My D has been accepted to Cal Poly SLO College of Science and Mathematics, as a Mathematics major (Class of 2021). She has also been admitted to UC Berkeley as a candidate for Regents’ and Chancellor’s Scholarship. I would appreciate information about:
Being a pre-med at the two schools, difficulty of getting the kind of GPA medical schools require, med school placement, pre-health advising, etc.
Teaching and interaction with professors compared
Ease of switching majors within Science and Math at Cal Poly (not interested in Engineering, Architecture, or Business)
Pure math vs. applied math at Cal Poly
Campus culture
Any other relevant tips
I think I know some of these answers, but it’s always good to get confirmation and clarification from others with actual experience. Thanks.
My son graduated from Cal Poly in Math, he did the 4+1 program so ended up with a Pure Math Masters and general math BS.
Honestly mine did quite well on GPA but can’t compare. If yours had no problem with APs and got 5s and As in the tough courses I wouldn’t worry too much.
No comparison between Berkeley and Cal Poly with regard to Teaching and interaction. All classes she will take will be taught by Professors, the handful of Grad students teach introductory classes. Class sizes will be 35 max at Cal Poly 600+ at Berkeley. Mine knew all his professors by first name, and more importantly they knew his. I am a Berkeley grad so know what it was like many years ago and classes are even larger now. Professors at Berkeley are primarily interested in their PhD students and their research, at Cal Poly teaching is their passion.
easy to change majors provided you have a decent GPA
take the concentration with classes of interest can easily change
Campus Culture is what you make of it. Mine is a gaming Nerd and loved Cal Poly and made lifelong friends. He is a non drinker, non partier, and had no difficulty finding like minded students. There is a Greek presence, jocks, the gamut. If you have a specific question, ask. Plenty of clubs, activities, and can’t beat the area if you like the outdoors. The campuses are about as different as they can be.
I was disappointed at first mine didn’t want a Regent’s at a UC, but after visiting and meeting the Chair of the Department (he invited us to two one on one meetings) and realizing class sizes, and how nice the student body is, I totally changed my mind. The education he received I feel is far superior to what he would have gotten at Berkeley or other UC. It is not a typical CSU it is in its own category. I don’t think I even met the Chair of a department and seldom saw a Professor even it going to office hours. He was calling everyone by first name by the end of his first quarter. But it is your daughter’s choice. She needs to visit both campuses and see which feels like home. I would be willing to bet she will have a preference and she can’t lose with either.
Cal. Hands down. No contest. The opportunities offered at berkely far out wiegh anything a student can access at SLO–especially with all the extras afforded regents scholars.
@bobshaw - I’m so glad I stumbled across this thread. My daughter is in a very similar situation with a math major. Got accepted to Cal Poly as a math major, invited to the Chancellors reception at UCSB, and waiting decisions from Cal, UCLA and UCSD - also interested in pre-med. UCLA is her top UC choice but if she doesn’t get in, I’m not sure what she will choose. Of course Cal is the highest ranked but we are concerned that the environment is too intense.
Did your D also apply to UCSB College of Creative Studies - Math program? It sounds amazing but like SLO, my concern is what happens if they want to change majors a year later. I think having that flexibility is important.
@czs1994 - thank you for all the great information. SLO is the only in state school my D applied sight unseen. We don’t know much about it, other than it has a great reputation and is suppose to be a wonderful college town. We will probably visit in April before she makes her final decision.
Thank you, @czs1994 , for the detailed comments. We visited Cal and she’ll interview next week. Later, we will have to visit Cal Poly. She’s been to SLO before, but didn’t check out the college. I didn’t know that class sizes were so small. Go figure!
@gratefulmama : She applied to the other UCs except Merced and Riverside (didn’t like the locations), but Cal is her top choice among them, so she’s done w.r.t. UCs, even though she has yet to hear from the others. We also fear the intense competition at Cal, but my D doesn’t seem to care as much. Professor access is important, though, but there are ways to get around that if you are aggressive and plan well. Basically, it sounds like Cal Poly is a more supportive environment whereas Cal requires a student to be a go-getter to take advantage of the resources of a large research university. I can see how the average student at Cal Poly might be happier than the average Cal student. And SLO is a beautiful place.
@gratefulmama : Her decision is made regarding which UC (i.e., Berkeley), but I am asking her to keep an open mind about UC vs. Cal Poly (CSU system, although it is in a class of its own). If she were going into engineering or architecture, choosing Cal Poly would have been a no-brainer given the advantages listed by @czs1994 (and the lower in-state tuition). Since we’re talking about math with possibility of switching to a science field like physics, chemistry, or biochem, she is hesitant. Not sure if she’ll choose pure vs. applied math either. We’ll see after the privates come in throughout March! Good luck to your D.
@BobShaw There is every possible math, mine started applied ended up general and got the Master’s in Pure. Not sure I understand the switching, I would not see a problem changing majors provided she has a B average. A great combo degree if it interests her is Math with a CS minor. Very highly desired though most kids coming out of Cal Poly get great offers. Anecdotally I will say years ago my brother was a engineering student, graduated summa cum laude, he was never once approached by a Professor. He did finally find one who allowed him to do some research for pay as we all put ourselves through Berkeley (4 of us), but if he was basically a straight A undergrad he probably wouldn’t have been successful. I suggest she try to set up an appointment or two with Professors or Chairs at both schools and see how that works, if that is truly of great importance. BTW my brother was a Regent Scholar. I also suggest strongly she look through the courses she would take at each school and see which actual program she prefers. Quarters take quick learners and serious students, but, if you love learning you take 50% more classes. One reason to prefer UCLA over Berkeley if set on a UC. @gratefulmama Mine was also offered Regents at UCSB and entrance into their new special program for Math and other majors, forget what it was called, but even with the scholarship, the cost was higher, and the class size and campus atmosphere at Cal Poly called to him more than the benefits of being a Regent’s Scholar. My brother told him to go for the class size as he really regrets not having that open door relationship with professors at Berkeley even though his college experience overall for all of us was great. I’m a firm believer that few kids are unhappy with their college years.
For both of you, there is no wrong decision, I can’t advise strongly enough to let your student see the top choices while classes are in, and they will know where there heart belongs.
@czs1994 - thank you for all your great feedback. Coming from a very small school (32 in her graduating class), I think my D would thrive better in a school where the class sizes are smaller and she has direct interaction with the professors. I have only heard positive things about SLO, so we will need to make a trip in April once she knows where else she’s been accepted. She has already seen all the UC’s with the exception of Davis. (She didn’t see or apply to UCR, UCM & UCSC - for the same reasons as @Bobshaw D didn’t.)