**cal poly slo chances and your opinions**

I would like to know my chances for the admission of 2017…
Also these are my stats at the end of Junior year.

Major: BioResource and Agricultural Engineering
New SAT: 1150 (The scores for June have not come out yet, so my score may go up)
ACT: 23 (didn’t like the format or timing of this specific test)
Calculated GPA:
Unweighted GPA: 4.0
Weighted GPA: 4.524
Ranking in Class: 9/274
Semesters of math/highest: 6 (Honors Pre-Calc)
Semesters of Lab Science: 6 (Biology, Chemistry, Honors Biotechnology)
Semester of English: 6 (1 pre AP and 1 AP)
Semesters of Foreign Language: 4
Semesters of Visual Performing Arts: 0
leadership: yes (ASB)
Hours of work per week: (10-12 in summer)
work was major related: for the most part no, but i have done work for my dad and family in the agricultural buisness

California Vet: no
Partner School: no

The classes I will be taking my senior year are:
AP Lit and Comp
AP Physics
AP Economics
AP Calculus
Ceramics (will fill in my visual arts)
ASB

Also if any of you think I should apply for the early decision because of my stats that would be great or your opinion of what needs to be improved. However I’m not sure when aerly decision has to be submitted, so would taking the SAT again in October be safe for that?

Anyway what are my chances and your opinions? ")

I’m also not to sure how to calculate my GPA for slo…

And my extracuriculars range from anywhere from 6 to 14 per week.

Sorry for the spam, but I have so many questions. Is it still true that slo perfers the ACT over the SAT. If so should i focus more on the ACT? Because I have only taken it once and got a low 23.

I mean the only other back up that has the intended major I was is UCD

Do you know if certain branches of engineering at SLO are harder to get into than others? Cause will that improve my chances by going the ag engineer route?

In your opinion what are good engineering colleges that I can consider safe schools?

@10s4life What SAT score do you think would give me a really good shot at SLO?

You need to calculate your call poly GPA and mcalloway@PinnacleFamily.com. see the sticky thread. All engineering majors are very competitive.

You have a decent chance, but you need to check how to calculate Cal Poly’s MCA on this site. You have to meet all of their minimum a-g requirements (I noticed right away, that you are missing 2 semesters of visual art–take these senior yr or you won’t even be considered). Ag engineering is not in the engineering college and is a much easier admit.

Bio resource and Agricultural Engineering has an expected high acceptance rate of >80% so you have an excellent chance at an acceptance, but you still need a few backup schools since nothing is a guarantee. This major is in the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences not Engineering so there is not the same level of applicants commonly found for ME/CS/BME.

UCD would not be a backup, actually it will be a tougher admit for the same major. UCD College of Environmental Sciences is highly ranked for many of their majors, so I would put this school as a Reach unless you can bump up your test scores.

If you are set on this major, Oregon and Washington State also offer this major and are schools you should consider.

Are there any other majors of interest? Although these schools do not have your specific major, look at Cal Poly Pomona, Fresno, Chico and Stanislaus for possible related majors.

Well I’m not to sure what type of career I’m wanting to persue just becasue of all the directions your able to go with a major like ag. engineering. The main reason I want to go to SLO instead of a UC is because I feel like as a student I learn better when in smaller classes, able to ask the professor questions, and not inviolved in too much research. Also if I were to apply to some of those UC’s would I need to have taken subject tests? @10s4life

@Gumbymom How do you know that the admission rates are that high? Because I recently called the admissions office there and they told me they couldnt releasethat information to me. what SAT score do you think I need in order to be safe?

SAT subject tests are not required by recommended for many of the majors at the UC’s. If you want to be a competitive applicant to the UC’s, I suggest you take any subject tests that are recommended. UCD has no recommendation but if you feel you excel in area of study, it could only help your chances.

Yeah because originally I was looking into the UC’s for an engineering major, but figured it was too competitive. If i were to take a science subject test I would want to take physics, but I don’t take that till next year… @gumbymom

I noticed on your original post, you have 0 semesters of Visual/Performing Arts. Are you planning to take a course in your Senior year since this is an a-g course requirement for the Cal states and UC’s?

If you only plan to apply to UCD and no other UC’s, then you do not have to take a SAT subject test (again only recommended especially for Engineering). If you still are unsure what major(s) and which colleges you plan to apply, it is always better to cover all your bases and have some Subject tests under your belt. How about Math 2 and Biology E?

@Jacobjello58: UCR Bourns College of Engineering does have SAT 2 subject test recommendations: Math 2 and a science. I agree with @10s4life, consider Bio E as one of your subject tests. These subject tests are also recommendations for UCR’s College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences if you find some majors of interest in that college.

@10s4life My Uncle has a masters in ag engineering from SLO and he told me he went that path because you learn a little bit from each main branch of engineering (mech, elec, and civil) and this versitality leads to different job offers and ways to find solutions from all different angles, instead of one specific angle. @Gumbymom Yeah freshman year I got thrown into CAD, which was not a bad class, but was also not a visual arts. However I am taking ceramics this next year. As for subject tests, I feel like in the position I am in and my preferences in colleges, a UC would not be above my choice of going to SLO… For many reasons that include financial, location, education, oppertunities, etc.

@10s4life How many subject tests will they take as bonus points?

@10s4life Do you know how to calculate the MCA score?

@1andonly Hey I have been wondering this for some time now, I am a rising junior and I was wondering what qualifies as a visual performing art at slo and other colleges too. I have done speech and debate, not the club the class, for freshman and sophomore year but I recently read that schools do not consider it to be a visual performing art. I am not here to say whether or not it should be but does it qualify for a visual performing art? At my school we need fine arts to graduate high school and it is considered a fine art along with drama, band, culinary. etc, but is it a visual performing art? Also would me doing marching band fulfill that requirement?(not a class so I doubt it). Also are colleges fine with you taking the visual performing arts as a senior when you apply to them? Sorry for all the text but that is what I am wondering.

@Jacobjello58 I think your GPA helps you a lot for admission but you really need to improve your test scores. SLO engineering is by far the most competitive major with their ACT average being 32 for admitted freshman in engineering. Your test scores may single handedly put you out of the running for it. Any improvement that you have will play a substantial role in your application so I would recommend that you study for it now and take it as a senior. If you get your score up but it is below the average that will be okay because of your GPA but your GPA cannot make up for everything. Best of Luck