A recent study done by Nerdwallet, and reported on by Huffington Post, calculated the livability and attraction of cities for college graduates in the areas of cost of living, job availability and sociability of the city — Boston topped the list.
Katherine Benedict
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One chapter ends but a new one begins the day of graduation. Students move on to new jobs, new lifestyles and, oftentimes, new places.
With a wide variety of cities and regions awaiting the bright minds coming out of Cal Poly, graduates are faced with a choice. Where should they live? Sometimes graduates already know where they are going, having jobs lined up prior to graduation. However, many graduates are stuck weighing the pros and cons of different areas of the country.
Carole Moore of Cal Poly’s Career Services deals with many students deciding where the best fit for them is, both personally and professionally.
“I think people choose where to go for different reasons,” Moore said. “They choose that, a lot of times, for personal reasons. We’re trying to encourage students, and there are those students who will go wherever the job is, which is great, but we know there is a lot more involved than just a job.”
A recent study by Nerdwallet, and reported on by Huffington Post, calculated the livability and attraction of cities for college graduates in the areas of cost of living, job availability and sociability of the city.
Topping the list was Boston. One of the oldest cities in the U.S., Boston has continued to thrive and attract young people with its strong research and finance fields. Boston also offers the most bars per capita and the most 18- to 25-year-olds of any city in the U.S.
A little closer to San Luis Obispo, Seattle came in second. Located on the West Coast, Seattle offers a surplus of business opportunities in programming as well as many other fields. Seattle’s industrial science trade seems fitting for many of Cal Poly’s engineering and other tech-y grads.
The study also highlighted Denver; Baltimore; Chicago; Philadelphia; San Francisco; Washington, D.C.; Columbus, Ohio; and Austin, Texas.
Many Cal Poly students come to San Luis Obispo from the Bay Area, and many graduates return there to live and get jobs. The bay’s bustling nightlife and thriving industries draw many graduates from across multiple majors. San Francisco has one of the largest public relations fields as well as many financial institutions. Just outside of the city, the Palo Alto area is famous for its tech industry — Google, Facebook and Amazon have a large presence in the area, as well as numerous startups.
Another big Cal Poly attractor is the Los Angeles area. This Southern California metropolis is one of the largest cities in the country and holds a large presence not only in the west, but nationwide. Los Angeles prospers from its international business, entertainment, modern technology and manufacturing industries. The area offers great food and nightlife, but is paired with the trouble of tedious traffic and high costs of living.
For some, San Luis Obispo remains their home, for either purposes of work or pleasure. Jonathan Grubb, a 2011 mechanical engineering alumnus, stayed nearby after graduation.
“I stayed mainly because I started a company here when I was in college, and I wanted to keep it going after I graduated,” Grubb said.
Jonathan Grubb’s brother, Andrew Grubb, a 2010 civil engineering alumnus, decided to leave, though he did not go far.
“After graduating from Cal Poly, I knew I wanted to stay on the Central Coast; however, I was open to anywhere on the West Coast as long as I could find a good job,” Andrew said. “After sending out countless résumés, I finally landed a job at a local civil and geotechnical engineering firm in Buellton, Calif.”
The process of deciding where to go after college requires a lot of thought and discernment. Location, job opportunity, cost of living, environment or any other number of things can trigger the decision.
Moore agrees choosing where to relocate is a big decision with many factors.
“Location is a value,” Moore said. “A lot of people make decisions based on family, where they like, where they are happy, if they have a significant other — making that happen. I think it’s the job, but also a huge personal value that students have.”
Marc Codega, a civil engineering senior graduating this quarter, will be relocating and settling down after living in San Luis Obispo for much of his adult life.
“After a couple of months living like a gypsy and traveling the country in my car, I’ll probably end up back home in the hopefully short-lived world of seeking employment,” Codega said. “Hopefully, I can get my own place after a few months.”
He, like many others, seems willing and able to face the challenges accompanied with this task.
“I feel like Cal Poly offers a practical side that allows us to hit the ground running when trying to get a job,” Codega said.
Moving is a commitment and oftentimes comes with a slight risk. When deciding which place is right for them, graduates must take into account numerous factors as well as willingness.
“When deciding where to live, keep in mind that time flies, so really consider a place not just for the job but where you see yourself in five or even 10 years,” Andrew said.