Reviews

CPP's staff is unmatched in many ways. Being an architecture major, I've met some of the best in the field and have been taught by professors who have been in the business a long time. Some classes can be frustrating if you have a teacher who doesn't take the time to show up, answer questions, and offer office hours.

The campus is safe and quiet for students even though it is in the eastern part of Los Angeles. Everything is a close drive, being about an hour at the most to reach the beach, the mountains, a lake, or downtown Los Angeles if you have a car. It is a little too quiet sometimes though and you don't feel like your in a big and active campus a lot of the time since most people commute to school and leave on weekends.

The school is easily one of the most affordable schools around, even with the problems of the state budget crisis. With low tuition and reasonable housing costs, it makes it easy to put money towards other supplies or assures you that you won't be in debt the rest of your life. CPP also has some of the most prestigious and highest nationally ranked programs around. For the price I'm getting some of the most desired and useful knowledge in the state.

STAY BUSY! Go to the gym, play intramural sports, go to school events like plays, get involved in ROTC, just do something. Your classes will be busy depending on your major but if you live on campus you need to keep yourself active and give yourself an advantage.

If you want to build, design, run a hotel, or treat injured animals, you should be here. One of the most well-known architecture programs and engineering schools around.

I have a hunger for what I want to learn and I believe Cal Poly will feed me properly as long as I put my part.

I am already really comfortable with the school since I was and am part of their Upward Bound program, and I already feel like a student there because I'm so familiar with people there and with some friends who are going to join me.

If you know the college you really want to go to, get involved right now. It is never to early. I advise you to look out for the programs like Upward Bound and apply for EOP if you can, it will help you a lot. Find out about this college as much as you can through their website- csupomona.edu

For any student willing to put a bit of their time and effort to have a joyful college experience, studying their favorite career and meeting all sorts of people in a beautiful environment. Especially those always looking to thrive in life.

I am an English major. I came in thinking that I was pretty good at analyzing literature. The American literature class I am taking right now has shown me that I still have a long ways to go. My teacher is amazing in that he is teaching me so much more than I could get in high school. He helps me to see aspects of the literature that I would have never seen before. The classes at CPP are exceptional. They tie into each other. I notice aspects of psychology in literature and communication. As well as literature aspects in psychology and communication. It's amazing how much knowledge there is here for a student to soak up.

I love living and studying at CPP! First off, the residence halls are so much fun. Yes, I share a room, and the whole hall uses one bathroom, but it isn't really so bad once you get used to it. It's great living with your best friends and having a familiar place to go back to between classes. Commuters don't have that. Most people in classes are very friendly, including the teachers. It is so easy to make friends, as long as you are willing to turn around and say hi to the person behind you. The school spirit here is incredible. There, of course, is the pride for Billy Bronco and green and gold. The fight song will get stuck in your head, but that's a good thing : ) It's so much fun to go cheer on CPP at athletic events. There is also Residence Hall spirit though. A pride for a student's own home is obvious from the very beginning with hall nicknames, T-shirts, mascots, etc. A student can't help but get swept up in the excitement.

With the cost of housing at Pomona comes a gym membership, which most students use more than once a week. The meal plan is very flexible. Along with being able to eat in Los Olivos Commons, which is like a mall food court or buffet, a student can cash out $6 at the store underneath the commons. $6 does go a long way there. there is also the option of going to any of the numerous fast food restaurants or marketplaces on campus. There is something here for every one's appetite. The tuition and books are steep priced, but what college isn't expensive in this economic time? CPP does have many scholarship and loan opportunities. There is bound to be at least one scholarship opportunity for every student.

