Cal Poly Description

The California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California, is a distinctive learning community that offers students an exceptional hands-on education to prepare them for the scientific and technical world of tomorrow.

Hundreds of recruiting firms employ students from the university each year. The school hosts an average of 300 to 600 different employers throughout the year, providing students with a wealth of networking opportunities.

Student life includes a variety of campus events and student groups. The school hosts theatre productions, concerts and guest speakers as its upscale performing arts center. Many leadership and volunteer activities are offered to help with professional development.

Academics include a variety of bachelor’s degrees through six colleges:

  • Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences
  • Liberal Arts
  • Architecture and Environmental Design
  • Science and Mathematics
  • Engineering
  • Business

Graduate programs are offered in Accounting, Aerospace Engineering, Psychology, Industrial Engineering and many more.

Admissions require students to select a major on their application. Major changes are not allowed after a student applies. Students should not send in additional materials unless contacted by the school.

Tuition is set lower for California residents. Financial aid is available to eligible students who file a FAFSA between January 1 to March 2 of the prior academic year. Types of aid include scholarships, state grants, federal grants, loans and more.

Quick Facts about California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Location

Southwest

Setting

Large Town Setting

Type

Public

Size

Very Large (+10,000 Undergrad)

Mascot

Mustangs

Nickname

Cal Poly

Website

www.calpoly.edu

On-Campus Housing Available

Yes

Selectivity

Highly Selective

In-State Tuition

$5,602

Out-of-State Tuition

$16,762

Retention Rate

91%

Enrollment

19,544

Year Established

1901

Cal Poly Ratings & Reviews

Overall School Rating: 5 See all ratings

78% of students gave California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo 5 stars overall.

5 star
  7 reviews
4 star
  2 reviews
3 star
 
2 star
 
1 star
 

Alumnus - Grad Year 2004

Overall Rating:
5

Detailed Ratings

I loved my college experience! San Luis Obispo is a small town, but it was a great place to live for 4+ years. The only tough part about Cal Poly is that its so impacted, a lot of students don't graduate in 4 years because they can't get the classes needed to complete their degrees. Oftentimes classes are offered only one quarter a year, and if you can't get in, you have to wait until the next year to take it. But other than that, it was a beautiful, fun place to go to college, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a 4 year university. Great balance of academic life and social life.

Alumnus - Grad Year 2000

Overall Rating:
4

Detailed Ratings

Cal Poly provides great college experience. San Luis Obispo is a beautiful part of California and serves as the perfect college town. There is a great balance between school work, extracurricular opportunities and social life at Cal Poly. I had a great time from 1996-2000. I made life-long friends and have more memories I love to look back on then I can count. I highly recommend Cal Poly to anyone considering it.

Read All Cal Poly Reviews

Cal Poly Students

Full-Time Undergrad Students
18,516
Freshman Class
3,463
Total Students (Undergrads & Graduate Students)
19,544

Undergraduate vs. Graduate

Undergraduate
95%
Graduate
5%

Full-Time vs. Part-Time Students

Full-Time
99%
Part-Time
1%

Students Coming From In-State vs. Out-of-State

In-State
85%
Out-of-State
15%

Gender of Students

Women
48%
Men
52%

Ethnic Diversity

Asian
10%
Caucasian
64%
Latino
11%
Other
15%

Students State Origin

California
85%
Washington
1%
Other
14%

International Students

International
1%
Domestic
99%

This web site and associated pages are not associated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly). CampusExplorer.com has no official or unofficial affiliation with California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly).

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