<p>I got accepted to Berkeley into the College of Natural Resources, and I got accepted to Cal Poly SLO and Davis in the Animal Science major. My current aspirations are to become a vet, but I'm not 100% sure on that path. I know Berkeley is the most prestigious and will probably get me the most earning potential of the choices, but I probably wouldn't get any hands on experience with animals there. Plus, Berkeley has such a competitive atmosphere, and I don't want to be under a constant state of stress for the next 4 years. And, I'm not huge on the whole urban atmosphere of Berkeley. But then again, Berkeley is Berkeley, and I don't want to turn down an amazing educational opportunity. I know Davis is better than Cal Poly for Animal Science, but I liked Cal Poly's campus and overall vibe the most out of the three. So I'm split between these 3 colleges! How should I weight aspects like prestige and overall atmosphere? Someone help me decide!!!</p>
<p>The downside of Cal Poly is its abysmal 4-year graduation rate. The vast majority of students stay 5+ years, which means at least one extra year of tuition. Davis has the program you want and if you like the campus…</p>
<p>Well when I visited Davis, the campus didn’t do much for me. It was too flat and spread out with wayyyy too many bikes.</p>
<p>Remember that you will be LIVING your actual real life for several years at college. Go to the school where you think you’ll be happiest and have the best fit. Lifestyle is a critical component in your decision.</p>
<p>Go to Cal Poly you’ll love it and it is entirely possible to graduate in 4 years if you are focused and stay on track with your major. This says it all in their own words:</p>
<p>“Cal Poly’s Animal Science Department boasts one of the most comprehensive “hands-on, learn by doing” programs in the United States, as students work with several species of animals on a regular basis. Extensive facilities provide the resources for students to learn the principles required for success in areas such as veterinary medicine, animal biotechnology, animal facility management, animal nutrition and animal food manufacturing. Additionally, the department engages with current animal industry through faculty involvement research and educational programs.”</p>
<p>[Animal</a> Science Department - Cal Poly - Animal Science Department - Cal Poly](<a href=“http://animalscience.calpoly.edu/]Animal”>http://animalscience.calpoly.edu/)</p>
<p>Cal Poly is a wonderful campus and SLO is a great town. Pristine air, ocean and rolling hills and mountains. The animals are right on campus. It is a no brainier for you. If you want hands on experience and you want to actually work with animals on a DAILY basis, then Cal Poly is it. Also, in your major, Cal Poly is very, very well known and about as prestigious in industry as you can possibly get. As a Cal Poly grad no one will ever question your credentials. Awesome Rodeo as well!!</p>
<p>The way you worded your post sounds like you are already leaning towards CalPoly…</p>
<p>Picking SLO over Berkeley is ridiculous IMO I don’t care what program it is - ESPECIALLY if you are in the Natural Sciences program. Go to Cal.</p>
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<p>Except only 25% of Frosh do graduate in four years. Thus, the odds are clearly against the OP - it would be rather arrogant/presumptuous to think that s/he would beat the odds of thousands upon thousands of other students.</p>
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<p>All true.</p>
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<p>An opinion with which I disagree. :)</p>
<p>Hi bluebayou!! I found a post from ickglue, one of CC’s veteran contributors that I think you would find interesting. ickglue is a Cal Poly engineering grad and holds an MBA from Harvard.</p>
<p>“The engineering 4 year graduation rate is impacted by not only class availability, but also greatly affected by self-elected internships and co-ops.</p>
<p>Since most engineering students choose to partake in some form of co-op which typically lasts 2 quarters, they will invariably missed either Fall or Spring. This easily leads to them being delayed by 2 quarters due to being out of sync with class sequence.</p>
<p>But considering today’s lousy job market, graduating in 4 years without engineering co-op or internship experience may severely hinder the graduate’s ability to secure a solid engineering job; since many co-op students ended up getting offers from their employers.</p>
<p>So the question is whether graduating in 4 years is more crucial than gaining professional experience while in school.”</p>
<p>Do not make a mistake, go to Cal.</p>
<p>OsakaDad:</p>
<p>With all due respect, that is another pro-SLO post that is not relevant to this OP, who is leaning prevet. Attending college on the 5-year plan is a negative to Professional Schools, particularly when they have thousands of applications from students who graduated in the traditional four, but still found time to complete internships and ECs related to vet school. </p>
