<p>Hi everyone,</p>
<p>I hope I’m not posting in the wrong place since I’ve read many threads and they’re all talking about freshmen year; my case is different. </p>
<p>So I’m starting my 2nd year in De Anza College and will apply this fall. I was set out to aim at UCs at first, and I STILL want to be accepted to UCs. However, my mindset has been changing eventually since I started doing research about Cal Poly after some talks with my cousin, my mentor and some of my colleagues at my internship (SLAC Lab). All of them are working in engineering field and have suggested me to work hard to get into Cal Poly because it would prepare me much better for the workplace after I graduate (I major in MechE and love to work with aircraft; might go with Aero). I personally haven’t been to SLO but based on what I’ve read online, some videos about SLO on youtube, I feel like I would love to spend the next 2-3.5 years at Cal Poly. Though I still love UCB, UCLA, UCI college towns (I’ve been to those places), academics and college experience is my first priority (by college exp I mean clubs, student organizations, social in general, not like dating, party, and such).</p>
<p>I want to get a job probably like right after graduation, but I also want to go to grad school part time in the evening as well, so what you guys suggest me to do? aim at a hands-on school like SLO for undergrad and then a theory school for grad?</p>
<p>I’m also concerned about the acceptance rate in Cal Poly, I’ve managed to keep my GPA at 3.7 in first year in college (which I assume is not safe to go anywhere) and hopefully I could see an increase after fall qtr, Idk yet. I don’t have much extracurricular except my summer intern. I would not be able to take too many recommended courses on assist.org, probably one or two. So with that information, is it a chance for me to get in to Cal Poly; any alumni or transfer student accepted to Cal Poly could give me a sense.</p>
<p>I’m an Asian male currently located in San Jose if where I’m from does matter in the school’s choosing process. </p>
<p>Yet I’m quite worried by the fact that the school has ~60% Caucasian, which is a totally new environment to me since my area has more Asians and it’s more diverse. To be honest I have no issue with race and making friends since I have friends from all races but being surrounded by a race other than Asian is just quite odd to me, at least first few months. :(</p>
<p>Thanks for taking time to read my thread and hope you guys could help me :-)</p>