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I can't decide whether to choose Cal Poly SLO or UCSB for my comp sci major. The fin aid packages are practically identical for both schools and I like both environments equally well. I just have a tough time deciding. Can you guys help me out?

Thanks

By Crackcorn (Crackcorn) on Saturday, April 26, 2003 - 11:20 am: Edit

Tough choice. UCSB for social life. Cal Poly SLO for academic rep. But they are both very close on both points.

By Orangize (Orangize) on Monday, April 28, 2003 - 02:31 am: Edit

Renewal for help.

By Lethalfang (Lethalfang) on Monday, April 28, 2003 - 02:51 am: Edit

UCSB. UCSB is a UC campus, which means it receives more funding than a CSU school, so in the future UCSB has more upside than Cal Poly. UCSB has also be improving quite a bit lately.

By Vballcourt (Vballcourt) on Monday, April 28, 2003 - 04:21 pm: Edit

Hey Organize, Do you mind if I ask you what your scores are? GPA SAT or ACT? Just curious because I go into UCSB but not Cal Poly SLO. I thought maybe because UC look at more then just grades and cal poly concentrates mainly on just good scores it seemed like. Also does anyone know if Legacys are considered in non ivy schools? Thanks...

By Orangize (Orangize) on Tuesday, April 29, 2003 - 01:04 am: Edit

My GPA was approximately 3.4 (my UC GPA) and I got a 1340 on my SAT. Nothing exceptional. I did Decathlon for 2 years (the 1st year screwed up my grades, I could've written a sob story about it but I had enough dignity left not to), I've done Drama for 2 years, Science Bowl for 2 years and I'm the self-declared Secretary for Chem Club. So that's about it.

I applied to UCLA (they hosted SuperQuiz but that didn't make any diff.), Berkeley, UCSB, Cal Poly and UCI. I only got in to UCSB (and it has a higher admit rate than UCI!). I'm Asian (well I don't act like one or talk like one, but when the time comes to being screwed over by the affirmative action crap, I am one.)

By Ichrispyl (Ichrispyl) on Sunday, January 18, 2004 - 05:55 pm: Edit

Cal Poly will give you the best education for your money. Better repuation than UCSB. Top rated Engineering and Arch school on the west coast 11 years in a row.(Comp Sci is under the College of Engineering) I'm a 3rd year Computer Engineering major and I couldn't imagine a better education anywhere else.

The good thing about Cal Poly is our student to teacher ratio. You can have direct contact with a professor, being that most classes are around 35 students, with only a few classes in auditorium style lectures.

At Cal Poly, we have our "Learn by Doing" philosophy. For almost every class you take, you also take a lab to practice the topic you learn in lecture. Cal Poly graduates are known in the industry for having lots of hands on experience.

Lastly, since Cal Poly is a CSU, our professors focus on teaching students first, rather than writing their book or performing research in their field. Professors teach our classes, not TA's. While on the other hand, professors at UC's focus on research first, and teaching secondly, leaving TA's to teach their classes. Although there may be some good TA's, I would still rather have a real professor to teach my classes.