***cal poly slo early decision thread 2015-2016***

@roma1998 when applying, I actually called the admissions office, and they said that only after you’ve accepted the offer is cal poly ED binding.

"Please note: Early Decision applicants will receive notification of their admission status in mid-December and those selected must accept or decline Cal Poly’s offer of admission by January 15th. Applicants not selected for Early Decision admission will also have their application reviewed through the Regular Decision process and will receive equal consideration through that process with those who applied directly for Regular Decision. "

http://www.catalog.calpoly.edu/admissions/

@Northwood16 @roma1998

^^^ This was my thought as well. If it was initially binding, how could they publish language like this. There is an opportunity to make a final decision and accept the terms of admission by the applicant. Once that has been done, then the applicant is bound to attending.

@poorrichboy @sandjunkie The website says that but by decline they mean that only if you have a financial or medical reason not to go. It IS legally binding. Please fact check before you post untrue information.

@Reef2Reefuser, I should have been clearer. ECs count in the first reading. All the others like service area, veteran, parents education are only used in the second reading.

@roma1998, I’m not much good at chancing anything but a few engineering majors where we have a reasonable amount of data. Sorry.

Where does an instate - Electrical Engineering candidate - with an MCA of 4,535 chance ?

@poorrichboy, from the catalog:

Early Decision candidates must be committed to attend Cal Poly. Students admitted under this plan and who accept the terms of admission may be released only for compelling medical or financial reasons.

You can decline, but you have to justify why. I’m guessing that they aren’t super strict about it or their ED yield would be higher than 85%. In general, EA means you get to choose, ED means you ate bound to go. If you reject an ED school, there is some chance, albeit small, that it could impact your other acceptances.

@poorrichboy
I think you’re confusing admission (SLO’s offer) with your acceptance of admission. The way I read it, and the way it’s been explained to me, consistently), early decision is binding once you get the offer. The offer can only be declined for medical or financial reasons.

Excerpts from the website (emphasis added):

“For applicants who choose the Early Decision option:
… Selected applicants MUST accept Cal Poly’s offer of admission by January 15th.”

“Students admitted under this plan and who accept the terms of admission may be released only for compelling medical or financial reasons.”

“All freshman students SELECTED FOR ADMISSION to Cal Poly are required to meet the following ‘Terms and Conditions of Admission”

I really hope the rumors about decisions coming out today are true.

Listening to “It’s Gonna Be Me” for motivation. :D/

I like that idea, maybe I’ll play it on repeat through AP Lit

This excerpt from the catalog that @eyemgh posted says it all:

“Early Decision candidates must be committed to attend Cal Poly. Students admitted under this plan and who accept the terms of admission may be released only for compelling medical or financial reasons.”

It does not say students that are admitted may only be released only for compelling medical or financial reasons. It says the once the student has accepted the terms of admission. If a student does not accept the terms of admission, they can walk. Pretty clear in black and white.

Why would there be a month to accept the offer? By @calpoppy information you are bound no matter what barring financial or medical excuse. It seems if this was really the case, then why would the applicant need to accept? They would have already done so by submitting for ED.

It also explains why there is a 83% yield from ED. I am sure the admission office wants this as high as possible and that is why it is verbally represented as a binding submission, but the words they have chosen on their catalog and website clearly state otherwise.

I concur with @sandjunkie . There was no contractual language that was presented during the ED application process. If simply by applying, you were “contractually bound”, I think there would have been some very clear language to that effect at the time of application. That being said, they also make it pretty clear that you should not be applying ED unless you are “committed to attend Cal Poly.”

If they release decisions today, what time would it be around?

@roma1998 people have been saying around either 11:00 or 11:30.

The terms Early Decision, Early Action, Restrictive Early Action, etc. are all regulated by the College Board. They have SPECIFIC definitions. They can be found here: https://professionals.collegeboard.com/guidance/applications/early

The extra time to accept is because financial awards aren’t known until after acceptance.

My guess is that Cal Poly doesn’t enforce the binding nature of early decision, but they certainly could if they wanted to. It is likely that they don’t have the staff or the desire to enforce it. Schools who are hell bent on enforcement are usually heavily invested in the rankings game and want to protect yield and thus admission rate. Also, not being a common app school, they are a little less interconnected to other schools.

The bottom line is this, Cal Poly would call it Early Acceptance if they didn’t want accepted students to feel bound by it. In the end, it’s unethical to not enroll for any but the stated conditions, but that’s about it. It doesn’t seem like there are any teeth, at least at CP.

Are people expecting an email of acceptance/denial first or should we watch the online portal?

@cherry650 I believe it will show up on your portal first. Hopefully today!

@cherry650 watch the portal. From what I’ve read they don’t send an email or if they do they don’t send it right away