Register for and take the SAT or ACT. While this is not required of transfer applicants, all freshmen are required to submit scores from either one of these exams. If you take the SAT, only your verbal and math scores are considered for admission. Students who choose to take the ACT do not need to take the optional writing portion of the test. Freshmen applicants must take the exam no later than December of the year before they plan to enroll in order to be considered for admission to CSULB.
Ensure that you have completed the minimum requirements to be considered for admission. Freshmen seeking admission must complete 15 high school credits of specific college-prep coursework that includes four years of English, three years of math, and two years each of science, social studies, and a foreign language. All college-prep courses must be completed with a C grade or better. Freshmen must also have a qualifying score on the CSU eligibility index, which is based on a student's GPA and SAT or ACT score. Minimum index scores are higher for out-of-state students than they are for California residents.
Transfer students seeking admission must have completed a minimum of 60 transferable credits with a GPA of 2.0 or higher (2.4 for out-of-state students). At least 30 of those credits must be in courses that count toward CSU's general education requirements. Additionally, transfer students must have passed classes satisfying CSU's written communication, oral communication, critical thinking, and mathematics requirements with a grade of C or better in each class.
Fill out the official CSU application form online at the CSU Mentor website. Freshmen may only apply for fall semester admission and must submit their application between October 1 and November 30 of the preceding year. Transfer students must apply during the same window for fall admission or between August 1 and November 10 for spring semester admission.
Apply to a specific major if you are a transfer student, and provide proof of prerequisites if you are applying to a competitive major. Transfer students cannot be admitted to CSU Long Beach as undeclared majors, and there are many majors that have supplemental admission requirements beyond the minimum criteria for transfer student admission. Students should also list an alternate major that they are willing to enroll in if they are not admitted to their first choice.
Send transcripts and other documentation, but only if requested. Students are asked to self-report their grades on the CSU Mentor application and should not send transcripts until they are requested to do so. Some students may also be asked to submit documents such as a drivers license or past tax returns in order to prove their California resident status. If the university requests that you send transcripts or other documents, it is essential that you reply promptly to the request.