<p>I have recently been accepted to Cal Poly Pomona and Virginia Tech, but I am not sure what to choose. I have read everywhere that Cal Poly SLO is a really good college, but not much about Pomona. One main difference between SLO and Pomona is that Pomona is a commuter school. I plan on majoring in civil engineering. I just want to know any information about VT and Pomona to help me decide.</p>
<p>Where are you located and where do you want to work? This should have a lot to do with your decision. I am a big supporter of CPP and it is fairly local to where I live in Southern California. I am also originally from Virginia and I’ve known about VT my entire life and it has always had a stellar reputation. If you want to live and work in So Cal than CPP is the more appropriate choice. CPP is a very local school and you are correct in that it is a commuter school. However, it does have decent dorms and a growing on-campus population. CPP is also very good in local job placement. On the other hand, VT has far greater national recognition, a beautiful campus and it is the better program from an academic standpoint. Difficult decision – you are a lucky person to have two great schools to choose from. My kid was accepted to both Cal Poly SLO and Pomona (Kellogg Honors College). We toured both schools and chose SLO.</p>
<p>Thank you for the feedback. It is a tough choice because, like you said, VT has much more national recognition that CCP. However, I am leaning towards living in Southern California after college, so CCP would be a better choice in that situation. I really think I am going to choose Pomona over VT. I probably should have applied to SLO too. I wish I had. I was reading that you could transfer from Pomona to SLO, but you have to first have 60 credits, and that is the first 2 years at least.</p>
<p>I would pick CPP for SoCal. I only heard of Virginia Tech because of some very unfortunate incidents.</p>
<p>If you desire to work in So Cal then CPP is a good choice. You will get loads of internship opportunities there. My kid chose SLO as it is the more selective of the two schools and it offered exactly what he wanted. Also, since it is in the Central Coast, it really is like going away. Cal Poly SLO and Cal Poly Pomona are sister schools that at one time were separate campuses of the same school. Even today they jointly do a float for the Tournament of Roses parade that precedes the Rose Bowl. They both share the same learn by doing hands on philosophy.</p>
<p>If anywhere outside of CA, I’d pick VT. Last I knew they were top 10 for Civil Engineering and around here it’s common for companies to hire from them (and Penn State). If local to CA, or if you’re unsure if you could keep up with your “peers” at a top 10 (for the major) school, then pick CPP. Location really does matter in this case as I doubt a CPP degree would even get looked at in my area.</p>
<p>My cousin’s son went to CPP for CivilE and really liked it. But, they’re instate so the cost was reasonable. </p>
<p>Is your family OK with paying high OOS costs? If so, then fine. However, if they won’t pay, then go to VT (if instate). VT is very good as well. </p>
<p>What are your parents saying about how much they’ll pay?</p>
<p>@VAWeber – Creekland and mom2collegekids have valid points. Consider their advice very carefully. CPP truly is a very local school. It is an up and comer and is finally getting on the national radar. It just got a huge infusion of capital from the Kellogg Foundation of $42,000,000 and has announced a $150,000,000 fundraising campaign. Here is the link: [President</a> Ortiz Highlights $42 Million Kellogg Gift | PolyCentric | Cal Poly Pomona](<a href=“http://polycentric.csupomona.edu/news_stories/2010/08/presidents-message-kellogg-gift.html]President”>http://polycentric.csupomona.edu/news_stories/2010/08/presidents-message-kellogg-gift.html) </p>
