Small, safety engineering school?

[Anonymous]

https://amp.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/education/cal-poly-university/article274047625.html

This lists acceptance rate by major. It’s not even a UC. No wonder why many Californians are complaining that their GPA 4.x student could only go to community college. Competition is just too intense in CA.

[Anonymous]

Clarkson.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://amp.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/education/cal-poly-university/article274047625.html

This lists acceptance rate by major. It’s not even a UC. No wonder why many Californians are complaining that their GPA 4.x student could only go to community college. Competition is just too intense in CA.

Interesting.. didn't know slo was popular for psych

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://amp.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/education/cal-poly-university/article274047625.html

This lists acceptance rate by major. It’s not even a UC. No wonder why many Californians are complaining that their GPA 4.x student could only go to community college. Competition is just too intense in CA.

Interesting.. didn't know slo was popular for psych

That's an "easy" major for pre-meds. Do that and take the medical prerequisites while maintaining a high gpa.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s so hard to get into any engineering school now. Unless it’s so bad that you wouldn’t want to attend. DD was accepted by Cal Poly SLO. She applied thinking it was a safety. It turned out that SLO’s acceptance rate was only 8%.

oof someone didn't do their hw on SLO. Yea, SLO is hard to get into for eng/cs.

I think you both have it wrong. Cals are for California residents. They are very hard to get into from OOS . But it still comes down to - do you really want to do engineering at Cal Poly SLO?

Wrong. US News ranks SLO #6 engineering school in the country without a doctorate program, even ahead of Cooper Union.

it's a great school. Just plan on the 5-6 year plan to actually get the courses you want/need. If you manage to get out in 4, you can almost bet your technical electives are NOT the ones you really wanted for your interests---they were just whatever still had space or you had the pre-reqs for. IMO, not worth OOS tuition for the big school experience and all the bad that goes along with it.

Thanks. That’s good to know. I know someone who graduated from SLO with an architecture degree in the 90’s. Even bacj then it was an intense program. A bachelor’s degree took 5 years. He said over 2/3 of students were washed out in the first year—either changed major or dropped out. He said he had to pull a lot of all-nighters. Seems that SLO is a really serious school.

It is a serious school, but it's overcrowded. That's why for most majors it takes 5+ years. Literally the kids cannot get into classes needed. See the other link--only 25 spots for software engineering this year. SO they are trying to control it but that just means its impossible to get in even instate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s so hard to get into any engineering school now. Unless it’s so bad that you wouldn’t want to attend. DD was accepted by Cal Poly SLO. She applied thinking it was a safety. It turned out that SLO’s acceptance rate was only 8%.

oof someone didn't do their hw on SLO. Yea, SLO is hard to get into for eng/cs.

I think you both have it wrong. Cals are for California residents. They are very hard to get into from OOS . But it still comes down to - do you really want to do engineering at Cal Poly SLO?

Wrong. US News ranks SLO #6 engineering school in the country without a doctorate program, even ahead of Cooper Union.

it's a great school. Just plan on the 5-6 year plan to actually get the courses you want/need. If you manage to get out in 4, you can almost bet your technical electives are NOT the ones you really wanted for your interests---they were just whatever still had space or you had the pre-reqs for. IMO, not worth OOS tuition for the big school experience and all the bad that goes along with it.

I went to CPSLO in the 90s (business undergrad) and it's definitely a place with serious, focused students. In part because you have to apply into a major, start taking major classes in 1st year, and it's hard to switch paths. The apply-to-a-major thing seems more common now but was more unusual then. So you got a lot of students who really knew what path they wanted to take and were very career focused.

FWIW, I have a couple friends from college who've had their kids go to CPSLO now and they say the 5-year thing has gotten a lot better. Often 5-years now is a choice because the school encourages coops. It did in my day too but it was also a timing strategy to be off campus when you had the worst registration priority because you knew you wouldn't get classes then.

Thanks. That’s good to know. I know someone who graduated from SLO with an architecture degree in the 90’s. Even bacj then it was an intense program. A bachelor’s degree took 5 years. He said over 2/3 of students were washed out in the first year—either changed major or dropped out. He said he had to pull a lot of all-nighters. Seems that SLO is a really serious school.

It is a serious school, but it's overcrowded. That's why for most majors it takes 5+ years. Literally the kids cannot get into classes needed. See the other link--only 25 spots for software engineering this year. SO they are trying to control it but that just means its impossible to get in even instate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s so hard to get into any engineering school now. Unless it’s so bad that you wouldn’t want to attend. DD was accepted by Cal Poly SLO. She applied thinking it was a safety. It turned out that SLO’s acceptance rate was only 8%.

oof someone didn't do their hw on SLO. Yea, SLO is hard to get into for eng/cs.

I think you both have it wrong. Cals are for California residents. They are very hard to get into from OOS . But it still comes down to - do you really want to do engineering at Cal Poly SLO?

Wrong. US News ranks SLO #6 engineering school in the country without a doctorate program, even ahead of Cooper Union.

it's a great school. Just plan on the 5-6 year plan to actually get the courses you want/need. If you manage to get out in 4, you can almost bet your technical electives are NOT the ones you really wanted for your interests---they were just whatever still had space or you had the pre-reqs for. IMO, not worth OOS tuition for the big school experience and all the bad that goes along with it.

It is a serious school, but it's overcrowded. That's why for most majors it takes 5+ years. Literally the kids cannot get into classes needed. See the other link--only 25 spots for software engineering this year. SO they are trying to control it but that just means its impossible to get in even instate.

Thanks. That’s good to know. I know someone who graduated from SLO with an architecture degree in the 90’s. Even bacj then it was an intense program. A bachelor’s degree took 5 years. He said over 2/3 of students were washed out in the first year—either changed major or dropped out. He said he had to pull a lot of all-nighters. Seems that SLO is a really serious school.

