@ocmom1000 you’re smart to question the absolute vaule of the legendary MCA score. Yes, cal poly collects data for each of the quailifing categories. But no evidence exists to prove the wieght given to each data point. To assume that numbers are simply added-up to a summary score is naive. If it were that cut and dry, cal poly would publish the fabled algorithm. I’d go so far and state that by withholding the algorithm, Cal Poly is in violation of its mandate as state funded university.
It is slightly possible they give it higher value now but I doubt it, EE is less difficult than CS and some other engineering majors. Again most times when someone recalculates a low number it was reported incorrectly as have some of those complaining they had high numbers. The majority of students are admitted using the MCA a smaller percentage uses the increased MCA and other factors such as athletes. The last in depth acceptance report I have seen (through a Public Records Act request) has a few other categories that obviously are not MCA, but they didn’t respond to my request for additional information and I didn’t bother with another PRA request. Again these are a smaller percentage of admits.
@talguy, there are also some unique things that can influence admissions. One example is the 4 semesters of visual arts where 2 semesters need to be progressive. This one almost tripped us up because nothing like that is required in our state so we literally had to cram in 3 semesters this year to meet the requirement.
4 semesters of visual arts? Never heard of that
I got accepted for microbiology
@22cbwill I got accepted for microbiology
@Lynn121936 Thx. yes, she has all of the “desired” semesters listed in the course criteria, which furthers the question of selection.
@Lynn121936 Say what? What’s this about 4 semesters visual arts!?!?!? First I’ve heard about this.
Nm. Just looked it up. Seeing it now.
@magmon I’ve seen a posting about an OOS acceptance, but nothing else as far as I know for kinesiology
Is there a second wave of acceptances coming
Is there really only going to be one wave of acceptances?
@joshgonzo50 if cal ploy doesn’t pull the antipcpated number of commits before 3-1, then they will roll out the next stage. The idea is to offer accepanctane to as few canidates as possible.
My GPA is 4.5 weighted, 3.88 unweighted with 1450 SAT and 33 ACT. In state. Should I be concerned if I have not been accepted yet for Mechanical Engineering?
@momneeds2no Looking forward to additional acceptance notifications but where did you acquire your info and timing info? Have asked admissions for info but getting any definitive response is like pulling teeth.
@hazelgrace14: The maximum CSU GPA you can get is a 4.4 using 10-11th grades. SLO uses 9-11th grades and caps your GPA at a 4.2 when calculating your MCA score. You have excellent stats but have you calculated your MCA points since stats alone do not account for all the MCA points possible in the algorithm. I am sure more acceptances are coming but when???
@momneeds2no thank you for that post. It makes me feel a tiny bit better. I have been so stressed and about ready to throw in the towel 
@momneedstono but that’s assuming that SLO is the accepted student’s 1st choice and will sign commitment right away since most schools i.e. UC’s are announcing acceptances mid-March. My guess is SLO is just being slow sending the results and not dependent on commits at least this early in the admissions process
Are the acceptances normally sent in waves?
@talguy like everything else posted on College confidential, my source is opinion based. In this case 1) watching the results roll in for the past 5 years. 2) multiple conversations with California college counselors, and 3) my own experience inside the Cal State system. If you call cal poly, you will most likely speak with a student who regurgitates what he/she was told, if you are lucky enough to reach a real person.
For all its glory, cal poly is still a cal state with a cal state budget and cal state admin practices. The big difference is that cal poly has invested millions in marketing and admission protocol based purely in data science. An admissions protocol that generates millions for a sub contractor consultant.