sdsu college essay prompt

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San Diego State University | SDSU’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

Common app personal essay.

The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don‘t feel obligated to do so.

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you‘ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

What will first-time readers think of your college essay?

College essay resources

How to craft an outstanding essay for the 2018-19 sdsu weber honors college application, school supplements.

Bex Ehrmann

UPDATE: There are new SDSU Honors College application essay prompts for 2019-20. Check out our updated guide here!

Weber Honors College offers a unique, interdisciplinary education for motivated students at San Diego State University. The college aims to broaden students’ intellectual engagement by providing them with opportunities outside of their majors.

The SDSU Weber Honors College Application lets you choose between two prompts:

• If you were to develop a public monument like Mt. Rushmore or a community art mural, whose four faces would you select and why? Make sure you include your own personal reasons for the four faces you select and how these choices indicate that you are a good fit for the Weber Honors College.
• What is the most powerful conversation you have ever had and why? Be specific in your response and make sure you include how this conversation indicates that you are a good fit for the Weber Honors College.

In this guide, we’ll help you decide which prompt to answer and show you how you can get a strong start on your SDSU Weber Honors College application essay.

Step One: Choose a Prompt

Either prompt provides you with ample opportunity to show the reader who you are and what you can contribute to Weber. But one might suit you better than the other!

• Pick the “public monument” prompt if you have a strong connection to your own community, an interest in politics and citizenship, or a passion for social justice.
• Pick the “conversation” prompt if you feel that your personal growth is deeply linked to your relationships.

Step Two: Brainstorm

Next, you’ll want to pull out a fresh piece of paper and jot down some initial thoughts. Here are some questions to get your wheels turning.

• Public Monument: What past and present social justice issues are you passionate about? Who has played an important role in advancing progress on these issues? Which figures do you most want to honor? Why? What do you think people today can learn from these figures?
• Conversation: Have you ever had a conversation that changed your views in a significant way? Can you think of a conversation that helped you understand others more deeply? How were you different before you had this conversation? How did this conversation shape your subsequent actions?

Step Three: Make Connections

Both prompts ask you to clearly explain why you are a good fit for Weber. It may seem challenging to seamlessly connect your freewrite to the college’s mission and community values. Don’t worry: it’s easier than it sounds.

First, reflect on your freewrite and identify 1-2 core values that are clearly supported by your notes. For example, a student who recalled a powerful conversation with her grandfather, a Holocaust survivor, might state that she values dignity for all people.

Next, comb through the SDSU Honors College website to get a sense of their institutional values and how they put those values into action through their curriculum and student life. Connect each of the values you identified to 2-3 specific resources at San Diego State.

The student from the above example might choose:

• Alternative Spring Break in Ghana
• The honors class Humanity’s Journey Towards Evil or Hope
• Volunteering with Alzheimer’s San Diego

Once you’ve defined your core values, writing the rest of your Weber Honors College application essay will be easy! You’ll begin your essay by elaborating on the ideas you discovered in your freewrite. Then, you’ll articulate your values and explain how you’ll enact them at Weber. In the end, you’ll have a cohesive application essay that shows the reader who you are and who you hope to become.

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How to Write the University of San Diego Essays 2021-2022

The University of San Diego has two supplemental essay prompts. The first prompt asks you to discuss one of the five themes that reflects the liberal arts tradition: Advocate, Collaborate, Cultivate, Illuminate and Innovate. The second prompt allows you to choose from three options that focus on community, challenges that face humanity, and faith or spirituality.

The University of San Diego receives thousands of applications from students with similar profiles, so you want to make sure your essays will get noticed by an admissions officer. In this post, we’ll discuss how to write a thoughtful response to each of these prompts.

Want to know your chances at University of San Diego? Calculate your chances for free right now.

University of San Diego Supplemental Essay Prompts

All applicants.

Prompt 1: The University of San Diego offers diverse educational opportunities grounded in the liberal arts and sciences. First-year students are immersed in one of our five Living Learning Communities (LLC), with the themes reflecting the vitality of the liberal arts tradition: Advocate, Collaborate, Cultivate, Illuminate and Innovate. Select one of these five themes and describe how it resonates with you and why. (350 words)

Prompt 2: Now choose one of the three prompts below to write about. Essays should be approximately 200 words in length. 

