<p>For those browsing the forums now after submitting your college applications, you probably are eagerly awaiting the decisions and seeking information to make your final decision.
When I applied last year I found that a majority of the posts were more geared to first-time freshman, and most of the information came from those who had been there from the beginning.</p>
<p>Now that I have finished my first quarter as an electrical engineering major at Cal Poly I would like to offer the same insight I was searching for while making my decision. </p>
<p>For those looking to “chance,” my stats at the time of application were:
3.89 GPA
35-40 Hrs/wk in retail management (With an average 14-17 unit course load)
Currently enlisted military</p>
<p>The biggest shock for me was the work load compared to community college. I was working 25-40 hours per week for 7 years through high school and community college, but that all stopped at Cal Poly. The classes were very demanding for me. While this was true for me, I met many brilliant minds who didn’t put in nearly the amount of time that I did studying and still did better. It is obvious that the stringent admission requirements have created a high caliber student body, at least in the engineering departments.</p>
<p>To those looking to transfer, feel free to ask any questions. </p>
<p>I have been a cc for about 4 years now… On and off with classes… Finally decided to buckle down and focus and really want to attend SLO for kinesiology. I have a 2.8 gpa right now but am going to be applying next fall so my GPA will probably be around 3.1 AT LEAST. i have had a bad academic record in the beginning where my GPA was at a low of 1.8 but you can tell that i got serious enough to care about my grades as i progressed. </p>
<p>Anyways my question is, Do i have a chance to get in? I was going to go to sac state in Fall 2015 but i did not want to settle for 2nd best. I know im smart and I know i can get the grades to get in. I have all my IGETC done and will have all but one or two required classes and 1 desired class incomplete by the time i apply. I am from Sacramento and am wondering if i have any advantage at all considering the time i spent at a CC and having most requirements already fulfilled. Thanks</p>
<p>I figured i would apply for 16 fall even if all of my required/desired courses were not done… & if i got denied, i would apply the following year and have more require/desired courses done hopefully increasing my chances.</p>
<p>I also work about 25 hours a week. I’m really active with sports & love working on the human body. As for EC, i do not have anything REAL that’s documented but am looking at a few PT offices in my area to start while I wait till the next application time!</p>
You said you would apply “16 Fall” which I assume means you intend on applying Fall 2016 to to attend in Fall 2017?
I don’t recall if it was the UC or CSU system that asked about breaks in attendance. Expect to have a good answer for that question should it come up.
I’m more familiar with engineering admission stats, where there are people who are accepted into Berkeley and denied from Cal Poly who have 3.9+ GPA’s. I know someone who was denied twice with over 3.7 GPA.
That said, the less competitive majors will have looser admission criteria but Cal Poly is still the most competitive school in the Cal State system.
They may like to see how your GPA improved over time, but I’m not sure that will be enough to gain admission with a 3.1 GPA. Give careful consideration to your backup schools, keep working hard, and give it a shot when the next application period comes around.
I’m currently in CC and was just admitted to Cal Poly as Electrical Engineering transfer. I plan on using my GI Bill earned through six years of Navy service. Can you provide some information regarding veteran benefits on campus? Does Cal Poly have priority registration for classes and housing for vets? Thanks in advance.
wow am I glad I saw your thread! I am actually trying to decide if I should transfer to Cal Poly next semester as an EE major. I was surprised to be accepted and I just SO SCARED I will not be able to pass classes at Cal Poly. Do you find it really difficult to pass and keep up the workload there? and is the curricula impossible? are many students dropping out? I would REALLY love do attend cal poly but I just don’t know if I can handle and compete with the other brilliant minds there. Especially since I’m from a CC, the classes are not nearly as difficult as Cal Poly leveled classes.
Please any advice would be great!
Oh and I was going to transfer to UC Davis but now I don’t know…
@randomsailor123
Cal Poly does have priority registration for veterans which was not totally clear when I came here. You will get it your second quarter, but your first quarter you register with everyone else so it can be tough the first time around. There isn’t any housing specific for veterans, or at any discount, I would highly suggest you look off-campus because you’ve spent enough time in dorms I’m sure. It is getting more expensive, too, and it is cheaper to live off campus in the long run.
