Humboldt State University Admission
Humboldt State University Undergraduate Program
Humboldt State University College Application

The Facts

Humboldt State University is a moderately sized public school that functions within the larger California University State system. The school is located in the small, coastal town of Arcata in Northern California in the Redwood State Forest. The university is home to over 4,000 undergraduate students and approximately 800 graduate and part-time professional students. The university is divided into several smaller undergraduate colleges including schools of environmental science, arts and sciences, law, and business, among other interesting programs. The school is perhaps best known for its emphasis on environmentalism and its commitment to being “eco-groovy” and keeping the world green and healthy. Some of the most popular majors include environmental science, visual art, industrial design and technology, forestry, and child development and psychology.

Last year, over 7,200 students applied for admission to the university, and approximately 3,000 of those students were admitted; of those, about 1,200 matriculated. The admitted students had an average combined SAT score ranging from 1100 to 1400, and an average comprehensive ACT score ranging from 24 to 30. Additionally, over 62% of those admitted were ranked in the top 25% of their high school graduating class with an average high school GPA of about 3.5. Humboldt has an amazing student to teacher ratio of 7:1, and students say that one of the biggest perks of attending Humboldt is the attention they receive from their teachers. Professors really get to know their students and will often invite classes over for lunch or even afternoon tea to discuss various topics, class-related or otherwise.

Although Humboldt State University is indeed a public school and part of a larger statewide system, many students and faculty say that it feels much more like a small, private school. The administration is very easy to get a hold of, and bureaucratic red tape is kept to a bare minimum.

The Social Scene

The town of Arcata is home to many dredlocked hippies and ardent environmentalists. The town is full of organic cafes and stores that sell plenty of tie-dye and hemp products. This atmosphere is perfect for most Humboldt students. There are also tons of outdoor activities to pursue, and the school even has its own redwood forest full of beautiful hiking trails. The school even has an office exclusively for outdoor activities, and will rent students tents, ocean kayaks and rock climbing gear to supplement their weekend activities.

Greek life exists, but it is definitely not a big factor in the campus life. In fact, Humboldt students seem to be more into bong recreation than kegging, but all in all, the most popular activities are active ones, and include hiking, kayaking, rock climbing...you name, they do it at Humboldt.

The dating scene is certainly diverse; you have the requisite jocks and cheerleader SoCal types, plus a whole lot of wannabe hippies. What more could you ask for?

What’s Good

“The whole eco-groovy concept here is absolutely wonderful. You really feel like you are helping to make the world a better place.”

“I don’t think there’s a more beautiful campus anywhere in the world. You have the ocean and the redwoods right there. It’s really amazing.”

“There are a lot of specialized housing groups, like people who like to hike and do outdoorsy stuff. It helps you to find your place here.”

What’s Bad

“The whole eco-groovy thing can be a bit much sometimes. I hate feeling guilty when I drive my car around campus.”

“There isn’t really much of a conventionally collegiate party scene. People kind of keep to themselves sometimes.”

“There isn’t really very much to do in Arcata. If you are more of an urbanite, this may not be the place for you.”

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