Option 1: Here at USD, we believe that our campus community and the communities we engage with are integral parts of who we are as a university. Our newly launched Horizon Project is a call to action, ensuring that we are dedicating the time, energy and resources necessary to build an ever more diverse and inclusive campus community. We value the fact that our students come from all walks of life, have experienced different realities and bring with them an array of unique perspectives, including some that have often been underrepresented and underserved by higher education. With that context in mind, what contribution have you made to your current school and/or local community that best exemplifies your awareness of and commitment to creating a diverse, inclusive and equitable community?

Option 2: USD is a proud Changemaker Campus, as designated by Ashoka U. As such, the USD experience emphasizes changemaking through social justice efforts, civic engagement, social innovation, creativity and a global perspective. Use this space to write about one of the challenges facing humanity today. Why does it matter to you? What experiences or insights have you had that speak to the urgency of this issue?

Option 3: Because USD is a contemporary Catholic university, we welcome and celebrate students from every background and faith tradition, including those who do not identify with a faith tradition. We devote great time and energy to ensuring all students feel connected to the vibrant USD community, including opportunities to grow in their relationship with God while considering who they are, what they believe and who they are called to become. Share some of your ideas about the role of faith or spirituality in your life or the life of someone you know.

The University of San Diego offers diverse educational opportunities grounded in the liberal arts and sciences. First-year students are immersed in one of our five Living Learning Communities (LLC), with the themes reflecting the vitality of the liberal arts tradition: Advocate, Collaborate, Cultivate, Illuminate and Innovate. Select one of these five themes and describe how it resonates with you and why. (350 words)

This prompt gives you an opportunity to show the admissions officer something unique about yourself. Because the prompt is so broad, it’s important to remember some of the main hallmarks of a good essay: Meets the basic requirements

The essay stays within the prompt word count, responds to the prompt, and doesn’t repeat information that’s already in your application. It’s also important to be mindful of your audience—in this case, the University of San Diego is a Catholic University, so they may be more conservative. 

Highly personal

A highly personal essay will share your thoughts and feelings and make it clear to the admissions officer what matters to you. By making it highly personal, your authenticity will come through.

With a broad prompt like this one, it’s easy to get caught in a surface level exploration of the theme, rather than going deep. Make sure you stick to the theme you choose and only focus on that. 

Well-Written

This may seem obvious, but a well-written essay is a good essay.  You’ll want to be sure there’s a strong opening and ending , it flows well, avoids cliches, and shows and doesn’t tell (more on this later).

Overall, a strong essay will highlight what makes you stand out from the other students who resonate with the theme you choose. This includes your interests and hobbies, values, experiences, family, language, etc. It will also discuss how the theme you choose shapes your outlook and actions.

One hallmark of a well-written essay is to show, not tell. This means using illustrative language and immersing the reader in your experience, rather than just writing what happened. For example, you don’t want to say, “I resonate with the “collaborate” theme because I enjoy working with people in my science club.” Instead, show and vividly describe a time when you and your science club peers collaborated on something together for a positive outcome. Show us your faces deep in thought, the late nights you spent working together to solve a problem—bring the admissions officer into the story as much as you can.

Prompt 2 Option 1

Here at usd, we believe that our campus community and the communities we engage with are integral parts of who we are as a university. our newly launched horizon project is a call to action, ensuring that we are dedicating the time, energy and resources necessary to build an ever more diverse and inclusive campus community. we value the fact that our students come from all walks of life, have experienced different realities and bring with them an array of unique perspectives, including some that have often been underrepresented and underserved by higher education. with that context in mind, what contribution have you made to your current school and/or local community that best exemplifies your awareness of and commitment to creating a diverse, inclusive and equitable community (200 words).

This prompt is a blend of both the community focused essay and diversity focused essay and is a great option for someone who’s actively involved in their community and wants to see changes made.

When discussing the contribution you made to your community, make sure to avoid short-term projects, such as a one-week Habitat for Humanity trip. Instead, discuss more genuine commitments that are more long-standing. You’ll then want to consider how the values mentioned in the prompt above came through during this experience and what impact it had , not just on your community, but you as well. Keep in mind that the word count is short (200 words) so you’ll want to be clear and precise in your response while getting the message across.

