Cal Poly

“California, California, here we come.” If you want to make like Phantom Planet and head to the West Coast for your higher education, consider Cal Poly as one of your options. College Prowler lets Cal Poly students give you the inside scoop on what really goes down at school in the land of tans and sunshine. Prepare yourself; it’s not all going to be like the OC.

Fun Facts about San Luis Obispo:

• One weekend in April, parking lots, driveways, and the town square downtown are roped off for the annual I Madonnari Italian Street Painting Festival. Artists gather with colored chalk to paint beautiful masterpieces on concrete.
• Every Thursday evening, Higuera, one of the main streets in town, closes down for one of the biggest farmers markets in California. It includes music, produce, crafts, and barbeques.
• Every year from October through March, the San Luis area (especially Pismo Beach) is host to thousands of Monarch butterflies, who consider this area to have the perfect climate for wintering in.

“San Luis has a nice, friendly atmosphere since it is a relatively small town with wonderful weather. The beach is only 15 minutes away. The only issue to take caution about is all the homeless people roaming around late at night.”

And of course, college is about more than just atmosphere. Like maybe, umm, academics?

“The teachers at Cal Poly are definitely one of the reasons why I love this school. They’re willing to spend extra time on the students and really want to teach and share information. The classes are very interesting, due to the ‘Learn by doing’ motto.”

Or diversity?

“Not diverse at all. I look around campus seeing the same type of people. I think that campus needs more diversity.”

Get to the truth behind the California hype, straight from the students’ mouths.

Visiting campus isn't enough.

Read our Cal Poly insider’s guide and discover what it feels like to be on campus for 4 years.

Discover if Cal Poly is Right For You.