<p>The OP is not a pre-engineer seeking internships.</p>
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<p>No it is not. The question is whether a 5th year of tuition expense AND a decreased chance of admission to professional school is worth the gamble…</p>
<p>Jake: call/e-mail SLO and ask them how many student matriculate to Davis Vet every year. Then ask the same question of UCDavis. I think the numbers will be starkly different.</p>
<p>btw: IMO, a prevet is better off leaving the state for undergrad. Davis is the only vet school within miles in the west, and is more competitive than med school admissions.</p>
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<p>Actually, it may not be so clear; Cal Poly’s pre-professional emphasis likely means that co-op jobs are common (although percentage of students doing co-ops does not seem to be easily findable), so taking more than four calendar years to graduate without taking more than 12 quarters of school is likely common. But published stats on four year graduate rate do not distinguish between this innocuous reason (which is avoidable by just not taking quarters off to do co-op jobs) versus the less favorable reason of needing more than 12 quarters of school to graduate (usually due to taking lighter than normal course loads, failing courses, not finding courses available, needing remedial courses, changing major late, etc.).</p>
<p>Someone concerned about this should ask Cal Poly’s institutional research office what the 12 quarter in school graduation rate for the major in question is.</p>
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<p>Yes. You need to be comparing apples to apples. Cal Poly’s overall four-year graduation rate is affected by the engineering and architecture schools.</p>
<p>I can see how Cal can be very appealing. It is definitely the most prestigious out of the 3.</p>
<p>But also consider this, Davis and Cal Poly are WAY better ag school than Cal, I don’t know how anyone can argue this.</p>
<p>Also, both D and CP have full fledged working farms with lots of animals ON CAMPUS for the purpose of teaching ag students. I don’t know how Cal can beat that. As the saying goes, “Farm in Berkeley?”</p>
<p>So I don’t know why some of the posts would say you must go to Cal or else. If you want to be a vet, go to a good ag school with real animal experience and get great grades and I think grad/vet school will take care of itself.</p>
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UC Davis usually has a 25% success rate; Cal Poly SLO is usually at 10% or below. Most CSUs fare poorly in admissions.</p>
<p>Berkeley jumps around a bit, but it’s usually around 25% as well. Last year’s 50% success rate was unusually high.</p>
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Not quite true, as there’s one in Pomona now. It’s not nearly as prestigious as UC Davis, of course, but any AVMA-certified vet school is good. Leaving the state won’t do a student any good, in any case, since it’s unlikely (s)he would be able to establish state residency elsewhere.</p>
<p>I usually advocate picking a college with a vet school, UC Davis in the case. As for Berkeley, students in the Bay Area usually get experience with local vets and organizations like the Marine Mammal Center; clinical/research experience is available through Stanford comparative med, though I’ve only ever met one undergrad who took advantage of that (she wound up at vet school at NCSU). I do think a lack of readily available large animal experience is a handicap at Berkeley. I don’t see much point in picking SLO over either UC, though I must admit that as a non-Californian it is obviously a rather unknown entity to me.</p>
<p>Thanks to everyone who posted to my original thread. I have questions into SLO, UCD, and UCB about their application and admission rates into Vet School but no responses yet. The discussion of co-op and internship impact on 4 year graduation rates (especially at SLO) is eye-opening but not too relevant to my situation in Animal Sciences since I think that issue applies to Engineering where taking a quarter off is the norm. Perhaps I’m wrong. </p>
<p>Argh, the decision is not an easy one. If I was 100% sure being a vet was what I wanted to do I’d pick UCD. UCB will have the most alternative options but is not known for its animal sciences program. Cal Poly SLO is beautiful and well respected within CA, but would offer fewer options and, like I said, if I knew being a vet was a sure thing, I’d pick UCD. I know it shouldn’t mater but it just feels wrong to not select the overall highest ranked school. </p>
<p>Anyone have a three sided coin?</p>
<p>If you are not sure of your major (which may or may not depend on your pre-vet intentions), have you checked each school to see how difficult changing your major would be?</p>
<p>Thanks for everyone’s advice. I ended up choosing Berkeley.</p>