California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo Top Questions

Throughout my entire pre-college educational career I have studied in order to pass "the" test. I never saw what I was learning in school as applicable, and I worked for the grade instead of the knowledge the grade supposedly represented. Here at Cal Poly Slo I have been integrated into the "learn by doing" ethic, and have greatly expanded my potential, and capabilities by learning in a way that will not only allow me to pass the test, but also perform in a work enviroment, where errors can cost one their job, or worse.

A moment so life changing and beneficial such as college, is the perfect opportunity to travel back in time and receive all the answers to higher education. If I were to travel back in time I would cover three major topics with myself; time management, networking and independence. Time management truly means dedicating yourself to plan strategically your daily schedule. Secondly networking, this includes forming relationships with teachers, counselors, employers and even local community impacts such as pastors/ministers. Lastly create independence your senior year. Push yourself to complete tasks on your own. Become your own parent and except responsibility.

More information about scholarships and financial aide....so far the school has not been much of a help for scholarships.

I wish I had known that the entire Cal Poly campus resides on a hill. There are no level surfaces anywhere and inclines are impossible to avoid. Of course, such trivial matters would not affect my choice, but I would be more prepared in hiking to and from classes everyday if had known. Other than that, there is nothing else I had to know before coming to Cal Poly because their welcome committee does a good job in showing new students the ins and outs of campus. Everything I have to know, I found out after coming here.

I wish I would have known about polyratings.com to see ratings specifically for Cal Poly professors before I registering for classes.

I wish I had known to get involved in organizations and clubs immediatley. This will enable students to get to know their professors on more than a classroom basis. I wish someone had given me advice to utilize office hours and get to know professors on a more personal basis. Getting to know professors would have shown me more opportunuties to get involved in research labs. Having research experience is the most valuable thing for going to a graduate school, and I was not aware of the opportunitites available to me as an undergraduate.

It is difficult and harder to make friends than in high school. It takes a long time to get used to all the changes and you spend a lot of time alone because there is so much more free time than in high school.

How to manage my study time better

I wish that I had already known which study habits work the best for me. Being on the quarter system, Cal Poly is fast-paced. When I first came from High School, I still hadn't figured out the most effective ways for me to study and this affected my grades my first quarter. However, as time has gone on I think I have developed great study skills. If I were to retake those same classes, I would probably get better grades and have a much higher GPA.

I wish I had known how to study better. In high school there was a lot of homework but it didn't take too much effort to study for tests or exams. However at Cal Poly it is very important to know how to prepare and study for tests. That was an awakening I had when i first started going there because i didn't do well on my first few tests at all because i didn't know which information i should study and i have a hard time recalling important information i had studied.

Nothing, I knew a lot about it before coming because my mom, two uncles, and older sister had all gone there.

I wish I had known that the greek life was such a huge part of the social life here. I would have rushed way sooner. I also wish that I had known that you absolutely cannot miss classes. Just missing one affects your grade because you miss so much information. Go to class, work hard, and you will do fine.

I wish I had known you CAN change majors

I wish I knew how culturally diverse this campus was. I figured it would be dominated by one race, like the other schools. But I came to find out that it is very diverse.

I wish I had known how expensive housing is!

I wish I had known how difficult the quarter system is. I was on semesters at a previous school, which allowed more time to study for tests, write papers, and do projects. The quarter system goes by extremely fast and really keeps you on your toes. It isn't necessarily a bad thing, I just wasn't fully prepared to be taking classes that move so quickly.

This school is on the quarter system, so the class work is fast pace and demanding from the first day you take a seat in the classroom. It is important to never let yourself fall behind on school work because it is difficult to jump back once a person falls behind. In the quarter system it is easy to have your GPA drop because of this fast pace class setting.

The best place to park on campus if I communte to school.

I wish I had known about more of the programs and clubs that my school offered because it woudl have been much easier to adjust to college life and the different programs. As a third year I am still finding programs that I want to join but I am having more trouble integrating them into my schedule now that I am not used to them.

I wish i would have known how much was the tution and how much the books and dorm room was.

I wish I would have known time management when I first got to college. I definitley learned to manage my time, but it would have helped me out tremendously if I would have known that my school offered so many great opportunities academically and also with extra curricular activities. Thankfully, not being able to manage my time didn't cripple my performance academically or socially too much. It only taught me balance and it allowed me to discover who I was through the opportunities I had taken.

More of the resources that are available, such as library database, tutoring and such.

Finacial Aid is hard to get, living costs are very high.

I wish I had known how good of a school it is. In my major it's one of the top schools in the nation.

Very christain dominated, conservative campus. Not very much racial diversity. White upper middle class dominated.

my brother went here so i knew everything already. Hit on chicks, get their numbers and don't lose contact with em or you wont talk to them in later years

The campus is full of hills, so be prepared to walk up and down hills a lot. Also, the diversity is kind of lacking, but it's not that bad. The weather is really random and will be sunny one week, then rainy the next. Having rain boots really helps.

Before coming to Cal Poly, I wish I had known how hard it was going to be to work while going to school. Since I pay for college by myself I am always working and do not really have as much time as I would like to study and my G.P.A. shows that.

I wish I had known how spread out the campus is.

How the student population had such a large lack in diversity.

The town surrounding the school.

That it is somewhat difficult to switch majors and you will absolutely switch majors because no one knows what they want to do their senior year of high school. That some professors are going to be horrible even though it's a good school and you are paying a lot of money to attend their classes.

I wish I had known how to balance and budget my money better, and had projected the amount I would need throughout my years at college. I also wish I could've planned a four year class schedule with my advisor so I would know exactly when I would graduate and what needed to be done each quarter.

Nothing. I knew enough to get where I am.

Nothing. I knew nothing really about this school other than what it looked like and its reputation. That was all I really needed.

School is going to go by very very fast. Take it all in as you go, work hard and complete it at a pace that feels comfortable to you.

na

I wish I had known how huge the greek life was before I came here. It plays a pretty big role in the social aspect of life here at Cal Poly.

That it is very hard to change majors. There is not very much financial aid offfered by the school itself.

more technical skills

I wish I had known how much of a party-school this is. I also wish I had stayed at my community college, but that is just because of finances.

Nothing really...I was really well informed before I came to school.

Studying in college is much different than studying in high school. I should have put more emphasis on my studies my first quarter. But now that I've learned my lesson, I feel prepared for my future classes.

Nothing. Cal Poly has a very good introduction week that teaches students about the school and the town. Also most professors are very helpful to freshman as far as helping them feel comfortable in the new environment.

I would have liked to have known how career oriented it is. I went in uncertain of my future career or the importance of my major selection. It is difficult to change majors, which is fairly frustrating to someone that wants to explore different fields of study.

I with that I knew how hard I needed to work in school to get by in school.

How little ethnic diversity there really is, how deceptive their advertisements are, and how little say is given to students, the very people the school is meant to serve.

I wish I had known that choosing a major is a big decision, and Poly makes you choose when you apply. Choose carefully because chaging majors at Poly is like being the main attraction of a three ring circus: lots of hoops to jump through.

I wish I'd known how hard it is to get classes and also gotten some study tips for the transition between high school and college studying.

... Can't think of anything. I feel like I was thoroughly prepared.