The curriculum here is challenging. Since we're on the quarter system there is a lot of information to squeeze into a short period of time (ten weeks), and if you miss class or don't stay on top of your reading and other assignments you fall behind FAST. The administration recommends studying 25-35 hours a week outside of class, and although I think that's a little exaggerated (at least if you're taking the standard 16 units per quarter), you will have to put in more work than just cramming the night before an exam. Professors usually have 4-6 office hours a week and in most classes that aren't huge GE lectures, they make an effort to learn every student's name.
All your hard work will pay off – you learn a lot. Poly's "Learn by doing" approach to education is evident in both general education and major classes, and it makes me feel prepared and excited to start my career once I graduate. So far, I haven't taken a single class where I don't feel like I learned something that's relevant to my future career – even when I, as a journalism major, had to take "Fossils and the history of life" as a GE last year. The professors really try to involve the students by having stimulating class discussions, and I'm constantly amazed by how much I learn just from listening to my fellow classmates.
I wouldn't say that students at Poly are too competitive. We were all some of the best students in our grade in high school but that competitiveness doesn't really continue now that we're all pretty much on the same level. Some people are content skating by with a C average while others strive for A's and B's; how hard you want to work is an individual decision. There is a high level of stress among students, however, so people's psychological well-being may not be what it should be at all times.
I'm not gonna lie: the journalism department is not the greatest department at Poly. There have been some faculty issues and last year we were unsure of whether or not we'd even be able to graduate with a journalism degree. Still, the classes are decent. Learning by doing is pretty much the only way to become a good journalist, so I feel like I will be competitive in my field once I'm done here.
Cal Poly is not the best-known school outside California, but those who know it know that it offers an excellent education at a reasonable price. Its "Learn by doing" approach to education is evident in both general education and major classes, and it makes me feel prepared and excited to start my career once I graduate.