[crescent&pearls]

It's not unusual for students at Cal State schools to take more than 4 to graduate, but it's not just an issue of budget cuts/limited class options which can vary widely by campus and major. Both SDSU and CSULB have been recognized for graduating students with low levels of student loan debt, and the percentage of students graduating on schedule is actually improving! Many students (even me!) balance working while they are pursuing undergrad degrees so they take fewer classes or put off classes that conflict with their work schedules as long as possible. Maybe the fact that it's getting much more competitive to get a spot at the most popular UCs and CSUs, and rising costs of fees and living on campus is motivating more students to take more units, stay on track and get finished as quickly as you can.