What is Impaction?

In order to manage enrollment while preserving the highest quality academic experience and services to students, the California State University (CSU) system allows campuses to declare impaction. Impaction allows each campus to manage enrollment of new students based on approved local criteria.

Cal State San Marcos will accommodate new first-time freshman and upper-division transfer applicants from its local admission area who apply during the CSU fall priority application period and meet all CSU minimum admission requirements. In addition to meeting CSU criteria, there will be requirments and deadlines specific to Cal State San Marcos. All requirements and deadlines must be met.

Impacted Majors at CSUSM

Impacted majors have more qualified students interested in declaring these majors than can be accommodated in current courses.   

• Biology

  CSUSM will continue to admit eligible students in our local admission area and admit additional students from outside of our local admission area up to the 175 total freshman that we estimate we are able to serve.

  CSUSM will enforce the existing catalog requirement that transfer students must complete all lower division required majors classes before admission (SB1440).

• Business Administration
  Applicants are admitted as "Pre-Business" and then apply to a competitive process at Junior standing based upon GPA in pre-business core courses.
• Communications
  CSUSM will prioritize local area students who are CSU eligible.  Additional students from outside our local area will be considered on a space available basis.  Transfer students are highly encouraged to complete lower division major preparatory courses.
• Electrical Engineering
  CSUSM will prioritize local area students who are CSU eligible.  Additional students from outside our local area will be considered on a space available basis.  Transfer students are highly encouraged to complete lower division major preparatory courses.
• Kinesiology
  CSUSM will prioritize local area students who are CSU eligible.  Additional students from outside our local area will be considered on a space available basis.  Transfer students are highly encouraged to complete lower division major preparatory courses.
• Nursing (Basic Nursing Program)

   First-Time Freshmen Applicants

  The Traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing (TBSN) is an impacted program. This major is authorized to use supplementary admission criteria to screen applications. First-time freshman admission decisions will be based on college readiness and GPA. Local area applicants will be given priority over non-local applicants. This major is not eligible for early admission decision. Applicants admitted to their alternate major, and not accepted into the TBSN major by the start of the fall term, will not be able to switch majors or apply to the impacted major at a later date.

  Transfer Applicants

  The TBSN major is an impacted program. This major is authorized to use supplementary admission criteria to screen applications. Transfer applications are rank-ordered pursuant to Supplemental Admission Criteria outline on our TBSN website.  Local area applicants will be given priority over non-local applicants. 

  Transfer applicants to the TBSN to BSN will be reviewed for admission and, if CSU Eligible, conditionally admitted to the alternate major of choice.  Decisions for the TBSN to BSN major are completed and communicated in April and May. Transfer applicants should plan their Intent to Enroll and fee based on the alternate major of choice due to limited admissions into TBSN to BSN. Applicants not accepted into the Nursing major by the start of the fall term will not be able to switch majors or apply to the impacted major at a later date.

• Software Engineering
  CSUSM will prioritize local area students who are CSU eligible.  Additional students from outside our local area will be considered on a space available basis.  Transfer students are highly encouraged to complete lower division major preparatory courses.

Out-of-Area Students

Prospective students from our local admission area will be accommodated first. However, out-of-area students are welcome to apply and will be admitted if space is available, based on supplemental admissions criteria. Learn more on the CSU website.

Note:  for the past three admissions cycles, CSUSM has not had the space available to accommodate non-local area applicants to the nursing program.  Although we cannot always predict future enrollment trends, we do anticipate this level of impaction to continue.