BESST

First-semester freshman entering the CSULB College of Engineering have the chance to get off to a great start with BESST/Beach XP.

The College of Engineering will be participating in CSULB’s BeachXP, an expanded program of the existing BESST program that has been running in the College of Engineering for ten years. The Beach Engineering Student Success Team (BESST)'s mission is to help students succeed by supporting them academically, developmentally and socially. The program offers BESST members cohort registration and supplemental tutoring designed to introduce them to university facilities and resources, and introduces members to faculty, staff and students. 

The goal of BESST/Beach XP is to increase the success rate of all College of Engineering students, specifically those from diverse backgrounds and with the greatest need whose math preparation is not at the Calculus 1 level. By registering as part of a cohort, BESST/Beach XP students can see fellow students and teachers almost every day. Focused tutoring also helps BESST/Beach XP students keep up grades in difficult subjects such as calculus.

BESST Program

Core Engineering Major Courses: BESST/Beach XP students will enroll in appropriate courses related to their engineering majors in the Fall and Spring semesters depending on their placement. See Cohort Schedules, below.

Peer Mentoring: Each BESST/Beach XP student will be assigned a peer mentor in their first year. Upper-division peer mentors provide resources, tutoring, and mentoring to help freshmen achieve academic success and transition from high school to college.

Freshmen Advising: BESST/Beach XP students will be assigned a dedicated pre-engineering academic advisor and must meet with them during mandatory freshmen advising workshops. Academic advisors are also available through drop-in advising or scheduled appointments.

Reserved Courses for Fall:

  • ENGR 101: Introduction to the Engineering Profession
  • MATH 111 and MATH 113, or MATH 122 (Depending on ALEKS Math Placement)
  • CECS 174: Intro Prog & Problem Solving
  • MAE 172A: Engineering Design Graphics – AutoCAD*
  • MAE 172B: Engineering Design Graphics – SolidWorks**

Reserved Courses for Spring: 

  • ENGR 102: Academic Success Skills
  • MATH 122 or MATH 123 (Depending on cohort)

  • No cost to students
  • Learning Community
  • Reserved courses
  • Dedicated BESST/BeachXP Academic Advisor
  • Individual and group mentoring
  • Study groups and tutoring
  • Exclusive academic and professional workshops
  • Opportunities to attend student leadership workshops and conferences
  • Social activities with student organizations and other BESST/Beach XP students
  • Mentoring opportunities with past BESST/Beach XP participants
  • Exposure to CSULB services
  • Opportunity to form friendships
  • Chance to connect with faculty and staff
  • $2,000 MESA Scholarship for twenty BESST/Beach XP students who participated in MESA at their respective high schools, to be disbursed in Fall 2024 and Spring 2025*
  • Additional merit-based scholarship opportunities for students who maintain a 3.0 GPA minimum

*Students must maintain eligibility requirements in both semesters

Incoming first-time-freshmen with pre-engineering majors who place in:

  • Pre-Calculus (MATH 111) AND Trigonometry (MATH 113)
  • Calculus 1 (MATH 122)

For students who place in MATH 111 and MATH 113 , BESST will kick off with the *FREE* Engineering Summer Academy in mid-August, where students will commute to CSULB for two one-week sessions and attend workshops to prepare for the coming year. There will be two sessions:

Event: Engineering Summer Academy
Dates: August 12-16 or August 19-23
Time: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Location: CSULB, Room: TBD
Breakfast and Lunch will be provided.

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

MATH 122*
Calculus I
SEM

 

MATH 122*
Calculus I
SEM

 

MATH 122*
Calculus I
ACT

 

COMM 130
Essentials of 
Public Speaking

 

COMM 130
Essentials of 
Public Speaking

MATH 122*
Calculus I
ACT

ENGR 101*
Intro to 
Engineering
Profession

 

ES 100A*
Beach XP Activity I

 

 

 

Other selected 
core course

 

Other selected 
core course

 

*BESST/XP RESERVED COURSES

A BESST/Beach XP Information Session is offered for eligible incoming freshmen to discuss the program and answer any questions that students/parents might have. Details are posted below:

Event: BESST/Beach XP Information Session
Date: Friday, June 27, 2024
Time: 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Location: CSULB Room: ECS-105

What’s the difference between BESST and BeachXP? 
Beach Engineering Student Success Team (BESST) is the engineering-based learning community, which is a part of the university-wide Beach Experience (BeachXP) Learning Communities.

How do I join BESST/Beach XP?
Space is limited, so be sure to complete the ALEKS Math Placement by July 19. If space is available, you may also speak to an advisor on your Advising and Registration day. Click here for more information about Math placement in the College of Engineering. Interested in BESST/Beach XP? Click below to complete your application.

Who can join BESST/Beach XP?
Pre-engineering majors who place into MATH 111 (Pre-Calculus Trigonometry) and MATH 113 (Pre-Calculus Algebra) or MATH 122 (Calculus 1) are eligible for BESST.
If you have credit for AP Calculus (score of 3 or greater on the AB or BC exam) or college credit for MATH 122 (Calculus 1), or you will be enrolling in MATH 123 (Calculus 2) or higher, then you won’t be eligible to join BESST.

How much does it cost?
BESST/Beach XP is free for students.

Will I take different classes in BESST/Beach XP?
No, all engineering and computing majors take the math and ENGR 101/102 classes. As an added benefit, you’ll be guaranteed a spot in the math, ENGR 101/102, COMM 130, and a one-unit Supplemental Instruction (SI) class will help you succeed in your math class. The Pre-Civil or Pre-Mechanical cohorts, they will also be guaranteed a spot in two introductory major courses and an Ethnic Studies course.

Can I change my major while in BESST/Beach XP?
You may only change majors within the College of Engineering. If you change majors outside of engineering, you can’t continue with BESST/Beach XP.

What happens if I don’t pass a BESST/Beach XP course?
Students must receive a C or better in their BESST/Beach XP courses. If students don’t pass the classes, they cannot continue with the BESST/Beach XP cohort and will need to retake the classes.

Can I drop a BESST/Beach XP course?
BESST/Beach XP courses are linked, so they can’t be dropped individually. Dropping all BESST/Beach XP courses will result in a reduced course load, possibly changing your status from full-time to part-time and affecting your financial aid. It could also potentially lead to delayed graduation.

Space is limited, so be sure to complete the ALEKS Math Placement. If space is available, you may also speak to an advisor on your Advising and Registration day. Click here for more information about Math placement in the College of Engineering. Interested in BESST/Beach XP? Click below to complete your application by July 19.