A PLACE TO GROW

Introduction
I would promote this school to any high school kids because the environment is very student friendly. The student to teacher ratio favors undergraduates. If you are considering a large University for your undergrad remember that these are huge research centers and the majority of professors have little time to teach undergraduates. At Humboldt State you will meet and work with quality, well-respected professors. Even freshmen can sign up for classes on the ocean going research vessel, the only school in California with a vessel for undergraduates. All the departments are solid and it is a good stepping off point.

Campus Life and Social Life
The social life on campus is very friendly and you will be able to meet people very fast. You have to get used to being in a smaller setting and seeing familiar faces often. If you are more comfortable being anonymous in a crowd then you might not like the campus at first, but if you are up to the challenge of stepping out of your shell it can be really rewarding. It is really easy to get involved and be noticed. Advertisement
Academics
All the sciences are supposed to be really good. I would especially recommend forestry and oceanography because of the surrounding landscape. I have met English majors who were really cool and satisfied with the department. The music department was very student friendly and it is easy to find enthusiastic musicians and friendly people. In music there were no TAs because there is no music graduate program at Humboldt State. I would say the strongest music program at HSU is percussion. The dean of the department is a well-liked percussionist named Eugene Novotony and a really exciting and generous teacher.

Student Body
The best and worst of the social life is that it is in a rather secluded area. I say this is both good and bad because while it can be lonesome, it can also be very intimate and you can make close meaningful relationships with people in the immediate community. I wouldn't say there is much of a party scene. But with local beaches and beach bonfires, camping trips and snow in the early spring only 15 minutes away you can't go wrong. There's lots of fun things to do so long as you're active, creative and open minded. There is also a town square and a local farmer's market the first weekend of every month in the spring and summer with local merchandise and music.

In Closing...
I'd just like to say that Humboldt is a really special school and perhaps it is nice that it is kind of underrated. I say its nice that it is underrated because you get the feeling of a liberal arts college but with the resources of the greater CSU system. For example through the interlibrary loan you have access to any library in the entire CSU system.
The Center Arts program also does a good job attracting nationally recognized acts that you would see in any large campus. In my time there I saw the Moscow Symphony, for example and it was absolutely amazing. I would recommend any undergraduate living especially in Northern California to seriously consider Humboldt State; it is a good stepping off point for larger successes.