<p>Since we are an Asian mixed family, I get where your parents are coming from. I can understand why they are hoping for you to go to a prestigious school. Nevertheless, If you don’t like UCB or USC then don’t go. I taught an intensive business and entrepreneurship program at USC in the summer of 2003 and I was not impressed with the location. It is located in the heart of some of LA’s toughest neighborhoods. Remember, this will be your life for the next 4 to 6 years depending on how fast you can graduate. Be happy with the campus you choose. I also taught a class called “Doing Business in the Pacific Rim” at UCLA’s Andersen School in 2006 and I really liked the campus and the atmosphere there. It is a great location and your parents will surely be satisfied with the prestige and name recognition. Having said that, money is very important and graduating with a mountain of debt is generally not a good idea. It could take years to pay that down. Given your statement above, I’d choose Cal Poly SLO. Explain it this way to your parents. Cal Poly is one of the highest rated EE programs in the United States. Additionally, it offers the highest starting salaries for engineers of any of the schools mentioned above. They may not have heard of Cal Poly, but it is one of the most respected institutions in California and it offers a unique “hands on” education that employers find irresistible. Every year 400 to 600 top employers recruit at Cal Poly. This number dwarfs the other schools. In my opinion, your chances of graduating with a job are highest at Cal Poly SLO. I am a businessman first and a part time educator second and as such, I give more weight to what employers and industry think.
Like you, my son was also accepted to UCLA and was invited to apply for merit scholarships at UCB and UCSD (they have not officially posted their decisions yet, but we are confident he’ll get in). Our first choice? Cal Poly SLO. He’ll start there in the Fall. Good luck!</p>
<p>Check out this site for back up to support the prestige of Cal Poly SLO with your folks: <a href=“http://www.calpolynews.calpoly.edu/rankings.html[/url]”>http://www.calpolynews.calpoly.edu/rankings.html</a></p>