<p>Hello all,</p>
<p>I am currently a sophomore in my Civil Engineering curriculum at Cal Poly Pomona. I am doing really well here and even have a job as an intern with the Los Angeles Department of Transportation. </p>
<p>Based on US NEWS College Ranks, Cal Poly Pomona was ranked [1]#8 in the Western Region for top public schools (whereas, SF State is #50 in the West[3])and [2]#6 in the Nation under Public Universities not offering Doctorate program in Civil Engineering. </p>
<p>Compared to SF State, I feel like CPP is superior. However, I am only remotely thinking about transferring because of personal reasons. I am growing tired of being away from my husband for so long. We have basically spent 3 years of our marriage apart due to my being in SoCal for school/work. He was the one who suggested I look into transferring to San Francisco which is where he currently lives and works. As much as I love SF and would LOVE to be able to see him everyday, I do not like the idea of giving up an exemplary education from CPP. Ever since enrolling in Cal Poly Pomona, I have gotten more notice from employers and because I have more hands-on skills thanks to CPP classes I have had a far better experience getting internships and job offers. I don't know if the same will happen if I transferred to SF State and possibly even graduate from that school. Will I still get the upper hand for being associated with SF State in job hunting as I have been as a CPP student almost always being handed an internship? Note: Those who applied to work at LADOT last year almost all who currently work here now are students from CPP, one from UC Riverside, another USC (transportation planning - not the same), and one from UCI (mechanical engineering). So, I know firsthand being affiliated with CPP and having the right skills gave me the upper hand. </p>
<p>I just need to know whether or not transferring and getting a degree from SF State will be beneficial to me. I kind of half know that it won't after comparing the curriculum sheet for CE from SF to CPP. CPP requires 198 units to graduate (mininum)[4] and SF State requires 126 minimum[5].</p>
<p>I just want to know if the transferring to SF State is even worth it? I looked SF State's curriculum for Civil Engineering and it seems unimpressive considering they only require 126 units to graduate. </p>
<p>I am going around and rambling... SOMEONE! I just need someone to dissuade me from transferring to SF State. Everything in my bones tells me it is a bad idea. I just need affirmation. </p>
<hr>
<p>Sources:
[1] Top</a> Public Schools | Rankings | Top Regional Universities (West) | US News
[2] Civil</a> | Rankings | US News
[3] San</a> Francisco State University | Best College | US News
[4] <a href="http://www.csupomona.edu/%7Ece/Curriculum/ce-gen-11-12.pdf%5B/url%5D">http://www.csupomona.edu/~ce/Curriculum/ce-gen-11-12.pdf</a>
[5] San</a> Francisco State University, School of Engineering: Academics: Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering: Sequence of Courses</p>
<p>Normally, I would say “no, don’t transfer,” but you’re married and your spouse is elsewhere. If you feel that your marriage is suffering and it would do better if you were together, then by all means transfer. </p>
<p>it would be one thing if you only had one more year to graduate, but you have three. If you’ve already have been apart for three years, and I can’t imagine being apart for three more years. Most marriages probably wouldn’t survive.</p>
<p>If you go to SF, when you write up your resume, you will still be able to include your “hands on experience”. That’s not going to disappear. And, you can use that while in SF to get internships, etc. </p>
<p>If you apply for the transfer, maybe you can also be looking for internships in that area that will be impressed by your hands on experiences. IF so, then those may become full employment when you graduate.</p>
<p>On the other hand, can your husband move to the Pomona area where you are?</p>
<p>CPP requires 198 units to graduate (mininum)[4] and SF State requires 126 minimum[5].</p>
<p>You can’t compare that way. CPP is on the quarter system. SF is on the semester system. Quarter units are worth LESS than semester units. They aren’t equal at all.</p>
<p>198 quarter units = 132 semester units</p>
<p>A quarter unit is 2/3 of a semester unit.</p>
<p>Would your husband be able to find a similar or better job in southern California?</p>
<p>True, but many semester civil eng’g programs only require about 126 credits to graduate. The OP thinks that is “unimpressive” but it’s rather typical. </p>
<p>Employers won’t think that is “unimpressive”…they’ll think it’s normal. And they will think that CPP’s number is normal…because it’s on the quarter system. </p>
<p>FYI…I just looked up Berkeley’s req’ts for CivilE…it only requires 120 credits to graduate. And it has a very highly ranked program.
<a href=“http://www.ce.berkeley.edu/system/files/assets/aao/BSDegreePlan_Fall13.pdf[/url]”>http://www.ce.berkeley.edu/system/files/assets/aao/BSDegreePlan_Fall13.pdf</a></p>
<p>even with semester to quarter unit equivalency formulas, you can’t compare quality that way.</p>
<p>I agree that if the H can get a job in the Pomona area, that would be good. But, employment can be iffy in that area. </p>
<p>Does his company have any offices in the Pomona area that he could transfer to? Or he may have a career that doesn’t relocate well. </p>
<p>When H’s job relocated to the South, many coworkers couldn’t move because they had spouses whose careers couldn’t move w/o a huge financial loss (lawyers, realtors, doctors, business owners).</p>
<p>Well SFSU doesn’t have a known program like CPP and there is no advantage to transferring there, which is what she asked. </p>
<p>People who live near CPP area don’t necessarily work there. There is a Metro stop to downtown in nearby Industry/Walnut/Diamond Bar for one example. My friend lives a 5-10 minute drive from CPP and works at USC.</p>
<p>*there is no advantage to transferring there, which is what she asked. *</p>
<p>Well, as I stated, usually I would agree that there’s no advantage, but usually we’re talking to unmarried students.</p>
<p>This student is married and they’ve been apart for three years now and that’s obviously a big issue since staying at CPP means three MORE years of being apart. There are very few marriages that can survive that. That kind of situation is a breeding ground for infidelity, loneliness, etc. (This is just generally speaking, I’m not saying that either spouse here will stray.)</p>
<p>If this student is concerned that her marriage will be hurt or destroyed by this continued separation, then either the H should get a job by Pomona, or she should transfer. </p>
<p>Yes, CPP is better recognized, but that doesn’t mean that the SF grads are lowly employed. If both schools’ grads end up employed, then rankings don’t really matter.</p>
<p>For a married person, transferring DOES have an advantage.</p>