California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

Date: Mar 04 2011
Major: Business - Management and Administration (This Major's Salary over time)
Cal Poly is an excellent university for those students who know what they want to do for a career. This is not a place for those who don't, and in fact it could be quite painful. Most 17 or 18 year olds do not know what they want to do for a living, and if this is you, go to another school. If you are one of those people who do know, you will not get a better undergraduate education anywhere. You will be immersed in your discipline from the beginning, and the result is you will graduate way ahead of other students (from other schools) who don't get this focus until junior and senior year. Moreover, the "Learn by doing" mantra is quite real. These two dynamics explain why countless corporations campout on the campus for Cal Poly graduates. Cal Poly students are productive immediately because they transcend theory and gain practical knowledge. Do your homework and learn about the average starting salaries of Cal Poly graduates, versus the rest of the pack. If you are deciding between a UC school and Cal Poly, and you know what you want to do, go to Cal Poly for a substantive education. Then get your masters at a UC or Ivy, because that's their focus. With an undergraduate business degree from Cal Poly, and accelerated work experience, my Ivy League MBA was more meaningful and a breeze.