A student who was passionate about women’s rights might discuss how she learned that in some parts of the world, girls aren’t able to go to school when they are menstruating, and she believed it was unjust that girls were denied education for something beyond their control. She would talk about how she organized a drive for menstrual products at her school and donated them to girls in other countries. She would describe how she was not only able to make a positive impact on the lives of those girls, but she helped bring an issue she was deeply passionate about to the attention of her peers. She could also talk about how she had to be organized and spread the word so others would donate, which was a learning experience for her as well.

You don’t need to explicitly state that your involvement in your community demonstrates your commitment to diversity and inclusion. In fact, a good essay should be able to convey that to your readers with just descriptions. The more descriptive and anecdotal your essay is, the better you will be to show the admissions officers you are committed to diversity, rather than telling them.

For this diversity/community focused style of prompt, be sure to avoid using a privileged or pretentious tone and avoid a cliche conclusion such as “I learned that people can be happy with so little.” 

Prompt 2 Option 2

Usd is a proud changemaker campus, as designated by ashoka u. as such, the usd experience emphasizes changemaking through social justice efforts, civic engagement, social innovation, creativity and a global perspective. use this space to write about one of the challenges facing humanity today. why does it matter to you what experiences or insights have you had that speak to the urgency of this issue (200 words).

If you’re someone who’s passionate about global issues or social justice, this is a great option for you and fits into the political/global issues style of essay . 

This prompt gives you the opportunity to show that you’re an engaged citizen who cares about others and wants to make a difference. It’s also a chance to show admissions officers how you align with The University of San Diego’s values that they emphasize above.

As you write, keep in mind that you want to choose a challenge that is relevant and pressing to you. However, you should focus more on why it matters to you rather than the challenge itself. The admissions officers know about climate change, refugee crises, and Black Lives Matter protests. What they don’t know yet is why you care about these issues.

The structure of your essay should introduce the challenge you are passionate about (ideally through an anecdote), explain what drew you to this issue, describe how your emotions or state of mind are affected by this issue, and share what you see as a solution. 

Describing your emotions and state of mind when you hear or think about this issue is how you will be able to convey to admissions officers what this challenge means to you. You don’t want to say, “I am sad when I think about all the people who have died from cancer because we still don’t have a cure.” To really show admissions officers your passion and interest in this topic, you would write something like this: “An overwhelming feeling of desperation and confusion floods over me upon hearing my friend’s grandpa died of pancreatic cancer. It doesn’t make sense. We’ve cured Smallpox and Polio, we’ve developed vaccines for countless sicknesses. How can we fight off these petulant cells?”

Maybe the most important part of your essay is the ending. How are you going to fix this problem? Although the prompt doesn’t explicitly ask for you to propose a solution to the challenge you discuss, including this will take your essay from good to great. Admissions officers want to admit students who will change the world. Your essay should show that you are innovative and think towards the future. Just a sentence or two about how you want to improve the world will show that you are the type of student the University of San Diego wants on their campus. 

Prompt 2 Option 3

Because usd is a contemporary catholic university, we welcome and celebrate students from every background and faith tradition, including those who do not identify with a faith tradition. we devote great time and energy to ensuring all students feel connected to the vibrant usd community, including opportunities to grow in their relationship with god while considering who they are, what they believe and who they are called to become. share some of your ideas about the role of faith or spirituality in your life or the life of someone you know. (200 words).

If you are not someone who’s passionate about faith or spirituality, this may not be the best prompt for you. However, if you are someone who’s been strongly affected by faith and spirituality, this is your chance to express how those values connect with USD’s.

​​One essay structure approach you can take with this essay is: 

• Start with your first interactions with religion/faith/spirituality
• Tell the story of how you arrived at your conclusions about faith/spirituality and include any moments where you were challenged. 
• Connect these conclusions with the values of USD 

This is an especially fitting essay for related anecdotes if they’re short enough. For instance, you might start your essay with a story of when you first wondered about spirituality. If your relationship with spirituality or faith changed over time, that would also lend itself well to a series of anecdotes. 

Where to Get Your University of San Diego School Essay Edited for Free : 

Do you want feedback on your University of San Diego essay? It’s always good to get a second pair of eyes on your writing. That’s why we created our Peer Essay Review tool , where you can get a free review of your essay from another student. Since they don’t know you personally, they can be a more objective judge of whether your personality shines through, and whether you’ve fully answered the prompt. 

You can also improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays. 

