Cal Poly SLO is out - anyone get in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is your DC’s major?

Cal States are great IMO but different from other UCs or other large universities in that they are more vocationally focused, have less breadth and don’t do research. This works really well for kids interested in one of their areas of focus or regional kids just looking to get a business degree. Different Cal States have different strengths.

Cal Poly has excellent engineering, CS, and architecture programs. Premed can be done as all the STEM courses are there but not sure about whether it can offer shadowing and good counseling for premed. No idea how pre med kids get research opportunities there. Degrees like business, graphic arts, education, agriculture are all there too. Architecture/engineering are the hardest programs to get into while agricultural business is the easiest. There is a wide gap in academic capability between the two groups.

Cal Poly and other Cal States are not very strong for social sciences or humanities. The exception being psychology which is very popular.

I would never pay oos for CSU schools for a humanities major.

-signed a double CSU attendee

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC got in for engineering!

This is one college campus/area visit that I am definitely looking forward to!

PP here - electrical engineering- would love to hear how this program
Compares to UVa or VT or UMD which are local to us ( in state in Virginia)

Go to in state. SLO is not worth oos if you have better options in state.

And I went to CSU schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC got in for engineering!

This is one college campus/area visit that I am definitely looking forward to!

PP here - electrical engineering- would love to hear how this program
Compares to UVa or VT or UMD which are local to us ( in state in Virginia)

Go to in state. SLO is not worth oos if you have better options in state.

And I went to CSU schools.

For electrical engineering UMD is far stronger but UVA or VT are not. Cal Poly SLO will have an easier time finding internships and jobs in CA. Within the engineering program, your kid is likely to have friends whose parents work in tech and can help with job placement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC got in for engineering!

This is one college campus/area visit that I am definitely looking forward to!

PP here - electrical engineering- would love to hear how this program
Compares to UVa or VT or UMD which are local to us ( in state in Virginia)

Go to in state. SLO is not worth oos if you have better options in state.

And I went to CSU schools.

For electrical engineering UMD is far stronger but UVA or VT are not. Cal Poly SLO will have an easier time finding internships and jobs in CA. Within the engineering program, your kid is likely to have friends whose parents work in tech and can help with job placement.

+1 go to Cal.Poly if the goal is to work in CA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is your DC’s major?

Cal States are great IMO but different from other UCs or other large universities in that they are more vocationally focused, have less breadth and don’t do research. This works really well for kids interested in one of their areas of focus or regional kids just looking to get a business degree. Different Cal States have different strengths.

Cal Poly has excellent engineering, CS, and architecture programs. Premed can be done as all the STEM courses are there but not sure about whether it can offer shadowing and good counseling for premed. No idea how pre med kids get research opportunities there. Degrees like business, graphic arts, education, agriculture are all there too. Architecture/engineering are the hardest programs to get into while agricultural business is the easiest. There is a wide gap in academic capability between the two groups.

Cal Poly and other Cal States are not very strong for social sciences or humanities. The exception being psychology which is very popular.

How is Cal Poly for a physics major? How would it compare to say, the UC schools?

UCLA/Cal
UCSD
UCD/UC Irvine
UCSB
Cal Poly
SJSU/SDSU

UCSB has a very good physics program—two professors won the Nobel prize last year. Cal Poly is not as highly ranked in physics specifically, but has a much more undergrad focus. UCD, UCI, and UCSD are not even in the running. Still would not pay oos unless the goal is to stay on the west coast.

[Anonymous]

How is Cal Poly SLO for poli sci or econ?

[Anonymous]

What is the OOS tuition and fees?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How is Cal Poly SLO for poli sci or econ?

I wouldn’t choose Cal Poly for poli sci or econ, instate let alone OOS. The schools designated Cal Poly stand for California Polytechnic….aka applied STEM subjects.

[Anonymous]

Cal Poly Ranks behind all the top 6 UCs for physics. The ranking bounce a bit but Cal Poly never breaks above them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC got in for engineering!

This is one college campus/area visit that I am definitely looking forward to!

PP here - electrical engineering- would love to hear how this program
Compares to UVa or VT or UMD which are local to us ( in state in Virginia)

Go to in state. SLO is not worth oos if you have better options in state.

And I went to CSU schools.

For electrical engineering UMD is far stronger but UVA or VT are not. Cal Poly SLO will have an easier time finding internships and jobs in CA. Within the engineering program, your kid is likely to have friends whose parents work in tech and can help with job placement.

OP here:

That’s exactly what I think too. Better internships and jobs in CA.

Plus the weather.

SLO is more reasonable than UC’s in terms of OOS tuition.

Will visit next month during open house. If kid likes it great , if not VT or UVA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How is Cal Poly SLO for poli sci or econ?

following

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is the OOS tuition and fees?

https://www.calpoly.edu/financial-aid/costs-and-affordability/undergraduate-costs-attendance-2025-26

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is Cal Poly SLO for poli sci or econ?

following

As PP noted above, Cal Poly SLO is well known and well reputed specifically for STEM, not necessarily for other degrees.

[Anonymous]

Just to note that it is a slog and expensive to get to SLO from DC. No direct flights. That said the SLO airport is like a spa.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How is Cal Poly SLO for poli sci or econ?

following

As PP noted above, Cal Poly SLO is well known and well reputed specifically for STEM, not necessarily for other degrees.

When I went there, the students doing humanities majors intended to be teachers.