<p>Hey all,
I am a SoCal resident and I've never really heard of Cal Poly SLO save for here at CC. Most people I talk to never heard of it as a good university. Forgive me for being shallow and relying on ratings, but from what I heard from some folks on CC, I was expecting Cal Poly SLO to be somewhere in the US News top college rankings. If my memory is correct, I recall a guy here at CC choosing Cal Poly SLO over UCSD and I have an acquaintance who did that very same thing. What's so good about Cal Poly SLO in general, versus other California public schools like the UC's, etc. How come not many people know that its a pretty good school?</p>
<p>Yes, it is the best state school (CSU) and it is at the same level as the mid-level UC's (Davis, SB, Irvine). However, I don't believe it is better than UCSD, maybe your friend chose CP because it has a much better social scene than UCSD. Another thing about CP is that it is very cheap. It only costs about &4,000 for tution, which is insanely low. It is a state school, so not many people know about it, but it is very competitive. One reason why it is so competitive is because their admissions process is completely objective. You don't write an essay, you don't send LOR or anything. You get points for your GPA, SAT I (or ACT) score, and some minor points for EC's. Then they stack you up with other people who are applying for the same major. Depending on what the certain department says it can take for the maximum amount of students, they draw a line. If your above the line you're in, if you're below it your out.</p>
<p>Depends on your area of interest. It is very good for engineering or architecture. Many people consider Cal State Universities inferior to Univ. of Cal. schools. Cal State schools, like Cal Poly, have strong undergraduate programs. They don't have the graduate programs and research. They offer internships and coops, so you can have real hands on learning. Cal Ply SLO is in the US News top college rankings. It is #5 for Comprehensive Master's in the West. The price is reasonable in-state and not outrageous for out of state.<br>
Good luck</p>
<p>Cost as in the cost of Cal States versus UC's is not a major issue for me. My acquaintance chose CP because she had they had her major and UCSD did not. heefar, what's LOR?</p>
<p>I am applying to Cal Poly but I never visited it and just wanted input~ Thank you!</p>
<p>LOR=letter of recommendation</p>
<p>It has an upside down curriculum; you take general education classes in your last two years of college and focus on your major during the first. Correct me if I'm wrong. :)</p>
<p>teal: I've never heard that... well than that's BAD for me because I'm applying to every school undecided/undeclared because I truly am undecided.</p>
<p>I've heard that, but you should ask others just to make sure.</p>
<p>But I do know for a fact that you have to choose a major for this school</p>
<p>You can't apply to Cal Poly undecided, you have to pick a major...that is one reason that makes it unique school. Another thing, it is called an upside down cirriculum, but that doesn't mean you take all your GE's the last two years. It means you must take at least one class per quarter that is related to your major. If you don't have any idea what you want to do with your life, Cal Poly isn't the place for you, because, as I said earlier, you have to know your major.</p>
<p>It is however, possible to change, but from what I've heard it can be hard. Some people say its easy, some say its not. It all depends on the openings in a certain department, so it can be hit and miss. I'm applying there this fall, and I'd probably go there over UC Davis because I like the area and the campus a lot better. I'm from norcal, so I also want to get out of here.</p>
<p>My sister just graduated from Cal Poly this past year. Those were the four best years of her life, and I still don't think she's gotten over her depression of having to leave Cal Poly behind. :) She had a great group of studious, caring, funny friends that were just like her and also didn't party (she never went to a frat party in her four years). I visited her many times over the last four years, and there is just this great atmosphere there. </p>
<p>It is definitely a great school. It's also getting pretty tough to get into. Engineering, business, and any type of agriculture major have awesome programs. For four years I figured I would go there, but at the last minute I didn't (USC instead). I still miss it, although I love USC. I would definitely recommend that you look more into it.</p>
<p>I've heard excellent things about SLO's engineering, business and art/design programs but so-so things from current students in more liberal arts type programs such as history, English, etc. They complain about large classes, difficulty getting classes, lack of resources for their departments, etc. Of course, this is NOT a scientific sample - just comments from 4-5 students I happen to know at SLO. My impression is that SLO is terrific for some things but so-so for others so do your research up front about specific areas of interest.</p>
