By Juliana Stumpp   

Staff Writer

As students enroll and apply to CSUSM, many probably aren’t aware of the effect impacted majors has on registering for classes or graduating on time. CSU San Marcos is listed with a total of five impacted majors that include business administration, communication, kinesiology, nursing and mass media. Recently, calstate.edu released a 2013-2014 Undergraduate Impacted Program’s Matrix, which outlines the majors that have the most applicants throughout all 23 campuses.

Compared to other campuses, San Marcos is one of the few schools with the least amount of impacted majors. Several other universities have all their majors impacted such as CSU Fullerton, Long Beach, San Diego, San Jose and San Luis Obispo.

A major that is impacted across the whole spectrum is nursing— impacting 16 of the CSU campuses. While business has always been a competitive major, only 10 of the universities give the major an impacted status.

Bryan ten Bosch, a graduating kinesiology major, reflects on when the major wasn’t impacted a few short years ago.

“I came into college the semester before my program became impacted. I learned that I would’ve been let in with the academic qualifications I had if it had been impacted, but it was definitely an easier matter for me compared to others to enter the program,” Bosch said.  

With the current impact status for so many majors, students have pressure to pass the class on the first attempt. Classes such as anatomy and physiology can’t be retaken if you fail. This is done to ensure that the major can accommodate space for other students wanting to declare the major.

Sophomore Amanda Guse is another kinesiology major who has tried other outlets to get classes she needs.

“I have gotten recommendations to get classes at Palomar which is what I had to do this semester. Although everyone I have talked to or have seen trying to get into Palomar to get needed classes have a hard time as well since both Palomar and CSUSM students are trying to get into the same classes,” Guse said.  

The difference that students notice between impacted majors and regular majors is pre-requisite classes they need to take.

Lily Nguyen, a former business major but now a criminology major, explains why impacted majors are a stressor.

“One of the reasons I changed my major is because the eight additional lower division courses I would have to take for business. I’m not stressing about ‘what if I don’t get classes,’ ” Nguyen said.

Impacted majors can vary year to year, so it is important to know your standing academically. Visiting your academic advisor to discuss graduation dates and staying updated with pre-requisite classes is vital when it comes to graduation dates.

To find out where you can locate your major department’s academic advising, please visit csusm.edu/academicadvising/.