Tuition isn’t an issue for either school so my choice isn’t really based around that. I was committed to UDub but I just got off the Cal Poly Waitlist. I’m majoring in Poli Sci. I loved the vibe and atmosphere at Cal Poly but UDub also seems really cool, especially since it’s in Seattle. Now I am lost on what to do. I was wondering what people here thought especially people that might’ve gone or had experience with these schools
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They’re very different schools. The classes at Cal Poly will be much smaller from the very beginning and they don’t use TAs. The weather is also arguably better, and the ocean more useable.
UDub has big time athletics though if that’s important to you, and it’s in a large, vibrant city.
It really boils down to personal preference.
Congrats!
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You didn’t give near enough info to help you make a decision.
You love the vibe at Cal Poly (go there) but UDub seems cool since it’s in Seattle.
OK - do you love the big city? The smaller area? Big time sports?
These schools are very different - there’s no wrong answer - but…we don’t know what’s important to you.
Good luck.
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How do you do in darkness and gloom? Aside from weather, there’s a huge delta in winter daylight hours/general sunlight.
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Whichever is cheaper. Are you instate for either?
Career goals?
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What do you hope to do with Poli Sci?
Even though Seattle is not the state capital, there’s a lot that goes on in the city, politically. If direct involvement in any of that, while in school, is important to you, there will be a lot more opportunities in Seattle than in San Luis Obispo.
If you’re prone to Seasonal Affective Disorder, SLO could be a happier place. Where is home for you - are you accustomed to the long, dark/wet winters in the PNW?
Both schools are “really cool,” with potentially great quality of life, but very different. Have you visited both? As eyemgh said, they’re both great, and two different students could reasonably make two different choices, and both be right. Entirely a matter of preferences and priorities.
What a lot of students do, when seeking this kind of advice, is to share their own pro/con lists about the two schools. That gives people a jumping-off point to give feedback that’s relevant to your perspective.
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That seems more like conjecture than an evidence based statement. Certainly Seattle is a bigger city, but it really comes down to how each school will support their students to get involved. UDub may well have something as cool, or even better, but the Panetta Institute for Public Policy is a good resource at CP.
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Oh, for sure, there are good “semester in DC” programs at both, and undoubtedly other connections and opportunities too. All I meant was that if the student wants community-based involvement during their normal semesters on campus, there’s just a lot more going on locally in Seattle than in SLO. This could feel important to one student and not particularly important to another, depending on what kind of involvement is most important to them. There’s far more available than any single student can do at once, at both schools, so it just depends what kind of environment is preferred.
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My son is Poli Science at UDub. We are from Marin just north of SF. SLO is fine but it’s isolated really. Depends where you are from. Lots of kids absolutely love Cal Poly. Easier to get home from Seattle.
UDub really has a UC Berk feel. Univ Avenue is a little rough like Telegraph Ave. University Village is an expansive big time village mall with all the shops and restaurants. The campus itself is just amazing. Big time sports likely not as good this coming year but still a big deal. He loves his classes. Nothing too huge.
Biking, running and the lake right there. Weather …ehh sure a little grey, but he never really complains. Lots of frats / sororities if that is your jam. He is a Phi Delt.
Good luck !!
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That will depend on where the student is located.
D21 attends Cal Poly and the drive home is 3 hours. No Uber’s to the airport and back or arranging rides, no airport, no tickets, no security, no weather or other flight delays, no waiting at the gate, no checked luggage, etc., just hop in the car and drive home to Silicon Valley.
A train to the San Jose area is also avaiiable.
Cal Poly a cute small town. And class sizes are small(er). D21 happens to be taking a summer course and only 18 students are enrolled, but typically less than 50 students.
Seattle is vibrant big city with not-so-great weather. UDub is an excellent university.
We’re all built differently, but I have a relative, who has lived in Seattle for a 2-3 years for work and will not be going back because of the weather. Lease is up in July, but they’re already gone (moved out).
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For political science, the University of Washington (UDub) generally offers a more renowned program with broader research opportunities, while Cal Poly provides a strong program with a focus on practical and applied learning.
My son at UW in PS. Taking Arabic and Japan Political Economy class this quarter. That is a range…lol. Just two weeks ago he went to a UN sponsored meeting at the Washington Athletic Club in downtown Seattle.
He has had some great experiences. If you are interested they are there for you at UW.
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