Why is Cal poly slo so underated?

Snipy · March 19, 2009, 1:41am

Besides the obvious fact that it is a cal state, what other factors contribute to it being so underrated?

I don’t know, but in my school kids tend to put the UC system above slo.

OoPurestOo · March 19, 2009, 2:00am

Probably because it's a Cal State pretty much and that it doesn't have a national university ranking like the UC's do.

mwhip07 · March 19, 2009, 2:19am

yeah i agree with OopurestOo but if youre an engineering major, you will know that slo is one of the best schools to go to. i think slo is pretty equal to any uc, its just the cal state thing

Rofler · March 19, 2009, 4:08am

California Polytechnic State University is very underrated..A lot of people seem to always label Cal Poly SLO as less than UC's despite the fact that a lot of its programs are ranked much higher than UC's..

For example: Architecture #2 in the nation behind Harvard, Construction Management #2 in the nation, Parks and Recreation #1, City and Regional Planning top 5, all of the engineering dept is ranked very high, the Orfalea School of Business is #2 in the state behind UC Berkeleys Haas for Public Universitys, a lot of the AG majors place at the top of the Nat'l rankings, Industrial Technology #1 in the nation, and so much more..

Also it is an extremely selective university, it accepted 33% last year.. Thats lower than even UCSD.. For being such a great college, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo deserves a little more recognition.. I think we can all agree on that.

gotpeter · March 19, 2009, 11:51am

It's strength, "learn by doing" as opposed to the traditional theorem/proof approach, is also its weakness when it comes to rankings and 'reputation'. The lack of PhD programs doesn't help either.

ralph4 · March 19, 2009, 1:48pm

Forbes list of Top Public Colleges for Getting Rich rankings are as follows:

<ol>
<li>UC Berkely</li>
<li>U of Virginia
tie 3. UCLA
tie 3. Cal Poly SLO
tie 3. UC San Diego</li>
<li>UC Davis</li>
<li>U of Colorado, Boulder</li>
<li>UC Irvine
tie 9. U of Illinois
tie 9. Texas A & M Univ</li>
</ol>

In</a> Pictures: Top Public Colleges For Getting Rich - Forbes.com

The Orfalea College of Business at Cal Poly is one of only two public universities in California to rank in the Top 100 undergraduate business programs in the nation, according to a recent ranking by Business Week magazine.

<a href="http://calpolynews.calpoly.edu/news_releases/2009/March/Orfalea.html%5B/url%5D">http://calpolynews.calpoly.edu/news_releases/2009/March/Orfalea.html</a>

And for Undergraduate Engineering it's ranked 16th in the country, 7th for public schools nationwide, 5th in California, and 2nd among California public schools (behind Berkeley)

USNEWS 2008 Engineering Ranking Compilation

Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs (combined lists-- schools that do/do not offer doctorate degrees)