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National Scholarships and Fellowships

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Creating Your Personal Statement

If you are applying for nationally competitive scholarships, for graduate school, or for a number of post-graduate service or employment opportunities, you have seen the vaguely phrased request; in one form or another, it comes down to “tell us something about yourself.”

The Rhodes and Marshall competitions require a 1000-word personal essay: the Fulbright, a “curriculum vita.” You are asked to share your “academic and other interests.” A clearer charge might be: compose an essay that reveals who you are, what you care about, and what you intend to do in this life. Tell this story in a compelling manner, and do so in less than a thousand words. What’s so hard about that? Simply make sense of your life. (right.) But what does that mean? What will it look like?

Because personal statements are personal, there is no one type or style of writing that is set out as a model. That can be liberating; it can also be maddening. But while every personal statement is unique in style, it’s purpose is the same.

A personal statement is your introduction to a selection committee. It determines whether you are invited to interview; and if selected as a finalist, interview questions will be based on this material.  It is the heart of your application.

A personal statement is:

• A picture.  Your personal essay should produce a picture of you as a person, a student, a potential scholarship winner, and (looking into the future) a former scholarship recipient. 
• An invitation.  The reader must be invited to get to know you, personally. Bridge the assumed distance of strangers. Make your reader welcome.
• An indication of your priorities and judgment.  What you choose to say in your statement tells the committee what your priorities are. What you say, and how you say it, is crucial.
• A story, or more precisely, your story.  Everyone has a story to tell, but we are not all natural storytellers. If you are like most people, your life lacks inherent drama. This is when serious self-reflection, conversation with friends, family, and mentors, and permission to be creative come in handy. 

A personal statement is not:

• An academic paper with you as the subject.  The papers you write for class are typically designed to interpret data, reflect research, analyze events or reading—all at some distance. We are taught to eliminate the “I” from our academic writing. In a personal statement your goal is to close the distance between you and the reader. You must engage on a different, more personal level that you have been trained to in college. 
• A resume in narrative form.  An essay that reads like a resume of accomplishments and goals tells the reader nothing that they could not glean from the rest of the application. It reveals little about the candidate, and is a wasted opportunity. 
• A journal entry.  While you may draw on experiences or observations captured in your personal journal, your essay should not read like a diary. Share what is relevant, using these experiences to give a helpful context for your story. And include only what you are comfortable sharing—be prepared to discuss at an interview what you include. 
• A plea of justification for the scholarship.  This is not an invitation to “make your case.” Defending an assertion that you are more deserving of the scholarship than other candidates is a wasted effort—you’ve likely just accomplished the opposite.
• Most importantly, a personal statement is authentic.  Don’t make the mistake of trying to guess what the committee is looking for, and don’t write what you think they want to hear. They want to know you. 

So, what must you include in the personal statement? An effective personal statement will answer the following questions:

• Who am I? 
• Who do I want to be? 
• What kind of contribution do I want to make, and how? 
• Why does it make sense for me to study at Oxford (or York, LSE, Cambridge, Sussex)? 

For the Rhodes, you will want to include a proposal of study, one or two paragraphs devoted to why Oxford makes sense to you. For the Marshall and Fulbright, your “proposed academic programme” is presented separately. Your proposal should be as detailed and specific as possible, including degree plans, course titles, and professors with whom you hope to study (especially if you have contacted them by email or letter). Why is this the right place and program? Is it consistent with your studies and activities to date? Draw connections. 

Remember the goal: grab the readers’ interest, and make them want to meet you for an interview. Get a sense of the experiences and dreams you wish to share, then examine them for a helpful means of making sense of it all. You will find your story; and if you share it honestly, you will have written a personal statement.

Finally, know that writing a personal essay is hard and will take many drafts and much reflection. Don’t wait until you have it right to share it with others; their input will likely make it stronger, clearer, and tighter. Don’t put it off until you have it right … just write!

Written by Mary Hale Tolar, Associate Director for Educational Leadership at Kansas State University. Mary Tolar is a 1988 Truman Scholar and 1990 Rhodes Scholar; served as scholarships advisor at four institutions, and has served on a State Rhodes Committee of Selection. She has helped over sixty students win nationally competitive scholarships.  

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Essay Writing Tips

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Scholarship Essay Tips

All SDSU scholarships available through SDSU Scholarship Search require that you submit an essay online.