Find a way to get priority registration! Registration at any college is hectic and stressful. Since everyone is competing for those core classes it is a slim chance that you will get the classes you want or need, much less the days and times you prefer. Priority registration is given to honors students and athletes, among others. Call the registrar's office to see if you fit in any priority categories. There is one category that fits almost anyone. Four your pledge (or 5 year for those architecture and engineering students) guarantees priority registration for those who pledge that they will not change their major. Now if you do decide to change your major you can just drop out of the pledge. The only penalty is that you no longer get priority registration. I am a four year pledge student and I got to register many weeks before everyone else. I am extremely grateful that I got every class I wanted with reasonable times without any stress whatsoever.

CPP is great for students who want to be close to town but not in the middle of it. It's also perfect for students interested in working at Disneyland, or students with an annual pass. The park is about 30-45 minutes away! CPP is a polytechnic university, so students that enjoy hands-on learning fit in here. The quarter system is good for those who like to take many different classes quickly rather than few classes over a long period of time.

The teachers are very friendly and are quite willing to answer any questions you have during office hours. I've only finished my first year, I truly feel I have learned a lot because of the staffs openness to students.

Not only are the staff friendly, but as is the student body. For incoming freshmen, I advise you to attend Bronco Fusion the day before first classes. This event helps you feel welcome and like a true Bronco.

Even during the hard times like we are currently experiencing, CPP's tuition is still reasonable. You get good classes and learn a lot from the professors that teach here.

I advise prospective students to definitely go on a tour of the campus. You learn a lot about the faculty and the way the school is run, but also the history of Cal Poly. If you do decide on enrolling, I strongly advise you to get a Road Map for your major because it helps you organize which classes you should take.

Cal Poly is great for all types of students, but for those interested in Engineering, Business, Agriculture, or the Arts, I'd say this is definitely a strong candidate.

the campus is beautiful and there are so many helpful students and staff (and plus all of the student programs they offer!). there are plenty of ways to get involved on campus through clubs or greek life or even a job on campus. the academics are a little harder (i'm a pre-vet major), but i can honestly say that i look forward to every class that i get to take here!

try to know what you want to major in! you can become part of the 4 year pledge that guarantees that you will graduate in 4 years. i would recommend living on campus your first year as well, and also try to get involved in at least one club (even if it's just the one from your major). also, use the resources they offer here! most are free, and can be very helpful when you're struggling with a subject or you need help practicing for a job interview.

i would say that the classes offered here can be very difficult. that is, if the subject matter is new to you, you aren't interested in the subject, or you have a very difficult professor (thick accent, doesn't curve the grades, etc). i really enjoy most of my classes, but it is a lot of extra work you have to put in (some say 2-3 hours for every 1 hour you're in class). most people do not graduate in 4 years, but rather 5-7. it's difficult (but not impossible) to take 18+ units every quarter. the quarter system is great. i love having only 10 weeks of classes at a time (3 quarters in each year), although it goes by very fast and you can't slack off.

the dorms are really fun, especially if you are a more outgoing person. the dorms are pretty old and outdated though. most people living in the dorms are friendly, and every keeps their doors open for people to stop by and just hang out. in the suites though, it's a little more anti-social, but you do have a much better living space! you have a small kitchenette and a bathroom that you share with only one roommate. the kitchen is very nice, especially if you like to cook instead of always eating somewhere on campus. there are study rooms in both the dorm buildings and the suites. laundry is also $1.75 per load (wash & dry).

i have heard that the food at the dining commons is pretty good, but i haven't eaten there often enough to say how good or bad it may be. there are plenty of other places on campus to eat (panda express, taco bell, round table, sushi, subway, starbucks, denny's and a few campus markets). there is also the farm store across from the campus that has really good food! it is pricey if you don't live on campus though.

there isn't a lot to actually do around campus. they have events on campus such as plays, and clubs will hold various events throughout the week too. for people who live on campus, the housing staff puts on different kinds of events to help with stress or just to get out of your room and meet some of the other people in the building. they have an art walk every so often in downtown pomona, and there is plenty of shopping in walnut, west covina, and san dimas. you are 30 minutes or so from disneyland (i would recommend a season pass!), and you are about an hour (maybe less) from magic mountain. hollywood and la are not too far either. there are buses that have routes to places like walnut and west covina, but having a car or knowing someone with a car makes it much easier to get off campus.

