California State is poor?

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussions' started by rgoodman, Oct 14, 2004.

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  1. rgoodman

    rgoodman New Member

    I heard some said all the California State Univ are rather weak. But from their web sites, many faculties hold PhD from top tier univ so this is not a problem. Does anyone know what is the problem?
     
  2. tcnixon

    tcnixon Active Member


    Don't listen to the "some." Check those sources that rank universities. I think they hold up well to inspection. Certainly not ranked as high as the University of California system, but they compare well to many public and private universities.




    Tom Nixon
     
  3. Mr. Engineer

    Mr. Engineer member

    Even as second tier Universities, the CSU's are as good if not better than other states first tier Universities. I cite Cal Poly, Cal Chico and San Jose State as being colleges that graduate top level engineers, business/management personnel, and other valuable graduates.
     
  4. Han

    Han New Member

    The thought is that any school that accepts all that apply are not up to par, and the policy of the State insitutions WAS to accepted any who have compelted, with a minimum GPA, those requirements from the community college. This was before the budget crisis, and now some are being turned away. Some say that this is helping the reputation of the school's, but I say, after a astudent goes through 2+ years of community college, and they are then turned away, it is not fair.

    I have nothing to compared my teaching experience their, but the research is important, the acitivities by faciluty are incredible, research seminars, community involvement, etc.

    I knwo when I was a student, some of the schools I went to do not compare.

    I would say, as most jobs, it is what you make of it, but I think tides are changing with the CSU system, and the lower UC systems are ebing compared to the top tier SCU systems, which would have been laughable 10 years ago. Times, they are a changin'.......
     
  5. Mr. Engineer

    Mr. Engineer member

    CSU does NOT accept all that apply. What ever gave you that idea? My step-daughter was turned down for some of the colleges due to her CC gpa. (it wasn't bad, but others were apparently higher) Some CSU's are harder to get into than others - it also depends on your desired major (it is harder to get into engineering majors at SJSU or Cal Poly than other CSU's).

    When I first graduated from HS in the late 70's, I was accepted into Chico State, but not SJSU or Hayward State. (didn't go to either). Even when I graduated from CC, I wasn't immediately accepted into Hayward State.

    I think that CSU-DH's online program was easier to get into than most (even though I have a 3.75 overall undergraduate gpa, my GMAT scores sucked rotten tomatos) - I believe that is because the on-line college is a definite cash cow for the university.
     
  6. boydston

    boydston New Member

    Weak? Define weak. They aren't by design research universities. They attract some high quality faculty members who on a whole are more interested in teaching than doing original research. I'm not saying that research is bad or that none of the CSU faculty members are involved in research -- only that the emphasis is different. On top of that they are some of the most accesible state-funded universities in the world. I certainly wouldn't call that a weakness.
     
  7. Mr. Engineer

    Mr. Engineer member

    Re: Re: California State is poor?

    You are right - however Cal Poly conducts some pretty interesting argricultural research. They are tied pretty closely with the Agribusiness here in CA.

    One thing about all CA U's - they are pretty cheap when compared to most states. Some of the UC's are even better than Ivy League U's.

    BTW: Interesting website. - I enjoyed reading your webblog.

    W.
     
  8. boydston

    boydston New Member

    Re: Re: Re: California State is poor?

    Yes. There is some research going on in the system. But on a whole CSU mission isn't oriented that way. And there are some very competitive programs throughout the system, too. Engineering at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo is world class and tough to get into. I have two sons in UC system schools and I know that some of their peers applied to CSU schools but didn't make it -- so they HAD to go to UC San Diego (!).
     
  9. BillDayson

    BillDayson New Member

    I used to attend Cal Poly SLO and often hung out at UCSB. Both schools have generated a little bit of news in the last month. Actually the news sums up the difference between UCSB and Cal Poly pretty neatly.

    Here's the UC news: Professors associated with UCSB sucked in two more Nobel Prizes, in physics and economics, bringing the school's total to five Nobels in the last six years. I don't think that any other university (or country?) can equal that haul.

    Yet USNews considers UCSB one of the less prestigious UCs and the university guidebooks routinely dismiss UCSB as a beachfront party-school. It's true that they have their own private beach, but UCSB-ites do occasionally manage to turn their attention from surfing to spacey things like quantum chromodynamics.

    Cal Poly is very different. It sticks resolutely to its polytechnic roots. When I went to school there, you could major in Swine Husbandry. (Aren't all husbands swine simply by genetics? Something to do with y-chromosomes, who needs a BS?)

    The school's motto is "Learn by Doing"... and when a Cal Poly graduate starts thinking spacey, he's not thinking quantum nothin', he's thinking grease-monkey literal.

    So click on (this) to see what the Cal Poly engineers have been up to recently. (Literally)

    No other school's graduates have done that either.
     
  10. boydston

    boydston New Member

    There was an interesting LA Times article a few days ago talking about how UCSB has in the past few years morphed into a serious research institution.
     
  11. Han

    Han New Member

    I am sorry, I was not clear. I meant that if you meet their minimum requirements, you are in. Some schools say it depends - but now that has all changed, due to too many, and many out of staters are being accepted before CA residence to get a bump in tuition rate and revenue.

    I work their, so I understand the system pretty well, but still learning. There is an incredible amount of research, and I have loved the environment.

    Anyway, you are right Mr. Engineer, my posting did not express what I was trying to say.
     
  12. rgoodman

    rgoodman New Member

    I would say the entry requirements have nothing to do with the value of the degrees in the job market. For many jobs, CSU graduates still cannot compete with the UC, needless to say the Ivy League. Especially in the financial market that I am working, many employers only accept Harvard/Yale graudates. Once they know you are not from the top tier colleges, they won't bother.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 17, 2004
  13. Ian Anderson

    Ian Anderson Active Member

    I just realized I do not know (that I am aware of) any engineers that graduated with an undergraduate engineering degree from a UC school. Most are from Cal State schools, CA private schools (such as Stanford), or out of state schools (Pudue, Michigan, etc). I know several engineers with post grad degrees from UC schools.

    When hiring engineers I look for more than a degree - enthusiasm, prior engineering activitity, and sharpness all fall into the mix.
     
  14. Anthony Pina

    Anthony Pina Active Member

    Although the University of California system is, by design, the research/doctoral wing of California higher ed, much of the published research is actually coming out of the Cal State system (since there are over twice as many Cal States as UCs). Several of the Cal Sates offer joint doctoral programs (in conjunction with a UC or a private doctoral granting university).

    In my field (instructional technology), none of the University of California campuses offer a program as good as the Educational Technology program at San Diego State (one of the top Ed Tech programs in the country).

    Tony Pina
    Northeastern Illinois University
     

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