\t\t\t\t\tOverview: San Diego State University honored by Money magazine<\/p>\n
Money reviews over 700 four-year public and private nonprofit colleges, ranking them based on factors like graduation rates, tuition costs, financial aid availability, alumni income, and other key metrics.<\/p>\n
Digital finance publication Money<\/a> named San Diego State University<\/a> one of the top colleges in the country in its annual rankings released earlier this summer.<\/p>\n The magazine\u2019s Best Colleges in America list<\/a> highlights \u201ctop value\u201d institutions \u2014 schools that deliver strong academics at affordable prices \u2014 to help students find quality colleges that best fit their budget.\u00a0<\/p>\n Money reviews more than 700 four-year public and private nonprofit colleges, ranking them based on factors like graduation rates, tuition costs, financial aid availability, alumni income, and other key metrics.<\/p>\n The ranking recognized SDSU with 4.5 out of 5 possible stars, highlighting the school\u2019s internationally acclaimed research, diverse student body, and prime location in San Diego<\/a> \u2013 a growing hub for science and technology innovations.\u00a0<\/p>\n Specifically, the ranking emphasized SDSU\u2019s strong scholarship support, noting that \u201calmost all students receive some form of grant or scholarship to bring down the sticker price.\u201d<\/p>\n This aligns with recent data released by the university, which shows that the school has made significant strides in expanding its financial aid offerings in recent years.<\/p>\n In the 2023\u201324 academic year, SDSU reached a scholarship distribution rate of 99.92%, a historic first in the university\u2019s 128-year history, according to the SDSU Scholarship Office.\u00a0<\/p>\n The following year, they came even closer to full distribution, hitting 99.96%.<\/p>\n \u201c(We are) incredibly proud of (our) work in setting new scholarship records over the past two academic years,\u201d the office said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cEvery dollar made available by our generous donors, augmented by institutional and state aid, is awarded directly to our students.\u201d<\/p>\n SDSU students benefitting<\/strong><\/p>\n One of those students is Spenser Vanrossum, a 20-year-old computer science major and incoming junior.\u00a0<\/p>\n While both of his older siblings chose schools far from home, he decided on SDSU due to the affordability and proximity.<\/p>\n \u201cWhenever I\u2019m at SDSU, I feel right at home,\u201d Vanrossum said. \u201cI don\u2019t have to pay too much out of pocket either; you get such a good discount.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n He was awarded the semesterly navy dependent scholarship \u2014 part of his financial aid package through his dad\u2019s military service \u2014 which he said has played a major role in shaping his college experience so far.<\/p>\n Beyond scholarships, the magazine called attention to the school\u2019s impressive graduation rate, noting that, given its campus demographics, 11% more students graduate than predicted.<\/p>\n According to a press release, SDSU\u2019s four-year graduation rate reached a record high for the fall 2020 cohort, nearly 61% in San Diego and just over 61% at SDSU Imperial Valley<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThe tremendous scale at which we are graduating and serving students across the CSU is truly impactful, and indeed unmatched among four-year higher education systems,\u201d CSU Chancellor Mildred Garc\u00eda said in the release.\u00a0<\/p>\n