Cal Poly SLO or UC Irvine for Physics

Hello College Confidential! I need y’all to help my out in deciding between these two colleges for a bachelor’s in Physics.

If I go to Irvine I’d have to take ~$30,000 in loans by the end of 4 years while for SLO I’d be taking almost twice that amount.

I want to learn the subject thoroughly in college and do some research as well. I also want an overall fulfilling experience in whichever college I choose.

I want to know more about:

  • How their Physics departments line up against each other
  • Abundance of research opportunities and difficulty to land internships
  • Clubs and the social scene

I want to get all of the information I can from you knowledgeable folks to make a good decision.