Cal Ploy(SLO) Vs U of Rochester ?

[Lakemom]

<p>Look Calif kids do go to Rochester. In the Soph. class, I know there is one from Malibu and Agora and one from S.F. I imagine there are more.</p>

<p>Kids are not as intolerant to the weather as we adults are. So they may have to buy long pants or a winter coat. What do they do when they go skiing? </p>

<p>The distance is really the bigger hurdle.</p>

[mathmom]

<p>I live in the NE but I grew up in Africa. I know about living in flip flops. Really.</p>

[BeanTownGirl]

<p>It’s not Antarctica
You can wear shorts all fall and spring, and for a surprising percentage of the winter too. My kid does it all the time. Only wears winter clothes for the absolute coldest days of winter (probably less than 15 degrees). Also, aside from the fact that they have tunnels, how long does it take to walk across campus? 10 minutes? You aren’t outside long enough to really get cold.
I think exposure to another climate is valuable in college. It helps you figure out where you want to live after graduation!</p>

[SlitheyTove]

<p>

For premed, [accepting Cal Poly] was a big mistake. All other things being equal, med schools prefer undergrad prestige, and a UC just brings it over a CSU, even one as great as SLO.

</p>

<p>Not so, not one bit. Especially for someone who’s a California resident, the big thing is undergrad GPA and MCAT scores. And especially not true when comparing CSU-SLO to many of the UCs. OP, no worries on this score.</p>

<p>I love Cal Poly SLO, love the area, think it’s a great college town but one of the downsides to the school is that it’s tougher to change majors. Not impossible, but not as straightforward as at many schools. UR is going to offer greater flexibility.</p>

<p>Since the price would be the same for both, I think you’ll get more for your money at Rochester. Higher education in CA isn’t getting a ton of support from the state right now, which translates into a less supportive environment for the students. A hardworking student who looks for opportunity will always find it, but it’s going to be much easier to talk to professors, find internships and research opportunities and all the rest at a place like UR. No guarantees that those opportunities will be there for the taking, just that they’ll be easier to find.</p>

<p>The weather difference and distance from home is significant. Only your student can say if they will be able to make it work or if it’s too overwhelming. </p>

<p>D1 is a SoCal kid who prefers the warmth of CA, but after two years in the Boston area has adapted enough to wear shorts as soon as it hits 60. Or 55. Kids manage. There’s no bad weather, just bad wardrobe choices. :)</p>

[bluebayou]

<p>

Especially for someone who’s a California resident, the big thing is undergrad GPA and MCAT scores. And especially not true when comparing CSU-SLO to many of the UCs.

</p>

<p>Sorry, ST, there is zero evidence to support your position, and a LOT of anecdotal evidence to support the contrary, at least for unhooked applicants. (For example, approx. 30% of matriculants to UCSF med hail from two undergrad colleges – just two.) Academics are first and foremost prestige-hounds. (They just can’t help it. lol)</p>

[bluebayou]

<p>here is just one example of awful CSU advising (San Diego, but I have seen the same on SF’s website):</p>

<p>

For the majority of students, a 5-year program is preferred, rather than a 4-year program. GPA, exposure to your profession, and leadership activities on campus or in the community are very important. Taking five years to graduate is much less stressful for you, and you have more time to develop as a strong applicant.

</p>

<p>While high numbers are always preferable to lower, a 5 year plan is not preferable to a 4-year plan. A student taking the minimum course load to boost his/her GPA will stand out like a sore thumb in med applications. (Of course, someone working FT to pay the bills could be expected to take 4+ years to graduate.)</p>

<p>Just because CSU encourages students to skate by over five years (due to class limitations) doesn’t make them more competitive for grad school. Just the opposite.</p>

[katwkittens]

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/pre-med-topics/1122176-bluedevilmikes-ten-step-guide-picking-premed-school.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/pre-med-topics/1122176-bluedevilmikes-ten-step-guide-picking-premed-school.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/pre-med-topics/1484178-if-you-high-school-please-read-before-posting.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/pre-med-topics/1484178-if-you-high-school-please-read-before-posting.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/pre-med-topics/1331981-new-pre-med-students.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/pre-med-topics/1331981-new-pre-med-students.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>OP, you might want to glance at the pre-med forum and ask some current pre-meds, current med school applicants, current med school students and their parents some of your questions. I think one of the mom’s has a kiddo at U of R, and is a current med school applicant, she might be able to help out. Some of the parents/students are also CA residents and can help out with the CA med schools which are by themselves a different species.</p>

<p>Others will have experience with SLO. My oldest went to SLO and she really enjoyed her time as a pre-vet, animal science major. Another of my children is a current med school student so have been down that road as well. Again, they might be able to help but the above threads should as well.</p>

<p>Kat</p>

[WayOutWestMom]

<p>I have a UR grad applying to med school this cycle. My older D (current 3rd year med student) did her freshman year at SLO. She transferred out of SLO for reason totally unrelated to her academic experiences and opportunities. (Family reasons.)</p>

<p>If you have specific questions, feel free to PM me.</p>

<p>EDIT: Oops! See you don’t have enough posts to be able to send PMs.</p>

<p>If you can post–either here or in the Pre Med forum–I will do my best to answer specific questions about experiences at boht schools.</p>

[murcusjc]

<p>@WayOutWestMom </p>

<p>You seem to have a unique amount of knowledge concerning the two colleges! Could you compare the experience your children had at both schools, and tell me how the med school application process went for each of them? I can understand if these questions are a little private, and that I can’t PM–if you want, could you reply to the email address murcusjc@**********<br>
Thanks!!</p>

<p>Edit: @ G M A I L . C O M</p>

[ucbalumnus]

<p>

@bluebayou

Sorry, ST, there is zero evidence to support your position, and a LOT of anecdotal evidence to support the contrary, at least for unhooked applicants. (For example, approx. 30% of matriculants to UCSF med hail from two undergrad colleges – just two.) Academics are first and foremost prestige-hounds. (They just can’t help it. lol)

</p>

<p>It is not clear cut that this is due to prestige hounding or due to other factors:</p>

<p>a. CSUs are heavily populated by students majoring in pre-professional (at the bachelor’s degree level) subjects (engineering, business, architecture, agriculture, etc.) that may be more difficult to fit pre-med courses around. So perhaps fewer of the students are interested in the pre-med route in the first place.
b. With 32 state universities, California publics likely have narrow bands of student abilities and motivations, so the CSUs likely have few top end students who would be able to score well enough on the MCAT, even if they may be more selective at the bottom end than schools like Arizona State or Alabama.</p>

[bluebayou]

<p>

It is not clear cut that this is due to prestige hounding or due to other factors:

</p>

<p>Yup, #2 is key. The vast majority of CSU students will not be able to clear 30 on the mcat regardless of how long they prep.</p>