<p>Hey guys! Last year when I was applying to Cal Poly the community on this forum was a valuable source of information. I’d like to return the favor.</p>
<p>If anybody has question about cal poly post them here or message me! They can be about anything. (student life, weather, class load, housing, campus dining, adventure places, transportation etc.)</p>
<p>^^^ Of course we won’t know for sure for about another month whether D is accepted ED, the stars seem to be aligning in her favor given she just signed an athletic scholarship for CP and has very strong grades and test scores, but: What kind of meal plan do you recommend? We’ve been told maximum flexibility such that she is not left with a bunch of unused meal tickets, or whatever they’re called, at the end of the qtr/year. Thanks</p>
<p>Thanks for paying it forward r77r77.</p>
<p>@swimdogmom, there is also an exceptional Cal Poly Parents Facebook page. It’s an amazing, supportive community.</p>
<p>r77r77. Bless your existence and your soul.
I applied ED and I have till the end of Today to resend my ED if I feel like I need to change to Rd.
I do want to go to SLO, but I feel like I’ll only be excited about getting in if I make RD. But is that a good reason to risk not getting into SLO RD?
Also, how much theory do you learn vs lab time? And is the connection with the professors really as good/valuable as everyone says?
Thanks for paying it forward, I’ll probably do something similar regardless of where I go next year too.</p>
<p>Swim- if your kid is an athlete take the fewest meals bc they will find they don’t have time to look for what is open and taking meal plans. They usually eat on the run…therefore whatever is more convenient.</p>
<p>Swim- as for housing my daughter found Cerro vista great bc of the kitchen and having to get to weights at the crack of dawn.</p>
<p>Are students currently having trouble scheduling classes with the increased student population?</p>
<p>@ swimdogmom - Here is a link to the 1st year meal plans. [Dining</a> Programs - Cal Poly Dining](<a href=“http://calpolydining.com/diningprograms/diningplans.asp]Dining”>http://calpolydining.com/diningprograms/diningplans.asp)</p>
<p>If your D is assigned to the apartments at Cerro Vista, she will still be required to have a meal plan specifically for CV students although she will have a kitchen. The parents on the CP SLO Facebook group recommended students living in the residence hall take the Freedom plan (where you use 1 dining credit per day and use other food venues). My son & his two roommates have the Freedom plan and it’s working out well for them. Unfortunately, the food isn’t great (but that’s another story).</p>
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<p>Due to the increased student population they added additional classes, so it shouldn’t be any more difficult than usual. (Both, increased student population & additional classes, were made possible by proposition 30). </p>
<p>Anyhoo, here is a link to the class schedule for winter rotation (they rotate each quarter) [Registration</a> Rotation Winter 2014 - Office of the Registrar - Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo](<a href=“http://registrar.calpoly.edu/content/registration-rotation-winter-2014]Registration”>http://registrar.calpoly.edu/content/registration-rotation-winter-2014), undergraduates are on the bottom of the page . My son won’t be registering until December 2 (he is in rotation #8 for Winter, and rotation group #1 (yay!!) for spring 2014).<br>
Here is a link to the rotation groups [Future</a> Registration Appointments - Office of the Registrar - Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo](<a href=“http://registrar.calpoly.edu/node/76]Future”>http://registrar.calpoly.edu/node/76)</p>
<p>Here is a link to the undergrad rotation schedule through 2017.</p>
<p><a href=“https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/59424691/Class%20of%202017%20Rotation%20Schedule.docx[/url]”>https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/59424691/Class%20of%202017%20Rotation%20Schedule.docx</a></p>
<p>@swimdogmom: There are 3 main meal plans. Each has a different ratio plus$ and meal credits, but the cost for all 3 is the same. Meal credits can only be used at select venues and any meal credits not used at the end of the week are discarded. Plus$ on the other hand, can be used at any venue on campus, and they roll over at the end of the quarters. Plus dollars can be used in lieu of meal credits. The plans are as follow:</p>
<p>Freedom - 8 meal credits Weekly + 525 Plus$ Quarterly
Flexibility - 10 meal credits Weekly + 350 Plus$ Quarterly
Security - 12 meal credits Weekly + 100 Plus$ Quarterly</p>
<p>The best plan is the first one. Surprisingly it is difficult to even use 8 meals a week. With plus dollars you will have more options for food and less meal credits wasted. I’ve found the places that accept meal credits are slightly more unhealthy than those that don’t use meal credits.</p>
<p>You’ve probably heard of the complaints of the food. In some ways they are justified. Although if you make some effort to find better food it isn’t that difficult. There are two places in particular that have food a cut higher than the rest (Einstein’s bagels, and sandwich factory). Sandwich factory uses pretty fresh ingredients and einsteins has a good selection of foods with a good balance.</p>
<p>In addition to the on campus foods, there are off campus places too. The farmer’s market runs every thursday evening starting at 6. The prices for fresh produce on campus are quite ridiculous, but the farmer’s market is reasonably priced. I’ve gotten lots of apples, grapes, tomatos, juice etc from there. Some vendors can give you a few dollars off for cal poly students. </p>
