Help me decide: UCSD [physics] vs UCI [mechanical engineering] vs Cal Poly [computer science] [want mobility to change major]

College Search & Lists
, , ,
1

Alright, I’m really split between these three schools/programs and I’d appreciate some new perspectives to help me decide. I got into UCSD for physics, UCI for mechanical engineering, and Cal Poly for computer science. I don’t have a strong preference for one major over another, but I would love as much mobility in terms of major changes in college and job choices afterwards.

UCI pros:
Got in for mechanical engineering (could switch into other CoE majors)
Has a very strong mock trial team (this is pretty important to me)
Has lots of options for specialized projects to work on in engineering
Good food nearby
Still haven’t seen the campus but I’m going to the admitted students day so should get a good idea then, heard good things
High prestige

UCI cons:
Seems to be the most socially dead out of my options
OC is a pretty take it or leave it location imo
Don’t know many people going there
Doesn’t seem like there’s lots of good off-campus activities - I’d ideally like somewhere with lots of students that enjoy hiking/camping/surfing/etc
Large campus/not personal

UCSD pros:
Great location with the added bonus of a family member of mine moving down to SD for a job in the fall
Seems like it attracts more outgoing, outdoorsy students compared to UCI
and lots more to do off campus (surfing, city access, hiking etc)
Really like the campus
Great engineering program that it seems at least someone doable to switch into (from physics)
High prestige

UCSD cons:
UC socially dead - I think this applies just as much or more to UCI though
Large campus/not personal
Worse but still strong mock trial team
Got in for physics, not engineering, so switching is not a guaruntee.

Cal Poly SLO pros:
Smaller campus, smaller classes, more focused professors
Great job opportunities/internships
Know a lot of people going there
Closer to home, could come home on weekends to visit friends (huge bonus, important to me)
Best social life out of all 3 I think
Has an architectural engineering program unique to there which is very interesting
Got into comp sci so should be able to switch to basically any other major

Cal Poly SLO cons:
Lowest in terms of prestige (pretty important to me, telling people I’m going to Cal Poly would hurt me inside a little bit)
Know some unsavoury people going there from my HS plus I want to be surrounded with as many really smart people as possible (no offense Mustangs)
Worst mock trial team out of all three - but again, still decently strong
Where my sibling went - ideally would like to have my own path but not terrible if I don’t
Proximity is good but I’m meh on the campus itself, also not near the beach/gets very hot
Not diverse

I keep going back and forth between these three. I welcome as many strong opinions as possible. Please let me know thoughts, tell me stories, whatever you feel like. My most important criteria are

  1. Prestige
  2. Campus life, social life, types of students
  3. Job opportunities afterwards/internships
  4. Location/off-campus activities
  5. Mock trial teams

Thanks!!

2

In my opinion UCSD is probably the toughest of these in terms of switching into an engineering major. It’s VERY much not guaranteed, since there are limited slots and even if you get high grades in the screening courses, it’s competitive and unpredictable. Were you thinking about MAE? Check out the charts at the end of this page showing historical acceptance rates into these majors. https://mae.ucsd.edu/undergrad/ugadmissions

It would also be somewhere between difficult and impossible to switch into CS at UCSD (if you decided at some point that you wanted to do that).

On the whole, if you are looking at engineering / CS majors, I think UCSD is great if you got admitted to the one you wanted, but can be a risky choice if you didn’t (or if you changed your mind).

I don’t think this is the case at all. It might seem that way because of the people from your HS going there? Where I live (Bay Area, and many kids in my son’s group going into engineering and CS majors) it’s seen as a very good pick especially in CS.

8 Likes
3

Take this with a grain of salt…please. Orange county has everything, Irvine is well positioned, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach, Disneyland, tons of hiking options (off campus of course), everything. We visited UC San Diego on a Saturday, campus was pretty active, kids everywhere. Went to UCI the next day, Sunday, yes, a Sunday, not a person on campus…at all.

I feel the campus at UCI was the smallest. I personally liked it the best.
I felt when we visited Cal Poly it had a beautiful campus, but had an amazing “vibe”. I felt my daughter would have had a great time there. Best vibe.

4

I think you need to soul search and figure out what major you really want. You got into Cal Poly under CS. You likely can’t change majors to CS anywhere. CS at Cal Poly is very prestigious.

