@bionics can I ask some admission questions? The biggest rumor/concern here is that if one forgot to put his algebra etc. math classes he took in middle school in his application, he would lose 250 - 500 math rigor MCA points which will greatly impact his acceptance chance. From your experience, do you think it is true? Thank you.
They are being lenient with the 7th/8th grade missing math classes this year because the new application was confusing. I called admissions earlier this week and they confirmed this. Does anyone know if there is a max MCA (overall, not for the subcategories like rigor)?
People can end up with over 5000 MCA score. I think the consensus is you can get into any major with that score
The other question is if CP admissions will give any extra consideration to the applicants that scoured the new application (clicked on the “tips link”), called to ask questions, and entered all their classes (including middle school) correctly. Time will tell. Good luck to all!
The new application can’t be more clear on how to input coursework. The FIRST line is about middle school classes:
High School Coursework
You must enter coursework to verify completion of A-G subject requirements and to allow for an accurate GPA calculation. Enter only approved college-preparatory coursework that is used to fulfill A-G subject requirements.
-Enter middle school courses in the 9th grade year (if applicable).
-Report college courses that were used to fulfill A-G requirements by including the grade and the course type “College.”
If entering a repeated course, note that it must be exactly the same course with exactly the same course title taken at exactly the same school at a later point in time. Enter the highest grade earned for the repeated course; do not enter this repeated course twice. If the repeated course is planned or in-progress, enter the original grade earned since a new grade has not yet been earned.
-If you have multiple term types at the same high school, enter that high school once per term type in the High Schools Attended section. For example, if your high school included quarter and semester term types, you would enter that high school twice. in one entry you would select quarter and in the second entry you would select semester.
For more information on coursework entry, visit this page in the Help Center.
And if you click on “visit this page”, it again emphasizes on 7th\8th grade classes. I’m confused why so many people got confused.
Because on the application you had to click on an additional link get those detailed directions. And I think the CP admissions website has now been updated and includes information that wasn’t there prior to the application going live…it now explains how to input the 7th/8th grade classes and before I don’t think it did. Also, the application’s explanation of what constitutes a repeat class was slightly different than what is now on the web site…application said that a class with same title/content was not a repeat class if taken at a different school, but web site says that even if the class is taken at a different school (like a middle school), it IS a repeat class if it has the same title/content. Fortunately my D spent a lot of time on the application and input everything correctly, but she knows many others that did not because they missed the add’l info link.
@ningve Unfortunately I don’t know too much about admissions this year. I think it is a bit of a mystery every year to everyone. I would recommend calling or emailing the school itself to ask about any application questions and they may be lenient if something needs to be fixed. Sorry I couldn’t be of more help on that one.
Would be interested to see if there are any others who have received admissions decisions from SLO this week.
Any chance for decisions today?
That would be a blessing. The wait is killing me!
I doubt staff will issue decisions on Super Bowl Sunday.
Hi Bioincs,
@bioincs
I am an out of state student who applied to Cal Poly SLO for next fall, and my intended major is computer science. I was wondering what you think my chances are of getting in (be honest, haha). My weighted hs GPA is 4.097 and SAT is 1200, but my Cal Poly GPA is 4.31.
@karsgil Cal Poly will cap your gpa at 4.2 in the MCA calculation. Test score makes it a huge long shot.
My sister applied English major in 2015 and heard back mid Feb. anyone know if it’s still around that time?
@karsgil Hi Karsgil! While I’m probably not the most accurate source for judging admissions, if your Cal Poly GPA is a 4.31, that means it will be capped at the maximum possible score of a 4.2 (it’s a good thing to hit the cap). While I will be completely honest in that your SAT score is a bit below the average accepted score, it is important to take note that this is only an average. Furthermore, your capped GPA will help compensate in part for this.
Do you have any other SAT and/or ACT scores from other test dates? One thing that could help your chances is that Cal Poly superscores your best SAT/ACT reading and math sections. For example, when I was applying to Cal Poly, my best raw ACT score was a 32, however my superscore was ~34 or 35 (I believe this really improved my applicaton).
It is also worth taking a look at your MCA score (mentioned in a few places on various threads). If you don’t know what this is it is a score that Cal Poly gives you based on your Cal Poly GPA, SAT/ACT superscore, and a few other factors such as extra curricular hours and family background. While I don’t know how accurate the MCA score formula is on the forums, it may be worth looking at as well.
If I had to make a holistic judgement based on the information you gave me, I would say although it may not be a guaranteed shot, you definitely have a decent shot! I have certainly seen peers in my major who came in with GPA’s far below the average, as well as SAT scores below as well. Average accepted statistics from previous years may be good to take a look at, however once again these are only averages and roughly half of all students will come in with “below average” statistics. Due to your capped GPA, I would say you have a shot!
As I mentioned though, I’m probably not the best source for judging admission, and even then admission changes each year. While your MCA score may be a good source to look at, I’m not sure how accurate it truly is. I don’t think anyone on college confidential can truly know how admissions will make their decisions based on old formulas. As I mentioned in another post, I’ve heard that the math department helped the admissions office change certain things this year regarding acceptance statistics and formulas.
Sorry I don’t have a definitive answer, but best of luck!!
@karsgil I wrote another answer to your post on here but I can’t see it so I think it must have been deleted somehow.
I don’t know if you had a chance to see it but I mentioned how I think that though maybe not a definitive shot, I think you certainly have a shot of getting in. Your capped GPA will help compensate for a slightly lower SAT score. Also to remember that averages mentioned online and on college confidential are only averages, and that I have met several peers here who came in with lower SAT/ACT scores and/or GPA’s.
It is also worth considering whether you had a superscore. Superscores can significantly help your changes at Cal Poly with regards to the SAT/ACT.
Finally, I mentioned that your MCA score may be a good thing to look into. I believe info on it should be posted either in this forum or other Cal Poly forums. However, that being said, take it with a grain of salt. I don’t think anyone on college confidential knows for sure how Cal Poly admits, and as I mentioned in another post, I have heard rumor that the math department may have helped admissions change certain policies this year. Which of these policies/formulas were changed, I don’t know.
Sorry I couldn’t have a more definitive answer. But all in all, I think you do indeed have a shot. Best of luck!
@Soccergirl2232, mid-February was the time of notification last year, as well.
Does CalPoly require mid-year grades before making a decision? My D’s schools just closed last week and coumselors will be putting them in this week.
@ksquaredmom, they don’t use senior grades at all. An acceptance can be rescinded though if they don’t stay above 3.0 for each semester or if a student gets a D or F.
Great to know, @eyemgh, thank you!