San Luis Obispo, CA
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

It has amazing academics in a very ideal location. The people are friendly and there are a lot of social opportunities. The school work is challenging but pushes students to learn and grow academically. The weather is normally very sunny and warm. The campus food is less than ideal and the residence halls are not super nice but overall the school is great.

The school itself is an overall great school. Cal poly offers many different classes each with many professors available to teach so that you can take all the classes you need and are never stuck waiting for one to be available. Their wait list system is very lenient and simple to use that nearly every student gets into the course they desire even when full.

Overall the school is great. Both the students and professors hold a high academic standard that is truly felt in the environment of the school. The professors are very understands and truly care about their students. Additionally, the school is absolutely beautiful and there is rarely a day with bad weather.

Cal Poly is a great school to attend! I have no complaints about the academic side of Cal Poly. I have yet to attend a class where I am in a huge lecture hall and feel like my professor is unapproachable. I feel as if the professors are generally passionate about their students' success. However, I do have complaints about student housing and dining. I am a freshman this year and am living in the Sierra Madre Towers which pale in comparison to the new dorms across the street. The dorms do not have universal quality amenities. In addition, the food and the food variety here is not great. I only eat at the dining hall because it is the healthiest and the food there is decent. Most of the food here is pasta, sandwiches, and hamburgers. Also, they implemented a new system of meal credits for my year which the majority of students and parents complained about (not kidding). However, I hear that next year's class will have the old system for buying food which is ten times better because you get more flexibility with what you can get. Lastly, I am saddened as I live right behind the construction of a new dining hall that was supposed to be completed while I am still a freshman. It would be a mere 5 steps from my building causing me to appreciate campus dining that much more, but I still only see the slow development of the infrastructure of the building. No walls have even been put up yet! However, do not let my complaints about housing and dining deter you from Cal Poly. It is a great school and those problems would only (possibly) affect you for nine months of your life. Believe me, these months go by quickly. The quarter system flies by!

Cal Ploy has a great academic profile and is always there to support its students academically. There is a an issue with diversity on campus and the climate can sometimes get heated. There have been many racist incidents on campus which have been felt throughout campus. Students as well as staff has expressed concerns about the current climate and steps have been taken to try and reduce it. Overall SLO in general is not really diverse at all (80% white) and this effects both students and staff in their academic achievement.

After I was accepted into Cal Poly everyone was always telling me how it was "such a good school" and "hard to get into." I had this idea that I would be surrounded by strictly straight A students that only cared about academics, but I was wrong. Cal Poly has a variety of students who participate in numerous activities on and off campus. There is never a boring day at school whether it be in the classroom or out. The community is great, the location is super nice, the teachers rock, and I'm so happy I chose this school.

I had a horrible experience at this university. I had to deal with racist remark from people following me home and the administration did nothing to stop it. I did make friends ,but most people I knew from my year transferred out after a year. There is no diversity on campus. It was predominately Caucasian. There were very little people of color. I did find some professors on campus to be amazing and so helpful. I also found it extremely difficult to change majors with this university compared to the current college I am in.

The school is big enough for everyone to find something that interests them, but not big enough to be overwhelming. There are intellectual clubs, musical clubs, athletic clubs, multicultural clubs, philanthropic clubs, environmental organizations, and many more! With downtown, the mountains, and the beach nearby, it really is the perfect spot to spend your college years!

Overall, Cal Poly is an amazing school for academia, the "Learn by Doing" motto is what drew me in and has kept me Cal Poly proud. The amount of clubs and organizations available to students is unreal and makes it very easy for students to get involved. The student body consists of individuals from all over California and the U.S.

I enjoy Cal Poly, its a great school with a great student community. Classes are very hands on, and they abide by the school motto "learn by doing". Cal Poly also has a great reputation outside of the SLO community. There are a lot of opportunities and internships provided for students. Overall, its a really great and fun school.