Hey guys! So I was recently admitted to the above schools as a community college transfer & I’m having a kind of painful time with my decision. Mainly because:
-to me, Pomona has the better academics and ranking. I love the sense I get from CPP that they try to instill their students with practical experience and industry pertinent skills. BUT I’d have to start as a guaranteed sophomore because a lot of the classes I took weren’t transferable to CPP. Still gonna try to petition that, but I have to look at it as 3+ years at least for now. That physically pains me given all the time at cc, plus it jacks up the price of my degree.
-SJ is crazy expensive to live in (though I’ve seen affordable rooms for rent). And I know it’s a great place to get a tech degree + job, but I’m not sure if it’s great for civil engineering. Or if being in silicon valley will give me any advantage at all in that field.
-location wise, I’d probably prefer SJ. Kind of a boring concrete jungle, but I love the Bay. I’d really want to start my career somewhere close if I could. I kinda hate socal from my limited experience there, but I’ve never been to Pomona, & I’m trying to keep an open mind. I don’t want location to be a prime factor in my decision.
-Both schools are impacted & I’ve heard getting classes is rough, but that it might be worse at SJSU? I think? I haven’t been able to find out particulars about the situation at Pomona. I do know SJSU at least has the 4 Year Pledge + other ways to get priority reg.
-Not a huge deal, but if I moved to Pomona, my friends/family here would be a plane ride away.
-Both places have a student chapter of Engineers Without Borders, which is huge to me, but I’m not sure which if either has the better program.
I thought enough research would make my decision clear, but I’m at an impasse now. I’ve looked up all the rankings, avg alumni earnings, etc, that I could find, and have come to the conclusion that both are similarly ranked enough. I really don’t want to look back at this time and regret my decision.
If anyone has any thoughts, advice, experience, or any other 2 cents I’d love so much to hear it! Thanks in advance
Go visit both
While you’re at CPP, speak with someone in admissions about your credits and what you can do about those that they say will not transfer.
If your feelings for CPP still far outweigh your feelings for SJSU, then there’s your answer.
If your visits have you still feeling confused or ambivalent about the matter, then go for the shortest, i.e. less expensive option, which seems like SJSU.
If you’re simply looking for an opinion from a stranger on the internet, I would say go with SJSU and never look back.
It’s a great school with a great program in your major, in a great area.
Would you commute or have to rent an apartment at SJSU?
I doubt they have apartments for transfers, so that’d be my biggest hesitation.
Yes rent is CRAZY expensive there and it’s also hard to find. (Inexpensive rents in San Jose are scams.)
What about for Pomona (would you live on campus or near campus)?
If you have a specific, limited budget, figuring out the housing situation is going to be a driving element of your decision.
Great advice! Thanks so much for your response–sounds like a great way to route my decision.
Thanks for your response as well @MYOS1634. Rent is huge & I’d have to find on/off campus housing for both, so that’s definitely a major thing to consider.
The two year pledge programs for transfers to SJSU and CPP are described here:
http://www.sjsu.edu/californiapromise/
https://www.cpp.edu/~studentsuccess/oss/graduation-pledge/2-year-ca-promise-info.shtml
Thank you @ucbalumnus!!