I've been at SJSU for two years. I want to be honest about what it's like living in San Jose. Because no one prepared me. 
The good:
Location, location, location. I can drive to Apple in 15 minutes. Google in 20. Facebook in 30. I've gone to tech talks, hackathons, and networking events that would be impossible anywhere else.
The weather is perfect. I'm from Singapore — I'm used to heat and humidity. San Jose is dry and mild. I can walk outside 300 days a year without checking the weather.
The food is incredible. Vietnamese, Mexican, Chinese, Indian — all authentic, all affordable. I've eaten better here than anywhere else in the US.
The bad:
The cost of living is insane. I pay $1,500 per month for a room in a shared apartment. Not a studio. A room. With three roommates. Groceries are expensive. Everything is expensive.
The campus is a commuter school. Many students live off-campus and drive in. On weekends, the campus is dead. If you want a traditional college experience — dorms, parties, football games — go somewhere else.
The homeless population is visible. Downtown San Jose has a serious homelessness crisis. You'll see tents on sidewalks. You'll be asked for money. It's uncomfortable. It's real. It's not something the brochures mention.
The surprising:
The students are older. Many work full-time while going to school. My study group includes a 30-year-old who's going back for a second degree and a 19-year-old who's a coding prodigy. The diversity — in age, background, experience — is a strength.
The faculty have real industry experience. My algorithms professor worked at Google for a decade. My database professor consulted for Oracle. They're not academics who've never left the university. They've done the thing.
Bottom line: SJSU is not for everyone. If you want a traditional college experience, look elsewhere. If you want a beautiful campus, look elsewhere.
But if you want to be in the middle of Silicon Valley, learning from people who've worked at top tech companies, while paying a fraction of private school tuition? Come to SJSU.
The good:
Location, location, location. I can drive to Apple in 15 minutes. Google in 20. Facebook in 30. I've gone to tech talks, hackathons, and networking events that would be impossible anywhere else.
The weather is perfect. I'm from Singapore — I'm used to heat and humidity. San Jose is dry and mild. I can walk outside 300 days a year without checking the weather.
The food is incredible. Vietnamese, Mexican, Chinese, Indian — all authentic, all affordable. I've eaten better here than anywhere else in the US.
The bad:
The cost of living is insane. I pay $1,500 per month for a room in a shared apartment. Not a studio. A room. With three roommates. Groceries are expensive. Everything is expensive.
The campus is a commuter school. Many students live off-campus and drive in. On weekends, the campus is dead. If you want a traditional college experience — dorms, parties, football games — go somewhere else.
The homeless population is visible. Downtown San Jose has a serious homelessness crisis. You'll see tents on sidewalks. You'll be asked for money. It's uncomfortable. It's real. It's not something the brochures mention.
The surprising:
The students are older. Many work full-time while going to school. My study group includes a 30-year-old who's going back for a second degree and a 19-year-old who's a coding prodigy. The diversity — in age, background, experience — is a strength.
The faculty have real industry experience. My algorithms professor worked at Google for a decade. My database professor consulted for Oracle. They're not academics who've never left the university. They've done the thing.
Bottom line: SJSU is not for everyone. If you want a traditional college experience, look elsewhere. If you want a beautiful campus, look elsewhere.
But if you want to be in the middle of Silicon Valley, learning from people who've worked at top tech companies, while paying a fraction of private school tuition? Come to SJSU.