Anonymous wrote:Glad someone started this thread. I'm the poster who started the thread about my DD wanting to attend school in California.

She's not interested in a big school where there are hundreds of students in a class, but more of a "community" feel on campus.

Are there any medium sized schools with diversity that one could recommend?

CSU schools (as described by the 9:15 poster) serves the broader CA student body. The schools are normally *huge*, with many being commuter schools. The "medium" sized CSU schools could exist in more of the less populated areas. IDK the numbers, but maybe look at Bakersfield, Chino (that's a #1 party school from what I hear), Monterrey.

I agree with 9:15 poster. UC schools are more researched, theory based schools. CSU schools are intended to teach more hands-on curriculum rather than pure theory. I think a lot of the CSU professors have actual jobs/careers in the field that they teach and are not fulltime professors, while many of the UC professors are purely research and academia oriented rather than have industry experience. Of course, there are several UC professors that are very well regarded, have one prestigious awards, etc.. Neither type of professor is better. Just depends on what kind of education you want.

Also, some CSU schools have majors that don't exist in UC schools, and vice versa.

Anonymous wrote:Glad someone started this thread. I'm the poster who started the thread about my DD wanting to attend school in California.

She's not interested in a big school where there are hundreds of students in a class, but more of a "community" feel on campus.

Are there any medium sized schools with diversity that one could recommend?

Claremont colleges or Harvey Mudd. Great programs and worth private tuition

Glad someone started this thread. I'm the poster who started the thread about my DD wanting to attend school in California.

She's not interested in a big school where there are hundreds of students in a class, but more of a "community" feel on campus.

Are there any medium sized schools with diversity that one could recommend?

Anonymous wrote:UC system is amazing

Cal State system is pretty bad

city universities (San Jose State University, for example), are also pretty meh.

There is some factually incorrect information in this reply. San Jose State University is part of the California State University system, not the community college system. San Francisco State is also part of the CSU. The community college system is completely different.

There are three college and university systems in California, with three have distinctly different missions. While the University of California system is at the top, in terms of selectivity and desirability for faculty, there is a distinct hierarchy within the UC system. The University of California at Berkeley is at the top, and the newest UC, at Merced, provides a UC presence in the central valley and is more accessible to first-generation college students.

The California State University system, or CSU, has a completely different mission than the UC system. By law, it is required to be accessible to a very broad range of California residents, and its fees are intentionally kept low. Historically this system has housed service professions, such as teaching. There are good universities and programs within the CSU. In my experience as a faculty member, few students from outside California attend CSUs, but obviously some do. That doesn't mean they're bad schools, it's largely just a reflection of their different mission.

UCLA grad here.

Cal Poly is considered very good! CSUN (Cal State U Northridge, pronounced C-sun), in the Valley part of LA, is highly regarded.

(I'm not as familiar with Northern Cal)

Cal State is an excellent system for middle of the road students - ie not the snowflake progeny of dcum. Exception is the cal polies which are world class for some things.

Anonymous wrote:Cal Poly is pretty solid. Probably not worth out of state tuition, but solid engineering program probably on par with VTech.

Another vote for Cal Poly-Go Mustangs!

I have a lot of friends who have done grad school at SF state. I am a uc grad fwiw, have siblings, cousins, and even dh who are uc grads. No cal state grads though- they don't have the best reputation.

Cal Poly SLO and Cal Poly Pomona are good. Cal State Monterey has a unique hands on approach to learning that might be good for certain types of kids.

Cal Poly is pretty solid. Probably not worth out of state tuition, but solid engineering program probably on par with VTech.

UC system is amazing

Cal State system is pretty bad

city universities (San Jose State University, for example), are also pretty meh.

Not OP but I think she means the "Cal State [blank]" universities instead of the "UC [blank]" universities.

For example, CS-Bakersfield

I'm not sure what you are asking. By state school, do you mean "XYZ State", vs. University of California at XYZ? Because "state school" usually just means any state-supported school.

Most of the universities are discussed on this board, but would you recommend any of the state schools?