---- 1. Massachusetts Inst. of Technology 4.9
CA- 2. Stanford University (CA) 4.7
CA- 2. University of California–Berkeley * 4.7
CA- 4. California Institute of Technology 4.6
---- 5. Georgia Institute of Technology * 4.5
-----5. U. of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign * 4.5
CA- 5. Harvey Mudd College (CA) 4.5 (doctorate degree not offered ) 
---- 5. Rose-Hulman Inst. of Tech. (IN) 4.5 (doctorate degree not offered)
---- 9. Cornell University (NY) 4.4
---- 9. University of Michigan–Ann Arbor * 4.4
---- 11. Carnegie Mellon University (PA) 4.2
---- 11. Purdue Univ.–West Lafayette (IN)* 4.2
---- 11. University of Texas–Austin * 4.2
---- 11. Cooper Union (NY) 4.2 (doctorate degree not offered)
---- 15. Princeton University (NJ) 4.1
---- 16. Univ. of Wisconsin–Madison * 4.0
CA- 16. Cal Poly–San Luis Obispo * 4.0 (doctorate degree not offered)
---- 18. Johns Hopkins University (MD) 3.9
---- 18. Northwestern University (IL) 3.9
---- 18. Virginia Tech * 3.9
---- 18. United States Military Academy (NY)* 3.9 (doctorate degree not offered)
---- 18. United States Naval Academy (MD)* 3.9 (doctorate degree not offered)
---- 23. Pennsylvania State U.–University Park * 3.8
---- 23. Rice University (TX) 3.8
---- 23. Texas A&M Univ.–College Station * 3.8
---- 23. Bucknell University (PA) 3.8 (doctorate degree not offered)
---- 23. United States Air Force Acad. (CO)* 3.8 (doctorate degree not offered)
---- 28. Columbia University (NY) 3.7
-----28. Rensselaer Polytechnic Inst. (NY) 3.7
CA- 28. Univ. of California–Los Angeles * 3.7
---- 28. Univ. of Minnesota–Twin Cities * 3.7
---- 28. University of Washington * 3.7
---- 33. Duke University (NC) 3.6
---- 33. Ohio State University–Columbus * 3.6
CA- 33. Univ. of California–San Diego * 3.6
---- 33. Univ. of Maryland–College Park * 3.6
---- 33. Embry Riddle Aeronautical U. (FL) 3.6 (doctorate degree not offered)
---- 33. Villanova University (PA) 3.6 (doctorate degree not offered)
---- 39. North Carolina State U.–Raleigh * 3.5
---- 39. University of Florida * 3.5
---- 39. University of Pennsylvania 3.5
CA- 39. Univ. of Southern California 3.5
---- 43. Harvard University (MA) 3.4
CA- 43. University of California–Davis * 3.4
---- 43. University of Colorado–Boulder * 3.4
---- 43. University of Virginia * 3.4
---- 43. Kettering University (MI) 3.4 (doctorate degree not offered)
---- 43. Lafayette College (PA) 3.4 (doctorate degree not offered)
---- 43. Milwaukee School of Engineering 3.4 (doctorate degree not offered)
---- 43. Swarthmore College (PA) 3.4 (doctorate degree not offered)
---- 43. United States Coast Guard Acad. (CT)* 3.4 (doctorate degree not offered)
---- 52. Arizona State University * 3.3
---- 52. Case Western Reserve Univ. (OH) 3.3
---- 52. Iowa State University * 3.3
---- 52. Lehigh University (PA) 3.3
CA- 52. Univ. of California–Santa Barbara * 3.3
---- 52. Yale University (CT) 3.3
CA- 52. Calif. State Poly. Univ.–Pomona * 3.3 (doctorate degree not offered)
---- 52. Rowan University (NJ)* 3.3 (doctorate degree not offered)
CA- 52. San Jose State University (CA)* 3.3 (doctorate degree not offered)
---- 52. Union College (NY) 3.3 (doctorate degree not offered)
---- 62. Brown University (RI) 3.2
---- 62. Michigan State University * 3.2
---- 62. University of Notre Dame (IN) 3.2
---- 62. Vanderbilt University (TN) 3.2
---- 62. Washington University in St. Louis 3.2
---- 62. Baylor University (TX) 3.2 (doctorate degree not offered)
---- 62. Bradley University (IL) 3.2 (doctorate degree not offered)
---- 62. Embry Riddle Aeronautical U.–Prescott (AZ) 3.2 (doctorate degree not offered)
CA- 62. Santa Clara University (CA) 3.2 (doctorate degree not offered)
---- 62. Valparaiso University (IN) 3.2 (doctorate degree not offered)
---- 72. Dartmouth College (NH) 3.1
---- 72. Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey–New Brunswick (NJ)* 3.1
---- 72. University of Arizona * 3.1
CA- 72. University of California–Irvine * 3.1
---- 72. Gonzaga University (WA) 3.1 (doctorate degree not offered)
CA- 72. Loyola Marymount University (CA) 3.1 (doctorate degree not offered)
---- 72. Smith College (MA) 3.1 (doctorate degree not offered)
---- 72. Univ. of Colo.–Colorado Springs * 3.1 (doctorate degree not offered)
CA- 72. University of San Diego 3.1 (doctorate degree not offered)
---- 72. Virginia Military Institute * 3.1 (doctorate degree not offered)

slodad · March 19, 2009, 3:01pm

ralph4...I haven't seen the 08 USNEWS ranking. Did they actually have a combined list or is that something you put together?

ralph4 · March 19, 2009, 3:28pm

Since U.S. News only publishes separate lists, I merged the two lists (schools that offer a doctorate and schools that don't) by the School Peer Assessment Score (the 1.0 - 5.0 scale) that USNews uses to rank the schools.

