Cal Poly San Louis Obispo or CSU Fullerton for Economics ? (Pomona: schools, universities)

[vcvcvc]

can someone give me their opinion on these two universities for their graduate programs in Economics.

I got admitted into both, Cal Poly SLO and CSUF.

I have no idea what factors I should look for when choosing graduate school.

can someone give me their opinion on both universities. I heard that CSUF is well known for Business and that Cal Poly SLO is mostly for engineering.

It seems that Cal poly SLO program in Economics is more practical, their curriculum includes courses in programming , using different software etc...witch could be beneficial for the workforce.

CSU Fullerton on the other hand is the traditional program you find in most Universities. More theoretical.

what should I do ? what should I look for ? help me please.

[BoredRestless]

Probably SLO. Practicality is more important than theory.

[genjy]

Cal Poly SLO is the #1 ranked CSU (Cal Poly Pomona is #2 btw).

Fullerton is a high-mid tier CSU.

If this means anything.

[REITS4life]

Slo.

[majoun]

This should be in the general California forum, not the L.A. forum. Neither school is in L.A. and the people who would have knowledge of both schools might not visit the L.A. forum.

[Carlyee3]

Originally Posted by vcvcvc

can someone give me their opinion on these two universities for their graduate programs in Economics.

I got admitted into both, Cal Poly SLO and CSUF.

I have no idea what factors I should look for when choosing graduate school.

can someone give me their opinion on both universities. I heard that CSUF is well known for Business and that Cal Poly SLO is mostly for engineering.

It seems that Cal poly SLO program in Economics is more practical, their curriculum includes courses in programming , using different software etc...witch could be beneficial for the workforce.

CSU Fullerton on the other hand is the traditional program you find in most Universities. More theoretical.

what should I do ? what should I look for ? help me please.

I am a retired Prof who also was an advisor to grad students. Here are things I told my Sr. students if considering grad school:

1. find yourself a Major Prof who you can work with and is willing to take you on as a grad student and will give you good support and advice.
2. Personally, SLO is the more pleasant town of the two. Just beautiful. A top rate CSU campus.
3. If you can find a Major Prof who has on-going research and can get you a Research Assistantship, you might not only earn income working on the research, but also use that research as your Master's Thesis project.
4. You haven't said what your Undergrad degree is in and what is your experience in employment? Are you an older student? Does the Department hire grad students to be Teaching Assistants?

Hope this helps.

[NewbieHere]

SLO is better for engineering but CSUF is better for Economics. I think they are top notch.

[RosieSD]

What are your goals for getting a master's in economics? Do you want to go on to get a PhD some day? Or do you just want a credential to improve your career opportunities?

Regardless, based on your reasons for getting a masters, you'll want to look closely at the differences between the two degrees.

There are major differences between the two programs. Fullerton's master's in economics is an MA. It only requires 30 or so units, and has specific areas of specialization. Check carefully to see whether any of those areas of specialization align with your career interests.

Cal Poly SLO's program is an MS in economics. It requires 45 units, but can be completed in a year. Most Phd programs, as well as many employers may consider an MS more rigorous than an MA degree. And, the Cal Poly program has a very strong emphasis on economics analytics, which is sort of a "hot" topic in economics right now. It appears that Fullerton's program doesn't have this same emphasis, although of course all economics courses will involve some data and analysis.

The people who are implying that Cal Poly is only good for engineering don't know what they are talking about. While best known for engineering Cal Poly has excellent business and economics programs at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

So, there are differences between these two programs. You need to dig down and see which program better aligns with your interests and your goals. Strangers on the internet are unlikely to be able to answer that question for you -- only you can do that.

One other suggestion: If you haven't already done so, call both of the departments and ask to speak to the graduate student advisor. Before you call, come up with a list of specific questions to ask after looking through their website. The questions shouldn't be based on "which school has a better reputation" but rather based on "here are my goals, how can this school help me reach those goals." If your goal is a job after graduation, be sure to ask about any job placement services that the program may provide, internships, and for a list of the companies/organizations where recent graduates have ended up working.

But in the end, the reason to choose a particular graduate program is because it aligns most closely with YOUR goals and interests, not because of what anyone else says is the "best" program. The "best" program for YOU and your goals/interests may be different than the "best" for someone else.

Good luck with your decision!

[the city]

Fullerton

-more internship opportunities and job opportunities after graduation

[sourdough]

Yeah but the QOL is better in SLO. Wife and I had dinner last night @ NOVO Creekside. The setting is hard to beat and the food is pretty good too.