California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt Reviews

"The engineering program at HSU is outstanding. I was well trained to enter the workforce and was able to pass the EIT at my first try due to the rigor of this program. The program has excellent instruction and fantastic support for learning. The small-town location and great access to recreation (mtb biking, hiking, rivers and ocean) added a great opportunity to my education."

"The child development program at HSU was great. Lots of hands-on experience in the classroom and outside the classroom. There is a on site lab preschool that provided invaluable hands on experiences in a preschool classroom. The program might not be beneficial if you do not wish to be a preschool teacher but the knowledged gained has been beneficial in other ways in my life (even as a parent)"

"HSU was a great place for learning Kinesiology. We were fortunate enough to have a of the newer buildings on the campus. The professors were experienced in using high-tech equipment to assist their students. Research was not just for graduate students, but offered to undergraduate students as well. I was fortunate enough to assist gradate students with their research for the thesis in the Exercise Physiology lab. The professors were always readily available to the students, which I greatly appreciated. Some were even kind enough to write a letter of recommendation for my graduate program. Additionally, some professors utilize my capstone paper for subsequent courses. The education I received from HSU made my ready for my graduate program at CSU Los Angeles."

"I cannot speak highly enough of Humboldt State University! The years I attended HSU 2010-2015 were some of the best, eye-opening, and challenging years of my life. The institution has so many incredible resources for students of all situations and backgrounds. Their Marine Biology and Zoology programs are hands on and informing. The professors I had valued teaching writing skills and I am now benefiting from that in my graduate schooling. There were so many chances to conduct research and collaborate with peers and professors. Also, their club sports program is incredible. The director treats all her students with the utmost respect and values fair play, inclusion, and honesty. I am a better person for attending Humboldt State University!"

"A beautiful place to study. The professors are knowledgeable and the town really is supportive of the HSU campus and students. There are also plenty of ways to get involved and jobs for the students of the school. The student body population is pretty diverse as well, with students coming from all walks of life and backgrounds. I would recommend visiting the campus. The only downside is that there is not a strong reputation when comparing to other California schools but the quality and small class sizes are superior to that of other California universities."

"I believe my education at Humboldt State was invaluable. The professors were open-minded, inquisitive and progressive and encouraged students to create their own ideas and think outside the box. This college carefully honed my critical thinking skills, which has proven to be a skill that stands out in the workplace. I greatly appreciated the progressive nature of this college and region as a whole. Often, classes were interactive and included a variety of learning techniques. The school has many great field study opportunities as well, allowing students to gain professional experience while attending college. They are especially well known for their Semester at Sea program. For those interested in marine biology it is a unique opportunity to study these animals in their natural habitat. I greatly appreciated the type of hands-on learning this college provided. The surrounding community was not only naturally beautiful but the people were friendly and it was a relatively easy and affordable place to live. The town is inclusive, though predominantly white. Crime is very low and students may feel safe on campus and free to speak their minds without persecution. The college itself has acres of redwood forest incorporated into the campus, making hiking and recreation extremely accessible. The town is relatively small and with accessible public transportation it is fairly easy to navigate. Great music and social events happen in the community. It is a fun little town but partying opportunities and a variety of drugs are also very readily available, causing many students to drop out the first year. Be careful to keep a balanced school and social life. The school and community at large are fairly affordable, provided you don't get carried away with extracurricular activities. I would encourage any creative mind to attend this exceptional university."

"Humboldt State University is a quiet college located in Northern California. In studying Environmental Resources Engineering there, I was fortunate for many reasons. The area itself is beautiful with small populations and the redwood trees on one side and the ocean on the other. I cant say enough good things about the people and small mom and pop shops you will encounter. The education I received was once in a life time. The class sizes for the core classes never exceeded 40 students. All the professors knew everyones name and background. They were helpful when students needed it, always available through office hours. The students I went to school with I formed long lasting relationships with, being able to participate in club activities, social events with local professionals, and internships specifically associated with the degree itself. The core work is challenging and time consuming. It is not made to be easy, otherwise everyone would be doing it. The teachers ensure that you have what you need to be successful, but its by no means a walk in the park. You will be tired and challenged everyday with the coursework, the labs, and the homework. Expect to spend a lot of time in front of computers and working through practice problems. Understanding of most of the material has helped me immensely in my professional career. Take advantage of the fact that class sizes are small, and people want to see you succeed. I wouldnt necessarily say I would do it all over again given the chance, but I can say that the education itself was a great opportunity and a solid foundation to a long and successful career."

