By Jose Hernandez and Alexander Novoa, October 3, 2023
Cal Poly Pomona distinguished itself by placing second and third in the U.S. Best Colleges ranking, certifying its place nationwide in the university hierarchy.
The ranking of colleges and universities in the U.S. is based on extensive research and analysis of various factors, such as tuition cost, campus resources and quality of education. These rankings can be helpful for incoming students and their families when deciding which school to attend as they help the students identify the best fit for their academic goals.
CPP ranked as the second-best public school in the West, third among the best regional universities in the West and the second-best college for veterans in the West in the 2023 U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges ranking. The university also secured the fourth rank among top performers, which examines the proportion of students receiving Pell Grants, student debt and post-graduation outcomes.
“Some important questions to ask are, is it a good college? Is it a good value? Are you getting your money’s worth when you’re paying tuition,” Peters said. “Tuition is not insignificant. I think it is important that we are still among the lowest cost universities, and we are a very high-value campus, and the CSU is a very high-value system.”
Among the reasons to consider attending a specific campus, the high value in tuition costs highlights the importance price signifies upon a student’s final decision. With inflation rates skyrocketing to new extremes, students keep their options open to ensure they make the best financial decision possible.
CPP is currently ranked as one of the most affordable polytechnic universities with a great tuition price. However, Cal Poly Pomona has recently approved a 6% tuition increase for the next five years. The campus is known for its hands-on approach to learning, providing a unique experience for all students.
“This is an obvious concern for every parent and student who is moving into college,” Peters said. “We need to do a really good job of telling people, make sure they apply for financial aid. There will be increases in the amount of money available for financial aid. Even if you can’t wait until you get your final financial aid decisions from each college, it doesn’t hurt to apply because you might get approved.”
Incoming students, both freshmen and transfer students alike, share the same similarities when it comes to choosing majors that align with their interests and career goals. CPP offers over forty-nine different majors within its nine unique colleges, while some majors provide students with specific concentrations within their field of study.
Daniella Gonzalez, Aerospace engineering student, discloses how CPP offered the major she was most intrigued in,
“Cal Poly Pomona has one of the best aerospace programs,” said Gonzalez, “I was looking at some of the other ones, but a lot of them aren’t really hands-on. Since Cal Poly’s a learn-by-doing school, it was the perfect choice. I did see that Cal Poly was ranking high in best colleges, and that was one of the reasons that made me want to come here even more. A lot of the teachers are great! I love all of my professors. They’re very understanding and helpful.”
Ramiro Iglesias, third year transfer student majoring in Business Administration, declared his decision to attend CPP was largely due to the fact of the diversity in major offerings, and the high value of education he would receive by becoming a Bronco,
“I applied to several CSU’s and CPP stood out to me the most because of the higher value noted in the rankings I found online,” said Iglesias. “Over the years I changed my major twice and seeing that the university had several majors offerings, it was easy to decide on choosing my major in Business. Also, my commute time was ideal so deciding on attending CPP was a no-brainer.”
CPP continues to offer incoming students alternative choices by providing unique academic programs and majors to choose from. Prospective students should look at all factors that may not be included in the metrics of the U.S. college rankings. CPP consistently improved over the years and retains its position as one of the top schools regionally. Considering last year, the university finished in the Top 50 “Best Colleges of the West (No. 15),” and “Best Public Colleges (No. 24).”
“I think rankings are a really great tool for both students and parents,” said Peters. “It’s a way for parents to learn a little bit about a college choice that maybe they never considered. They’re a way for that student to show their parents this is a really good place to attend.”
For future students wanting to learn more about CPP and its rankings, visit the CPP website for additional information.
Feature Image courtesy of Alexander Novoa