California Polytechnic State University

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo—commonly known as Cal Poly—is a public polytechnic university in San Luis Obispo, California. Founded in 1901, it is one of two polytechnic universities in the 23-campus California State University system. Cal Poly is nationally recognized for its "Learn by Doing" philosophy, which emphasizes hands-on, practical education across undergraduate and graduate programs in agriculture, engineering, architecture, business, and the liberal arts. The university offers bachelor's, master's, and credential programs through its six colleges: Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences; Architecture and Environmental Design; Engineering; Liberal Arts; Science and Mathematics; and the Orfalea College of Business. Its scenic campus spans more than 9,000 acres on the central California coast, making it one of the largest land-holding campuses among public universities in the United States. Cal Poly is consistently ranked among the top regional public universities and is particularly noted for its undergraduate engineering and architecture programs. Cal Poly serves approximately 22,000 students and provides extensive facilities including academic libraries, research laboratories, residential communities, dining venues, and athletic and recreational centers. The campus is located near downtown San Luis Obispo and is accessible from major California highways.