State university #3 (San Diego, Berkeley, Clyde: school rankings, salary, price)

[Ceece]

One negative with some of the Cal State schools is they have large commuter populations which kind of dilutes the full college experience.

While I know what you mean, and my own daughter chose a campus so she could have that "full college experience", I really don't think we should be placeing real importance on that anymore. In fact, I think's it's helped to ruin the point of college. Maybe a new kind of experience is what we reallly need.

[MattClyde]

Originally Posted by diku

@Mattclyde

Who do you consider to be the better UCs? Just UCSD, UCLA and Cal?

Overall Cal and UCLA would be the better ones. It depends on what major you have but it those two overall have the better programs. This is for undergrad btw. For grad school they are all equally as challenging

[Ceece]

The best UC is the on you get accepted to.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by Ceece

While I know what you mean, and my own daughter chose a campus so she could have that "full college experience", I really don't think we should be placeing real importance on that anymore. In fact, I think's it's helped to ruin the point of college. Maybe a new kind of experience is what we reallly need.

I don't understand that statement. What aspect of the full college experience has ruined college? I'm a huge believer in participation in activities outside the classroom including assocations, sports, lectures, concerts, and just doing fun stuff with other students. Establishing a good social network and creating fond memories during your college years can be just as important as what you learned. I know that through my own experience as well my siblings' and kids'.

It's also a lot more fun later on as an alum if you went to a school with decent football and basketball programs; but then I'm a huge, and often disappointed, Cal football fan.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by Ceece

The best UC is the on you get accepted to.

Yeah but you don't have to stay at the one that first accepted you. A reasonable strategy is to get into the system and then transfer later to the campus you really want to go to.

[diku]

@mattclyde

Too bad SLO isn't as good of a school academically overall compared to better UC's. That being said they are still one of the best in the CSU system and is still hard to get into.
Overall Cal and UCLA would be the better ones.

I am looking into applying for engineering school for next year. I am strongly considering Cal Poly SLO and other comparable engineering schools.

I am not surprised to hear that Cal and UCLA are consider superior to CPSLO engineering. But how does Cal Poly compare to the other UCs??

Thanks ahead for the info!

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by diku

@mattclyde



I am looking into applying for engineering school for next year. I am strongly considering Cal Poly SLO and other comparable engineering schools.

I am not surprised to hear that Cal and UCLA are consider superior to CPSLO engineering. But how does Cal Poly compare to the other UCs??

Thanks ahead for the info!

I don't believe they're that strong at the other UC campuses. I can't think of one that's nationally recognized like Virginia Tech, Michigan State or Colorado School of Mines.

[.highnlite]

I am not surprised to hear that Cal and UCLA are consider superior to CPSLO engineering. But how does Cal Poly compare to the other UCs??

I will bet you a dollar the better choice for engineering is Cal Poly. Check their website, see what they do. You will be doing real world work long before you graduate.

[diku]

hey thanks for the input!

I did more digging around on sites like College Confidential. It seems there is a strong consensus that Cal Poly engineering is at least comparable or may even be better than most of the mid-tier UCs.

I like their "learn by doing" approach to their engineering education. And it sounds like Cal Poly as a whole have uber-strong track record in job placement for their graduates and something like the highest starting and third highest mid-career salary in all public universities in the US. So that's pretty encouraging. On a whole I was impressed by the strong reputation by CP. Surprising coming from a CSU! But that is also my concern, is graduating from a CSU vs a UC going to hurt my future? I mean, I would choose Cal, if I get in of course. But wouldn't UCSD be still better because it is a UC??

I am also looking at Cal, University of Mich. Ann-Arbor, and may be Cornell as my dream school choices. And UCLA, UCSD and Cal Poly as my "match" school choices. Any other input would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks everyone.

[Radical347]

Originally Posted by diku

hey thanks for the input!

I did more digging around on sites like College Confidential. It seems there is a strong consensus that Cal Poly engineering is at least comparable or may even be better than most of the mid-tier UCs.

I like their "learn by doing" approach to their engineering education. And it sounds like Cal Poly as a whole have uber-strong track record in job placement for their graduates and something like the highest starting and third highest mid-career salary in all public universities in the US. So that's pretty encouraging. On a whole I was impressed by the strong reputation by CP. Surprising coming from a CSU! But that is also my concern, is graduating from a CSU vs a UC going to hurt my future? I mean, I would choose Cal, if I get in of course. But wouldn't UCSD be still better because it is a UC??

I am also looking at Cal, University of Mich. Ann-Arbor, and may be Cornell as my dream school choices. And UCLA, UCSD and Cal Poly as my "match" school choices. Any other input would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks everyone.

It looks like you found the facts on Cal Poly SLO and I think those speak for themselves on whether or not going there will hurt you. So what's more important -- going to a public school that has the highest starting & third highest mid-career salary...or prestige? There isn't a right answer, but that is something you'll have to decide for yourself.

Also, where do you want to live after graduation? If you want to stay in CA, and you care most about prestige (and to a lesser extent, job prospects--because they're not completely separate) don't bother with Ann Arbor. Few outside academic circles will know that University of Michigan is higher ranked than any other state. And definitely don't bother with Cornell...nobody in CA (besides, again, the academic circles) will know what Cornell is, let alone that it's an Ivy League school.