San Francisco State and University of San Francisco

[Anonymous]

Can anyone tell me about either of these schools? I know one is public and the other Jesuit (and the differing tuition costs) I am really interested in hearing about quality of academics, student life, etc

Thanks

[Anonymous]

At this point I would be happy with "I have a friend who heard..." anecdotes, really...anything?

Anyone?

[Anonymous]

My friend in California who got his undergraduate at a UC got his graduate degree at San Francisco State. He didn't have much positive to say except that it was convenient because he lived in SF and low cost in comparison to other schools. My other friend (from California also) applied to University of SF for nursing and did not get in. Nursing programs are quite competitive now. I think University of SF is known for health sciences. Otherwise I think both are very local for undergrad. Have you looked at Santa Clara University? That is about 45 minutes away and has a beautiful campus and a good overall college experience. SCU is strong in business and engineering. Average ACT scores 28-32.

[Anonymous]

I went to usf for graduate school and so did my brother. Sf state is fine but for undergrad I do recommend USF. It has a better reputation.

[Anonymous]

What major?

[Anonymous]

I live in SF but know nothing about the colleges here. I never see the college kids except when I go to Stonestown, so I think the campus housing might be somewhere around there - those kids are always heading downtown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My friend in California who got his undergraduate at a UC got his graduate degree at San Francisco State. He didn't have much positive to say except that it was convenient because he lived in SF and low cost in comparison to other schools. My other friend (from California also) applied to University of SF for nursing and did not get in. Nursing programs are quite competitive now. I think University of SF is known for health sciences. Otherwise I think both are very local for undergrad. Have you looked at Santa Clara University? That is about 45 minutes away and has a beautiful campus and a good overall college experience. SCU is strong in business and engineering. Average ACT scores 28-32.

+1 on Santa Clara. Look into it, but it is expensive and may not make sense from east coast.

Since you're ok with random anecdotes, I know someone who is at USF and is unhappy and planning to transfer out. I don't know anyone who has attended San Fran State (I live in CA).

May I ask why you are looking at those two schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My friend in California who got his undergraduate at a UC got his graduate degree at San Francisco State. He didn't have much positive to say except that it was convenient because he lived in SF and low cost in comparison to other schools. My other friend (from California also) applied to University of SF for nursing and did not get in. Nursing programs are quite competitive now. I think University of SF is known for health sciences. Otherwise I think both are very local for undergrad. Have you looked at Santa Clara University? That is about 45 minutes away and has a beautiful campus and a good overall college experience. SCU is strong in business and engineering. Average ACT scores 28-32.

+1 on Santa Clara. Look into it, but it is expensive and may not make sense from east coast.

Since you're ok with random anecdotes,I know someone who is at USF and is unhappy and planning to transfer out. I don't know anyone who has attended San Fran State (I live in CA).

Why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to usf for graduate school and so did my brother. Sf state is fine but for undergrad I do recommend USF. It has a better reputation.

Thanks. Was there any interaction between the two schools socially or even academically?
(I can imagine that would happen with athletics.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went to usf for graduate school and so did my brother. Sf state is fine but for undergrad I do recommend USF. It has a better reputation.

Thanks. Was there any interaction between the two schools socially or even academically?
(I can imagine that would happen with athletics.)

Sf state is a state school. It's near stonestown galleria (the other poster referenced this). Usf is a private school and in a different part of the city completely. Most of the kids I knew came from wealthy families. i don't know much about athletics but don't think they play each other...

[Anonymous]

There's not much interaction between SFSU and USF. SFSU is much bigger and a state school. USF is private and smaller. I grew up nearby. When I was a kid, USF had a bit of a reputation as being for less-bright but well-off kids, while SFSU had more of a scrappy air, but I don't think that's still the case.

[Anonymous]

I used to live in SF but I didn't attend either school. From what I heard of these schools, USF is a private Jesuit school, more expensive, attracts people from all over, more like the traditional campus 4 year college experience. SFSU has a lot of students transfer from the community colleges into SFSU, is a commuter college and has a lot of older students. I get the feeling that the really elite students would go to UC Berkeley if they got in, over SFSU.

[Anonymous]

OP what are you or your DCs interested in studying in the Bay Area? Do you have to be in the city?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I used to live in SF but I didn't attend either school. From what I heard of these schools, USF is a private Jesuit school, more expensive, attracts people from all over, more like the traditional campus 4 year college experience. SFSU has a lot of students transfer from the community colleges into SFSU, is a commuter college and has a lot of older students. I get the feeling that the really elite students would go to UC Berkeley if they got in, over SFSU.

I am the usf grad from previous post and this is absolutely spot on

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I used to live in SF but I didn't attend either school. From what I heard of these schools, USF is a private Jesuit school, more expensive, attracts people from all over, more like the traditional campus 4 year college experience. SFSU has a lot of students transfer from the community colleges into SFSU, is a commuter college and has a lot of older students. I get the feeling that the really elite students would go to UC Berkeley if they got in, over SFSU.

This is immensely useful info, thanks! I kind of got the sense of USF from everything I had read so far - but SFSU was harder to pin down and your description above really sheds a lot of light. Thanks again.