Would I be making a mistake turning down UCLA/UCSD for Cal Poly SLO?

College Majors Engineering Majors
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<p>I'm a 26 years old transfer student for Mechanical Engineering.</p>

<p>So i know all the generic pro's and con's. </p>

<p>Big City vs, Rural, Theory vs. Hands On, Graduate School vs. Straight to work, Expensive vs. Less Expensive, Big Classes vs Smaller Classes, TA's teaching vs Professors Teaching</p>

<p>If all the schools mentioned above were at the same prestige level,I would pick Cal Poly hands down because I love the surrounding area and the small downtown. I grew up in LA and love the outdoors. I could honestly do both lifestyles of of big city or rural no problem. I have checked out all the campuses and they're all fine to me, not that picky I guess. Purely on building aesthetics I'd say UCLA but it truly is irrelevant to me.</p>

<p>Money is not an issue since I'll be on the G.I. Bill (USMC)</p>

<p>I love Cal Poly but I feel it doesn't have the pull or attention when someone mouths UCLA/UCSD. At the same time I feel that all the people that shout UCLA/UCSD really don't know anything and just yell it because its a household name. Cal Poly on the other hand has some secret underground ranking that people keep talking about that its the go-to place for companies to hire (Is this true ?).</p>

<p>Personally, I haven't decided if I'd want to go straight to work or maybe go for an MBA (which then I'd pick UCLA). On that token will I be at a disadvantage because I went to a CSU for my undergrad ?</p>

<p>So my question is to those actually working in the engineering field or, those that do hiring, is what do you prefer or have seen preferred in terms of school background for an engineering undergrad? In the long run are they all the same ?</p>

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<p>Well it appears that you seem a bit preoccupied with the prestige factor. You obviously are very concerned about what others will think of your school of choice, which is perfectly normal, albeit immature. However, if the name and associated bragging rights are really important to you, then by all means, go to UCLA/UCSD. They are great schools with great engineering programs. You can’t go wrong with either. You also can’t go wrong with Cal Poly. I know plenty of successful people from all three schools.</p>

<p>The reality is (as someone who has already gone through undergrad and grad school, and worked for 3 years in industry), your success will ultimately be a function of your performance at school and on the job. How well you do in college matters. It matters a lot in fact. Where you go to school matters little, with the exception of the very tippy top elite jobs out there, or if you went to a school with a known mediocre to poor reputation (none of those schools even remotely fit this bill).</p>

<p>It sounds like Cal Poly is the school you feel has the best fit. If that’s the case, then don’t hold back. Go there and do well!</p>

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<p>CPSLO is well known and well recruited for engineering, at least in California.</p>

<p>As far as MBA goes, MBA programs favor those with good work experience after their bachelor’s degrees.</p>

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<p>Who cares what other people think. It’s what EMPLOYERS think that makes a difference. Cal Poly grads make some of the highest mid career salaries. That is verifiable fact. </p>

<p>The difference are in the schools. The UC’s are research universities. If you don’t want to do research, and just want a good education to work at the top companies of America, Cal Poly is one of the best options around. Employers know what they are getting and actively recruit Cal Poly grads.</p>

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<p>First of all, thank you for your service to our country. As a 26 year old veteran, you must have seen some action in either Iraq or Afghanistan or both. It is young men like you that make the country great. Welcome home.</p>

<p>Now to your question. My son is currently a Mechanical Engineering major at Cal Poly SLO. He turned UCLA, UCSD, UCI (Honors), UCSB and two other school including Cal Poly Pomona (Kellogg Honors) for Cal poly SLO. To put his decision into context, in high school he was a valedictory scholar with a perfect unweighted GPA of 4.00. With honors and AP classes it was about a weighted 4.5 GPA. He also scored in the top few percentile for the SAT and ACT. My point is that my son was exceptionally well qualified and was accepted to many of the top schools in CA. After all the tours were done it was self evident that Cal Poly SLO was his first choice. The perceived “prestige factor” of many of those other schools was irrelevant when job prospects and employer perception was taken into account. If you love Cal Poly go there. You’d be surprised how well regarded the school is especially for Mechanical Engineering.</p>