I went to CPSLO in the 90s (business undergrad) and it's definitely a place with serious, focused students. In part because you have to apply into a major, start taking major classes in 1st year, and it's hard to switch paths. The apply-to-a-major thing seems more common now but was more unusual then. So you got a lot of students who really knew what path they wanted to take and were very career focused.

FWIW, I have a couple friends from college who've had their kids go to CPSLO now and they say the 5-year thing has gotten a lot better. Often 5-years now is a choice because the school encourages coops. It did in my day too but it was also a timing strategy to be off campus when you had the worst registration priority because you knew you wouldn't get classes then.

If you can get in, it's such a great college but is in this weird spot where UC-focused high achievers look down on it for being a Cal State while it is very different from most Cal States. I turned down Berkeley to go there because I really liked the undergrad focus, coop program, and great setting. My dad also really wanted me to go there because it was his favorite school to hire from. But I got a lot of crap from classmates about turning down a UC to go to a Cal State. There's a lot of snobbery about that in California.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s so hard to get into any engineering school now. Unless it’s so bad that you wouldn’t want to attend. DD was accepted by Cal Poly SLO. She applied thinking it was a safety. It turned out that SLO’s acceptance rate was only 8%.

oof someone didn't do their hw on SLO. Yea, SLO is hard to get into for eng/cs.

I think you both have it wrong. Cals are for California residents. They are very hard to get into from OOS . But it still comes down to - do you really want to do engineering at Cal Poly SLO?

Wrong. US News ranks SLO #6 engineering school in the country without a doctorate program, even ahead of Cooper Union.

it's a great school. Just plan on the 5-6 year plan to actually get the courses you want/need. If you manage to get out in 4, you can almost bet your technical electives are NOT the ones you really wanted for your interests---they were just whatever still had space or you had the pre-reqs for. IMO, not worth OOS tuition for the big school experience and all the bad that goes along with it.

It is a serious school, but it's overcrowded. That's why for most majors it takes 5+ years. Literally the kids cannot get into classes needed. See the other link--only 25 spots for software engineering this year. SO they are trying to control it but that just means its impossible to get in even instate.

Thanks. That’s good to know. I know someone who graduated from SLO with an architecture degree in the 90’s. Even bacj then it was an intense program. A bachelor’s degree took 5 years. He said over 2/3 of students were washed out in the first year—either changed major or dropped out. He said he had to pull a lot of all-nighters. Seems that SLO is a really serious school.

I went to CPSLO in the 90s (business undergrad) and it's definitely a place with serious, focused students. In part because you have to apply into a major, start taking major classes in 1st year, and it's hard to switch paths. The apply-to-a-major thing seems more common now but was more unusual then. So you got a lot of students who really knew what path they wanted to take and were very career focused.

FWIW, I have a couple friends from college who've had their kids go to CPSLO now and they say the 5-year thing has gotten a lot better. Often 5-years now is a choice because the school encourages coops. It did in my day too but it was also a timing strategy to be off campus when you had the worst registration priority because you knew you wouldn't get classes then.

If you can get in, it's such a great college but is in this weird spot where UC-focused high achievers look down on it for being a Cal State while it is very different from most Cal States. I turned down Berkeley to go there because I really liked the undergrad focus, coop program, and great setting. My dad also really wanted me to go there because it was his favorite school to hire from. But I got a lot of crap from classmates about turning down a UC to go to a Cal State. There's a lot of snobbery about that in California.

Thanks! That’s a lot of info. I agree that Californians are snobbish about UC v. CSU. I agree that CSUs other than CPSLO and CP Pomona (not to be confused with Pomona College) are not that prestigious—those were founded as teachers’ colleges—hence no PhD programs. But Cal Poly SLO and Pomona are not just any CSU.

[Anonymous]

For OP: probably already mentioned, but CPSLO is neither small nor a safety.

Several of the Jesuit schools have engineering and some of the engineering programs are on the smaller size. Selectivity levels vary widely; you are bound to find a safety among them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would need to boost SAT and GPA a little but Lehigh might be a good option. Small school, nice calm location.

A lot.

My 3.5UW got into Lehigh. And they usually take a lot from the WL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would need to boost SAT and GPA a little but Lehigh might be a good option. Small school, nice calm location.

A lot.

My 3.5UW got into Lehigh. And they usually take a lot from the WL.

OP’s kid has a 1280 SAT. Which is fine, but not enough for Lehigh. If OP’s kid was applying from a top prep school or magnet, and I’m assuming your kid was, the accompanying SAT score would likely be at least 200 points higher than that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would need to boost SAT and GPA a little but Lehigh might be a good option. Small school, nice calm location.

A lot.

My 3.5UW got into Lehigh. And they usually take a lot from the WL.

For engineering?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Would need to boost SAT and GPA a little but Lehigh might be a good option. Small school, nice calm location.

A lot.

My 3.5UW got into Lehigh. And they usually take a lot from the WL.

My 3.4/1500 kid was denied at Lehigh (high school class of 2021)

[Anonymous]

Saw Lafayette mentioned on here. It’s small & has engineering.

My kid, who is first gen, was WL then denied there in 2020. 1310 SAT, excellent grades, pretty good ECs & interviewed in-person on-campus (we live relatively close). Seems like the school is pretty selective.

[Anonymous]

I think some people on this thread are assuming that if they know kids who had those scores and didn’t get in that means NO kids with those scores got in, and certainly none with lower scores.


That’s just not true. An application package depends on many factors, including the number of kids applying to any particular engineering program (there is usually more than one) at that school that year. It may depend on things not directly related to classes and scores also. People who have kids with a 3.5 and a 1200 aren’t bragging to people who think a 1500 is the score required to go to any school in any subject.