Congrats! That’s a great program!
How in the world do they choose from 65,000 applications without using a holistic approach? Especially if they are being lenient with students that didn’t include their 7th/8th grade math classes. Seems like an impossible selection process.
I prefer the Cal State’s “numbers game” over the holistic UC process any day!
The site now says maintenance scheduled for Sunday maintenance rather than the usual Wednesday maintenance. Maybe a wave of acceptances for Monday?
It would be nice but I’m still expecting 2/15 for OOS and 2/16 in-state
@momamet, read the pinned thread at the top about the MCA. It will clarify how they rank students. Once you understand it, you’ll realize “holistic” admission is far more a black box.
I think I understand the MCA pretty well, but it just seems like many many applicants would score really high, and at that point, how do they pick? High SAT’s, High GPA, 3-4 years of FL, lots of Math and science, work in the major of study, and ec’s - so many students have all of that…what am I missing? I guess I don’t fully understand it.
Each major picks from top down from the applicants to their major. I don’t see.what is hard to understand?
N/M
One more question - and please excuse my ignorance if this was addressed somewhere else in the pages and pages and pages of dialogue about MCA. Is there an MCA total max and if so, what is that number?
Hey everyone! I know this might be a bit early as acceptances are just starting to roll out. But I’m currently a second year Computer Science major at Cal Poly and if anyone has any questions about the school/my experience/anything at all feel free to send me a message or ask me a question in the thread. Super excited for all of you and best of luck!
Thank you, @bioincs!
- We have heard that Cal Poly SLO is over enrolled. Are you feeling the effect of this with larger classes, difficulty scheduling needed/wanted classes, housing shortages, long lines in cafeteria/food places?
- What is the stress level like? Does CS/Engineering feel competive or supportive among your peers? Do you see much depression or despair over school work? How accessible and supportive are the professors?
I am sure I will think of more. 
Thank you!
@ksquaredmom you may also want to take a look at Cal Poly’s reddit page for listings of current students’ frustrations. There are many, but that is probably true of most overcrowded publics.
@ksquaredmom My biggest concern is the CSU system is forcing semester conversion on all campuses. Cal Poly admin has conceded this will happen there as well. I don’t want my kid there in the middle of that circus.
@CopperlineX2 I had not heard of this. Is it quarters now and they are going to semesters? I thought they were on semesters for some reason…
I have looked on Reddit but perhaps not deep enough??
@ksquaredmom Of course! Happy to help! I apologize in advance for such lengthy responses, hopefully they’ll be useful.
In answer to your questions:
- It is true. Each year a certain number of students are let in based on an algorithm which tries to predict how many will choose to actually attend Cal Poly. In this way, each year more students than capacity can hold are accepted, taking into account that some will choose other schools. Last year, the prediction was wrong and more students chose to attend Cal Poly than expected, making the incoming class of 2021 quite large. (I believe this was also an issue at UC Irvine last year as well). I have heard however that the math department made adjustments this year to account for such a possibility, and enrollment should be more realistic next year.
In terms of my personal experience (which differs for everyone I have talked to) the over-enrollment has been frustrating, but hasn’t made things impossible. In terms of the class sizes, I have found most to be the same (~20-30 students for most classes, and lecture halls for some of the more popular GE’s). Scheduling has been something of an issue (that administration tries to help fix each year), however this has been an ongoing issue for several years. Personally however, I have been able to get a full unit load of classes each quarter I have been here and so has everyone I’ve known. I don’t believe scheduling is as big of an issue as it sometimes appears from the outside. If you really need to get certain classes, you will get them. At worst, I have occasionally had to take courses at less-preferred times (8am, 6pm, etc), or choose to push back taking a GE with another one. In terms of major related classes, I have always gotten the right classes and am on-track to graduate (as are all of my friends). People I have heard of not getting classes are usually due to them registering after their designated time, or giving up and not trying to crash courses (sometimes this has to be done). In terms of upper-division classes, I have heard rumors that these may be harder to get into, but I don’t know yet.
In terms of housing, this actually was an issue this past year. Due to the over-estimated number of incoming freshmen, many freshmen were moved into the upper-classmen apartments on campus. This forced those of us staying on campus to be moved into double rooms which were normally used as singles. I happened to luck out by asking around and landed myself in one of the few singles this year. That being said, there is an entirely new set of on-campus dorms currently being built which will be complete next year and have space for ~2000 students. This should make housing quite a bit better next year. Additionally, there are good number of off-campus housing options for 2nd years and above if one wishes to move off-campus.
As far as dining goes, long lines are not too much of an issue. Of course, lines can occasionally take up to 15 or 20 minutes if you go during bad times during the day (usually on the hour, right after classes get out). But in my experience, it has never been too much of a problem.
- The stress level in CS/Engineering is definitely present, however I feel it will be the same at any university. Starting projects as soon as they are assigned definitely takes much of the stress off of looming assignments. In terms of competitiveness, in both my experience and that of many of my peers, I have found it to be competitive in a friendly way, and quite supportive. Most students here want to see their classmates succeed, and I have always found people to work with on assignments/studying. That being said, it is a difficult major and you will always find those few individuals who don't want to help others out (this is definitely not the norm however).
I have not found most of my peers to have depression or despair. Once again that being said, usually those who start projects last minute or fall behind in lecture material seem to fall into a hole, and I have seen a couple of breakdowns occur due to (what I believe is largely) irresponsibility. Usually these are people who drop out of the major. Projects in CS can take their toll from time to time, and occasionally rough all-nighters may have to be pulled. But nothing has brought me closer to some of my peers as struggling through a project all-night with the same group of people. As I mentioned, most people here are quite supportive. And hopefully as one gets better with time-management, these stressful days will also be less-common.
Most of my professors have been extremely accessible and supportive. I have always been able to get help at office hours or after class, and most of professors have genuinely cared about their students’ success. While some are more helpful than others, I would say in general if you are willing to put in the time and effort, they will make sure you succeed.
Hope this helps! Happy to answer any other questions you may have!
On another note, there have been rumors of Cal Poly switching to the semester system. I don’t know however if this has been confirmed or not. I know quite a few students are against the switch, and no official message has been released on when a switch will occur if one does at all. This has led me and many of my peers to believe that even if a switch occurs, it will likely not be for several years (and will likely also receive backlash from students).
@bionics, thanks for helping out.
How many OOS students do you see in the CS department? Are they quite isolated or do they socialize well with Californians? I have heard of one friend’s kid who went to UCSD from OOS. He got no friends there and felt lonely and transferred back to a college in our state after a year.
Thank you, @bioincs! Long and detailed is always appreciated!
I have also heard rumblings of isolation from less than outgoing Cal Poly OOS students. What does Cal Poly do to promote community?
@bogeyorpar @ksquaredmom Really? That’s actually the first I’ve heard of anything along those lines. I’ve met a few out of state students and they definitely didn’t seem isolated. Usually I don’t even know someone is OOS unless they talk about their home, but as far as I’ve seen they’ve fit in well. Two of my apartment-mates are actually OOS and they both love it here. However, I also haven’t heard of that issue at other universities so I may be uneducated on the subject.