Scholarship committees review many applications and may use the essays to differentiate applicants. Because the large volume of applicants makes it impossible for the committees to interview each candidate, a coherent and interesting essay may be what distinguishes you from another candidate.

The following information is essential to writing a successful scholarship essay.

Consider the topic

Read the essay requirements. Note any requirements for the essay topic that may be unique to the scholarship.

• Think about each question or topic and make an outline of what you plan to write.

Prepare your facts

Plan your essay before you write:

• Make a list of your achievements/accomplishments (both academic and other), community involvement and leadership positions you have had in school or your community.
• Make a list of your personal characteristics including your strengths, weaknesses, and any obstacles you have overcome or are currently confronting.
• Determine key pieces of information you feel the committee should know about you and have concrete examples to demonstrate your points.

Writing the essay

( View sample essays )

• The introduction: Begin with a strong introduction. You want your essay to stand out from all the others. Be sure your introduction captures the readers' attention and compels them to learn as much as they can about you in the following paragraphs.
• Be personal: Make sure the committee can assess what type of person you are and what motivates you.
• Be specific: Give examples. Do not simply tell the committee you are a leader; give an example of how you have demonstrated leadership.
• Turn negatives into positives: If you have an obvious weakness such as limited extracurricular activities, show the committee that you have been particularly involved with your family or the classes you have taken, depending on your personal situation.
• Follow standard grammar and writing rules: Make sure your body paragraphs relate to your introduction and that your conclusion summarizes the points you have made in your essay.

Review your essay

Do we need to say this? Proofread, proofread, and proofread again!

• Have several people read your essay.
• Edit it for clarity, conciseness, grammar, and spelling.
• Did you clearly address the essay topic?
• Does the essay convey who you are and why you should receive a scholarship?
• Is the essay interesting? Does it come alive when you read it?
• Did you provide examples of your skills and abilities rather than broad statements and claims?
• Does the essay meet but not exceed the word count requirement?
• Need help? Visit the SDSU Writing Center in the Love Library Annex, Room 1103 (619)594-3543.

How to submit your essay

• Prepare your essay for each scholarship in a word processing application before beginning the online application process.
• Do not double space your essay or it will not fit into the online application essay text box.
• After you are satisfied with your essay, copy it from your word processing application and paste it into the online application essay text box.
• Proofread it again!

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Graduate Admissions

*Students who are interested in an MS in Supply Chain Innovation are required to follow the same procedure for the MS in Information Systems for the Fall 2024 Admission Cycle and indicate on their Interfolio application their interest in Supply Chain.

Fall 2024 admission cycle application dates:

Accepted from 10/1/2023 through 2/1/2024 for Information Systems (MS), Cybersecurity Management (MS), and Global Business Development (MS)

Accepted from 10/1/2023 through 4/1/2024 for Business Administration (MBA), Accountancy (MS), Finance (MS), and Financial and Tax Planning (MS)

Step 1: Complete CalState Application

Step 1 must be completed through CalState Apply before moving on to steps 2-4.

Once you create an account, you can select your program on the “Add Programs” page. You can find your program by filtering the campus to “San Diego State” and searching for the name of your program.

Note that search must be done by program name and not degree type. For example, the program name for MBA is "Business Administration".

Begin CalState Application

Questions about Step 1 can be directed to   Graduate Admissions or International Admissions .

Step 2: Create Your my.sdsu account

Once you have submitted the Cal State Apply application, you will be assigned an EmpID number, which will be e-mailed to you. If you have not received your EmpID within two weeks of applying, please contact Graduate Admissions. You will need to use your EmpID to access my.SDSU.

Access my.sdsu  

Step 3: submit transcripts through my.sdsu to graduate admissions

Graduate applicants are required to submit transcripts from all post-secondary schools attended . Do not send transcripts before submitting the Cal State Apply application, as this may result in processing delays.

For Information Systems (MS), Cybersecurity Management (MS), and Global Business Development (MS) the deadline to submit transcripts is February 15, 2024. For Business Administration (MBA), Accountancy (MS), Finance (MS), and Financial Tax Planning (MS) the deadline to submit transcripts is April 15, 2024.

Transcript Information

Step 4: Submit proof of english proficiency (if required)

All graduate and post-baccalaureate applicants (regardless of citizenship status) applying to SDSU from an international institution where the medium of instruction was not English, must submit proof of English proficiency. A list of acceptable English proficiency tests can be found on the Graduate Admissions Steps to Apply .

