Hello. My son just learned today that he is waitlisted at cal poly slo as an economics major. He is an incoming freshman for fall 2021.
Basic statistics:
4.45 fully weighted gpa
4.17 CSU capped gpa
3.9 unweighted gpa
California resident, white
Significant athletic extracurriculars with very lengthy, demonstrated commitment achieving at state level, community service, and leadership (but no place to detail on CSU app other than time commitment)
Do you have any information on his odds of getting in off the wait list given this unusual admissions cycle? Should he send an email expressing continued interest and supplying fall semester grades which were 4.83?
Also, do you think this decision bodes poorly for his chances at UCSB, UCSD, and SDSU? At least with the UCs they have his essays and details on his ECs/achievements.
Thank you for your feedback. It is very much appreciated
Please read the waitlist information linked below, but to answer a few of your questions:
Do no submit an LOCI or any other documentation.
From the Website:
If you are on the waitlist, you will be considered for admission again if there are any additional openings in your major. There are no ‘rankings’ on the waitlist, and only the application materials that were reviewed initially will be used in any waitlist decisions.
Chances are dependent upon how many students enroll in your particular major and if there are any spots available.
SLO, SDSU and the UC’s all use different criteria when reviewing applicants so it is impossible to predict. SDSU looks like a target school but it will depend upon how he compares to the rest of the Econ applicants.
Edited: Although only one part of the UC application, GPA is Very important.
2020 Freshman admit rates for UC GPA of 3.80-4.19 capped weighted and not major specific:
Ugh. I’m sorry. Do you mean a 4.17 capped weighted gpa, or fully weighted? Was he an Economics major too? Also, are you guys in California and if so, what part?
With their other accomplishments, hopefully UCs will be more receptive since they consider those, whereas CSUs really have no way to assess other than checking a box for hours devoted.
Hi there. Is that the weighted capped gpa, or fully weighted gpa?
Unfortunately, you can’t really rely on last year’s waitlist numbers because it was an atypical year with the pandemic. So many kids deferred since all classes were virtual, resulting in many more kids getting admitted off the waitlist than normally would be. From what I’ve read it varies each year and depends on how many kids accepted take their offers, which there is no way to gage
My feeling about Cal Poly and the whole admissions process is that aside from the extra points you get for being local, everything else is almost like a lottery system. With so many extremely well qualified applicants, it’s like admissions sticks their hands into basket and pulls out names. The rest go in a waitlist, and when they start looking at the waitlist, they stick their hands in the basket again and see who gets picked.
Your son should still have good chances of getting into those other UCs, because the UCs take a more holistic approach, not just a numbers game.
Hi- You seem to be most knowledgable. Do you have any intel on the Cal Poly new Interdisciplinary Studies Major? Daughter waitlisted and there wasn’t a forecast for FTF on recent stats I read. First time being offered to freshman. She switched to this major from Environmental Mgt because they had a social/sustainability option. Thanks in advance if you have information.
FWIW daughter was waitlisted at SLO. She’s planning on a major of theatre and double major or minor in education but theater is primary. She just got offered a slot as a theatre major off the waitlist. If nothing else they are already looking at some majors prior to May 1st. Pretty certain she’ll be going to UCSD unless she gets off waitlist at NYU Tisch so will be releasing that soon
My son was also wait listed. FWIW, here are his stats, for Aerospace Engineering (80 Freshmen spots):
Colorado resident, white male
Weighted GPA: 4.1
Unweighted: 3.7
33 College credits, 3.4 GPA
Eagle Scout
National Honor Society
Student Government Officer
Nationally ranked robotics team
In a recent article, 15,660 students with a 4.0 were not admitted.
Article: (sorry, I am not allowed to link out here. San Luis Obispo Tribune - April 22nd.)
Basically, it says these factors are at play:
Emphasis on 1st generation college students
High schools with high free or reduced lunch students
Extracurricular activities
In the end, the accepted class was 57% female, 40.8% white (non Hispanic/Latino), 25.5% Asian, 23.4% Hispanic/Latino.
So, it it is becoming even a more selective school. Aerospace Engineering accepted only 4% of applicants. Though he holds out hope for Cal-Poly, he will commit to another school in the next week.
How do you know how many spots were available? I can’t read the article but for Cal States there’s nowhere to list extracurriculars I don’t understand how that comes into the equation?