<p>I know the people in this thread are probably slightly biased, but Im gonna ask anyway.</p>
<p>Im pretty much deciding between Cal Poly SLO and UCSB for next year. I really like them both, but Im confused by the research thing. I know UC's are "research" schools, but what exactly does that mean? Are there pros and cons as opposed to a non-research school (like cal poly)? </p>
<p>If youre already a student there and you know anything about the biopsych major, that would really help me out too!</p>
<p>Schools in the CSU system are more applied learning. They provide hands on learning hence their motto learning by doing (i think thats wut it is). Also, they do not offer doctoral degrees like the UCs offer, as the highest degree they offer is a Masters.</p>
<p>UC’s are called research schools because the professors there not only teach, but are expected to do research and contribute to the knowledge and findings of that university. A research school offers doctoral degrees and is more “book” knowledge.</p>
<p>It all depends on your preference and the way you learn the best. Research schools are hence more nationally recognized by the degrees offered and research they were able to perform.</p>
<p>The problem i have with these two categories is that college rankings such as USNWR rank research (what they call “national universitiies”) seperately from “master colleges”, such as CSUSLO. Yea most delusional asian parents (including my own) only look at the national rankings, and simply believe that schools like CSUSLO are **** because they arent on their rankings.</p>
<p>I finally decided to go to Cal Poly after attending UCSB Spring Insight. I got into UCD, UCI, and UCSB but liked the smaller classes at Cal Poly, as well as the whole feel of the college and the neighboring town. Isla Vista just seemed like it might be too much of a distraction. My sister, who is a junior at Cal Poly picked it’s Engineering program over UCSD, UCD, UCI and UCSB has been very happy there.</p>
<p>For an undergrad degree its not going to make a huge difference, at least not for most people. As a research institution a place like UCSB has the cadres of grad students and professors to go after bigger research grants. A prof supervising a stable of grad students working on their PhD (which takes 3-8 years) can apply to get a grant in an area requiring expensive equipment and the years of labor to investigate that at a Cal-State school with its lack of long-term grad students would have difficulty staffing. But this would only matter to you if you tried to get a job in such a lab.</p>
<p>For most kids, in pretty much most majors, it really comes down to personal preference. Visit both schools, talk to current students, get a sense of what is a better fit for you. That’s the one you should choose.</p>
<p>Go to Santa Barbara, if:
you want a bigger school feeling
planning on going to grad school right after your 4 years</p>
<p>Cal Poly, if:
you want a strong engineering education
you want a college town experience
you are more job-oriented, as supposed to the “theoretical” learning</p>