My son is interested in Environmental Science/Outdoor Education. Thoughts on the above colleges he has been accepted to? I think he’d do best in small class sizes so Occidental and perhaps Santa Barbara honors get points there. He also likes to hike and jog so Occidental may not be as nice of an environment for this catagory. Would really appreciate anyone’s thoughts. Feeling stuck.
Are the costs different, and do such differences matter?
Does he have any preference?
Should have clarified - costs are practically the same. Scholarship at Oxy brought it down to almost the same price.
Class sizes across the board are small at Cal Poly. It’s what UCSB tries to replicate with the honors program.
What specific majors was he accepted to at each of them?
I’m a first-year at Oxy who was accepted at Cal Poly SLO for Engineering (didn’t apply to UCSB, but got into UCLA and UCSD and know quite a few friends who got into UCSB). Maybe you could PM me if you have any specific questions?
Specific Majors - Cal Poly - Recreation Parks & Tourism (full disclosure-wants to be a park ranger or an outdoor ed leader–very interested in environmental policy and protection), UCSB - Environmental Studies, Oxy - Urban and Environmental Policy Thanks again, appreciate input.
Curricula and requirements:
http://www.es.ucsb.edu/academics/es-major/ba
http://catalog.calpoly.edu/collegesandprograms/collegeofagriculturefoodenvironmentalsciences/recreationparkstourismadministration/bsrecreationparksandtourismadministration/
http://www.oxy.edu/urban-environmental-policy/courses-requirements
The Occidental major appears to focus more on urban issues, and appears to be in the least favorable location for his interests. The CPSLO major appears to be mainly focused with pre-professional preparation for jobs on the ground (e.g. park ranger, park administration). The UCSB major appears to have a more liberal arts (including science) emphasis, perhaps with the aim for going into policy type jobs. The UCSB major also appears to expect better prepared students (e.g. requires calculus and a followup math course, versus precalculus for the CPSLO major). The UCSB major also has BA and BS options, where the BS option has more science (though the BA option still includes more science than the CPSLO and Occidental majors).
Wow, thanks so much for the information! You’ve done your homework (or our homework in this case!) and we really appreciate it.
It strikes me that the academic emphasis of these programs is very different. Occidental emphasizes liberal arts broadly – check out the electives in that major. The major is described as for “students who want to change the world” and will require some engagement with the urban scene in LA. Oxy students are intense. Great place for late-night discussions and debates. I think UCSB is more chill and because it is larger, you are less likely to have someone in your face about an intellectual issue. (Although I just heard if you join campus Democrats at UCSB you will get people debating you.) SLO doesn’t strike me as a place to go for liberal arts, but then that might be an attraction.
You’re right about the academic emphasis of these programs being different, the communities and surrounding areas are so different from one other it makes the decision tough! Lots of moving priorities. Hoping admitted students day sheds some light on these differences. Thanks again, everyone.