Pomona, CA
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

The best thing about my school is definitely the diversity of the student body. I love being able to turn around and see a student of a different ethnicity each time. There is no possible stereotyping of my school based on a majority of the campus being occupied by a single ethnicity, because the diversity is so great that there is no majority.

I cannot recall anything that is truly frustrating about my school, other than the small things that every college campus faces, like the struggle to get into the classes you need.

My school has a "learn by doing" philosophy. This simply means students interact more with the faculty and are able to learn hands on so that they will be prepared for their future careers.

Hey Sabrina, are you feeling alright? Seriously calm down. You do not need to stress out the way you are right now. First of all, based on your academic record throughout high school, you are going to be admitted in at least two if not one of the colleges you will apply to. Second, brace yourself for an awkward transition into what I call, reality. Do not fret. There will be a time of relaxation before you start school and you may lose friends. It is alright to let them go. You are in control of who stays and who goes especially if you will be a better person without them. Lastly, you can go anywhere you want! Exceed your limit! Stay optimistic about your decision because in the end you are the one going to college not your parents. If you need to pull out loans just know what you want to do beforehand and go for it, but always subsidized loans. Commuting to school will make you tired, trust me. Now before I go understand this, change is good. If I were you I would start making changes now. Remember you come first! Take care and stay positive.

The best thing about my school is how interactive the students are with the Professors. The professors I have had so far were extermely helpful and have made the first quarter an awarding experience.

Cal Poly Pomona is unique compared to other schools because of the price of the degree and what can happen with a degree from this school. Just talking to some employers, who did not come to the numerous job fairs located on campus, revealed to me just how much esteem is placed on a degree from this school by certain businesses. This could be compared to a degree from USC or UCLA because of how highly employers want graduates from Cal Poly Pomona. Compared to these schools, Cal Poly Pomona is more cost efficient for practically the same degree.

After completing my first year in college, the best advice I could give my past self would be to force myself to be socialable and commit to the Pep Band. In college, where I only knew my roommates on move-in day, it could only be beneficial to know more people. If I knew this beforehand, my first quarter would have gone differently, all for the better. I waited until I was forced to be social, and then it was to late. Almost everyone had a closely-knit clique. Another piece of advice would be to commit to the Pep Band. I always had a problem of procrastinating and this is where it got the best of me. I just needed to practice my trumpet to know the music, but a voice in my head told me to do it later. Later never came. Game after game I did not know all of the music which was required of me. Eventually I finally decided to “join” and practiced until I could play all of the songs flawlessly, but it was to late. The notion was already cemented in my fellow Pep Band members that I am a lazy player.

My classmates are highly motivated and hardworking.

My school is best known for agriculture, engineering, horses, research, and its learn by doing approach.

Dear high school Ginny, You are finally getting ready to start college. Since I just completed my first year, I feel like I should give you some advice. Looking back, the transition from high school was much harder than I expected. In high school, I was able to breeze through classes and barely ever study. I thought it would be the same in college, despite what Mom and Dad said. My biggest fear was that I would have a hard time putting myself out there. However, after easily making friends, I let having fun take priority over studying and homework. Consequently, my grades suffered. Saying Mom and Dad were upset would be an understatement. Heck, I was even disappointed. You have so much promise and can do whatever you set your mind to. With that in mind, here is my advice for college: work hard and never give up. There are going to be times when you want to just go and hang out with your friends or go online but try only doing those things in moderation. I know it'll suck at times but just trust me. Keep up the hard work. You got this. Sincerely, College Ginny

College is what you make of it. If you wish to succeed then you need to keep on top of your priorities. However, keep in mind to enjoy yourself & join a club, maybe a few. Never give up despite all the difficulties you encounter along the way & stand up for what is right. College is for your career, your life, so it's up to you to ensure you achieve your goals & all that you can. Learn what you love to do & go for it no matter what other people may say. Don't be afraid. It's your life, your time, your decisions. So make the most out of it & live it up while you still can. Never stop believing, especially in yourself. ;)

Cal Poly Pomona is a great school. There really is nothing wrong with it, although if you wish to change your major you (may) have to wait until the next year for your Change of Major Petition to be accepted. This means that, despite how early you drop off the petition, you may not be accepted until the end of the school year. This is due to some/most majors running on a tight class-to-be-taken schedule, where some classes are offered only during one quarter of the year & must be taken in order. Otherwise, CPP is great!

The wait list status for registering for classes could use some adjustments. Wait listed classes still count as part of the total number of class units you are allowed to take for the given quarter despite the fact it is not guaranteed you will be able to take the class. Makes registering for classes a little complicated.