A copy of your official score report or unofficial transcript can be submitted through your my.SDSU account.

Questions about Steps 2-4 can be directed to   Graduate Admissions or International Admissions .

Step 5: Create Interfolio & Submit Documents

We recommend submitting your Interfolio as soon as possible. Because of the my.SDSU transition, Fowler College of Business can not evaluate your application without an accompanying Interfolio application.

The Fall 2024 Interfolio deadline for Information Systems (MS), Cybersecurity Management (MS), and Global Business Development (MS) is March 15, 2024. The Fall 2024 Interfolio deadline for Business Administration (MBA), Accountancy (MS), Finance (MS), and Financial and Tax Planning (MS) is April 15, 2024.

Once you have completed Step 1 of the application , please select the appropriate link to submit your prepared resume, statement of purpose, letters of recommendation and optional essay (if applicable). You can start your Interfolio application while you are working on Steps 2-4 of the application.

We request you to submit your unofficial transcripts on the Fowler Interfolio page, regardless of whether you have already submitted them elsewhere in the application system.

Please note that you are also required to submit the transcripts through my.SDSU.

• Accountancy (MS)
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• Cybersecurity Management (MS)
• Global Business Development (MS)
• Information Systems (MS)
• JD/MBA (must have started JD at Cal Western)
• MBA/Latin American Studies Joint Program
• Cybersecurity (Adv. Cert)
• Data Analytics (Adv. Cert)
• Financial Analysis (Adv. Cert)
• Taxation (Adv. Cert)
• Investment (Adv. Cert)
• Finance (MS)

GMAT/GRE are not required for admission into Graduate Programs.  Students may take GMAT/GRE and upload their unofficial scores on Interfolio to supplement their application.

Sent electronically, institution code: 4682

Sent electronically, institution code: 9LT-2P-73

This step of the application process requires that you upload a written response to the application prompts using Interfolio (links above).

You should prepare your responses in a single document (pdf preferred) and upload and submit using Interfolio. Preview the fall essay prompts by finding your program below:

• Through your resume and recommendations, we have a reasonably clear sense of your academic and professional path to date. What do you envision your accounting-related career to be over the next 3-7 years? (maximum 500 words)
• Why do you feel that the MSA program in the Charles W. Lamden School of Accountancy would be a good fit for you? (maximum 250 words)
• We offer three specializations within the MSA program. Please explain why you are selecting the specialization you intend to pursue. (maximum 250 words)
• Through your resume and recommendations, we have a reasonably clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next 3-5 years and what is, in your imagination, your long-term dream job? (maximum 500 words)
• Through your resume and recommendations, we have a reasonably clear sense of your professional path to date. What are your career goals over the next 3-5 years and what, in your imagination, would be your long-term dream job? (maximum 500 words)
• Why do you feel that the Fowler College of Business and this program would be a good fit for you? (maximum 250 words)
• What matters to you most and why? (maximum 250 words)
• Management information systems is a term that is used by many people to represent a variety of different concepts. Explain what this term means to you. What do you envision your information systems-related career to be over the next 3-7 years? (maximum 250 words)

Point out the three most important items or experiences in your academic and professional experiences that make you a qualified candidate for the MS Information Systems or MS Cybersecurity Management program and explain to us why you believe these are significant. (maximum 500 words)

• Through your resume and recommendations, we have a reasonably clear sense of your academic and professional path to date.  What do you envision your career to be over the next 3-7 years? (maximum 500 words)
• Why do you feel that the MSGBD program in the Fowler College of Business would be a good fit for you? (maximum 250 words)
• Describe the two or three most important factors for success in international business development and sales and why these are significant. (maximum 250 words)

You will enter the contact information for your letters of recommendation in the Interfolio system. Interfolio will generate a prompt to the individuals for which you have provided contact information. We prefer recommendations that use our form.   Please assist us with the process by emailing the blank form for your program to the individuals you have selected to prepare your recommendation letters.

• Finance (MS) & Financial and Tax Planning (MSBA)
• Business Administration, JD & Latin American Studies (MBA)
• All Advanced Certificates

Applicants also have the right to submit an optional essay. We invite you to help us better understand the context of your opportunities and achievements. Our admission process takes a holistic view of applicants and we seek to understand all aspects of an applicant’s character, qualifications, and experiences. You may use this essay to convey any relevant information not addressed elsewhere in your application materials.  This may include explanations of employment gaps, academic aberrations, supplemental coursework, academic or professional achievements, etc. To the extent you would like to elaborate on other hardships or unusual life circumstances that would help us understand the context of your opportunities, achievements, and impact, please do so. (300 words maximum). There is a separate link in Interfolio to submit your optional essay if you choose to prepare one.

