<p>It seems like you are suffering from a lack of information about both schools. UCSD and Cal Poly are both outstanding schools. My son actually turned down UCSD and UCLA for Cal Poly’s Mechanical Engineering program. What you need to to do is get more information and have that information be accurate. I suggest that you go to both school’s admitted student’s events and choose after that.</p>
<p>Cal Poly is having its Open House April 18th through the weekend: [Orientation</a> Programs - Student Life & Leadership - Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo](<a href=“http://studentlife.calpoly.edu/orientation/openhouse/index.asp]Orientation”>http://studentlife.calpoly.edu/orientation/openhouse/index.asp)</p>
<p>UCSD’s event seems to have been last week. You need to check it out. If you missed it go on a guided tour and talk to students and profs.</p>
<p>Anyway, Cal Poly is one of the most social schools I’ve ever experienced and my kid is quite introverted. He now has more friends and activities than he can handle.</p>
<p>What was decisive in our choice was the teaching methodology of each program: (A) Cal Poly hands on/learn by doing; vs. (B) UCSD emphasis more on research and theory. By the way, BOTH schools do both hands on and research. It is the emphasis that is the difference.</p>
<p>Of all the UC’s, UCSD was my son’s favorite. However, the “feel” of Cal Poly was also decisive. If it were not the incredible experience he had at the Open House, he may have chosen UCSD.</p>
<p>By the way, I see little difference between the two schools from a prestige standpoint. To drive my point home, my kid was a valedictory scholar with a perfect GPA never receiving a grade lower than an “A” in his entire HS career. He was loaded up with AP classes most of which he scored 5’s on the tests. Additionally, he scored in the top 1%-2% nationally on the ACT. Bottom line, my kid was not the only one with these types of stats and there is no shortage of really smart kids at Cal Poly. My kid wants a job immediately after graduation in industry and had had it with 12 years of “book learning” in his own words.</p>
<p>Anyway, if he had not gone to Cal Poly he would have chosen UCSD over UCLA. Both are great schools and you need to get some more info to make your decision. With regards to UCSD’s policy of going from undeclared to CS, you need to research this thoroughly. Before you choose you need to contact the school and find out exactly what the pathway to do that is. You do not want to be caught flatfooted with no access to what you really want to study. I do know that at UCSD there is more emphasis on scholarship and at Cal Poly there is more emphasis on vocation. At Cal Poly you will have your first classes in your major in the first week of your freshman year. You may need to wait for a substantial period of time to start your major at UCSD. There are general requirements and the nasty business of actually getting accepted into your newly chosen major.</p>
<p>Either way, you are going to college and both schools will serve you well. You need more information and you need to be decisive. I see Cal Poly and UCSD at the same level with different teaching methodologies and emphasis. That’s all. Oh yes, one more thing. Cal Poly is a teaching college where you will be engaged by professors in each class – there are no TA’s even in the labs. UCSD is a research university, you will have TA’s and interactions with professors will be far more limited there. That does not mean that there is a difference in the quality of the education. Nevertheless, culturally, each campus has a different focus. At Cal Poly you and your education are the main concerns of the professors. At UCSD these things are important too, but their individual research is a big priority and naturally the undergrads are not as much of a concern.</p>