MBA Programs in California: A Wealth of Opportunities Historically, the State of California assumed the title 'The Golden State' because of the great gold rush of the 1840s and '50s that eventually led to the mass migration westward to the Pacific coast. However, since that time the term has come to mean so much more, as California now symbolizes great opportunity in many ways - not least of which is its system of higher education and what it offers to potential students.
