What does it mean when a school is "more theory based"

<p>I am hearing that certain schools are more theories based than others.. and i have no idea what that means.. I have yet to turn in my SIR and am deciding between SB LA and SD, i hear that SD is "much more theories based so it depends if you like that.."</p>

<p>What is your major?</p>

<p>I’ve heard this is true for UCs in certain majors. My brother has an engineering degree from UC Davis and according to him the education he got there was less hands on and practical than the education he would have got had he gone to, say, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.</p>

<p>think about this way. For mechanical engineers, people might think of them in two ways, those with technical study or those with theoretical study. Technical stuff is something like fixing a car with your own hands like mechanics do. Theoretical stuff is something like using equations and knowing the theoretical concepts about the efficiency of the engines, and so forth. As you might guess, most universities try their best to rely on theoretical study, and I believe this is what university is all about, unless you go to “technical school” or whatever some TV commercials advertize.</p>

<p>Is it true, though, that places like Cal Poly SLO(which seem to take pride in the “practical” nature of their curriculum) differ in subjects like engineering compared to a UC? My brother just happened to major in Mechanical Engineering, btw.</p>

<p>Well UCs prepare you for graduate school… cal poly prepares you for real work…</p>

<p>SDBaby, I think “more theory based” would be something more academic in regards to the “study of______” as apposed to a practical which is taught to be more “useful” or pre professional.</p>

<p>Schools that are not “more theory based” are schools that are more practical and who aim at preparing students to enter the work force. While “more theory based” are schools that prepare students for possibly grad school/professional schools etc.</p>