<p>Well I got into Cal Poly, but I’m out of state and don’t really know a whole lot about it. I want to go into advertising and would major in graphic communications. </p>
<p>My two top choices are UCSB and Berkeley… so if these are the two schools I would most like to attend, would Cal Poly be a good fit? Like what is the social life like and how would you generalize the people?</p>
<p>Environment-wise, UCSB is similiar to Cal Poly. Sorry thats all I can think of right now!</p>
<p>Cal Poly is very peaceful and serene unlike UCB and UCSB. Cal Poly is in a college town. UCSB is a big party school and UCB is in the middle of a city and has very rigorous academics</p>
<p>cal poly is a party school, however they have excellent academics. engineering is king (something like top five in the nation if im not mistaken). the whole town is centralized around the college. its kind of a cow town/ out in the middle of nowhere. very good if you want to get out of a big city or if you want a pure college town experience. </p>
<p>ucsb is also a party school. people travel from all over the state to attend Halloween at santa barbara. huge parties on the epic street known as Del Playa in a college kid community called Ilsa Vista. Prob the best “college experience” you can find. still has really good academics, and has plenty of groups to join if you are anti drinking. also, the soccer team there is CRAZY. everyone attends games… EVERYONE. and when ucsb scores a goal, the crowd throws tortillas on the field. its a fun school</p>
<p>Cal has a deep deep history and is in a very happening part of the state. there are two places that creates new movements and fads… the bay area and LA. you will be surrounded by current events and lots of history (first time US armed forced used deadly force on its own citizens was on campus). Also known for its great athletics and fun football games, GREAT academics. by far the best out of the three. great college experience and lots of parties as well.</p>
<p>hope i helped you out a little bit. i have spent some time on each campus with friends who attend, so i have a little taste of each. but really, college is what you make it.</p>
<p>^^^^^^^^^^^^ dont forget about their undergraduate architecture program its is #3 in the nation behind #1 Cornell and #2 Syracuse. Also cal poly graduates get good " Bang" for their buck because its graduates get paided the 3rd most out of any public school in America. </p>
<p>List- highest average salary of alumni after 10-20 years for a Public school
<p>Source: [Forbes.com</a> Ranks Cal Poly #3 Public in National Compensation Study](<a href=“http://www.calpolynews.calpoly.edu/news_releases/2008/August/forbes_ranking.html]Forbes.com”>http://www.calpolynews.calpoly.edu/news_releases/2008/August/forbes_ranking.html)</p>
<p>Good Point! Cal Poly does an excellent job of helping students get jobs. The gradutaes from Cal Poly are highly saught after in engineering, arch and some of the other impacted programs. Employers like the learn by doing method.</p>
<p>It depends on why you’re coming to CA too. All 3 schools have strong academics. Poly and UCSB have great beaches, UCB cold and foggy! Poly has a lot of other options unless all you want to do is party (go UCSB). There are so many outdoor options and fun SLO traditions (farmer’s market, climbing the “sisters”–dormant volcanoes, beach, apples, quick and easy access to LA or SF or the mountains to go skiing). It is a great value, and a fantastic atmosphere. I had friends that graduated Graphic Communications 15 years ago and they are still doing very well for themselves.</p>
<p>Yes, I am VERY biased towards Poly. Loved, loved, loved it there, but that was me–parties were abundant, but not what I wanted to do. I wanted to remember my college years. Plus I met my hubby there! But our DS#1 wouldn’t apply–wants to go back East. Good luck with your choice!</p>
<p>BA Liberal Studies '93, Multiple Subject Cred. '94
Hubby–BS Civil Engineering '94</p>
<p>4ChicksMom, I love your post. Everything you say about CalPoly is exactly what my D2 is looking for in school. She was admitted last week, and has been smiling ever since. </p>
<p>She’s liberal arts, so I’m glad to read your praise for those holding degrees from that and other departments NOT engineering or arch. Do you still think it’s got strong liberal studies/social sciences teaching? Will she have some success in grad school applications with the Cal Poly diploma, assuming her grades are good?</p>
<p>Funnily, one of my other thoughts this week was, “well, she’s gonna end up with an engineer…” not a bad thing, but not something that would happen at an LAC :)</p>
<p>Thanks for posting this glowing report. </p>
<p>PS: My D1 is on the opposite coast. D2 felt she had “taken” that part of the country and would only consider the west…girls…sigh…</p>
<p>locrow, location and social life are important but don’t overlook the **size **of each school - for instance, UCB is overwhelming to many. Also, many Texans get confused and even upset after they’ve lived in Berkeley for awhile. Doesn’t happen as much in SLO or SB.
Dunno why.</p>
<p>Sweet, I got into Graphic Comm, too. =)</p>
<p>It really depends on how you want to learn, as well. The GrC faculty had an open chat for prospective students back in October, I think, and from what they talked about, they are VERY hands-on. That’s cool, because that’s exactly how I need to learn things.</p>
<p>As for Berkeley, I don’t recall (might’ve been UCLA), but I believe their Media/Comm department is much more focused on media’s effects on society, rather than learning actual skills. At least, that’s what I read from the site. UCSB also didn’t have anything immediately appealing to me, being a Graphic Design person; I applied for Art there and haven’t heard back. Regardless, the point is that I didn’t see anything that appealed to me at Berkeley, and not a whole lot at UCSB. If you’re at all like me, where you need to learn HOW to do something and how to make it a career, I’d go with Cal Poly.</p>
<p>I haven’t decided officially yet, but it’s very likely that I’ll be accepting admission there because of that.</p>
<p>cal poly has learn by doing</p>
<p>ucB has overwhelmingly greater academics</p>
<p>ucsb has their college of creative studies which is unlike most. very different.</p>
<p>research those on your own tho. those are up to taste</p>
<p>Thanks everyone, I mean I know basically everything about UCSB without actually attending, and I used to live in the Bay Area so I’m familiar with that area too. I think I have a better idea about what Cal Poly is like now.</p>