D22 was waitlisted for Gen Engineering from OOS and is crushed as it has been her dream school for several years. Outstanding stats like most applicants - now facing tough decisions. Looking from input from California residents/engineering alums. She was accepted at UCSB, UCD, and Cal Poly Pomona in Electrical Engineering. Pros/Cons of programs and campuses? Any help would be appreciated!
You should setup a new thread under College Search & Selection, you’ll get many more eyeballs than just the 2026 SLO forum. @lkg4answers is one of CC’s UC experts and can help you with your question. @Gumbymom is another UC expert.
I’d say pick the best location and fit and go with that college. Pomona being a CSU will be less expensive, if the cost variance matters to your family.
Has she visited all 3 schools? Preferences on location and student life?
Are all within your budget?
Have you compared the EE curriculum for each school? Does she prefer the hands on/learn by doing found at the Cal Polys?
4 year plans:
https://www.ece.ucsb.edu/undergrad/curriculum/4-year-plan
What drew her to SLO? If it was the hands on, “Learn by Doing” she will probably appreciate CPP. If it is the college town/community feel, Davis might be a good fit.
UCSB and UCD have their admitted student days this weekend. Are you planning on attending either of them?
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My son is a Cal Poly Alum (BS/MS ME). When we visited him first year during Parent’s Weekend I asked him an interesting question. His answer is important for your daughter to hear. I said, “Now that you have been here for a while, do you think it was the perfect choice?” He said, “I like it here a lot, but honestly, I would have been great at all of the schools I applied to.” He enjoyed his time at Cal Poly, met many friends, and got a great education. The bloom falls off the rose though at EVERY school. He said the campus food was terrible. Off campus housing is a racket. He was never particularly enamored with the administrators, feeling that they put too much emphasis on the wrong stuff and underpaid instructors. She will find the best in whatever school she attends. It will have warts. They all do, even her “dream school.”
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She truly loved both the “learn by doing” and the overall SLO community/campus atmosphere.
We really appreciate your response and that of other families as we grapple with the decision.
We visited CP SLO, UCSB, UCB on a recent trip to California, but did not have time to see all the schools to which she had applied. Now wishing we could get back to CPP and UCD as I think those 2 will most likely fit her personality best.
Would love to hear from any CPP or UCD engineering alum! Thanks
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Congrats, they are all very good.
you really have to visit - talk to some current students, spend some time on/near campus. The student experience is so markedly different and one will stand out as a better fit. The only wrong choice is the one that’s a poor fit.
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