things are expensive on campus(food especially). parking passes are also really expensive. they don't offer all the classes at the same time, which makes it difficult to graduate in time if you don't take a class in time. compared to slo and other csu's and uc's though, it isn't that expensive. the school does offer you aid if you have applied for financial aid (fafsa). i do believe that i am getting a good education and that most of the professors here are quality, but it still is expensive to attend here (but what school isn't anymore?). you get a lot of hands on experience in class (they offer plenty of labs, but seem to offer a lot less lectures), and it is really helpful when you are applying for jobs and internships to have that experience already. this school is still affordable despite the rising costs.

the rose float is a huge part of cal poly's traditions. every year students build a float for the rose parade, and most of the time they receive awards for it (1st place, people's favorite, etc)! there is also the kellogg arabian horse stables on campus. yes, the horses actually live on campus, and they are bred and shown in various horse shows. also, the rose garden and the japanese garden on campus are big places to go and study or hang out. there is a lot of interesting things that kellogg did here on campus.

anyone who isn't real big on greek life or a big partier (it's very small here), and anyone who wants to study engineering, architecture or animal science. this school has so many opportunities to get involved within your major! and coming from a pre-vet major, the classes offered are really good and you get so much hands on experience! hence cal poly's motto, learn by doing. if you are a student who really wants to focus more of school and your future, this is really a great school.

there are so many things to do with clubs! there are so many to choose from in the first place, from your major's club to the pride club to the sports clubs to the leadership clubs to the christian club to the rose float. it's hard to not get overwhelmed with all the choices. each of the clubs will hold events during the u hour and many do off campus activities that are really fun! it's hard to not get involved here!

greek life isn't that big here, but it does exist! plenty of people get involved, but there are not official houses and there are not a lot of parties all the time. most of the time you will here about the greeks from seeing them out during u hour holding some kind of event for fundraising or awareness of something. the people involved in greek life are very involved on campus.

i would say that campus is pretty safe, although i have heard of some things happening around here. the campus police will escort you back to your dorm or your car if it's later at night. there are these blue emergency posts throughout campus as well that you can press the button if there is an emergency. the campus police also patrol campus later at night. i have never had an issue with safety before, but it has not been unheard of. i have actually heard before that this is one of the safer campuses compared to a lot of other schools.

I've learned so much here regarding my major, and I really enjoy the style of teaching here at Cal Poly.

I do like it here a lot. There's things going on all the time to do, there are parties, and there are a lot of town around pomona, including LA. However, if you don't have a car, it'll get a little annoying. Pomona itself isn't the greatest area and there's virtually nothing to do in Pomona, so you'll need a car to go out and do things.

I feel like I'm getting most of my money's worth here. The classes are great, I love the polytechnic style of teaching because most of my teachers know my name. The only reason I would complain is because my high school was extremely challenging, and when I came here I declared a major that wasn't too difficult and I found that I didn't feel as challenged as I could be. However, many people here, especially engineering, architecture, math, animal sciences, etc. majors are very challenged and most definitely are getting their full money's worth.

Live in the dorms your first year. Opportunities may come up to live in the suites, but the suites aren't very social because they're all upperclassmen and many of them live with their friends and thus have no reason to socialize. The dorms are great for your first year, you'll make tons of friends and meet a lot of new people and they're just generally a lot more fun.
Also, don't worry about not knowing what major to declare. It seems like a big deal, but so many people are undeclared their first year of college. You'll have plenty of time to figure out what it is you want to do.

For any type of student. This campus is extremely diverse, and there are so many different types of people and you'll definitely find your niche.

At this Polytechnic University you don't just get the PowerPoint lectures, you actually do case studies, you go to different schools, you build certain objects, you shoot your own videos, you get a hands on experience that you can't find anywhere else.