<p>If you can find someone willing to drive you to stores, buying in bulk is a good way to save too. I found a 5lb bag of apples the other day for around $9 and also got 2 large grapefruits and a orange for $1.50 from some u-pick orchids.</p>
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<p>@Aarontpz: Sorry for the delayed reply, I wish you best of the luck on your application. Even if you don’t get accepted in ED, your application will go into RD. </p>
<p>As for the lab vs. classroom time. For example: this term I am in the lab 7 hours a week out of my 19 hours. On the weekends I participate in clubs where I work in the shops for a good 3-4 hours on Saturdays. Next term I plan on taking 4 classes (that are labs or have labs) which will total to 10 hours a week in the lab out of 23. Without a doubt, I definitely learn more in the labs than the lectures. The labs are much more interesting too!</p>
<p>In addition to lab work, connections with the professors are essential. A good professor can class you’re not looking forward actually fun. That said, definitely go to professors office hours if you need help, or just want to get to know them better. The class sizes do help with connections. Of my 5 classes. 4 are well sized (<35~) and I have one lecture hall class but it is well equipped with multiple projectors and flat screen tv’s for people in the back rows.</p>
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<p>@sfgiantsposey
This year there was a 28% higher enrollment due to more people accepting cal poly’s offer of admission. It varys alot depending on how impacted your major is. I had a little bit of trouble getting into one of my classes, but it was resolved within a few days by the department. Inevitably, there will be some classes where there will be a wait list, but if you make sure to show up on the first few days (crash the class) it isn’t impossible to get into almost all of your classes. And if needed, after freshmen year, you get 3 terms of priority registration which you can use to get those critical classes.</p>
<p>The main reason that some people (particularly engineering majors) don’t graduate on time is for two reasons. 1) Bad planning, and not getting key classes when you need them. I’ve probably talked to my advisor 3-4 times just to ensure that I’m taking the right classes and that I have the pre-requisites for future classes covered. 2) the sheer number of credits needed to graduate. My particular major, mechanical engineering, needs 201 credits for a degree. That means I’ll need to take 17 units per term, AP/IB and community college credit definitely help.</p>
<p>MLM or r77r77,
My freshman son has 11th rotation for spring quarter. Since his first quarter was block scheduled, this will be his first time to reg on his own, with a crummy rotation.
In fact, I looked at his rotation time, and it’s the LAST day of registration! How is this if he’s 11th? Wouldn’t the last day be 12th rotation?
Huge bummer. Anyway, any insight on how hard it might be for him to get ARCH 132, ARCE 106, Math 143, and Physics 141?
Any help is appreciated!</p>
<p>OOPS! I mean Winter 2014 
Thank you.</p>
<p>Also, are major classes always available (even if they r bad times, etc) because Cal Poly knows the flowsheet that the student is following for their major?</p>
<p>I am a freshman and it is my first quarter registering for classes. I am 12th rotation and I am pursuing a possible major change. How much and where should I sit and cry?</p>
<p>I just transferred here from a community college this quarter, and a year ago this forum was also very helpful for me while I was applying. If anyone has any questions for a business administration (accounting) transfer student, feel free to ask (that is, if r77r77 doesn’t mind me helping out on his thread.) I also have insight into campus recruiting and that aspect of cal poly.</p>
<p>@kschall and Appleteam:</p>
<p>My kid was 12th rotation after his first quarter as well and did not experience any problems. He got waitlisted for a couple of classes, but got most of what he wanted. He also “crashed” a couple of classes which means that he showed up on the first day to a couple of classes that he was waitlisted for and asked the professor to let him in and it worked.</p>
<p>Bottom line – when there is a will there is a way. He is a junior now and has never been unable to get the classes he needs. You may not get your preferred teacher or a great time slot. But you should get the class.</p>
<p>One thing my kid did was wait online with everything ready to go and the moment that the rotation opened up he hit the submit button.</p>
<p>Thank you for your help! BTW, my son is working really hard, but loving his time at Cal Poly. :D</p>
<p>What is the feel of all the different dorms. If I get in, I’m trying to decided which dorm I would like. I’m stuck between the red bricks and yosemite. Which one has more of a family feel to it? I know that yosemite has coed floors, but I was wondering if the boys and girls in the redbricks communicate alot while in halls, or if its fairly separated. Which building is closer knit?</p>
<p>R77R77:thanks so much for giving back! My daughter has applied ED for graphic communications, which is supposed to be a great program. Given the more engineering focus of CP, do the non-engineers generally fit in well with the engineers, or are they regarded as less worthy of CP? Also, what housing would you suggest, given the options, and should frosh bring their cars?
Thanks for your thoughts!</p>