California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

Date: Sep 24 2004
Major: Biology (This Major's Salary over time)
I call the life sciences the "black hole of Cal Poly" because degree requirements are about double those of any other school,including UCs, and you will have no opportunity to sample electives, and will be buried in excessive general ed. as well. General ed. at Cal Poly is the "faculty full employment act". Many students who would succeed elsewhere will simply be burned out by the sheer tonnage of required courses here. Quiz: who has more biology units-a Cal Poly graduate in biology or someone with a masters from UCLA? Surprise! The Cal Poly guy wins! I say a state school has no business being more "rigorous" than anywhere else. Ag Department faculty joke that in biological sciences, the exam questions are written as though the professor is afraid someone might get the answer right! Don't expect grade inflation- they are VERY loath to give anything above a B. Professors are average to lousy, but grade very tough. There is clearly an agenda, and it ain't the best interest of the student, it is to build a "rigorous" reputation at the expense of students. They can take the most interesting subjects, and squeeze all the life out of them till they're dry as dust. Mountainous amounts of memorization are emphasized. It is very cold and impersonal. I also hate the quarter system- it turns the whole learning experience into one panic attack or cram session after another- for no good reason! Exams all happen too close together, and if you need to get a little help, it's already too late! Go anywhere else if you can!