This is one of the only places I feel welcomed and at home. I walk on campus and I feel like there is always something for me to do or somewhere for me to go where I will be accepted. The students here are so friendly that it's hard to feel like you don't belong here.

With the tuition you pay you not only get into the classes you need but you have a support group in everything that you do, you get into all sports events on campus, you have access to over 100 clubs, and a convenient health center, which trust me you will use and you will be thankful there is one on campus handy for you.

Visit the campus before you apply, for every school, while classes are in session. By going to the schools you apply to you get a feel for the atmosphere of the college and if you go while classes are in session you'll be able to experience a day that you may experience a million more times in the years after high school. Also ask questions, the worst thing that could happen is you decide you want to go to a school and find out their dorms are only for certain people of certain ages or you can only take certain classes your freshman year instead of picking the classes that you want to take.

Cal Poly Pomona is perfect for students who like the outdoors because our campus has lots of trees and fresh air and it is very spread out so you can enjoy the outdoors almost all day. Also for those students who like to get to know their teachers on a personal level because the teachers at Cal Poly are wonderful about meeting with students individually outside of class to answer any questions or support them throughout their college experience.

Although this is only my first year, I have already had top-notch professors. I love that this school is all about hands-on learning. Since I plan to major in animal science, this is especially important to me because I need as much experience as I can get. This school is devoted to making sure that their students graduate. There is free tutoring and the staff members encourage their students to visit them during office hours for extra help.

College is what you make it. Although Cal Poly isn't a party school, there are still tons of perks that allow for a rewarding learning experience. It is a beautiful campus and the weather is almost always perfect southern California weather. There is something for everyone on this campus, such as the Bronco Student Center (which has a game room), the recreation center, and the library. I also enjoy the fact that this campus embraces diversity.

The cost of tuition was one of the reasons I chose to attend Cal Poly. Why pay $30,000 a year to sit in a lecture hall filled with 400 other students when you could pay $5,000 a year for the same education and smaller class sizes? In the end, a bachelor's degree is a bachelor's degree, no matter which school it comes from. Might as well save yourself a few bucks.

If you're thinking about attending Cal Poly, my first advice would be to earn good grades. It is moderately challenging to be accepted into Cal Poly because six of their programs, including animal science, have been impacted by the California budget. My second advice would be to visit the campus just to get the feel of it (you should visit any school you wish to apply to). My third piece of advice is to take orientation and welcome week seriously. I did not pay much attention during orientation and skipped welcome week. I missed a lot of vital information and I was forced to find the answers to my questions on my own time.

Cal Poly Pomona is perfect for fast-learners and students that just want to finish school and get on with their lives. Its quarter system keeps students focused and motivated because it is easy to fall behind if you are not on top of things. If you're looking for a party school, you've come to the wrong place! Cal Poly students aren't exactly shut-ins, but they're not party animals either. Nevertheless, there are plenty of opportunities for campus involvement.

I feel because CPP is on the quarter system, which means all classes are only 3 months long , it goes by faster in a good way. When it is time to take midterms or finals everything you have learned is still fresh and it does not feel like you have to re learn everything to be able to pass the exam. Also the professors and instructors there are very thorough and always willing to help after class or during office hours. There is free tutoring if you are an EOP student so I recommend you apply for the program at the same time you apply for the school. Cal poly has everything you need to succeed.

Cal poly puts a lot of effort into getting its students involved in different ways. There is welcome week and bronco fusion that really get the year started the best way possible. It is also very easy to join clubs organizations or fraternities or sororities. There is not a football team but the basketball team is great and there are plenty of other sports you can do. There is always something going on at U hour (12-1 pm) either in the quad or the park or student center. You will not be bored here!

I am sure we have all heard of budget cuts and how tuition is about to go up next year because of it. Only disadvantage at cal poly is that you have to end up buying books 3x a year which can get expensive but there is financial aid and the education you get here for the money you pay is definitely worth it. It is about the same in any other CSU campus.

