PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS
Why SJSU Judo?
BECAUSE IT'S YOUR LIFE AND YOUR FUTURE. IT'S YOUR EDUCATION, YOUR LOVE OF JUDO AND YOUR DESIRE TO SUCCEED. Why go someplace that can't give you the opportunities to make the most of it all? This is your chance to think about where you want to be in the years ahead and how you want to get there. A judo champion? A college graduate? How about being part of a program renown for producing some of America's greatest champions--people who have also gone on to become senators, doctors, lawyers, teachers, engineers, physicists and business owners.
At San Jose State University, we ensure that our athletes have a future beyond the dojo. We take great pride in preparing young athletes to become mature, successful adults in whatever avenues they choose. Mike Swain, Bobby Berland, Kevin Asano, Senator Ben "Nighthorse" Campbell, Joey Wanag, Lyle Hunt, Christine Pennick, Paul Maruyama, Liliko Ogasawara and many, many others have all been a part of our program and have all gone on to accomplish great things with the tools they gained here. Keeping this tradition alive is our goal. We hope that deciding to become a part of it is yours.
We have a world-class coaching staff and a great facility, complete with over 2500 square feet of Swain Mats, and a newly remodeled weight training room all centrally located on campus. Every day you will train judo under the guidance of World Champion and Olympic medalist Mike Swain, Olympian Keith Nakasone and two-time Pan-Am champion Chuck Jefferson; be given the utmost in strength training by Eitan Gelber, a certified strength and conditioning coach with a Masters degree in athletic training; and have your health needs looked after by Dr. Bob Nishime-- Chairperson of USA Judo's Sports Medicine committee. There simply is not another facility in the country that can offer as much.
In addition to our regular coaching staff, we have guest instructors from Japan who visit annually (for up to a month or more)--including Ando Sensei of Keio University and judo legend Isao Okano (Olympic Gold Medallist & All Japan Champion). We also host full teams from Japan who come for duel matches and training every year.
Please check the San Jose State University Website, www.sjsu.edu, where you can find information on the majors offered, details on admissions, costs, tuition and room & board. Look this information over carefully and remember, nothing is more important then considering where your dreams and goals can best be fulfilled.
Feel free to correspond with any of our coaches for further information or to schedule a visit. Our doors are open, you just have to walk through!
International Students
Since the early 40's San Jose State University has attracted judo players from around the world. We have great relationships with judo players and organizations all around the globe. Our current team has student athletes from Mexico, Japan, Israel, Lithuania, Yugoslavia, Mali and Tonga. Our school has many programs to accommodate international students including S.A.L. (Studies in American Language). We often have exchange students come to San Jose State directly after high school to study English until they achieve a passing score on the TOEFL test. They then enter the University in pursuit of a bachelor's degree. Other times college graduates from other countries come to San Jose and take English classes for a year or two before returning to their home countries to enter the job market. There is an International House , which is great place for international students to live. See housing for other options.
Housing
There are several options for housing while attending SJSU. Residence halls intended for full time students are conveniently located on campus. Classrooms, services, events and entertainment and of course the dojo are never more than a 10-minute walk. The Campus Village will open in the Fall of 2005. This will be a state of the art housing facility with all the necessities for college life. If you would like to live off campus in an apartment there are plenty of apartment complexes within a short walk from campus. Rent for an apartment will vary depending on the number of roommates you have and whether you want to share a room or have your own--averaging from $300 to $600 per month.
Applying to San Jose State University
San Jose State gets a majority of its funding from the state of California. Since the California economy has not been very strong over the last couple of years, our school has been forced to engage in budget reductions. This means less people are being accepted into the University. It is a first come first serve process. As long as you meet the minimum requirements and get your application in early, the chances of getting accepted are high. We highly recommend that you contact the judo team coaching staff to notify them if you are applying to SJSU. This way we can ensure that the process goes smoothly. All Applications to the University are done electronically at CSU Mentor. You are allowed to save your application and complete it over several sessions if necessary.
Financial Aid
It is very highly recommended that every student complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Student Aid) form-regardless of their family's financial situation. By applying for financial aid a student becomes eligible for scholarships, grants, work-study and both subsidized and unsubsidized loans that would otherwise be unavailable. Through the FAFSA process there are also PLUS loans that parents can take-out to help cover the costs of college and repay at an extremely low interest rate.
There are two ways to apply for Financial Aid, the first of which is a paper application and the second is an online application. Please follow this link to the electronic application. You will need copies of the most recent tax returns for both parents/guardians and the student. Like the CSU Mentor application, you will be able to save your work and return later to complete it.
Useful Links
San Jose State University Home Page
Transferring from another Institution
