California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

Date: Apr 10 2008
Major: Accounting (This Major's Salary over time)
I was recently admitted as a transfer student but chose not to enroll. I grew up in the neighboring city of Morro Bay, and this college is basically a high school reunion. All of my family and out-of-area friends who visit have started using the label I made up for San Luis Obispo County: The Black Hole. Once people arrive here, they NEVER leave. It's like this place sucks the goals and worldly aspirations right out of people.

There are some super liberals and hippies, and lots of stoners and surfers - the majority, however, is super-right-wing Christian/Conservative. There is a lot of agriculture here, so a redneck attitude prevails (Country music, business before environment). Also, because of the high cost of living, the only people who can afford to live here are those migrating from Orange County and the LA area. The college and surrounding areas have also become infested with people from the Central Valley (think Fresno, Modesto, and those aggie dumps). The place is pretty mellow, but this also means that there is very little to do. Activities include athletics/outdoorsy stuff, and, well, LOTS OF DRINKING. One area of the county has wineries by the dozens, so wine tasting is very popular. Downtown SLO (close to campus) is like Mardi Gras every weekend - drunk people spilling out of bars and into the streets as they make their way from one booze-fest to the next. After all, with over a mile of bars, apparently it is something to aspire to (and brag about) to start at one end and stumble your way to the other end.

I may sound very negative, but keep two things in mind. 1) I have not attended this college, though I have numerous friends who do/have. 2) I grew up in this area. I spent years meeting people, exploring back roads, and partying with the Cal Poly crowd.

This school has a great reputation, and honestly, I can't figure out why. I think it is the fallacy of question begging epithet (circular reasoning): it is hard to get in, so it must be a good school, and it must be a good school because it is hard to get in.

Even when/if you do graduate, you probably will be stuck in a low-paying job that isn't really what you studied - this is because there is an abundance of college-educated people in the workforce, and because no one wants to leave (Black Hole), you will take any job you can just to be able to keep living in SLO.

If you get in to Poly, you must be pretty smart. Do what I'm doing, and use that GPA to get a quality education that you will actually do something with. Go to a UC, or branch out and go to a private or out-of-state college (see www.wue.wiche.edu for special tuition rates for students who want to go to college out-of-state). This college and its outrageous living expenses are not worth the money - and certainly not worth wasting your talents.