<p>Hi! I applied to Cal Poly Slo and Pomona for Landscape Architecture. I got accepted to both colleges, which I didnt expect and now I dont know which to choose. I've heard good things about both of the programs, especially Pomona's program. I don't know much about Slo's program. I know Pomona's program is a 4 year one and Slo's is 5 years. I just dont know which one is best. If anyone has any details about the programs at either school or advice about which school is better I would very much appreciate it. Anything would be a big help! Thank You!</p>
<p>My uncle, my cousin and my cousin’s son all went to CPP for that major and LOVED it. Great program. </p>
<p>However, SLO is great, too. Have you visited them? </p>
<p>BTW…if SLO’s program is 5 years, will you have any FA issues with that? The Calif schools are funny about funding for 5 years.</p>
<p>I applied as a landscape architecture major and was accepted at both Cal Polys as well. The five year program is what really turned me off to SLO. In my opinion, that’s too long for just a bachelor’s degree. I visited SLO over the summer and while it was a nice campus, I wasn’t blown away or anything. SLO also charges you roughly 25k/year as opposed to Pomona which is 20k.</p>
<p>Go to the SLO Open House next week and participate fully in all activities. Do the same for Pomona. My kid was also accepted to both schools for engineering. We felt the exact opposite as scarlet8. We were blown away by SLO and Pomona was nice. My kid could have seen himself going to Pomona as we visited that school first. Then we went to SLO and never looked back. Now, your major is very different from my kid’s and I have heard that Pomona has an excellent landscape architecture program and you must take a look at that. In fact our tour guide at Pomona was from that department. Great kid. Cost is a factor, I never knew that SLO’s program was for 5 years. So, the increased costs and and extra year will give you something to think about. However, make sure that Pomona truly is a 4 year program before you commit. We’ve been told by every college that my kid applied to that engineering is a 4 year program and then we found students that had been there for 5 and 6 years. All the UC’s were actually 5 to 6 year programs. Go to the Open House events at both schools and let your heart decide. Let them try to recruit YOU now. Turn the tables on them and let them compete for your enrollment.</p>
<p>I didn’t think about the FA’s paying for 5 years. Thank You! I’m seeing SLO tomorrow. Ive seen Pomona and love it.The thing about SLO is that all I hear about is their engineering, but at Pomona I hear way more about their Landscape Architecture.</p>
<p>I also know that Pomona has a 4 year pledge that you can sign up for, guaranteeing graduation in 4 years as long as you follow the requirements. This also gives you a higher priority when signing up for classes so you are more likely to get the classes that you want. Do you know if SLO has a program like that?</p>
<p>Another thing that you can do is sign up for the Kellogg Honors College at Pomona. You get all kinds of amenities plus priority registration and special classes. It may be too late for immediate entry, but you can apply after you arrive. It really sounds like you are set on Pomona – it is a great school and it does have things that SLO does not. For example the hospitality program, etc. If Pomona has captured your heart already, then go for it!</p>
<p>Interesting article you might want to read: [Cal</a> Poly Architecture, Design Programs Earn Top Honors Again from DesignIntelligence](<a href=“http://www.calpolynews.calpoly.edu/news_releases/2011/November/designintelligence.html]Cal”>http://www.calpolynews.calpoly.edu/news_releases/2011/November/designintelligence.html)</p>
<p>“DesignIntelligence ranks Cal Poly SLO’s landscape architecture program first in the Western region and third in national undergraduate programs in preparing students for success. Cal Poly tied with Purdue University and Texas A&M. Louisiana State and Penn State ranked first and second, respectively.”</p>
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<p>This is not true for Berkeley. 76.6% of Berkeley engineering and CS students who entered as freshman in 2005 graduated in 4 calendar years (high than the overall Berkeley average of 71.4%), according to UC StatFinder. For other UC campuses, the 4 calendar year graduation rates for freshmen entering in 2005 were:</p>
<p>Davis: 28.8% (50.0% for CS reported separately)
Irvine: 56.4% (49.5% for CS reported separately)
Los Angeles: 42.1% (43.2% for CS reported separately)
Riverside: 27.4% (35.1% for CS reported separately)
San Diego: 45.3% (44.1% for CS reported separately)
Santa Barbara: 59.3% (37.2% for CS reported separately)
Santa Cruz: 22.2% (48.0% for CS reported separately)</p>
<p>Note also that delayed graduation measured in calendar years does not necessarily reflect extra semesters or quarters in school, since some students (particularly in engineering or CS) take semesters or quarters off of school to do co-op jobs. This will result in a taking longer than four years to graduate, but without taking extra semesters or quarters in school.</p>
<p>What I suspect is a big reason for taking extra semesters and quarters in school is the same as what I observed when I was in school – many students voluntarily chose to take below normal course loads each semester*. This was even more common back then, since the cost of attendance was much lower (about half as much, adjusted for inflation) and extra semesters were not as big a financial penalty as they are now. Also, admissions selectivity was lower then, so more students needed remedial course work upon entry, or had difficulty in general with a full schedule of college course work.</p>
<p>*Engineering normal course loads were often slightly higher than normal course loads for other majors (e.g. 16-17 units average instead of 15 units average).</p>