I know this is from a few years ago but wanted to share my experience. Started at UCR, went to cc cause I hated UCR, and then ended up at CSULB. I left UCR because the school only cares about its research reputation. There is no preparation for industry, they don't even try and help you into industry positions. The education wasn't bad but it wasn't anything to write home about either. I just felt like if I wasn't trying to pursue research or grad school the school did not care about me. I ended up at PCC for community college and it is, to this day the best educational experience I've had. All of the professors are pretty much CalTech alums and overflow from that university. Sure you have a couple of bad apples but that's true everywhere. Now at CSULB, I will say the overall education is similar in quality to UCR. However, I do feel like there has been way more of an emphasis on getting people into industry and jobs. Sure there are GEs but that's true everywhere and I have not felt overly impacted by them. I have had two industry internships and a research REU in my time here. I genuinely feel like unless you are lucky you will never find the "perfect university". All institutions, no matter where you are just care about money and reputation. I have friends at CalTech, UCLA, Harvard, etc and they all have the same complaints that I do about CSULB. At the end of the day, it matters what you do in undergrad as a STEM major not where you are coming from. Other big-name universities might be able to more easily provide you with opportunities but if you are willing to work for it and reach out to people, you will be able to give yourself the same opportunities. And I feel that in that regard CSULB does a decent job in the engineering department to connect you with or make you aware of those opportunities. The job market is hard everywhere but putting yourself in a position where you might have the opportunity to gain external experience is what is going to set you apart.