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<p>Thanks for your replies.</p>

<p>@fractalmstr: Believe me, i know its petty and immature. By what other people think, i generally don’t care but, all my older buds and parents are just giving me such conflicting information and its like planting a little seed in my head to rethink everything. (UC = more job preference, UC = better education, blah blah blah)</p>

<p>@OsakaDad: through my endless hours of research, you always popped up on the CPSLO topics and gave the best advice/information/perspective. Your cohort ickglue is also very insightful.</p>

<p>I actually applied to my colleges when I was on my last tour in Afghanistan (2010) through a satellite phone with my girlfriend on the line. Lol, I actually had to get on a convoy to submit my essay that I typed from my Patrol Base in order to submit it through a public server available on a larger base hours away (Good thing I had a cool officer who respected my dedication for getting into school to allow this to happen). </p>

<p>Regardless my time was extended as an expert trainer involuntarily for an additional two years (tapped into my inactive time). i was not very happy. (I was accepted to all the UC’s I applied to, UCSD,UCSB,UCI,UCSC,UCR,UCLA)</p>

<p>Either way, when I applied; UCSD was my first pick because I loved the idea of being in SD and at the time I wanted to be a Bio engineer. Well things changed and when I finally got out I returned to CC for another year and had to reapply to all my schools (except UCSD who honored my old acceptance due to my circumstances)</p>

<p>When i returned I was unsure about what I wanted to pursue. I shot gunned different engineering majors (UCI - Biomedical, UCR - Mechanical, UCLA - Civil, UCSD - Structual, Cal Poly SLO - Mechanical, Cal Poly Pomona - Civil w/ Environmental). I got into all of them except Pomona which is still pending oddly enough.</p>

<p>By shear fluke, the night prior that apps were due, i applied to CPSLO and Pomona just out of impulse. When I visited SLO, it just felt so perfect in terms of atmosphere and people. The downtown reminded me of my hometown of Burbank, Ca (i.e. Magnolia Street and downtown Burbank). </p>

<p>So that’s my dilemma. I never expected to be swept away by SLO in just a few hours the way I did. It just totally blind sided me and made me completely rethink everything. So I’ve been frantically reading up on all I could about CP SLO since I never gave it any though due to the UC>CSU mentality that so many people seem to support.</p>

<p>Now I’m just trying to find out how SLO looks to an employer (which thankyou to the other posts for giving insight into this) or how CPSLO looks for grad school admissions (i.e. UC guy and CPSLO guy same stats and EC = UC guy wins ?). Are we viewed the same ?</p>

<p>Additonally, I’ve been awarded the HEYE scholarship so I’m going to go to SLO for sure. I just want to wrap up all loose ends.</p>

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<p>I am retired from the aerospace industry in the LA area and have worked with many CalPolySLO grads but only a few UCLA grads. Neither group stood out one way or the other. It is truly what you do after you graduate that separates the good engineers from the rest of the pack. If you really like the SLO area, go for it. It is beautiful there and such a good climate.</p>

<p>My son graduated from CalPolySLO mechanical engineering and loved it there. One downside to CPSLO ME; their 4 year grad rate is low. Most, including my son, need about 5 years. Primary reason seems to be class availability. So do watch when classes are available and pay attention to the prerequisites.</p>

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<p>Lol, I’ve heard that’s a big problem at CPSLO, as well as the other CSU’s. Luckily veteran = priority registration. If I didn’t, I’d probably be 30 by the time I finished school.</p>

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<p>@TransferStud3nt – Congrats on making a very good decision. You are going to LOVE Cal Poly SLO and you will have plenty of internship and co-op opportunities that lead to great paying jobs. Industry really does respect the school. If you have read my other posts, then I will spare you a repeat of why I think that Cal Poly is tops.</p>

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<p>If I were to decide to go to grad school (for engineering), would internships/work experience be weighed differently in comparison to those who have research ?</p>