From U.S. News:

"The U.S. News rankings of undergraduate programs accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology are based solely on the judgments of deans and senior faculty who rated each program they are familiar with on a scale from 1 (marginal) to 5 (distinguished). Engineering school deans and faculty members (two at each engineering program) were surveyed in spring 2008."

So really these scores are just based on the opinions of Deans and senior faculty. But regardless, Cal Poly recieved some of the best scores in the nation, and was one of only 17 schools to recieve a 4.0 or higher.

slodad · March 19, 2009, 3:42pm

OK that's what I thought.

a_mom · March 20, 2009, 3:15am

Agree Cal Poly is underrated, I see it should be with 2nd tier UCs. However I'd like to bring up a point that unlike the undergrad engineering program offered at every UC & CSU campuses, for UCs, only Berkeley, Irvine and Riverside have undergrad business program, and the one in Irvine just started last year. But still, Orfalea' business program definately deserves its Top 100 spot.

ralph4 · March 20, 2009, 3:52pm

Ok. So I was bored and wanted to see how CPSLO statcks up against other top Engineering schools (public only) as far as admission statistics goes for newly admitted freshman. I used College Board admission statistics and ranked all the public schools on the USNEWS Engineering lists that had Peer Assessment scores greater than 3.0. Here's what I came up with. (Ranking is mostly by SAT middle 50% ranges with ACT used to break ties. Admission percent was not used to determine rank.)

Cal Poly makes it into the top 20 ahead of all the mid-tier UC's, and has the highest ranking of non-doctoral universities other than the Military Academies.

Considering that
a) CPSLO it's one of the least expensive schools on the list
b) it doesn't require "payback" to the military
c) it is the only public school in California (other than UCB) to recieve a USNews Peer Assessment Score of 4.0 or higher

I'd say CPSLO is the best value out there for a California student in Engineering, and probably in other majors too.

USNEWS Top Public Undergrad Engineering Schools ranked by 2008 College Board Admission Statistics

------- Accept-- SAT -- SAT--------------------------------------- USNews Engineering
--- Rank - % --- CR -- Math -- ACT--- Name -------------------- Peer Assesment Score

CA---- 1. ------- 2. ------- 3. ------- 4. ------- 5. ------- 6. CA---- 6. ------- 8. ------- 9. ------ 10. ------ 11. CA----12. ------ 12. ------ 12. ------ 15. ------ 16. ------ 16. ------ 18. CA--- 19. ------ 19. CA--- 21. ------ 21. ------ 21. CA--- 24. ------ 25. ------ 26. ------ 27. CA--- 28. ------ 29. ------ 30. ------ 31. ------ 32. ------ 33. ------ 34. ------ 34. ------ 36. CA--- 37. CA--- 38. 22% 580-710 630-760 ------ University of California–Berkeley 4.7 
61% 600-690 650-730 27-31 Georgia Institute of Technology * 4.5
42% 580-690 640-740 27-31 University of Michigan–Ann Arbor * 4.4 
37% 600-710 610-720 27-32 University of Virginia * 3.4 
69% 530-660 650-750 26-31 U. of Illinois–Urbana-Champaign * 4.5 
18% 600-680 620-700 25-29 United States Air Force Acad. (CO)* 3.8 (*** Doctorate not offered ) 
23% 570-680 600-730 25-31 Univ. of California–Los Angeles * 3.7
53% 540-670 620-730 26-30 Univ. of Wisconsin–Madison * 4.0 
39% 570-680 600-700 ------ Univ. of Maryland–College Park * 3.6 
39% 570-680 590-700 25-30 University of Florida * 3.5 
14% 560-670 600-700 ------ U.S. Naval Academy (MD) 3.9 (* Doctorate not offered ) 
42% 540-660 600-710 24-30 Univ. of California–San Diego * 3.6 
30% 560-670 600-680 25-29 U.S. Coast Guard Acad (CT) 3.4 (* Doctorate not offered )
16% 560-670 590-680 25-30 U.S. Military Academy (NY) 3.9 (* Doctorate not offered ) 
53% 530-670 580-710 24-29 Univ. of Minnesota–Twin Cities * 3.7 
59% 550-650 580-680 25-29 Ohio State University–Columbus * 3.6
44% 540-660 570-690 24-30 University of Texas–Austin * 4.2 
61% 530-650 570-680 24-29 University of Washington * 3.7 
34% 530-630 570-680 24-29 Cal Poly–San Luis Obispo * 4.0 ( Doctorate not offered )
65% 540-630 570-670 ----- Virginia Tech * 3.9 
49% 530-650 550-670 23-29 Univ. of California–Santa Barbara * 3.3 
51% 530-630 570-670 ------ Pennsylvania State U.–University Park * 3.8 
56% 530-630 560-680 ------ Rutgers, State University of NJ--New Brunswick 3.1 
49% 520-630 570-670 ------ University of California–Irvine * 3.1 
70% 520-630 560-670 23-29 Texas A&M Univ.–College Station * 3.8
87% 490-650 550-680 22-27 Iowa State University * 3.3 
78% 520-630 550-650 24-28 University of Colorado–Boulder * 3.4 
53% 500-630 550-670 22-28 University of California–Davis * 3.4 
59% 520-610 550-660 22-27 North Carolina State U.–Raleigh * 3.5 
70% 480-620 540-660 23-27 Michigan State University * 3.2 
72% 490-610 530-660 23-28 Purdue Univ.–West Lafayette (IN)* 4.2 
54% 510-620 530-620 21-26 Virginia Military Institute * 3.1 (* Doctorate not offered )
81% 480-600 500-620 21-26 University of Arizona * 3.1
90% 470-600 480-610 20-26 Arizona State University * 3.3 
57% 480-580 500-600 ----- Rowan University (NJ) 3.3 (* Doctorate not offered ) 
69% 470-600 470-610 21-26 Univ. of Colo.–Colorado Springs * 3.1 ( Doctorate not offered )
53% 440-550 470-600 18-24 Calif. State Poly. Univ.–Pomona * 3.3 Doctorate not offered *) 
66% 430-540 450-580 18-24 San Jose State University (CA) 3.3 (* Doctorate not offered ***)

