Cal Poly

Introduction
Cal Poly represents a diverse array of fields of study - yet the student body is relatively uniform in that everyone's chill and relaxed. This actually goes hand in hand with how focused and motivated everyone is, but the attitude appears laid-back and the kids aren't afraid to have fun. It's a small town, too, so prospective students should make sure to visit to figure out if it's the size and scale of community they're looking for...it's certainly not a big city, but if what you want is a close-knit community and you happen to fit in with the norm here, you'll love it.

Campus Life and Social Life
Typical college parties take place every weekend, and in addition the residence halls plan their own events. Ditto for the clubs and organizations. There's always something going on, and it's advisable to join a group if you're having trouble meeting friends in the dorms. You can carve out a social life based on your interests - the resources are all here. Advertisement
Academics
My rule of thumb is: if a given major/department appears easy, the quality of teaching and courses probably aren't very high. I can attest that the Agriculture, Engineering and Architecture departments are particularly strong here. Professors are generally very passionate about their subject matter, which makes the courses engaging...in terms of workload, you definitely need to be prepared to make an effort, but with even marginally decent study habits you can absolutely succeed here academically.

Student Body
I would have to admit that the typical student here is Caucasian, blonde and athletic. HOWEVER, everyone here seems to be accepting and welcoming of diversity, despite that other groups aren't as well represented. Most of the kids are California natives, though other states are also represented. Many of the students are here to pursue Agricultural interests and are attracted to our department because it's one of the best in the country...

In Closing...
The beaches and nearby hiking and camping opportunities dominate excursions off-campus, but Downtown SLO is perfectly pleasant and a nice way to expand your horizons after spending most of your week on campus.