Graduate Information

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• Graduate Programs

Application FAQ

The admissions committee for each of our graduate business programs takes a holistic review of all of the applicant's materials submitted including a thorough review of the applicant's undergraduate academic performance, including an emphasis on performance in quantitative courses as those have demonstrated a strong correlation with graduate business performance. We also consider the nature of the degree and quality of the university attended.  We also examine any academic courses subsequent to the applicant's undergraduate experience.  We also examine standardized test scores which generally  demonstrate proficiency in quantitative and verbal performance.  However, grades and exam scores are by no means the only element of an applicant's materials and we review all applicant materials.  For some applicants, grades and or exam scores are not able to tell the entire story and so we also review the applicant's professional work experience and seek verification of professional development through letters of recommendation.  We also review applicant essays for additional information that other materials cannot provide.  Lastly, applicant's are eligible to submit an optional essay that more fully describes their individual situation and the conditions of the applicant's history. 

SDSU will be admitting U.S.-based and international students who wish to pursue a MBA for the Spring 2025 cycle. SDSU will also be admitting U.S.-based and international students wishing to pursue a graduate business degree for the Fall 2024. The application period is now open. The application period closes on February 1, 2024 for Information Systems (MS), Cybersecurity Management (MS), and Global Business Development (MS). The application period closes on April 1, 2024 for Business Administration (MBA), Accountancy (MS), Finance (MS), and Financial and Tax Planning (MS). Apply online at https://www2.calstate.edu/apply. A $70 nonrefundable application fee is required of all applicants.

SDSU does not require applicants to have work experience before they apply. However, at least two years of professional work experience will make your application more competitive. Graduate business studies are enhanced for students who have real-world experiences to apply course concepts to.

No, current and previous students must complete the five step application process outlined above. Students who previously attended SDSU need only submit transcripts for coursework completed since last attendance.

No preference is given to students who graduated from SDSU. All students are assessed using the same criteria.

SDSU does not conduct admission interviews for most programs.  For Fall 2024, the MBA program will conduct a short interview for select candidates.  Look out for an email notification.

SDSU Graduate Business Programs makes every effort to return admissions decisions to applicants in a timely fashion. Applicants will be notified via email. Depending on the volume of mail received at the university, mail processing can take from one to four weeks from the date of receipt at SDSU for information to be updated on my.SDSU (this includes transcripts, GMAT/GRE* and TOEFL/IELTS scores). After all the applicant's materials have been received by SDSU, an admissions decision can take approximately four to six weeks to complete.

Once you have submitted the Cal State Apply application, you will be assigned an EmpID number, which will be e-mailed to you. If you have not received your EmpID within two weeks of applying, please contact Graduate Admissions.

We recommend submitting your Cal State Apply application as soon as possible to ensure you receive your EmpID on time. Your EmpID number will allow you to track the status of your application through the SDSU’s my.SDSU system (https://my.sdsu.edu/).

Not necessarily. You should apply as early as you are prepared to do so. Please plan on submitting your completed application materials ahead of the application deadline. Admission decisions will be made throughout the admission cycle.

No. We admit students from a variety of academic and professional backgrounds. However, students who are admitted to SDSU Graduate Business Programs are expected to have competencies in personal computing, quantitative and statistical methods, and economics. Download further information about MBA Program Competencies (pdf)

Test Scores and GPA

No. For either test, both the verbal and quantitative percentiles will be reviewed. A high overall score does not necessarily justify a low score in one section of the exam. Exams taken more than five years ago will be considered on a case by case basis.

GMAT/GRE are not required for admission into Graduate Programs. Students may take GMAT/GRE and upload their unofficial scores on Interfolio to supplement their application. If you decide to submit test scores, we do not place a preference on either exam and will generally rely on your highest score submitted.

GMAT/GRE and IELTS/TOEFL unofficial score reports must be submitted with your Interfolio for Fall 2024 Admissions. Please keep in mind that it takes about 20 days to receive test scores from the testing agency. If you have already submitted scores for the GMAT or the GRE and you would like to retake the exam, please contact the Graduate Business Programs Office at [email protected] or (619) 594-8073. Only the highest score will be considered when making an admission decision.