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<p>If you go to either school you have a chance to be successful. But the fact is: UCLA/UCSD <em>are</em> more recognized schools. Your reasons for going to Cal Poly just don’t make sense for me. Though picking UCLA solely for the “wow-factor” is a bit naive, I think picking a school because the downtown left an impression on you is even more absurd. The surrounding area is what you notice the first week you are there. But the UCLA diploma will be with you your whole life. You should just graduate from UCLA then get an apartment in San Luis Obispo and enjoy it for the rest of your life.</p>

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<p>It’s the WAY they educate engineers at SLO that makes so many pass up prestige to attend. WPI is very similar, hand on, active from the beginning with a reputation within the industry that far outpaces its USNWR ranking.</p>

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<p>I am a businessman and to me it all comes down to the bottom line. When it comes to ROI (return on investment) in 2013 Cal Poly rose to be 7th of all schools both public and private in California and 2nd for public schools in a near dead heat with UC Berkeley. No other California public school beats out Cal Poly for long term ROI including UCLA, UCSD, etc.</p>

<p>Cal Poly Again Among Top 20 Public Schools in PayScale Survey</p>

<p>University Jumps to No. 37 Overall in Latest National Rankings of College Tuition Return on Investment </p>

<p>SAN LUIS OBISPO — For the second consecutive year, Cal Poly ranked in the nation’s top 20 public universities for college tuition return on investment, according to PayScale. Additionally, Cal Poly’s overall ranking among all universities jumped to 37 from 62.</p>

<p>PayScale’s study analyzed more than 1,000 U.S. universities and colleges.</p>

<p>The 2013 report ranked Cal Poly’s ROI ninth out of 437 public universities. When looking at graduates’ mid-career salaries, Cal Poly alumni ranked 13th among 452 state schools across the nation.</p>

<p>Rankings such as PayScale’s illustrate the positive outcomes of a campus community dedicated to student success and faculty committed to Learn by Doing, said Cal Poly President Jeffrey D. Armstrong.</p>

<p>“It’s always gratifying when Cal Poly is praised for the value of its education,” Armstrong said. “Implicitly, this ranking acknowledges the excellence of a Cal Poly education. Employers pay our graduates so well because they know that Cal Poly alumni are innovative leaders and hard-working, creative thinkers.</p>

<p>“Couple our students’ intense academic focus with Cal Poly’s renowned Learn by Doing approach, and you have graduates who are life-long learners, an invaluable trait for personal and professional success,” Armstrong said.</p>

<p>The PayScale report ranked the cost of college, including the sum of tuition and fees, room and board, and books and supplies. The study used on-campus living costs for room and board. The calculations also used a weighted average for the number of years it takes students to graduate. from the respective schools. For public schools, the analysis is conducted for both in-state and out-of-state tuition.</p>

<p>For a complete listing and more information, including the methodology used to calculate the ROI, go to
<a href=“http://www.payscale.com/college-education-value-2013[/url]”>http://www.payscale.com/college-education-value-2013&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>Two points.</p>

<ol>
<li><p>It is considered a good ROI because it is a tech school in a state with a high cost of living. If you adjust for college major enrollment it will not outperform the uc schools</p></li>
<li><p>There is no objective evidence which suggests that SLO students have very hands on educations and that UCLA students study theoretical topics with no industry application. That is a misconception that gets thrown around a lot but there is no basis for it…</p></li>
</ol>

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<p>Nobody said that UCLA offers no application. Almost all schools do. It’s just when do they do it and in how many classes.</p>

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<p>@JamesMadison: Thanks for insults (in so many words). </p>

<p>I don’t see the issue with not taking the surrounding area and atmosphere as a factor after you take into account potential education quality. I’m not an idiot as to making that my only deciding criteria. I have a several friends that have chosen their universities solely for the name and prestige (which seriously ?? that isn’t that absurd for any hopeful college student) and have been semi-unhappy with their decisions for their various reasons i.e. other students, education quality, atmosphere, etc.</p>

