It’s that time of year again: application season. Let’s face it, applying to college is stressful, however getting accepted is like finding a new home. Whether it’s in your hometown or an entirely different state, the environmental and social terrain is different and in some ways, more challenging. That’s why every high school senior should seriously consider attending Cal Poly SLO, because there’s no home away from home quite like San Luis Obispo.Â
1) Clubs and Organizations
Let me start by asking a question: what do you want to gain out of college? There is no exact answer, but the main aim is to seek new experiences. Clubs and Organizations provide a plethora of fresh opportunities, and lucky for you, Cal Poly has over 400 student organizations that cover any sport, major-specific activity, or niche interest you could possibly have. The goal is to become more involved in the community, and form friendships that make the college experience worthwhile. Some major oriented clubs to check out are CSAI (a computer science and artificial intelligence club) and the Astronomical Society, but there’s also more interest-related clubs such as Animation or Photography. There are also a myriad of club sports teams and intramural teams if you want to play a sport more casually. Perhaps you are looking to make a fulfilling difference; Safer is committed to providing care, education, and prevention to sexual assault, and is one of many organizations on campus dedicated to supporting each and every student’s health and wellbeing. Of course, there are many more clubs that are worth discovering, and if you are interested in learning more just look at the Cal Poly website under the Clubs and Organizations tab. Not only are these associations wonderful to be a part of, they are also great resume builders! So go crazy, and see what you can find.
2) Career Readiness
There will come a time where you will graduate college (gasp), and I know it might be difficult to picture high school coming to an end. Alas, in college, it is time to start thinking about entering the job market, and Cal Poly has so many resources to help you start! We have several career fairs throughout the year. They can be specific to your major, more generalized with several kinds of employers, or even local businesses that are looking for students to work in SLO. Career fairs are an excellent way to create connections and get potential internships early on. But don’t stress! Four years is a lot of time to gain all the knowledge and experience you need to make it in the real world. It’s important to take advantage of the resources provided, but it’s also important to do it on your own schedule.Â
3) Major Classes
One aspect that sets Cal Poly apart from other colleges is that the students start major classes right away. A majority of colleges like to start off with general education classes, which is part of the Cal Poly curriculum as well. However, starting major classes within your first two years of education means a higher likelihood of graduating early if AP credit transfers over to your GEs. . Furthermore, it gives a competitive edge when applying to jobs because students have become more familiar with the material since they’ve been practicing since day one.Â
4) Class Sizes
Obviously we have to discuss class sizes, which usually are between 15 to 30 students, however it also varies among majors. Smaller majors like software engineering have around 10-15 students, whereas larger majors like business administration can have over 100 students in a lecture hall. Don’t fret! Teachers are not allowed to accept more students than there are chairs in a room, so you will never have to sit on the floor or the stairs to take notes.Â
5) Getting Around SLO
As a freshman, you may be worried about how to get from place to place especially at night. I’m happy to report that SLO is fairly easy to get around. According to Walk Score, SLO is a relatively walkable city with a score of 56. A walk score ranges from 0-100, so it is right in the middle. From the dorms, it’s around a forty minute walk, or a ten minute bus ride, to downtown. On the campus itself, no class is more than a ten minute walk (unless you run into a friend on the way). In general, everyone should take precautions when walking at night, especially when alone. However, if you’re with a group of people you trust, walking in SLO is incredibly safe. I myself have taken many strolls as well as the bus at night without feeling unsafe.
6) Beaches!
Now, let’s get to the fun stuff. Beaches! Some of the most popular ones are Avila, Pismo, and Morro Bay. Avila and Pismo are known for their cute stores and sweet treats.Â
In Avila, there are plenty of places to get shaved ice, candy, ice cream, knick knacks, and beachwear. If you have one, make sure to bring a surfboard, because Avila is also a popular surfing spot! My favorite place on the beach though is a small trail called Pirate’s Cove. It leads up to an outlook spot where you can watch the sunset above, or inside, a hollowed out cave. It’s absolutely breathtaking!Â
Pismo is known for its boardwalk which is always packed with people. No store sells the same item. You can buy any tacky staple item you could imagine. Multi-colored sunglasses? Yes. Dolphin snowglobe? Yes. Tie Dye dresses? Absolutely! License plate name tags with the names of every person you’ve ever known? You got it. Of course, the gem of the boardwalk is the ice cream shop: Cowboy Cookie, where you can get ice cream and a cookie in one cup. Then you can stroll on the beach and hang out by the swingsets. The perfect Pismo day!
Lastly, is Morro Bay. Now, there may be some confusion because this is a Bay but it has a beach, and you can’t say you’ve visited SLO without stopping at Morro Bay; it’s just not right. Morro is known for its thrift stores like Treasures (my top pick) or Nifty Thrifty, and cozy coffee shops. Once you get to the beach, there is a spectacular view of the smoke stacks, Morro rock, and the most gorgeous sunset you have ever seen. You can even kayak in the bay, which is a popular week of welcome activity! In my humble opinion, Morro beach has the best sunsets in all of San Luis Obispo.
7) HikingÂ
You can’t talk about Cal Poly without mentioning all the hikes. If you’ve made it this far in the article and you hate hiking, it’s time to change your mind. Hiking is one of the best ways to see the beauty of San Luis Obispo, some more popular ones are Serenity Swing, which is directly behind campus past the Architecture Graveyard, and the three Tri-Tip challenge peaks. The Tri-Tip challenge consists of first hiking up The P (which conveniently is right behind the freshmen dorms), Bishop, and Madonna all in one day. This may sound daunting, but you get a tri tip sandwich after. It’s a well-beloved tradition here at Cal Poly!
8) Coffee Shops
The coffee culture is alive and thriving in this charming town. The most obvious visit is Scout Coffee with three locations within SLO; I would recommend a maple sea salt latte with oat milk. Top Dog Coffee Bar in Morro Bay is also a must-try; they have almost any coffee you can think of on the menu. Additionally, they donate a portion of their proceeds to animal shelters. Last but not least, check out Corazon Cafe in downtown SLO. They have perfect fall drinks as well as delicious pastries like conchas. There’s so much more to discover, so if you want more recommendations check out “Here’s the Scoop on all the Coffee Shops in SLO.”
9) Dorm Life
 Cal Poly has an assortment of dorms that differ in their general structure, similar to many universities, however, dorm living in SLO is one of the best parts of Cal Poly. As a preface, each dorm has its own culture and socialization; some dorms like the Red Bricks tend to be more social depending on the Resident Learning Community (RLC) whereas Yak is more academically oriented. No matter which dorm you end up in, if you choose to interact with the people on your floor or in your building, you are guaranteed to make some good friends. When I was a freshman, I lived in the Red Brick, aka South Mountain, dorms, and they were incredible. If you ever got bored or needed a break from studying, there was always someone to talk to and hang out with. Whether it’s playing pool, watching a movie, or just studying together, things definitely become more enjoyable if you do them with other people.Â
10) The Gem of Cal Poly
This carries me to the very last reason you should come to Cal Poly: the people. I know it’s kind of cheesy, but the environment is unlike any other; there’s always something to do, someone to talk to, or somewhere to go. I went from meeting my best friends who lived right down the hall from me in the dorm, to hiking together in the beautiful rolling hills, drinking amazing coffee, watching sunsets on the beach, all while maintaining school and career goals makes college worthwhile. This is what life is meant to be: wonderful.Â
I hope I convinced you to check out Cal Poly, and if you need a little more persuasion I would highly recommend taking a tour of the campus! You’ll see it’s everything I’ve described and more. But for now, good luck on that list of college applications, and make sure to put Cal Poly at the very top!Â