"Its a very rough area with lots of drug addicts and crime in the area. Not enough housing for students. No party scene. No diversity(only white people & some latinos). The school is broke so theres no funding for anything except environmental sciences. They have a bad retention rate. At least a quarter of the students in each of my classes drop out by the end of each semester. Let me repeat this one: THERES LOTS OF CRIME IN THE AREA. Im from LA and I feel safer there at night than I do in Humboldt during the day. Theres a high rate of convicts and not a lot of police enforcement. The only thing the police seem to be good at is breaking up parties. Lastly, the football team is the worst they put us thousands of dollars in debt and I dont think weve won a single game last year."

"Humboldt State is one of the friendliest and inclusive schools one can find. It is a small school in a small town, where you can really dive into the institution and utilize all of your resources to attain your best education. I am so happy to have chosen this school for my first experience in post-secondary education."

"Plain and simple, I would not recommend the teaching credential program at Humboldt State to anyone. The support given for the real teaching world is close to none aside from the sciences and math portion. The lack of organization and communication within the supervisors, mentors and administration is horrible and leaves students to really fend for themselves. Aside from the program being horrible, the people that run it are extremely nice, but that doesn't mean the job gets done for our future teachers of California. Sadly, I recommend looking else where."

"HSU is a wonderful place. The nature alone is worth moving to the middle of nowhere, but the diversity in the student population and the sincere and knowledgeable professors make HSU a special place to pursue any degree. At HSU they create a very student focused environment and it is apparent in their educators and throughout the on-campus staff (from Admissions to the Student medical center)."

"I am grateful for my time at Humboldt State University. Majoring in a liberal arts degree in a field that I am passionate about gave me the motivation to complete the reading and the assignments, the faculty was always very supportive and available for help. Staff always recognized me and knew my name even in larger classes. I appreciated how hands-on many of the programs at this university are."

"Overall Humboldt State was a good University. They do need help in improving a few areas, regarding their programs to help support underrepresented students, especially in career and education advancement. However, if you in the biology, natural resources field and enjoy the outdoors I would reccommend this school."

"Humboldt State is situated within the redwoods on the North Coast of California, its unique ecosystem and tumultuous history of resource extraction make it one of the best places to study environmental systems and natural resource management. One of the greatest strengths of the Natural Resource program at HSU is the integration of its geography into the curriculum, thus bringing tangible experiences and skill sets into education that can be applied outside of the classroom."

"Humboldt State is situated in a fantastic location, has a broad array of instructors from highly-varied backgrounds, and offer a wide variety within their curriculum. Of course administration is overpaid, but many instructors are inherently worth more than they are paid- the amount of knowledge some professors have to offer/share is absolutely amazing. Getting involved with research projects can be difficult, but actively asking around has proven to offer me more opportunities than I had previously thought possible. Active involvement in clubs can supplement your education in getting involved with peers at a level that opens more doors than the average class has to offer. For a freshman wishing to live in a near-perfect climate (somewhat rainy, but always gorgeous) while pursuing a worthwhile education, Humboldt State is highly recommended!"

"Humboldt State is a great small community campus on the shores of northern California. Surrounded by redwood forests, students both within and outside of the biological sciences department are deeply invested in understanding and working well with nature. It is encouraging working with the natural environment while being surrounded by it, and being surrounded by people who care about sustainability. The campus is working towards becoming a carbon neutral campus. With a community interested in preserving our natural environment, studying forest ecosystems comes second nature as a student here."

"Humboldt State University is a lovely university situated in Northern California, and I am happy to say I am an HSU Alumni. I graduated with a BA in English education, with a minor in TESL/TEFL, and I am generally happy with the level of quality instruction I received. The class sizes are small, and the professors know you by name. Because the classes are so small, you really form a tight-knit community with your peers, and this helps to facilitate the collaborative group work that comes standard in any English degree. Overall, I would recommend Humboldt State University to anyone looking to pursue a higher education within the CSU system."

"Great school, though a bit heavy on diagnosis and less on holistic and humanistic approaches. Educated faculty who were supportive. Great access to student internships and opportunities with clubs and research/teaching assistance internships."

"A very liberal college that has a lot of character. Great for the arts, and any kind of earth science."

"HSU provided me the opportunity to get a hands on feel for organizing a movement from scratch onto the campus and the surrounding city with so much support from the staff and professors."