California State University Fullerton (CSUF) staff members visited students at the College and Career Center Tuesday, April 25 from 11:20 to 12:00 p.m. 

During the event, students explored the programs offered by the university, such as its psychology and fine arts programs. The presentation also introduced the various Cal State campuses around California, explaining the requirements that would give applicants a higher chance of getting accepted. 

“With people from different universities coming over to make their speeches, I think it teaches the [students] the pros and cons of going to this college,” junior Saif Otoum said. “Psychology is my current idea for a major so when it was [mentioned] that it was a popular major at CSUF, it caught my attention.”

Attending any of the Cal State Universities would also benefit many students with its affordable tuition. According to CSUF guidance counselor Cynthia Sanchez, money is a major factor that goes into a student’s decision of going to a certain college. For example, as part of CSUF’s mission to support low income students, Cal State Fullerton has partnered with Disney in a program called Disney Aspire, where students who work at Disney would get their full tuition paid. Financial aid is also offered to low-income families so that they could afford a college education. 

“The first thing is to not count yourself out just because you think you can’t afford it,” Chavez said. “Look at what the different campuses are offering you and do not stop yourself from hearing those different options. Always research what scholarships and programs that are going to help pay for your tuition.”

Chavez also went into detail on what is expected of a CSUF student. Not only do students have to maintain grades, but they also have to involve themselves with their community and give back to it. She shared that the purpose of going out to local high schools was to get students to start planning out their future, starting with college. 

“I like to think of the CSU systems as sisters,” Chavez said. “If we have students who want to major in something that we don’t specialize in,I’ll refer them to a different CSU. The goal of what I do is making sure that students have the awareness and the knowledge to make informed decisions.”

At the end of the presentation, Chavez answered many questions from students who were interested. One student asked about the fine arts programs that CSUF offered, so Chavez explained to them the popular courses, such as graphic design and animation. 

“It’s a good thing that people are interested in the Cal States universities,” Chavez said. “A lot of folks tend to assume that they are less competitive than the UCs or private universities. Look at the school on its own, not necessarily within the system.”