<p>I got accepted into Cal Poly SLO for Computer Science
UCSB for electrical engineering
and UCI for civil engineering</p>
<p>Anyway, I'm not afraid too much of the majors because I heard from my sister that it's possible to switch majors in college.</p>
<p>About the distance from home, it takes 3 hrs to drive from my home to SLO, 2 hrs to Santa Barbara, and only 1 hr from UCI. I live in LA county.
I feel like SLO is too far for me and my sister is in UCSD so if I choose to go to UCI, it'll be really easy for my parents to drive.</p>
<p>I am kind of afraid of the party scene in UCSB because I heard it's a party school. I don't know if it will distract me from studying. I haven't visited the campus but I heard it's a nice school because it's really close to the beach. (My home right now is also close to the beach)</p>
<p>My parents kind of want me to go here because they said engineering here is better than the UCI one. They also think that UC's are generally better than Cal Poly but I've heard that Cal Poly has a good program too.</p>
<p>From your opinion, which one would you recommend and why?
thank you so much</p>
<p>I would actually rank CP SLO at the top as far as academics. Do be aware that is almost impossible to change majors at CP -it is very impacted and you would probably be stuck in computer science even if you decided you would rather do something else. You would be able to change majors more easily at both UCSB or UCI. Really, you will get a good education at any of the three, and it is really up to you as far as what kind of atmosphere you are looking for. SLO is very much a college town, is close to the beach and is really not all that far from LA. The train can get you back and forth, but there are always rides also. If you go visit, be sure to hit the downtown area as it is quite a different atmostphere from the other 2. Are your parents planning to come visit often? I would think that once you settle in, they probably won’t. It is close enough that if you wanted to go home you could. If you like UCI, you may not like CP. UCSB is ranked higher than UCI, but you would be fine at either one. While UCSB does have that party reputation, we know plenty of kids who go there who say it is really a choice- there are plenty who choose not to take part and who do just fine. Yes it is right on the beach. It is actually located about 10 miles north of downtown SB but there is transportation back and forth. You really need to go visit both CP and UCSB before making a decision. Both have very different atmospheres than UCI and it may not be for you. </p>
<p>UCSB has a party school reputation but has really cracked down on the parties which are in the Isla Vista area.
There are plenty of students like you that are not into partying. The campus is beautiful with the beach right there.</p>
<p>You should visit the campuses to really get a good idea and fit. You have some great choices and ultimately it is you who will be going there for 4 years. Pick the school that you like best.</p>
<p>Switching from one engineering major to another as a Cal Poly engineering freshmen should not be an issue. Changing major within the same college, in this case College of Engineering, is a fairly routine thing. So if you are planning to do some kind of engineering, you should be fine. I have had lots of engineering classmates switched between EE to CPE for example. </p>
<p>Given SLO’s college of engineering has the highest admission requirements of all the 6 colleges, switching out of engineering to say college of business is less challenging than the other direction. </p>
<p>UCSB is much more similar to SLO than UCI because both are located on the coast with breathtaking climate and beaches very nearby (UCSB is down the highway from SLO on 101), and both are college towns without huge sports programs, with SLO being much more of a college town given the size of San Luis Obispo city. SLO has a pretty good balance of college life and serious academics. It is definitely academically challenging, and lots of people don’t finish engineering due to the rigor of the curriculum. </p>
<p>Both UCSB and SLO are residential campus, and university life revolves around the campus and club activities. Alternatively, UCI is much more of a commuter campus. </p>
<p>All 3 are good schools, you have to decide your personal learning style and what type of college life experience you are looking for. I relished my experience at Cal Poly in all its facade. It was one of the best decision of my life. </p>
<p>My understanding is it can be hard to change majors and if you plan to do that you should look into that before you choose, to see how hard it actually is between the majors you have in mind.</p>
<p>Again, visit the schools. The one or two really big parties at UCSB have people from all over the state, making them unusually large - which is why there is a push to keep them local. (Halloween, primarily). However, the parties won’t seek you out, if you aren’t interested in them. I went there long ago and loved it, my niece went more recently, prior to med school and tried to get back there for her residency when she graduates, but will be back east at a hospital associated with an ivy instead. UCSB students are serious students.</p>
<p>I can’t really speak to the others, but if you visit all, as you should, you can decide for yourself. And, in the end, if you decide on UCI, or any of the others, you will have picked a good school.</p>
<p>Cal Poly is great for engineering and agriculture, plus pretty good for business. However, if there is any chance that you might decide to change majors to anything other than engineering, then Cal Poly will let you down. Make sure that you know what you want.</p>
<p>UC-Irvine has over 12,000 students living on campus out of a total of 28,000 students. If UCI is a commuter school, it apparently is not being deserted on the weekends.</p>
<p>You should search for “[school] change major [destination major]” for each school and destination major you are considering, in order to find out how difficult it is to change major, since it varies by both school and major. If it is not clear, contact the department at the school to find out.</p>
<p>Definitely visit the campuses. CPSLO’s open house is mid April, I believe. During that time, you’ll have the opportunity to visit the computer science department and ask your questions. You’ll get a feel for the atmosphere on campus. You’ll also have a chance to experience the drive. S attends CPSLO and his roommates are from San Diego. They don’t mind the distance from home. </p>
<p>Cal Poly SLO for all the reasons above and their selection of engineering is really fantastic, If I am not mistaken they are one of the few offering architectural engineering and aeronautical engineering. But I would strongly recommend a visit as well. SLO is very different from UCI.</p>
<p>^^^^^Mr. Cranky Pants! C’mon you know SLO is a great school especially within the Cal State system…especially their engineering for the price…and a nice location…Mr. Cranky Pants.</p>
<p>I don’t know UCB Engineering Stats… I Guess It will be higher than Cal Poly engineering But as you see upper Resource …In general I guess Cal Poly might be No. 3</p>
<p>@taehunchoi, your numbers exercise has absolutely nothing to do with OP’s task of finding the best school FOR OP, who expressed concerns about distance, changing majors and partying. If determining the best choice for every student were simply a matter of picking the school with the highest incoming standardized test scores, vast sections of CC wouldn’t need to exist. If that’s how you want your own kid to select a college (and you were advised to the contrary numerous times in your own thread), that’s fine, but your lists aren’t adding anything to this discussion. </p>
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