Cal Poly Slo vs. UCSD - Engineering

State Forums
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Hey guys so I have recently been admitted under Electrical Engineering to both California Polytechnic University - San Luis Obispo (CAL POLY SLO) and University of California San Diego (UCSD) and am having a very hard time choosing between the two schools.

If you would like a summary of what I am asking, read between the At the bottom

Cal Poly Positives
From the extensive research and college tours I have done, I have come to the conclusion that Cal Poly’s “Learn by doing” or very hands on approach as well as its emphasis on engineering (26% of Majors at cal poly) make it very strong for engineering in California. I know Cal Poly engineering students come out with having lots of experience with equipment used in the industry and applicable knowledge which means less training time. It’s closer location to the Silicon Valley compared to San Diego makes it seem like it makes it very easy to secure internships as Cal Poly student which therefore makes you a highly employable and valuable when you enter the work force when you graduate. There are lots of outdoor actives and I know Cal Poly has a very good recreation center with lots of activities.

Cal Poly Concerns
Diversity in Cal Poly is so and so and I am very concerned as someone who is coming from the San Francisco bay area. I am used to living next to big cities and as a French, and Spanish speaker diversity in both gender and ethnicity is important to me. Cal Poly doesn’t shine very well. Coming from Dublin, Pleasanton, Livermore Area, I am worried that I will suffer from the Cal Poly’s relatively rural community.

UCSD Positives
It is a prestigious university known worldwide for its highly ranked academics in pretty much all fields. It is in a fantastic location with a beautiful campus (I think it is prettier than Cal Poly SLO’s). Diversity is unbeatable at this campus, I also was admitted into the Roosevelt dorms which are very pretty and right next to the athletic center and international students center which I very much like. Cal Poly also has a very nice athletic center. It is also near the beach I like. It’s engineering program is strong, but I do not think it is as strong as Cal Poly’s Engineering program. It is a UC and a large school, so it has a large alumni network and lots of resources especially in research and it’s co-op and mentorship programs (Not as pronounced at SLO). I also am considering study abroad in which San Diego is stronger in.

UCSD Concerns
UCSD is known to be more a more theoretical engineering education and I am worried that will make it harder to be employed later. I am also worried that San Diego will have fewer job opportunities as an electrical engineering than Cal Poly SLO since it is not known for its Hi-tech really except for Qualcomm. I am worried this will make it more difficult to secure internships even though it is a more prestigious university and therefore possible force me to settle for less. I am also worried its more loose approach to education will make it more easy for me to lose my path.

Overall, I believe both are highly ranked schools in engineering, so it is hard to go wrong. I have done a lot of research and am still having a lot of trouble choosing between the two so I am looking for opinions on what you guys think is important for choosing one college over and another and whether I have a pretty accurate of idea of the 2 universities and where they stand in comparison to one another. I am trying to figure out which school would be the better fit and which one you guys think is better in employability and quality of life at the university. If you guys have read this far, I want you to know that I am extremely grateful for taking the time to help me make a very important choice in my life.

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They are both excellent - visit both schools again then choose based on your gut.

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Thank you

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My brother went to UCSD and I went to Cal Poly

Main differences:

  • social life is way better at CP. It ain’t called UC socially dead for no reason. People at CP are noticeably more attractive
  • CP better prepares you for industry because that’s all they focus on. UCSD better prepares you for grad school (which is funny cause I’m doing grad school now and realize how little I knew about it coming in)
  • price. La Jolla is one of the most expensive neighborhoods in California and parking is a travesty. SLO isn’t the cheapest but it’s much better (1k/month vs 2k/month for your own room).
  • diversity. If you can forego good ethnic food, I highly recommend CP still for undergrad

Source:
-Columbia grad student, proud CP alum
-former Apple and Microsoft intern
-winners of ASME international student design competition 2016

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More (not all) CSU grads in whatever industry will be hired to do grunt work – sorry to lump CPSLO in with this group, but they have had more hands on training similar to the others. More UC grads will have greater potential for ascendant positions because as you said, their universities are more theory based.

The ones who are able to bring their theoretical training into a PHD program will be involved in research into nanotechnology or whatever field, and they’ll be the ones who form startups and create new sub-fields of industry. Some colleges of course have grad programs terminating with an MS in Engineering, but this is just an extension of one’s BS.

Of course those in my second paragraph would often be the 1% of the 1% and many of them will be MIT and like graduates. But UC grads have surely started their own chip companies, and they’ve flourished because they were able to formulate their ideas into reality – the intangible to the tangible --from their heavily theory-based training.

Edit add: By the way, UCSD is one of the leaders in nanotechnology, and I believe its undergrad EE has a minor in it. Correct me if I’m wrong.

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