<p>I am very excited that i have been accepted to these schools. I ask of your help in deciding between the two according to these factors:</p>
<li><p>Academic Prestige?
Both are regionally known throughout California, and Cal Poly SLO is nationally known for select majors such as Architecture and Engineering. However, the “UC” prestige somehow always towers over the “California State” tag. UC Irvine is on the rise with increases state funding. From my point of view, UC Irvine has always been a “mid tier” UC, while Cal Poly SLO has been regarded as the “best” of the California State system, the “berkeley” of the state schools. I guess you can equate Cal Poly SLO prestige with mid tier UC’s prestige (Davis, Santa Barbara, Irvine.) Both are academically impressive schools, however, if you were an employer looking at a propestive Business Major, who gives more “wow” factor, a Cal Poly SLO guy or a UC Irvine guy? </p></li>
<li><p>Location?
I’ve visited both and unfortunately my trips to both campuses didn’t help in my decision at all. Both are very nice campuses in very nice areas. What i loved about Poly was the feeling of being in that ideal college town. Downtown is very cozy, about 3 or 4 blocks of pure college targeted clubs, bars, coffee shops, book stores, that were all mom n’ pop shop feeling. The city of San Luis Obispo is naturally beautiful and just located perfectly between LA and the Bay Area with the beach just a 5 minute drive away. Although the small college town life is very appealing, growing up in SF all my life makes me a city boy. I’m afraid that i’ll run out of things to do in the tiny town of SLO, the next major city would be SB, and hour and half away…Irvine at first seemed dull, orange county suburbia. However, the campus is very new, modern, and the dorms seemed a lot nicer than Poly’s. It’s very close to the beach, and an hour away from LA. The personal factor with irvine is that i have so many family and friends that live in the O.C area, cousins going to UC Irvine, so i have friends and family all around me…Both locations have great weather, but i like being close to the city, but i am also looking for the ideal college experience, SLO? </p></li>
<li><p>Social Life?
Poly had hot girls. Poly had hot girls. Poly had hot girls…blondes, brunnettes, tans, i felt like i was in a abercrombie and fitch commercial. The girls were sexy. The parties i heard were chill, and that students balance social life and academics fairly well. This factor w/ Irvine isn’t looking so good. There were a few hot asian girls, but they all seemed to be taken by their asian boyfriends. i have no problems with dating outside my race, however i look for diversity in women. I heard people don’t really get down party wise in Irvine, i heard the campus was mostly commuting OC’ers who studied hard and partied less…im looking for an even balance. However, again, my cousins and friends have moved down to the OC, so its always nice having your boys around the corner to hang with…</p></li>
<li><p>Price?
Poly, a state school, is gonna run me $4000 a year. Irvine, a UC, is gonna run me $7000 a year…hhmmmmm.</p></li>
<li><p>What the heck am i gonna do?
My family has always told me that graduating from a UC would make them proud. I didnt get into berkeley, LA, or SD, and i dont want to go to Davis cause i want to experience another part of Cali, so Irvine is what they want…although Cal Poly has arguably an equal reputation overall academically with Irvine, you know how parents are, they think choosing a state school over a UC is ■■■■■■■■.People always tell me Cal Poly might as well be regarded as a UC, cause academically its comparable…Location and Social Life definately looks more appealing at Cal Poly SLO, however im afraid the city boy in me might get tired of the small town and i always wanted to move to southern cali, i know Poly is arguably southern california, but i always wanted to live in that southern southern part of cali my whole life. plus the family and friends live down around Irvine. Decisions, decisions, decisions…help me out!!!</p></li>
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