You should go check out the campus for yourself to be 100% sure. It is a very green campus, beautiful anywhere you walk. Which by the way you will do alot of possibly. It is a big campus but there are shuttle buses to take you were you need. Lots of hills for sure. Food at cafeteria could be better but there are plenty of other places to eat at: panda express, carls jr, subway, taco bell, starbucks, etc...
Weather is nice can get cold at night because of the hills so close by.

If you want a beautiful campus full of trees, ponds, grass, with the fun of meeting such outgoing people who care about their education and success this is a great school for you.

The motto: Learn by Doing. It is not just a promotion tactic to convince students to apply or attend. CPP is very adamant about maintaining and does a great job on its emphasize on the subject.

Have an idea as to what you want to do before attending, but if planning to apply as an undeclared major CPP is very accommodating towards your needs.
There is a bit of a stigma associated with CPP that: CPP is a difficult school; CPP is a rigorous school, but every one is very accommodating to each others needs--do not be afraid to attend a "hard" school.
Be ready to get engaged, work hard, and have fun.
Oh, and join RISE if you can, it's a program whose purpose is to help incoming freshman get acclimated to the college environment.

First quarter, to me, felt like high school because I took courses to simply adjust to the heavy loads of homework that high school teachers always told me about, but did study often, and manage my time. Academic rigor I would say is definitely rigorous. One cannot miss more than a day or two.

Living in the dorms has been very fun, very interesting, very laid-back. There is a study room in each dorm so if quiet is ever needed, it is available; the lobby is always active, and always full of people; there are events hosted by the Resident Advisors on the weekend for the people who do not return home. Everyone is very friendly and enjoyable (if you keep your door open you will meet new people very quickly).

It gets tiring after a while, eating the same thing over and over again, but overall Los Olivos, the commons, are very accommodating to the various cultures on campus. They recognize that different cultures have different breakfast meals and provide that diversity in their meals. They have accommodations for vegetarians and, or vegans--menus and calories are given; there is also fast food on campus.

There are over 500 clubs on campus to get involved in. There are intramural sports and various events hosted at the on campus, FREE, gym. There are various food places, malls, and other activities a minimum of 5 minutes away depending on what it is you want to get into.

So far, I would say it has proven to be a great investment. Academically, I have definitely improved on my writing skills--I now have a better idea for the use of commas, semicolons, grammar stuff. Socially, I have definitely gotten out of my comfort zone, I learned how to use chopsticks, I sang karaoke in front of people--I hate singing in front of people. So far so good!

The campus is not really as big as it seems. There are a few locations that are a bit difficult to find at first such as: the Den (on-campus Denny's open until 1am), which is next to the BRIC (on-campus, free, gym), Jamba juice which is next to the BRIC, and buildings do not go in order so, that gets confusing. Overall, first quarter is just adjusting to the new environment, but after the first few weeks you will know the place like it's the back of your hand.

CPP is great for students who are serious about learning, enjoy engaging in academic and social success, and are willing to venture outside of their comfort zones. CPP is very political, but very accommodating to each and every gender, race, and preference. There are cultural centers intended to help each culture or community adjust to campus life: Asian and Pacific Islander Center, Cesar Chavez Center, African American Center, Pride Center (for LGBT+ students), Native American Center, Violence Prevention and Women's Resource Center, etc. CPP is a great campus one just has to be willing to be receptive, open-minded, and willing to grow and learn.

There are over 500 clubs on campus; there is something for everyone to be a part of. Dance, Art, Cultural, Political, Sport, etc.

There are fraternity's and sorority's, rushing is fun, but the Greek life is not a HUGE thing on campus. It is there for those who are interested, though.

My latest class ended around 9, and I had no problem walking back to the dorm's by myself at night. There are on-campus police phones strategically stationed should they be necessary, but the campus is mostly safe.