I experienced all the fall feels on a recent visit to Sonoma State University. With over 8,000 trees on campus (yes, there is an official inventory), the 269-acre campus is covered in changing leaves this time of year.
A few takeaways from my campus visit:
- Sonoma State University is one of the 23 California State University campuses. Nestled among the Sonoma hills, it has a student population of 7,000 (which is small compared to bigger CSUs like San Diego, Fullerton, and Long Beach at 35-40,000 students).
- The university is considered to have the best dorms in the CSU system. As a nod to the local wine country, the on-campus living communities are named after grape varieties (Beaujolais Village, Sauvignon Village, etc.). There’s lots of choice in room types and layouts, with single, double, and triple rooms. 90% of freshmen live on campus, and many students choose to live on campus all 4 years.
- Visiting on a Friday afternoon in the middle of the semester, the campus felt pretty quiet. I imagine SSU would be a great choice for a student who does not want to face the overcrowded courses or unstable housing situations of more impacted CSUs. Plus you can hang out with Lucy in front of the Jean and Charles Schulz library! Schultz lived in Santa Rosa for over four decades.
Students interested in Sonoma State for Fall 2023 take note: the California State University application is now open at calstate.edu/apply. Deadline is 11/30.
