13 640 2.5 20 900 2.17 26 1170
2.82 13 650 2.49 20 910 2.16 27 1180
2.81 14 660 2.48 20 920 2.15 27 1180
2.8 14 660 2.47 20 930 2.14 27 1190
2.79 14 670 2.46 21 940 2.13 27 1200
2.78 14 680 2.45 21 940 2.12 27 1210
2.77 14 690 2.44 21 950 2.11 28 1220
2.76 15 700 2.43 21 960 2.1 28 1220
2.75 15 700 2.42 21 970 2.09 28 1230
2.74 15 710 2.41 22 980 2.08 28 1240
2.73 15 720 2.4 22 980 2.07 28 1250
2.72 15 730 2.39 22 990 2.06 29 1260
2.71 16 740 2.38 22 1000 2.05 29 1260
2.7 16 740 2.37 22 1010 2.04 29 1270
2.69 16 750 2.36 23 1020 2.03 29 1280
2.68 16 760 2.35 23 1020 2.02 29 1290
2.67 16 770 2.34 23 1030 2.01 30 1300
            2 30 1300
Below 2.0 does not qualify for regular admission
For admissions purposes, the CSU uses only the SAT scores for mathematics and critical reading.
 
 
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