Currently my mind is stuck between Mines and Cal Poly SLO, and I am trying to find insight wherever possible when it comes to a decision. If anyone has chosen to attend Mines then I was wondering if they had any specific reasons for doing so that might help me make a decision? I’m out of state, and I think that I would be equally as happy at both schools.
My son is choosing between Mines and Rose Hulman and having the same issue. How secure are you with your major choice? It’s often tough to switch at Cal Poly. Weather is very different. Poly is much bigger. How about the cost?
I can tell you why my son didn’t choose it after being accepted if that helps any. My son sat thru a computer science class that was just HORRIBLE and boring. It is such a small school and not a very vibrant vibe the 3x we visited. Golden is pretty much dead but luckily Denver a short hop away. People were honest when we walked around and chatted. Very clicky and not very many social events but the workload can be pretty brutal. Most people we asked on one visit not a one was on track to graduate in 4 years, so keep that in mind.
They push the petroleum degrees like crazy where you almost forget there are supposedly other degrees here. We took two tours and most comments were focused on those opportunities.
Great new dorm/dining facility that should be open though. The dorm already had students, and that’s the only dorm they showed us…dining hall wasn’t open yet. We ate once at the small older dining hall and wow not a lot of choices at mealtime. I really hope they changed that.
Cal Poly offers more majors, all major engineering disciplines, including business and social sciences and solid biology, but not as many on campus research opportunities. Cal Poly is strictly an undergraduate school with a fine reputation and good connections to jobs in California. Mines has PhDs programs and research opportunities with National Renewable Energy Labs, National Institute of Standards and actual research on campus. Miens has a FANTASTIC physics department with highly regarded faculty. Mines has an emphasis on teaching with faculty who are payed to teach and tenured for TEACHING, and other faculty payed to do research, so they allow professors to specialize in teaching or research. Cal Poly is in a very small town with a jail, and a beach not too far away. Yes San Luis Obispo is cute, but I think sort of dull? Golden is a nice town and has light rail to all the action of Denver, 20 minutes away but very accessible. Boulder is 20 miles north if a Mines student gets bored! Mines is near the best hiking and skiing on the planet outside of Utah! I would say for location, Mines wins. After all, Santa Barbara is a VERY long hitch hike from San Luis Obispo. Its a bit expensive to get to San Luis Obispo by airplane. Easy to fly to Denver and bus to Golden.