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<p>I disagree with that statement. The surrounding area and atmosphere play key roles in the overall college experience, which is arugably nearly as important as the academics. The surrounding area, campus aesthetics, and nearby ammenities/outdoor opportunities are not just things that “you will notice the first week you are there”… These are things that have the ability to inspire you as a student, give you motivation, and help you grow on a personal level. A good college experience helps to keep your spirits high while you’re in school, and as you might imagine, a poor or mediocre experience can actually affect the way you view your field of study and/or academics altogether.</p>

<p>I am a firm believer in the college experience. Pick the school that fits you best on both a personal AND academic level… don’t underestimate the importance of the first part.</p>

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<p>However, good academic fit with mediocre personal fit will suit the purpose of going to college far better than mediocre academic fit with good personal fit.</p>

<p>Probably the majority of college students in the US do not have the luxury of looking for a good personal fit – they just want to find a good academic fit at an affordable price, with personal fit being of little importance beyond avoiding the relatively few extremely poor fits.</p>

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<p>You will love Cal Poly and the engineering program there. Both my H and I graduated from their engineering programs in the 70’s and found a number of employers who recruited form CP exclusively. My last engineering employer did heavy recruitment there because we found that the graduates had so much hands on experience that they could be thrown into projects sooner. I ended up as an on-site Project Manager of large construction projects, and found the fact that I had done welding, pipe-fitting, and metal forming as part of my engineering degree had a very positive impact on my approach to my projects. The atmosphere at CP is amazing and the surrounding area is a definite bonus for enjoying your time there!</p>

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<p>@JamesMadison

It is pretty obvious that you are not too familiar with Cal Poly SLO. The school has a STEM major orientation, however only about 25% of the student body are Engineering Majors. The rest are divided up between the colleges of Agriculture, Architecture, Liberal Arts (yes, Cal Poly has a thriving College of Liberal Arts and even has theater and music majors), Business, and Science & Math. Yes, California has a high cost of living, but so do many other states with any kind of an industrial or business base.

There may not have been double blind studies performed to prove this point. However, the anecdotal evidence is overwhelming and this includes my own research when we chose a school for my own son. I spoke to several hiring managers in industry and I even interviewed my client (I am a financial planner by trade) who was a UCLA undergrad and PhD in engineering and heads up the green technology unit for a major utility locally. Even he described his own experience at UCLA as being primarily theoretical. He suggested that we send our son to Cal Poly if what he wanted was a hands on education. Furthermore, it was the conversations with the heads of departments at the UC’s that sealed the deal for Cal Poly. We were told point blank by one department head at UCSD that her focus was not to prepare our student for the workforce and that her goal was to prepare our “scholar” for grad school. She also said that she did not believe in having labs directly associated with her classes for hands on experience “per se.” She indicated that the kids would get hands on experience in student clubs because “that was what clubs were for.” At UCLA, the professors spent most of the time discussing their personal research and how important it was (no doubt it is) and then they introduced us to their “team” of TA’s that would be the primary source of our kid’s education. At UCLA it would be two years of GE’s, engineering classes beginning late in the sophomore or early in the junior year and if our kid was lucky, then he might get invited on to a real professor’s research project in some junior capacity.</p>

<p>Quite frankly, as a businessman, I want an ROI on my investment. I want my money to go to my kid’s education not into some professor’s research budget. I want my kid’s education to be the main focus of a professor’s job. I do not want TA’s to be the main delivery mechanism of an education for my son. I want my kid to be studying in his major from day one of his freshman year. At Cal Poly he got that. At a UC? No possibility of that ever happening. Hands on and learn by doing is in Cal Poly’s DNA. Not so at many other schools.</p>

<p>Now, my intention here is not to degrade a UC education. I’ve had the experience of teaching international business part-time at UCLA’s Anderson School and when my kid got in, I pretty much decided that was it. UCLA is a fine institution and so is UCSD. However, UCLA was a total mismatch for our kid and UCSD came in 2nd place.</p>