Hi, I am having a hard time deciding between these two schools. I live in Southern California, about a 3-4 hour drive away from Slo, and a couple hour plane ride from UW. I really wanted to go to school in a big city. I did a summer school at Cornell in Ithaca, and I don’t think I will like a little college city, but I don’t really know because I’ve never lived outside of the suburbs.
Pros for Slo:
I like how close it is to home
The weather
I’ll know more people going, and at the school
It’s cheaper because I’m in-state
smaller class sizes
Cons for Slo:
Not in or too close to any major cities
Fewer internship opportunities
Little diversity
Bad food
Less nationwide recognition
More conservative culture
Pros for UW:
Higher rated academics
Higher rated teachers
Better food
In a major city, so more internship opportunities
More broad recognition
More liberal culture
Gorgeous campus
Cons for UW:
Plane ride from home
I can’t just quickly come home for a bit, it would have to be a trip
massive class sizes
Too cold for me
Very dark (easy to get depressed)
More expensive
Won’t know as many people
The main problem with both of the schools is my major. When I applied to school, I wanted to become a vet, but my mind has completely changed. I think I want to do an MBA in marketing and have my undergrad major be along the lines of Psych or Communications. My major at Slo is Animal Science, and I was directly admitted to UW’s Marine Bio major. At Slo, I would have to completely change my major, but at UW, I might be able to do a double major or add a minor, but I really don’t want to be stuck in a major I don’t want to do. I did get waitlisted at many schools too, but that’s not a sure thing, these are.
Regarding Cal Poly food, have you tried the food lately? They have built a brand new dining facility, have an Einstein Bagels, Starbucks, Jamba Juice, Subway and will be adding a Panda Express and Habit Grill next year.
And what ranking are you seeing that rates the academics and teaching better at UW?
As for diversity, they’re working on it.
Psych at SLO is the most difficult major to be accepted to as a First Year freshman, communications not nearly as hard, but changing majors and schools isn’t that difficult as long as you’re not thinking about CS or Engineering. And you get good grades.
I think you answered your question, as long as your family can afford it.
How important is money? The difference in SLO v. OOS UW is significant. If you need additional time because of changing majors (are you even sure about the new ones?) extra semester(s) means extra dollars as well.
Regarding the big city, I’m pretty sure I want to go to school in a big city, but I don’t want that to determine my college choice. For the food and the teacher ranking, Niche put slo’s food at D+, and I did try it, it wasn’t bad, just not as many options for me. I also don’t want to decide my college based on food lol. As for the academics, US News, I believe, ranked UW higher than slo.
Both good schools so I don’t think rankings should play into this nearly as much as your preferences.
I know both schools really well (was just in SLO this past weekend) and had three accepted to UW, I think I toured that school at least 5 times. Ugh. They are very different. Have you been to each at least once?
Yeah, the only reason I think about that is how they are recognized. For an MBA you need a job after undergrad for at least two years, and the name of the school I went to will be on my resume forever, so a higher ranked school might give me better chances at jobs.
Cal poly grads have no problem finding jobs. Also, watch falling into the double major trap. A lot of students do a double, but it is more challenging than ya think getting enough credits to meet requirements especially within two different schools. Plan on one major that is what you want or to be. The double major should be done as a compliment or passion, not cause it has to be done because it’s really the primary major you want. Hope that makes sense.
Since you may be prone to changing major, do you have other affordable choices where it is less difficult to change to majors that you may be interested in?
One isn’t ranked higher than the other. UW is nationally ranked, at #58, because they offer Ph.D. programs.
Cal Poly is ranked #3 in the western region (#1 public for 28 years in a row) because Cal Poly almost entirely focuses on undergraduate programs. No Ph.D. programs are offered at Cal Poly, AFAIK.
Santa Clara recently (in the past 2-3 years) transitioned from regional to national ranking and is ranked #53 by USNWR. My D got into Santa Clara and SLO and we both think SLO is better than Santa Clara. And Santa Clara is ranked higher than UW.
That’s called the “transitive property.”
Rankings are flawed and Niche is crap. IMO, SLO is a deal at about $25K (tuition, housing and dining) per year.
As for weather, my D18 attends Michigan and we live in the SF Bay Area. If you’re a healthy adult, you just “embrace the suck” as we say in the gym.
