CSU General Knowledge 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which CSU campus is known as the first and oldest in the system, founded in 1857?
- San Francisco State University
- California State University, Los Angeles
- San José State University (Correct answer)
- California State University, Sacramento
Correct answer: San José State University
San José State University, founded in 1857, is the oldest public institution of higher education on the West Coast and the founding campus of the CSU system.
Question 2: What minimum GPA is generally required for first-time freshmen to be eligible for CSU admission (for California residents)?
- 2.0
- 2.5 (Correct answer)
- 3.0
- 3.5
Correct answer: 2.5
California resident first-time freshmen must have earned at least a 2.5 GPA in required high school courses to meet minimum CSU eligibility requirements.
Question 3: What is Impacted status at a CSU campus?
- A campus under academic probation by the state
- A program or campus that receives more applications than it can accommodate (Correct answer)
- A campus that has exceeded its budget allocation
- A designation for campuses offering online-only programs
Correct answer: A program or campus that receives more applications than it can accommodate
Impacted status means a CSU program or campus receives significantly more qualified applicants than it has space to admit, leading to higher admission standards.
Question 4: Which CSU campus serves as the system's headquarters for the Office of the Chancellor?
- Los Angeles
- Sacramento
- Long Beach (Correct answer)
- San Francisco
Correct answer: Long Beach
The CSU Chancellor's Office is located in Long Beach, California, and serves as the central administrative headquarters for the entire 23-campus system.
Question 5: What is the maximum number of transferable units CSU will accept from a community college?
- 60 semester units
- 70 semester units (Correct answer)
- 90 semester units
- 120 semester units
Correct answer: 70 semester units
CSU accepts a maximum of 70 semester units (105 quarter units) transferred from a community college toward a bachelor's degree.
Question 6: Which of the following is NOT a branch of CSU's student government structure?
- Associated Students Inc. (ASI)
- California State Student Association (CSSA)
- Student Academic Senate (Correct answer)
- University Student Union (USU)
Correct answer: Student Academic Senate
The Student Academic Senate is not a standard branch of CSU student government; governance includes campus-level ASI bodies, the CSSA statewide, and student union organizations.
Question 7: Which accreditation body regionally accredits all CSU campuses?
- Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
- WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) (Correct answer)
- Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC)
Correct answer: WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
All CSU campuses are regionally accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), which covers institutions in the Western United States.
CSU General Knowledge 3
Which CSU campus is known as the first and oldest in the system, founded in 1857?