I would tell myself not to be so afraid. This would have been vital advice for myself, as well as for many incoming freshmen. I had always been the shy, quiet, anxious kid in high school, and I was not prepared for the new world that college was. Thusly, I was the traditional Cal Poly commuter student who came to campus, went to class, and went home without talking to anyone. I did not begin to make real connections on campus and make my great friends until my junior year (last year). My advice to myself, as well as other freshman, would be to not hold back. Get involved on campus, and don't be afraid of who you are. If you are a nerd who loved Harry Potter and Star Wars (as I am), there will be a place for you at Cal Poly Pomona. You may be surprised that by being yourself, you have a great time and make lifelong friends.

How fast the quarter system moves and the importance on staying on top of your work.

Attending Cal Poly Pomona was one of the best times in my life because they provided me an excellent education in a fun environment. The best thing about my school that they are known for is creating a team work/family environment. I loved the fact that all the classes were small and hands on, so you really got to know who you were working with and that all the students were just as dedicated. I am still friends with all the people that I took classes with and came across at Cal Poly Pomona, great networking environment.

If I had the chance to go back and talk to myself as a high school senior and give myself advice about college, I would tell myself to avoid all the problems that set me back professionally. First, I would tell myself to go to junior college to save money and to earn transferable credits. Transfer to a school that is not just excellent, but a school that makes you feel comfortable and happy. Apply to housing at least the first year because it will save you money. Pick internships that are not on campus because you will have a better chance of obtaining a job after graduating. Lastly, and most important pick a career path that will be growing once graduated, so you do not have to face the hardship of trying to find a job in a bad economy. I would tell myself to focus on a career path in either technology/engineering, medicine or finance because there will always be jobs in these fields. Also, do not make the mistake of moving out of your schools local area after graduating because you will lose all networking connections, which will make finding a job even harder. Good luck!

I love Cal Poly Pomona, so it is extremely hard to point out the worst thing about my school. However, I feel that the guidance I received was lacking especially pertaining to internships. In order to graduate a student must complete two quarters worth of internships, which I did both on campus and not at an outside company. This I feel hurt me in trying to obtain a job position after graduation. I wish that my school would have guided me toward an internship outside of Cal Ply Pomona because I feel it would have benefited me much better.

I found out my junior year of college that the secret of succeeding in my college life lies in three words; DO NOT PROCRASTINATE. I got in the routine of doing assignments right when they were assigned and I found that I was almost always prepared for tests and final exams. Also, if I studied at least an hour a day for final exams I found that I did a lot better than if I crammed the night before. Its better to give yourself time to complete your assignments and go through the semester at a steady and calm pace than to continuously scramble and have anxiety over the millions of assignments you left at the last minute. College really sets the tone for your life and for your future, so be responsible, give your work 110% of your effort, and treasure your friendships. Also, while you are in college, attempt to gain work experience through internship experiences. Because my internship Senior year, I was able to get a job and begin my dream career. You'll have the opportunity to form invaluable connections if you reach out to people in your intended field of work before you graduate.

Students looking for arts related degrees should not attend the school because the department is incredibly small. Also, if students are looking to enter a campus with a main focus on campus life they should choose to attend a larger campus.

Students that are looking for great hands on learning in a small setting should attend the school. The school is competitive, but offers great learning experiences to their students through smaller classes and one on one experiences with professors. The school is popular for its technical majors, and students pursuing engineering or architecture majors would feel right at home on this campus.

Cal Poly Pomona is a diverse institution with wonderful professors who work hard to see students succeed. I love this school because they help each student become the change they want to see in their community. Cal Poly ensures that students feel comfortable in their academic enviroment by over resources necessary. The staff are helpful and the their built on team work, can make the drream work, meaning that we come together to see everyone strive fpr excellence. I love the committment Cal Poly offers to each student enrolled in their school, it shows that they care.

Cal Poly Pomona is know for academic excellence, affordable tuition and hands on experience for each student. Cal Poly makes sure that students do go academically and as individuals. We are also know for our top rank engineering program that is highly impacted. Cal Poly challenges each student to go above and beyond of what is expected of them in order to be the best. Cal Poly helps students built their critical thinking skills by having students think outside the box.

High school helps student prepare for college, and college help students prepare for life in the real world. College offers students the chance to become the person person they dreamed of, but of course it comes with more responsiblities. For high school students try your best on the SAT and the ACT and you will be closer to being accpeted to any college. College is abbout being self motivated, determined and willing to make scarifices to achieve your goals. The transition from high school to college is huge difference because in high school, teachers reminded you of what is exected. Howevever, in college you must make wise decisions and think critically to determine what is expected of you. My advice to future students is to be smart, strong and determine and you will go far in college and in life. The best way to predict the future is to create it, start strong and end even stronger.

If I could go back I would remind myself to stop bulking five college classes because it is too much for me to handle. I would advise myself to join an honor society becuase it would look good on my resume and so that I could form long lasting friendships. Also, at times I could not differentiate between my personal issues and my schoolwork. I could have paid attention to college admissions representatives and taken the main college admission test such as the SAT which is the gateway to many scholarships for universities and community colleges as I was unaware.