I’m deciding between UC Berkeley for Environmental Science and Cal Poly for Environmental Engineering. Berkeley has prestige and Cal Poly has a great engineering program. I don’t know which one would give me the best experience in college and the most opportunities out of school. Which one should I go to based off of the major and the college?
UCB: world renown professors, great research, and near a major city.
Also, 400 person lecture classes, study and anxiety culture, and stereotypically unattractive people. I’m not sure what environmental science outcomes are, but it also sounds like you’d need to go to grad school after as well
Cal Poly: hands on curriculum focused on career placement (9X% after graduation), hot students/better weather, and situated in small college town.
Smaller classes sizes and reputation outside of California. On average, less intelligent if you care a lot about SAT/GPA.
You need to visit both campuses and take a tour. They have very different vibes.
I agree with @Eastbayd. They have different vibes and the education experience will be quite different.
Depends on what you want to do. A Berkeley environmental science degree prepares you for talking about environmental problems. A Cal Poly environmental engineering degree prepares you for fixing environmental problems. Pre-barista degree vs. roll your sleeves up and get it done degree.
You may want to check out graduate status reports by major from each school:
]https://careers.calpoly.edu/search.php
https://career.berkeley.edu/sites/default/files/pdf/Survey/2017EnvScience.pdf
The differences are stark and confirm what I said above. Environmental science degrees are a dime a dozen and very few holders of that degree end up doing real environmental work. Many are found working at Starbucks and Trader Joes. Eventually a few find there way to graduate school to obtain a PhD and then survive as professors by convincing altruistic 18 year olds to enroll in their program.
Good luck.
I missed that…ESci vs Environmental Engineering.I
I’d choose Environmental Engineering, irrespective of school. As @choroidal said, ESci grads are a dime a dozen.
I am also deciding between Cal Poly and UC Berkeley for Mechanical Engineering.
My current thoughts are that its hard to turn down Berkeley. However, I worry that Berkeley may be too competitive and too high-stress for my liking. Both schools are super respected so Im in a tough Spot. Any Opinions or Perspectives would be greatly appreciated!!!
@Drewski445, students turn down UCB for Cal Poly every year. It’s common wisdom to choose the prestige brand, but what’s more important is to vet the experience. My son for example, knew he wanted more labs and smaller classes. Plus he preferred the SLO location. He had the stats to get into UCB, but didn’t even apply (to any of the UCs for that matter). He didn’t want the large classes and TA instruction. Some though LOVE UCB. What is important is to visit, including dropping into an early Physics or Calculus class, visiting labs and generally touring the campus and see what resonates with you. Truth be told, they are WAY different, neither better or worse. You need to see, beyond name, what fits your desires the best.
@drewski94 Echoing what @eyemg said above: these are very different institutions. Cal is first and foremost a research institution; one of the most renown in the world. Its priority its graduate student education and research publications; teaching undergraduates is a secondary concern. Hence very large lectures, lots of TA instruction, and limited laboratory time. No doubt you will obtain a fine education there, but it will be an impersonal one with limited professor contact- particularly during the first two years. But, the Cal degree holds a lot of weight largely based on the quality of the students its attracts and its research productivity. Its also a real grind and there is a recognition if you can make it through engineering at Cal you are composed of some tough stuff.
Cal Poly is a teaching institution with an overwhelming emphasis on undergraduate education. Hence small classes taught by professors and a large amount of lab time. Cal Poly degrees hold a lot of weight because those in industry recognize that its graduates are ready to go on the first day of hire given the immense amount of hands on learning over the four years. And there is an increasing recognition of the quality of its students given the competitiveness of its admissions- this is particularly true of ME.
Cal Poly seems to attract those that are more social and outdoors oriented. Cal students are more urban oriented and on average a tad geekier. Cal students are much more liberal than Cal Poly. Cal football is a bigger deal even though the team routinely disappoints. Going to Cal puts you in closer proximity to insufferable Stanford students.
Both are terrific options and I am sure you’d do well at either. Ya gotta go visit. Highly recommend open house at Cal Poly. Look past the grim architecture compared to Cal. Its irrelevant to your education. Only Aunt Mabel will care.
Congratulations on two great acceptances.
Source: Cal graduate and father of two COE students at Cal Poly. Forget about “prestige”. Go where you will be happiest. My younger child ignored the pressure to attend Cal and has never once regretted this decision. His friends at Cal love it. Once again- go visit!
@choroidal amazing advice! Im leaning towards cal poly for all the reasons you stated. Im going to see both over the next two weeks. Its hard to turn down the Berkeley name but I have to remember that Cal poly is really respected as well! Thanks!