The average undergraduate GPA for students admitted to our programs is around 3.40. In order for your undergraduate GPA to be considered satisfactory (not deficient) by the university, a domestic student should have at least a 2.85 and an international student should have at least a 3.00 on the 4.00 GPA scale. If a domestic student's cumulative GPA is deficient, SDSU will calculate the GPA for the student's last 60 semester units or 90 quarter units. Students with undergraduate GPAs that are considered deficient are less likely to be admitted. Note that students who have a satisfactory GPA are not guaranteed admission.

Yes. You need to submit transcripts from all institutions that you have attended.

Program Application

All program application materials (resumes, letters of recommendation, etc.) must be submitted electronically. See step 5 of the application process to create an account and upload documents.  Once you have selected your program from Step 5, please read the entire instructional page and review the Application Guide before selecting Apply Now.

There are writing prompts included in the program application.  Once you have created an account on Interfolio, you will be given these prompts to address along with further instructions and length requirements. 

The process for submitting letters is integrated into the program application. On Interfolio, you will be able to generate a request for recommendation which will be sent directly to the recommender(s) of your choice. The recommender’s name and e-mail address are required. Then, please download the blank recommendation form and send to your recommender(s) to use as their template to upload once they have received the notification from Interfolio.  No paper or emailed letters of recommendation will be accepted or reviewed.

Recommendations can be either academic or professional; there is no preference given to either. We recommend choosing someone who can best speak to your ability to be successful in the program.

International Students

International students have the same application deadlines as domestic students. Students with international coursework must submit both the official transcript and proof of degree. If documents are in a language other than English, they must be accompanied by a certified literal English translation. For country-specific requirements, please see the Graduate Admissions website ( http://arweb.sdsu.edu/es/admissions/grad/country.html ).

TOEFL or IELTS scores are required of all applicants, regardless of citizenship, whose native language is not English and whose preparatory education was principally in a language other than English. A minimum score of 80 is required for the TOEFL and a minimum score of 6.5 is required for the IELTS. TOEFL scores should be sent directly from ETS ( http://www.ets.org/toefl ) using SDSU’s Institution Code 4682. For the IELTS, please see www.ielts.org for instructions. SDSU does not grant conditional admittance to students who do not meet the language requirement.

As an international applicant, you must hold the equivalent of a U.S. Bachelor's degree with 3.0 GPA or "B" average in order to be considered for admission. Additionally, a passing TOEFL (80 or higher) or IELTS (6.5 or higher) score must be provided if your medium of instruction was not English.

For country-specific requirements, please see the Graduate Admissions website ( http://arweb.sdsu.edu/es/admissions/grad/country.html ). International Admissions may be reached at (619) 594-1847 or [email protected] .

International students may apply for any University Scholarship for which they are eligible. More information and application forms for University Scholarships can be obtained through SDSU's Scholarship Office: http://go.sdsu.edu/student_affairs/financialaid/.

International students may apply for GA/TA positions: Teaching associateships and graduate non-teaching assistantships in business administration are available to a limited number of qualified students.

Download applications and additional information:

Graduate Assistant Application Teaching Associate Application (for Accountancy only)

Yes. Agencies such as IERF, Wes, and ECE will evaluate international student transcripts to facilitate faster processing within SDSU. These agencies provide an evaluation package including verification of the institution being an accredited school, course by course evaluation, certification and authentication of all documents, and GPA evaluation.

The evaluation report must be sent electronically, directly by IERF, WES, or ECE to Graduate Admissions and must include copies of the international documents used to complete the evaluation.  International students from war-torn countries who cannot submit official documents, are required to work with SDSU’s  Graduate Admissions exception request form at [email protected]

Yes. The MSIS and MSCM degrees are STEM-designated degrees. In addition, SDSU’s MBA degree, when completed with a specialization in Information Systems, is considered a STEM-designated degree.

No. Applicants to SDSU’s Graduate Business Programs are not granted conditional admittances if they have not yet submitted a complete application. All applicants to SDSU’s Graduate Business Programs must submit a complete application before they are considered for admission.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, GRE or GMAT scores are suspended for the Spring and Fall 2021 admissions cycles.

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