@baeza80
I was honestly overwhelmed with my course load (Which is saying something since I worked full time, taking 17 semester units before) and dropped down to working one day a week. For engineering you really have to cut back on working, even if it’s just so you can attend clubs that will help you out when looking for jobs. @dreamss check your PM.
hi, i just got accepted and plan on transferring in the fall, i was just curious what the living arrangements are like for transfer students, and if you liked it.
@nicolexo23 For transfer students you can apply for the Poly Canyon Village. Be aware that is impacted as well, but I was able to get a room. I ended up turning down PCV and living off campus about the same distance away from the center as PCV is. PCV is a great way to meet people, but the internet is terrible there and everyone tends to get sick often because there are so many people packed into the dorms. Personally I would live off campus, but I’m older and spent enough time in military barracks.
Do you know what you really need to get in as EE? My friend wants to know. And what about computer science? That’s what I’m transferring for.
I know the selection process is really weird because it’s supposedly done by a computer, and that many ppl with high GPA get rejected. What do the ppl that get accepted have? I would think that the highest priority is given to ppl that finish IGETC?
@c172pilot How hard is it to enroll in classes? I want to transfer and graduate within two years, so it would suck if class is tight and I end up spending another year there. And what is your opinion between Cal Poly SLO and Pomona? I’m still waiting for Pomona and just not sure if it’s worth the wait at this point. Thank you.
@tehkman It seems to be more complex than just a computer doing the initial screening; the stats of incoming EE and CPE transfer students, from those I’ve met, show that a 3.6 - 3.7 is probably a minimum. While extra consideration may be given to someone with their GE breadth completed, it’s not a rule set in stone. I completed my IGETC and CSU breadth, but was missing a couple of classes listed as mandatory for admission. Same thing for UCLA, I was missing a couple of classes that they said would basically disqualify me, I got admitted.
@randomsailor123 For me, pretty easy! I have priority. Registration is stressful because, yes, it can be hard to get a class. Often times they underestimate the numbers and end up adding more classes near the end of registration, so they really try to accommodate all students. Honestly, it probably won’t be registration that will keep you from graduating in two years - if you don’t have every class completed listed on the ASSIST then you’ll have a hard time getting out in 2. And that’s not Cal Poly specific. As far as Pomona, if you got into SLO then just go there. More employers look to SLO, not to say those employers don’t look at Pomona though; it’s a regional thing. And the classes are much more difficult to get into at Pomona from what I hear.
@c172pilot Thanks for your insight. I’m really leaning towards SLO at this point. I just looked at my financial aid award and saw that I was awarded with Federal Pell Grant, Federal SEOG, and State University Grant. Do you know if I can get these grants on top of my GI Bill? And where would you recommend as off-campus housing? Thank you.
ahh yes, I’d also like to know a little about housing for transfers (: I would prefer living on campus to get to know a few people, but as of right now I still don’t know if I’m going to actually attend cal poly since I’m still debating on UC’s. I know the housing opened up last week, do you happen to know if it would be possible to still get a on campus apartment if I accept admission in May?
@randomsailor123 That’s a great financial aid package for a CSU! All of those will be in addition to your GI bill, it doesn’t count against you. That is, until tax time, when it will increase your taxable income (from my experience). As for housing, I can only really say where NOT to go. #1, Mustang Village. If you like a 24/7 party and no sleep, then maybe that’s the place for you. I’ve heard some students living in Valencia apartments, not sure how that is. Honestly I would avoid apartments, or if you do get an apartment, get it out of the SLO area and somewhere quieter like Arroyo Grande, Pismo, etc. Search craigslist for nearby rooms to rent in actual houses; that’s how I found my place and it’s great, won’t be moving out til I graduate.
@dreamss I don’t know enough about the on-campus housing to answer that question, but if you apply late I’m pretty sure you won’t get on campus housing. I’m hearing that they accepted an incoming class of 1000 students larger than last year, so don’t wait long. (Not sure the credibility on that stat, I can’t imagine how CP can handle such an influx)