How does Cal Poly choose applicants?

All candidates are objectively evaluated by the cognitive and non-cognitive variables under our faculty-mandated Multi-Criteria Admission (MCA) process. We encourage students to apply to the program they feel best fits their academic and professional goals.

How do I increase my chances of getting into Cal Poly SLO?

Because this school is very selective, strong academic scores are critical to improving your chances of admission. If you're able to score a 1450 SAT or a 33 ACT or above, you'll have a very strong chance at getting in. For a school as selective as Cal Poly, rounding out the rest of your application will also help.

How likely am I to get into Cal Poly?

The acceptance rate at Cal Poly is 30.3%.

In other words, of 100 students who apply, 30 are admitted. This means the school is quite selective.

Which major is easiest to get into Cal Poly?

Some 27 Cal Poly majors are in the single digits when it comes to the ratio of seats available to total applications. At the other end, the program with the best acceptance rate is bioresource and agricultural engineering, which has room for 60 of its 169 freshman applicants, or 36%.

What is the hardest major to get into at Cal Poly SLO?

Here's a look at the top 10 most competitive majors for freshman applicants: Psychology: 3,579 applicants, 73 spaces available — 2% Software engineering: 795 applicants, 25 spaces available — 3.1% Kinesiology: 2,016 applicants, 78 spaces available — 3.9%

First Year Selection Criteria

What is the lowest GPA to get into Cal Poly?

California residents must have a 2.50 GPA or higher in the 15 required “a-g” subject courses, with no grade lower than a C-. Non-California must have a 3.00 GPA or higher in the 15 required “a-g” subject courses, with no grade lower than a C-.

What is the least competitive major at Cal Poly SLO?

Does Cal Poly send acceptance by major?

Our selection process for first-year students is based on a multivariable selection system that combines academic factors with other objective values to comprehensively review candidates and systematically select them for admission within each major.

Does Cal Poly accept based on major?

All Cal Poly applicants must select a major. Undeclared is not an option for our campus. You will be evaluated against other first-year applicants applying to the same major. You may select an alternate major, but very few applicants are offered admissions based on their alternate major selection.

Why is Cal Poly SLO so hard to get into?

Because we are an impacted campus, our selection processes uses an objective, comprehensive review process that extends beyond the basic eligibility index utilized by the California State University. This means that many CSU-eligible students are unable to be offered admission.

Does Cal Poly care about extracurriculars?

In general, the CSU campuses do not consider extracurricular activities or require/accept essays, but some campuses, including Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, do a “light” review of extracurricular activity involvement and leadership.

Is it hard to get into Cal Poly as a transfer student?

For entry in the fall of 2023, Cal Poly received 9,216 applications and admitted 1,968 students. This means that the Cal Poly transfer acceptance rate is 21.3%. When trying to get the complete picture of how difficult it is to transfer into a given school, it is important to also look at historical data.

How many people get off the Cal Poly SLO waitlist?

However, it's also not an uncommon notice, and many students are accepted off the waitlist each year. For fall 2021, for example, 990 out of 9,600 students previously on the waitlist were offered admission to Cal Poly, according to university data.

Can I get into Cal Poly SLO with a 3.7 GPA?

If you earned a 4.0 (or better) weighted GPA in high school, you are a viable candidate for any program within Cal Poly –San Luis Obispo. Students with a 4.1 or 4.2 in a mostly honors/AP curriculum will fare best.

What are the least impacted majors at Cal Poly?

How does Cal Poly SLO choose students?

All candidates are objectively evaluated by the cognitive and non-cognitive variables such as veteran status, area of residence and more under our faculty-mandated Multi-Criteria Admission (MCA) process. We encourage students to apply to the program they feel best fits their academic and professional goals.

What is Cal Poly mostly known for?

California Polytechnic State University is a public university founded in 1901 with a current enrollment of around 20,000 students and a main campus that spreads across 1,300 acres of picturesque hills. Cal Poly is best-known for its engineering and agriculture programs.

What is Cal Poly known for academically?

Undergraduate students can choose from almost 70 majors, with Cal Poly's highly ranked engineering programs as the most popular choice. There are more than 80 state-of-the-art laboratories and 50 clubs dedicated specifically to the Cal Poly College of Engineering.

What are the cons of Cal Poly SLO?

Cons: Limited Diversity: Cal Poly SLO has been criticized for its lack of diversity, particularly in terms of its racial and ethnic makeup. This may be a concern for students who value a diverse and inclusive campus environment.

Can you get into Cal Poly SLO with a 3.5 GPA?

Is your high school GPA good enough for Cal Poly? The average high school GPA for admitted students at Cal Poly is 4.0 on a 4.0 scale. (You can calculate your high school a GPA here.) This is a very competitive GPA, and Cal Poly is clearly accepting students at the top of their high school class.

Is Cal Poly SLO prestigious?

U.S. News & World Report ranked Cal Poly #1 Top Public Schools. Cal Poly's Learn by Doing process has kept it ranked as the top public, master's level university in the West for 31 years straight! The hands-on approach to learning allows students to explore their interests and begin building their careers from day one.

Is Cal Poly academically rigorous?

Since 1901, Cal Poly and Learn by Doing have been inextricably linked. Combining rigorous academics and real-world applications, Learn by Doing has guided and inspired hundreds of thousands of our students toward successful careers for well over a century — and can do the same for you well into your future.

Is Cal Poly SLO a party school?

California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) - San Luis Obispo. #7 Top Party Schools in California.