Cogswell Polytechnical College

Cogswell is definitely a bright school with unique denizens; For my first year and a half here, I was welcomed by many friendly faces with colorful personalities. I really enjoy being able to work towards something I see as my passion, along with getting acquainted with and learning from other students with similar goals. As mentioned in a previous review, the only thing that can be slightly troublesome for me is the lack of parking sometimes, but no biggie really.
On a side note, I thought I’d mention my two cents about the «concerns» in the recent reviews. I’m really unsure of what the comment that asks «how long we are going to have our parents clean up after us» is going for. The fact is, you don’t know any of us, our parents, our values or anything. Some of us live with our parents, some of us don’t; it’s really none of your business what our parents do for us and what we do for them. I also find it interesting that alot of reviews (in general, not just for the school) are from people brand new to Unilocal.I guess an individual’s own opinions don’t matter until they’ve made a name for themselves in the sacred Unilocal community. By far my favorite one would be the apology that we were given for having our lunches stolen and being picked on in school. I have no idea what this has to do with any of us that attend the school; It happens and doesn’t happen to some, but whether it be true or not, it shouldn’t be used to judge our character based on something you yourself don’t know. I know my review has strayed off topic, but what I’m trying to say is that you should give constructive criticism of what your concerns are, or to voice them more appropriately to the appropriate people instead of making ad hominem attacks towards the students; It’s really not necessary. I apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced, but you shouldn’t really put the entirety of the school in that light, although you ARE entitled to your opinion as we all are, and I respect that. I’ve had nothing but love for and from all my fellow students and for all the faculty members and professors working at the school, which was why I felt the need to write this in my defense for them. In my personal experience, every time I needed a little extra help for an assignment or needed an answer to a question, students and faculty alike would take the time to make sure my problem was resolved. The professors here have supported and pushed us all to see how brightly we can shine, and how colorful we can paint the world with our passions. None of us have given up, we’re all here at the school to pursue our dreams, we chose to be here. If being a «loser» means being someone who is pursuing their dreams, I’m more than happy to bear that title. Please don’t give up as well, life is too short to be bitter.

Hello,
I am a senior at Cogswell or how some refer to it «The Cogs». I would like anyone curious about attending the school to know that it’s the best you could ask for. It’s small and you can connect with a lot of people. You’ll have so many close friends that they become family and you won’t feel alone, you’ll always have companions.
The education here is great for anyone who wants to work in the art industry. The instructors here are all different in the ways they teach and you can learn a lot from them if you put effort in their classes. You will work hard, cry, succeed, fail and end up understanding what it means to work in the industry. If you make the mistake I made my freshmen year and goof off then you’ll learn the hard way that this school isn’t a joke. Some classes are difficult but that’s difficult, how will you ever learn?
Overall, if you want to come to a small art college with nice people and cool instructors then come to Cogswell.

I think we should try to remember that these reviews are for the college and not for the people who live around your neighborhood. If people want to pretend to be Harry Potter, they can and should be able to. Harry Potter teaches us many things about ourselves that we cant learn anywhere else. I for one like Harry Potter, and not just because he has a lightning bolt on his forehead, but because he teaches us to be true to ourselves and to stick up for those in need. Thank you, Harry Potter.

This review is slightly a response to some of the one star reviews before me, and also a truthful review from a student who has actually attended and graduated from CPC.
First things first: a response to the people who are crying about a school that recently moved next door to them. What kind of losers go to this school? Me! I’m a loser who received a BS in digital audio technology and landed my dream job due to my education. The kind of loser that invests in higher education in hope to better their lives. I’m a passionate and artistic loser, who had the guts to pursue my dreams rather than settle with a job that would make me a bitter asshole (like you). I get it, you pay a shitload of money for a shoebox apartment to be centrally located in the Silicon Valley. Well, take it up with your building! I don’t see how reviewing a college that you’ve never stepped foot in, and insulting the ones who attend, does anything for your cause. It makes you look like the loser who has too much time on their hands and goes about things all the wrong way. I mean if it were me, I might talk to the building about lowering my rent due to noise, maybe move sides of the building, or wait, you’re renting, just move if you don’t like it! If you want peace and quiet, how about not be the idiot who pays $ 3k a month for rent and pay a mortgage?! It’s losers like you that are destroying the housing market here in the bay.
As for my experience at Cogswell. Cogswell is an interesting place that nearly scared me away with its quirky and unique culture. Cogswell is a collection of artists and computer scientists. As an audio guy, I would often cringe when I overhearing the convos of some of fellow students. The nerdage runs deep at CPC. I always considered myself a bit of a nerd, but you will definitely get 1 upped if you come to Cogswell.
College is what you put into it. You can definitely come to this school and waste a lot of your money. I see and know many students who do this on the daily, so I recommend before enrolling in Cogswell, be absolutely certain that one of their limited fields, is where you want to be for the rest of your life.
Pretty much all of Cogswell’s curriculums are geared to get you a dream job in highly competitive fields. To make it, you have to take your education very seriously, focus on building the best portfolio you can while in college, get on as many productions and large projects as possible, collaborate with your fellow students as much as possible, and compete to be the best in your field. If you really want to work in the industry, you have to be the best or amongst the best to come out of your very small class. Nothing is guaranteed when getting into these fields. You really have to work to ensure your future. Otherwise you might find yourself among the many others who are taking jobs outside of their degree.
With this being said, don’t bash the college if you don’t get a job. The opportunities are there. The career center does a good job of finding internships and other opportunities for students. I saw all the emails, I just never used them as a resource myself.
Positive stuff: great opportunities, small school, open door policies, class sizes are small, passionate instructors with real experience and expertise, and unique classes and curriculum that build industry experience.
Negative stuff: I personally don’t like the new campus. The studios and facilities are not the nicest but definitely give you something to learn from. AV lab is ok. We could have a lot nicer equipment you’d think for the money that we pay. Oh yea, it’s expensive! Classes can get canceled due to not enough enrollment. A lot of classes are not offered every semester. Graduation takes longer than expected most times. They encourage for students to take more than 12 units, but most classes are project base classes that require a lot of work outside of class. If you have a job or just a life, this is hard to accomplish.
Overall, I’m incredibly grateful and pleased with my time spent at CPC. I had many mentors who really gave a shit and helped me get where I wanted to be. If you’re an audio student who wants to make it as a sound designer, recording engineer, etc. Cogswell is a great place to be. Just make sure you are a hard worker and you really want it before jumping in. Here, instructors will push you to your limits and help prepare you for the real deal! So don’t be one of those guys who wants to make beats and drops out after a year. There’s a good reason why the graduation rate is so low.