<p>Because SLO is not a PhD granting institution, you won't find it on the national rankings. It generally scores quite well when ranked with other non-PhD institutions.</p>
<p>Although you have to declare a major, many CP students do change their majors. Some majors are difficult to transfer into, however. </p>
<p>My niece is a junior and loves it - she changed her major 3 times. One of my sons only attended for a quarter and left, however, his issues were personal- and likely not indicative of SLO.</p>
<p>It is a very popular destination for students from our Nor Cal HS and I've heard lots of good things, as well as some of the same complaints that Carolyn has heard. Overall though, the impression is quite favorable.</p>
<p>I have a hard time believing it is better than any UC but it is probably the best Cal State out there and better than many private schools. I think people should not get hung up so much on prestige and look for a school that fits them. To some, Cal Poly is the best school in the world to others it is not so good.</p>
<p>Cal Poly is definitely harder to get into than UCR, UCM or UCSC...It is right up there with UCSB, UCD, and UCI if your just comparing stats.</p>
<p>heefar7, even if you are correct about difficulty of admission that still does not imply superiority. Then again, perhaps your post was not a response to mine.</p>
<p>I definitely agree with you that Cal Poly is the best state, and better than a lot of privates just by the fact that it is so much cheaper. I think the fact that is has more difficult admission requirements does mean that it is superior. I dunno about anyone else, but I am applying to Cal Poly, and definitely not applying to UCR, UCM, or UCSC. They would all be safties for me and I have other safeties that I would rather go to. Basically I do think CP is superior to those three, and comparable to UCSB, UCD, UCI. Like someone said earlier they don't offer PhD, so there isn't necessarily a lot reseach type stuff going on there. For what I'm going to school though, it doesn't really matter, I'm just talking about undergad.</p>
<p>I'm a cal poly student and would like to add my two cents. I've had a very positive experience here and have been impressed with the challenging academics. I also got into davis but didn't really see a big difference in selectivity or quality of education at either school. For me, I liked the coast better than Davis. As far as rankings, Cal Poly was ranked the fourth most selctive public U in the nation last year(strict percentages, around 36%). that being said, I would got go to a UC over CP for a few of the liberal arts majors. I just don't feel that they are emphasized enough at this school for a full major. I do think I have had quality classes as far as GE's, though.</p>
<p>Regarding Shyboy's comment, why would you say CP is superior to other CSU's but not UC's? CP is generally regarded as the best CSU because of selctivity. Doesn't this also hold true when comparing it to UC's?</p>
<p>Selectivity is but one single variable (and a rather insignificant one at that) that goes into the formula that determines a schools greatness. Even if it were a significant variable, it still is not the only variable. Undergraduate education is something like a glove: some have better fits for some people than others. What is good for me may not be good for you. It doesnt really matter if Cal Poly is up there with the worlds great institutions or not. What matters is if it a good fit for certain people. If it is a good fit for you, who cares if it is respected by the multitudes. For example, I visit UCLA a lot. I get teary eyed almost every time I visit. It doesnt matter that Harvard is a greater school than UCLA. The name Harvard doesnt excite me the way the name UCLA does. I have no memories from Harvard because I never went there. Besides, it is my UCLA degree (and of course my USC degree) that helps me in this world. Harvard is an incredible institution but it doesnt do for me what UCLA does.</p>
<p>Fair enough. I guess I'm still confused as to why you would say CP is "better" than the other CSU's, but oh well.</p>
<p>Giants8307, sorry for unintentionally eluding the question. Well, it is pretty much understood that both Cal Polys, and CPSLO in particular, are better than the rest of the Cal States. Although this is no scientific study and should be taken with a grain of salt, my understanding is that this is widely considered to be the case. For undergraduate engineering, US News ranks them pretty highly relative to other Cal States. Selectivity, as you suggest, is also a factor. Maybe it is not better and I shouldnt have boldly made a statement like that. I still think it is true though.</p>
<p>As for the UCs, they are research institutions with much deeper scopes than Cal States. Cal States are basically for education. UCs are for education and a whole lot more. I dont think you need me to explain what a whole lot more is. </p>
<p>If you are only looking an undergraduate education and you like CPSLO then it may not matter what school is actually greater.</p>