<p>If your heart is already set on CPP here is some great news and advice. In So Cal it has a great reputation. So much so that when I wear my Cal Poly SLO baseball cap (where my kid goes) around town, people here get excited and ask me if my kid goes to CPP! Local So Cal employers that recruit heavily from CPP that also have a national reputation are the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at Cal Tech (I believe that the largest contingent of engineers employed at JPL are CPP grads. We were told this at the CPP Open House), So Cal Edison, Raytheon, etc. The local big boys recruit there for sure. In its category, regional schools whose highest degree is a master’s, CPP ranks in the top 10-15 nationally depending on major. If you go for it then you should apply to the Kellogg Honors College – you will get priority registration, special classes offered only to Honors College students with no more than 20 kids, special dorms, counselors, on campus lounge and many other amenities. Many classes and majors at CPP are impacted so priority registration is very, very useful. Here is the link, it is fairly easy to qualify: [Keith</a> & Jean Kellogg Honors College: Cal Poly Pomona](<a href=“http://www.csupomona.edu/~honorscollege/]Keith”>http://www.csupomona.edu/~honorscollege/) And here is the how to apply site as well: [Keith</a> & Jean Kellogg Honors College: Cal Poly Pomona](<a href=“http://www.csupomona.edu/~honorscollege/ps_howtoapply.shtml]Keith”>http://www.csupomona.edu/~honorscollege/ps_howtoapply.shtml)</p>
<p>It may be too late to apply as the deadline may have passed (check it out). However, unlike other schools, you can apply to get in while you are attending the school as well.</p>
<p>If you are set on CPP, then full steam ahead and enjoy the ride – especially if you want to live and work in Southern California. If you want to go to grad school after, there are a number of CPP grads that went on to USC and Cal Tech as well as other great schools. Out of state tuition is very reasonable for CPP but I assume that in-state VT tuition will be cheaper. Best of luck buddy – you’ve got an interesting ride ahead.</p>
<p>Just to let you know, my kid seriously considered CPP and at one point we decided that CPP would be our first choice as CPP was the first school he was accepted to and he was offered a spot at the Kellogg Honors College. In fact, they accepted him just a few weeks after application. Here is the final list in order of preference for the schools that he got accepted to:</p>
<ol>
<li>Cal Poly SLO – enrolled and loving it</li>
<li>UC San Diego</li>
<li>Cal Poly Pomona</li>
<li>UC Santa Barbara</li>
<li>UC Irvine (Honors)</li>
<li>UC Santa Cruz</li>
<li>UCLA (Great reputation but, a total mismatch for our kid’s learning style and academic goals)</li>
</ol>
<p>So, we ranked CPP above most of the UC’s and way ahead of UCLA. We were looking for a lean by doing hands on experience for our son and he has zero tolerance for intellectual elitism. The Cal Poly’s both offer this and have great reputations. You’ll get a good education, lots of opportunity, without the stuffy attitude.</p>
<p>All of you are helping me so much! I appreciate all the advice and information. I really think I am going to go to Pomona. I have considered the price of tuition, but I am not a resident of Virginia or California so Pomona is the cheaper option. The Kellogg honors program seems great. I know the deadline has past, but hopefully I will be able to join later on. I was thinking of going to grad school after, and it would be awesome to go to Cal Tech!</p>
<p>I think you’re making the right decision here. Congrats!</p>
<p>More good news about Cal Poly Pomona. They just reached $100,000,000 in their fund raising campaign. Here is the article: [Comprehensive</a> Campaign Tops $100 Million | PolyCentric | Cal Poly Pomona](<a href=“http://polycentric.csupomona.edu/news_stories/2012/03/campaign-100-million.html]Comprehensive”>http://polycentric.csupomona.edu/news_stories/2012/03/campaign-100-million.html)</p>
<p>Also, here is a sampling of the kinds of employers that recruit at Cal Poly Pomona – very impressive. This is for the business school. But many of the same employers recruit from the engineering departments. [Employers</a> on Cal Poly Pomona](<a href=“http://cba.csupomona.edu/cba/undergraduate/employers.aspx]Employers”>http://cba.csupomona.edu/cba/undergraduate/employers.aspx)</p>
<p>Also, here is a link with regards to the rankings for CPP nationally. I was wrong – the school’s ranking is much higher than I thought. The school is 6th nationally for public schools in its category and 15th for all both public and private nationally. Additionally, it ranks much higher in other categories as well. <a href=“http://www.dsa.csupomona.edu/visitors/rankings.asp[/url]”>http://www.dsa.csupomona.edu/visitors/rankings.asp</a></p>
<p>Congrats and best of luck. You’ll love it and enjoy So Cal.</p>