July 20, 2009********

Students urged to apply early for fall 2010

CSU Monterey Bay is urging students who hope to enroll for the fall 2010 semester to be ready to apply for admission beginning this Oct. 1.

Like the other 22 campuses in the CSU system, CSU Monterey Bay will not add any new students in the spring 2010 semester in order to help meet statewide enrollment targets tied to budget cuts. The entire CSU system faces a $584 million shortfall in its budget for the 2009-10 fiscal year, which began July 1.

CSU Monterey Bay's own enrollment target remains capped at 2008-09 levels - approximately 4,200 students. Such limits help ensure that students receive a high quality education, said CSUMB President Dianne Harrison.

"We want to serve as many students as possible," Harrison said, "but not more than we can handle while continuing to provide an outstanding education with strong support services."

Students are encouraged to take the SAT or ACT college entrance exams this summer or early fall, said Ronnie Higgs, interim vice president for student affairs. Depending on their score, students may need to take placement tests in English and mathematics.

Students who applied to CSU Monterey Bay for this fall but were not admitted will need to reapply for fall 2010, Higgs said.

The fall 2010 application period officially begins Oct. 1 and ends Nov 30. Admissions availability will be reassessed on Nov. 1, and a high demand could force applicants onto a wait list before the end of the application period, Higgs said.

Also, students applying from the tri-county area of Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties may receive priority if wait-listing becomes necessary, he said.

On the Web****To apply to CSUMB: CSUmentor.eduFinancial aid information: csumb.edu/financialaid