littlehiphopgirl · March 21, 2009, 12:12am

yeah it's really annoying when people ask me where i'm going and i say slo and some people who don't know ... look at me like i'm crazy because they're like "so you're going to a cal state?"

but for certain majors, many know that it is a pretty good school that ranks around some of the mid tier uc's.

gotpeter · March 21, 2009, 12:25pm

FWIW, I was told that the UC powers wanted to move Cal Poly into the UC system and Cal Poly refused. Can anyone confirm that?

supergerbil · March 21, 2009, 3:40pm

gotpeter, I've heard a proposal about that somewhere. Although last I heard its still in the air, though cal poly doesn't want to as it will have to increase tuition fees, etc.

gotpeter · March 21, 2009, 4:23pm

supergerbil, I googled it and came up blank. There were other issues besides tuition but I can't recall them. IMHO, Cal Poly with its 'learn by doing' approach is in a league by itself anyway.

Snipy · March 21, 2009, 4:34pm

If anyone finds the article please link me. This proposal of cal poly slo to become a uc is really interesting.

Bromethius99 · March 22, 2009, 4:59am

"yeah it's really annoying when people ask me where i'm going and i say slo and some people who don't know ... look at me like i'm crazy because they're like "so you're going to a cal state?""
i could not have said it any better myself...
i think people get the idea after i tell them that im turning down USC for SLO
their architecture program is kick-ass

imgoing2college · March 22, 2009, 3:06pm

What's the difference between UCs and Cal States? Like, what's the criteria to become a UC?

BirdKiller · March 22, 2009, 7:07pm

The UC system is the primary public university system in California that conducts research, grants doctorates, and meant to attain about the top 12% of graduating high school students in California who are going to college.

The Cal State system is more focused on education for undergraduates (which could attribute why undergraduate education in engineering for Cal Poly is respected) than research and almost every campus except for one or two only grant B.A's and M.A's, with exceptions to doctorates in education fields. The system is meant to attain the bulk of graduating high school students in California who are going to college.

lemon_lime_rush · March 22, 2009, 7:30pm

CalPoly SLO is known as the CSU that thinks it's a UC. In terms of the Cal State system, it's at the top, but many people still see it as below the UCs. I would say because it is a Cal State, also since it is not a research institution, CalPoly and the UCs are never ranked in the same system. Automatically people are unsure of how to compare them.

However, CalPoly SLO has a reputable reputation, especially for architecture and engineering as well as business management.

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