6 Likes
5

You appear to have listed them in your order of preference IMO. So that’s what I would use as your “Northstar.”

BTW, D21 attends SLO and I would essentially disagree with everything you have said about it. Not close to the beach? Avila is like under 15 mins or 10 miles away.

You got into engineering at UCI and they have a strong mock trial team, so that’s where you should go.

3 Likes
6

CalPoly doesn’t have less prestige or pedigree than UCSD and UCI. How did you come to this conclusion? Go do outcomes comparison for Calpoly vs. UCI vs. UCSD and tell me again if you think SLO is inferior.

4 Likes
7

Yes… I would say that the kids in our area consider it more prestigious than UCI and probably similar to UCSD, it also seemed harder to get admitted, at least last year when my son’s friends were applying. The people who got the coveted admit to SLO CS were THRILLED.

I think part of the OP’s perspective may be that they seem to live in SLO’s local preference area. So they may be seeing fellow students admitted from their high school to SLO with lower GPA cutoffs (since local students get a boost). They aren’t seeing the bigger perspective that outside of their own local preference area, SLO is a tough admit and VERY desirable.

3 Likes
8

My son had the stats to go anywhere. He chose Cal Poly from out of state. He then chose to stay for his MS rather than go to Stanford. He’s had an amazing career.

4 Likes
9

To me, it sounds as if “ego” factors (and I don’t mean that in a critical or negative way) are pushing your best-fit school down your list.

As others have said, SLO does not have a weaker reputation than the others, especially in STEM. It best fits what you’re looking for socially and in terms of outdoor recreation. You’re admitted to CS, and from there, switching into engineering would also be viable, including, as you point out, their ArchE major if that appeals.

Going to UCSD, if the only majors you’d be happy with are ones you aren’t assured of being able to switch into, seems like the worst idea of all. Personally, I would cross this one off first. Access to the academics you want has to be the first filter.

I think the proximity issue is affecting your perception of SLO. Students who live farther away don’t see it as “less prestigious” at all. High school students always look down on the closest and most familiar option.

And while I understand the “I want to do something different from my sibling” feeling, it truly won’t matter in the long run; in fact, the day may come when it becomes a positive!

The mock trial differential is a factor, but it doesn’t sound as if the program is a deal-killer at any of these schools.

Bottom line, I think the reasons you’re reluctant to choose Cal Poly are not compelling, whereas the reasons to choose it are compelling. If I were you, I would narrow the choice to SLO vs. UCI, take a closer look, and try not to be influenced by the “does it make me feel special” factors. You will have plenty of reasons to feel special, no matter where you go, and the things that are bothering you right now will become non-issues very quickly once you’re out of high school.

3 Likes
10

Do you want to be an engineer? Physics majors may but may not get into engineering.

Not know so many kids is a pro, not a con. You go to college to grow and develops, not re-live high school.

And hmmmm - Cal Poly is not less prestigious - but why would you go there if you don’t want to be a CS person.

What do you want to do in life? That’s the one to choose.

Let’s look at your criteria

  1. Prestige - all the same

  2. Campus life - only you can judge but I’d say CPSLO, UCSD, UCI

  3. Job opportunities and internship - up to the kid. The school may (or may not) help facilitate. But this will be major related too. I’d ask for career reports in each area.

  4. Location - sounds like you don’t love Irvine - so I’d put that last but all three are fine locations.

  5. No clue

You can love prestige but it doesn’t get you a job and how are you going to adjust working for an SDSU or CSULA grad?? Nonetheless, all three are leaders.

I’d choose UCI (because you’re in engineering) or CPSLO (if you want CS)…physics is a tougher one for careers.

Good luck.

11

UCSD probably has the least mobility to change into engineering or CS majors out of these three.

1 Like
12

A word about mock trial teams. While they are fun, I don’t see how a school’s team has any bearing on your field of study or career ambitions. Even if you wanted a career in law, I would advise against basing your college selection on the strength of its mock trial team.

As to the prestige factor, I echo what others have already said about your proximity to Cal Poly SLO and your perception of prestige. My high school was literally down the street from Johns Hopkins and every year a couple of kids from my school would enroll there. As a result, I didn’t see Hopkins as anything special. How very wrong I was.

In any event, you have three great schools to chose from.

2 Likes
13

This topic was automatically closed 180 days after the last reply. If you’d like to reply, please flag the thread for moderator attention.