get to know cal poly
Whatever you are learning, we believe you learn it best when you do it for yourself.
At Cal Poly, you’ll put knowledge into action. You’ll come together with people from different backgrounds to pursue better solutions across disciplines and boundaries. And you’ll ready yourself to take on whatever comes next – from everyday challenges to the world’s most pressing problems.
how we learn
Our Learn by Doing philosophy sets us apart from other colleges and universities. Your classes will actively engage you with hands-on, real-world experiences building both your knowledge and your skill and transforming you into a proactive, whole-systems thinker.

Making an Impact
Play an active role in helping solve some of California’s — and the world’s — most complex challenges.
Exploring Space
Explore their missionConfronting the Climate Crisis
Discover their researchSaving Mother's Lives
Learn more about the projectExplore Our Majors
Cal Poly's six academic colleges offer more than 60 majors for you to consider.
We require students to declare a major as part of the application process in order to maximize their experience in their chosen field from Day One. While changing your major may be possible, we recommend you explore majors thoroughly before making your choice.
how we live
Exploring every angle is essential to who we are. That applies not only to your classwork, but also to the perspectives of people we meet and the activities we do. We want to give you the opportunity to explore this diverse world, embrace new ideas, make new friends and discover new interests.

Housing and Dining
Along with becoming a part of an active and supportive community, living on campus will give you easy access to all of the delicious options in our brand-new dining complex.

Clubs and Organizations
You have passions that fuel and enhance your life. We have over 400 student clubs and organizations to help you indulge them.

Athletics and Recreation
From competitive sports to our world-class rec center to access to the great outdoors, there are many opportunities to play as hard as you work.
The world is diverse. We want to make sure our campus reflects that and is a safe space for you to be yourself and connect with others.
where we go
All the hands-on opportunities you’ll have throughout your years at Cal Poly will add up to a level of experience that will be unmatched by your peers — and in high demand by employers. Learn by Doing makes sure that when you graduate, you’ll be a resourceful and innovative professional, prepared to take the lead in discovering solutions yourself.
When I first arrived at Cal Poly I thought that Learn by Doing was merely a catchy motto. I quickly learned that it is what sets our students apart. Cal Poly helped me learn to network, build relationships and effectively communicate. After my second year, I became a Global Security intern for Tesla and after my third year, a Finance intern at Apple. These opportunities presented themselves because of the relationships and skills Learn by Doing taught me.
Madison Boyd
Business Administration '20
Madison Boyd graduated magna cum laude with a major of Business Administration and a concentration in finance in March of 2020. During her Cal Poly career, she interned at both Tesla and Apple, where she now holds a full-time position.
Dig a little deeper
Can't get enough and looking for more? We got you covered.
There are a ton of resources that can help you get to know the campus, speak with current students and learn more about the majors that interest you the most. Most importantly, you’ll get to see for yourself if Cal Poly is right for you.
Schedule a
Visit
The best way to explore our campus is to see it for yourself. From campus tours, to information sessions, to connecting one-on-one with our staff or students, we have the resources to help you get to know us better — whether in-person or from the comfort of your own home.
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Email List
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Ready to Apply?
The application for the 2022-2023 school year opens on October 1. Choose your status and learn more about what it takes to become a Mustang.