SDSU Department of Counseling and School Psychology

Your Guide to Living, Playing, and Surviving in San Diego

SDSU Counseling and School Psychology Welcome Packet
Compiled by the SDSU School Psychology Program Welcome Committee
(Russell Raypon, Graduate Assistant)

Welcome to San Diego State University's graduate programs in Counseling and School Psychology. On behalf the department faculty and students, we would like to welcome you to your program which will challenge you intellectually, personally, and professionally!

We are very pleased and happy that you have made this important commitment to serving schools, children, and/or families by choosing one of our programs at San Diego State University to complete your training. Your presence in our program confirms your dedication to becoming an advocate for ethical and equitable service delivery for all children. You have our admiration and best wishes for a successful and rich learning experience.

For those of you new to San Diego and Southern California, this Welcome Packet is a small resource guide to finding your way around San Diego, where to find places to live, where the night and social life can be found, and other important information about establishing a life in San Diego. For those of you familiar with the San Diego area, this Welcome Packet serves as a centralized resource for anything that you might need. For all of you, this guide may save your academic life and sanity one day, especially when it comes to negotiating and navigating the SDSU system.

We leave you with several words of advice:

Use the Department of Counseling and School Psychology Website as a first resource for any questions you might have about your program or its requirements. Take unanswedarkgreen questions to your advisor!
Use your cohort! As the year progresses, your cohort will become like family, and will be there to support you academically and emotionally. Cohortmates are a great source of wisdom, experience, and friendship.
Another great source for help and counsel is the family of students who have gone before you in the program. Do not be afraid to approach advanced students. They are usually more than happy and willing to give you hand, explain the process, and share their experiences with you. There is no substitute for the experience of a student who has been through the program before you. Ask your program office for a directory of students.
The faculty is available to you as well, to mentor and guide you through your educational experience here at SDSU. Meet with your program advisor on a regular basis.
Finally, when in the quagmire of SDSU paperwork, rely on Rosy in the Department Office. She is your best source of information and official forms for business with the Graduate Division.

We hope that this Welcome Packet will ease your transition to SDSU. "Good luck and enjoy your journey!"

Helpful Websites
Here are some websites that might be helpful to navigating San Diego:

Moving To San Diego- From San Diego Realtors	City of San Diego City of San Diego's official site
Sign on SanDiego Union Tribune	San Diego Visitors Bureau San Diego Visitors Bureau
San Diego Channel 10 Channel 10(ABC)	San Diego Visitor's Guide Visitors Bureau site

SDSU
The University's Official Site

"The College Area" (near SDSU)	South Bay (including Chula Vista and National City)
Mission Valley	Mira Mesa/North County
Downtown(including Hillcrest)	East County (including El Cajon)
Beach Areas (including Ocean Beach and Mission Beach to Carlsbad)

Residency
Under California law, SDSU must determine the residence status of all new and returning students. Nonresidents are requidarkgreen to pay nonresident tuition and meet other conditions. Generally, to be eligible for resident classification, an adult applicant must have established and maintained permanent residence in California at least one year prior to the residence determination date.

Generally, establishing residence in California for tuition purposes requires a combination of physical presence and intent to remain indefinitely. An adult who, at least one full year prior to the residence determination date for the term in which enrollment is contemplated, has been both physically present in the state and has evidence of the intent to remain in California indefinitely, may establish residence in California for tuition purposes. Evidence demonstrating intent can vary from case to case and may include, but is not limited to, the absence of residential ties to any other state, California voter registration and voting in California elections, maintaining California vehicle license plates and driver’s license, maintaining active California bank accounts, filing California income tax returns, owning residential property or occupying or renting an apartment where permanent belongings are kept, maintaining active memberships in California professional or social organizations, and maintaining a permanent military address and home of record in California.

Adult non-citizens establish residence in the same manner as citizens, unless precluded by the Immigration and Nationality Act from establishing domicile in the United States. Unmarried minor noncitizens derive their residence in the same manner as unmarried minor citizens except that both parent and minor must have an immigration status consistent with establishing domicile in the United States.

Exceptions to the general residence requirements are contained in California Education Code sections 68070-68120 and Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations, sections 41900-41916, and include, but are not limited to, members of the military and their dependents and certain credentialed employees of school districts. Whether an exception applies to a particular student cannot be determined before the submission of an Application for Admission and, as necessary, additional supporting documentation. Because neither campus nor Chancellor’s Office staff may give advice on the application of these laws, applicants are strongly urged to review the material for themselves and consult with a legal advisor.

Non-resident students seeking reclassification are required to complete a supplemental questionnaire including questions concerning their financial dependence, which will be considered along with physical presence and intent in determining reclassification.

Residence Determination Dates
You must have proof you were residing in California for 1 year before
      Fall Semester:   September 20
      Spring Semester:   January 25
      Summer Semester: June 1

Health Insurance Student Health Insurance is essential to have, especially if you are not covedarkgreen by existing plans. SDSU student fees for full time graduate students include access to the SDSU Student Health Services for emergency care or other health related matters. For additional coverage, there are several options that you may want to investigate
CSU Healthlink (affiliated with SDSU)	On-line comparison of California health companies
Baum Insurance Services Full Insurance Broker	On-line comparison of health companies

Utilities Here are some websites and phone numbers for establishing utilities services in your new home or apartment:
Pacific Bell 1-800-310-2355	Cox Cable Communications 619-262-112
SDG&E (Gas & Electric)1-800-411-7343	Time Warner Cable: 858-695-3220

Banks If you are looking to open a new bank account, here is a list of several popular banks and cdarkgreenit unions in the San Diego Area:
San Diego County Credit Union 1-877-732-2848	Bank of America 1-800-622-8731
SD Metropolitan Credit Union 619-297-4835	Washington Mutual 1-800-788-7000
Mission Federal Credit Union 1-800-500-6328	Wells Fargo Bank 1-800-869-3557
USE Credit Union 1-866-873-4968

Fun Places to Go Here are several websites and resources for nightlife and leisure activities for San Diego, Southern California, and Mexico:
Home Port San Diego	San Diego Visitor's Bureau
SignOn San Diego	San Diego Zoo
San Diego Source	San Diego Natural History Museum
San Diego OnLine	Sea World California
Travelers’ Guide to Mexico	USS Midway Museum