Prospective Students

  • Admissions and Records Impaction Information

Freshman Impaction

Impaction Supplementary Criteria

All first-time freshman applicants must meet the minimum standard CSU admission requirements described at First-Time Freshman Applicant. Freshman applicants affected by CSUN impaction must also meet CSUN's supplementary admission criteria described on this page to be considered for admission. 

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Fall 2024 Impaction

Please note these important changes for fall 2024 and spring 2025 impaction: 

  • CSUN has removed local-area (regional) impaction for both first-time freshmen and first-time transfer students. All California applicants will need to meet the same minimum standard CSU admissions criteria.
  • Applicants will also need to meet the supplementary criteria for the four impacted academic programs if they choose one of those majors. Supplementary criteria for impacted majors will be published here at a later date.

Fall 2024 admissions information is now available at First-Time Freshman Applicant. All California applicants graduating from California high schools must possess a minimum eligibility index score of 2500 using the multifactor variables criteria at California Resident Applicants.

Currently, applications from first-time freshmen are accepted for admission to fall semesters only.

Impacted Majors by Academic Year

Impacted Majors by Academic Year
Impacted Majors, 2024-2025Impacted Majors, 2023-2024
  • B.S. in Accountancy
  • B.S. in Business Administration options in:
    • Financial Analysis
    • Financial Planning
    • Risk Management and Insurance
  • B.A. in Cinema and Television Arts
  • B.A. in Music
  • B.S. in Accountancy
  • B.S. and B.A. in Biology
  • B.S. in Business Administration options in:
    • Financial Analysis
    • Financial Planning
    • Risk Management and Insurance
  • B.A. in Cinema and Television Arts
  • B.S. in Kinesiology
  • B.A. in Music
  • B.A. in Psychology

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Does freshman impaction affect you? 

To find out whether or not impaction affects you, take the following steps in the suggested order:

1. Determine if you will be applying to an impacted major.

2.  You are NOT affected by impaction if you are a nonresident of California or a U.S. service member (active duty or veteran). Find application instructions at:

Impacted Major Admission

The list of impacted, competitive majors may change annually. The academic department for each impacted major may set supplementary admission criteria for its applicants.

  • If you are choosing an impacted major and you are a student from California, you will need to meet that major’s supplementary admission criteria if any.
  • The number and academic characteristics apparent in the freshman applications from California residents will determine the need for supplementary admission criteria. In all majors except Music, this could mean achieving a higher admission eligibility index than is required for a non-impacted major. Space permitting, applicants who meet any supplementary criteria will be admitted first, until the impacted major is full.
  • The list of impacted majors may change in future academic years.

Applying to Impacted Majors

The following impacted business majors and options admit applicants to the pre-major program. Then, after successfully completing the pre-major, students file for a change of major:

  • Accountancy - Information Systems and Professional Accountancy options
  • Business Administration - Financial Analysis, Financial Planning, and Risk Management/Insurance options

Applicants to the following impacted major are required to pass an audition:

Cinema and Television Arts (CTVA), the remaining impacted major, will set supplementary criteria (a higher eligibility index) and admit applicants directly to the major program based on their CSU eligibility index.

Eligibility Index

The CSU statewide eligibility index is based on the multifactor admission criteria published at California Resident Applicants. GPAs are based on grades earned in college preparatory courses ("A-G" subject requirements) taken during the final three years of high school. Included in calculating GPA are any bonus points earned for approved honors courses.

Domestic out-of-state applicants, please review admission criteria at Out-of-State Applicants.

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Fall 2023 Admission Criteria for First-Time Freshmen (last year)

The following section describes admission criteria for Fall 2023 impaction. Please note, first-time freshman applications are currently not considered for spring admission to CSUN.

The academic characteristics of the non-local applicant pool, as well as the academic characteristics of California first-time freshman applicants to impacted majors, will determine the supplementary criteria for both kinds of impaction. 

The two tables below describe the admission requirements for Fall 2023 first-time freshman applicants who have graduated from California high schools located within and outside of CSUN’s local admission area. Table 1 shows the admission criteria for CSUN’s non-impacted majors and Table 2 the criteria for impacted majors. Please note:

  • Applicants who meet the minimum Eligibility Index for their group will be admitted.
  • These impaction criteria were set for Fall 2023 admission only and may vary for future admission cycles.
  • The minimum standard CSU admission requirements are published at freshman applicant.

California Residents Applying to Non-Impacted Majors

Table 1: Minimum eligibility index for FALL 2023 freshman admission based on CSUN's local and non-local areas.
California High School LocationMinimum Admission Eligibility Index for Non-Impacted Majors
Inside CSUN's local area2500
Outside CSUN's local area2700

California Residents Applying to Impacted Majors

All graduates of California high schools, regardless of location, who are applying to an impacted major must meet the higher, supplementary requirements for that major.

See Table 2 below for the minimum Eligibility Index admission criteria for local and non-local area applicants to impacted majors.

Table 2: Fall 2023 minimum admission criteria for freshmen applying to impacted majors.
Impacted MajorLocal Area Minimum Eligibility IndexNon-local Area Minimum Eligibility Index
B.A. in Accountancy options in:
  • Information Systems
  • Professional Accountancy
Apply to the Accountancy or Business Administration Pre-Major (minimum eligibility index score 2500).Apply to the Accountancy or Business Administration Pre-Major (minimum eligibility index score 2700).
B.A. and B.S. in Biology26002700
B.S. in Business Administration options in:
  • Financial Analysis
  • Financial Planning
  • Risk Management and Insurance
Apply to the Accountancy or Business Administration Pre-Major (minimum eligibility index score 2500).Apply to the Accountancy or Business Administration Pre-Major (minimum eligibility index score 2700).
B.A. in Cinema and Television Arts26003000
B.S. in Kinesiology26002700
B.A. in MusicPass an audition. Visit Audition & Placement.Pass an audition. Visit Audition & Placement.
B.A. in Psychology26002700

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