Chance for OOS

Hi all. I am a bit concerned on my chances of getting into Cal Poly Luis Obispo. I am an out-of-state student. Here are my stats:
9th-11th grade (I’m a rising senior): GPA of 4.00 based on the CSU calculator. But I’m unsure of this a-g honors courses stuff. So I am not sure I calculated it correctly.

9th grade: Honors English 1 - A, Honors Social Studies 1 - A+, Health 1 (1/2 semester)- A+, Gym 1 (1/2 semester)- A, Spanish 1- A, Honors Algebra 2- A+, Honors Geometry- A, Honors Earth Science- A, Intro to Business- A.

10th grade: Honors English 2- A, Honors Social Studies 2- A, Spanish 2- A+, Honors Trigonometry- A, Visual Basic (1/2 semester)- A+, Honors Biology- A-, Honors Chemistry- A-, Business Law- A+, Piano Level 1 (1/2 semester) - A+.

11th grade: Honors British Literature - B+, AP Microeconomics- B, Health 2 (1/2 semester)- A, Spanish 3- A, AP Calculus AB- B+, AP Chemistry- A-, Honors Anatomy- A-, Gym 2 (1/2 semester)- A+.

In addition, my SAT score is, when superscored, a 2170 (760M, 730W, 680CR).

Is the GPA based on 9th-12th grades, or 10th-12th?

And I would like to major in computer science there. I’m alright when it comes to ECs.

What do you guys think of my prospects of getting in, early decision?

GPA is 9th-11th grades. Honors points do not count as extra points for your freshmen year in highschool.

@Reef2Reefuser I didn’t count them and I used only 9th-11th.

Look up the thread Confused about MCA. It helped me a lot understanding how Cal Poly’s admissions works.

@rkumar3550 I am an OOS student and I got into Computer Science with a 2150 superscored SAT and a 3.81 CSU GPA. I see no reason why you wouldn’t get in.

Edit: I also applied RD.

I’m sorry, @rkumar3550 I know you asked me questions on another thread, but I can no longer find it. I’m new to the forum and having difficulty navigating.

You have a wonderful GPA and test scores. You must be an excellent student. Be very proud, and your stats are very competitive. Your GPA is slightly below the average for engineers this year, snd your SAT is Just above ave for general admission. Have you worked out your CSU score? You will get extra points for a leadership role, volunteer work, middle school classes that are high school curriculum - like algebra1. That will be a good estimate of getting into the school. Normally, I’d say yes. You’d get in with those grades - at least into any of the colleges on campus (liberal arts, agriculture, Math and science etc) but engineering is a bit tougher. Computer science is THE most competitive degree. My advice, apply for a different major like Software engineering or computer engineering, then switch. When we spoke to the engineering dept, I asked about switching majors. They said that to switch collages (like from a bio major in the college of math and science to say electrical engineering in the engineering college) is very hard. It can take over a year to move, and you have to jump through hoops to get there. However, changing within a college is much easier. So to move from software engineering to computer engineering can take one or two quarters at most. Still have to jump through hoops, but much more doable.

They showed us an engineering spectrum, with electrical on one end and civil on the other - making up the actual majors because I can’t remember the actual ones, and comp sci was in the middle. Moving majors within the spectrum was pretty easy, but jumping from one end to the other was more difficult, and would take more time.
So see which engineering major is least competitive, in regards to your stats, and close enough to computer science, think about applying for that, then move once you are in. There’s nothing you can do for the first quarter, but after that you can start to switch.

I don’t believe cal poly requires sat single subject tests. My son took them because he applied to colleges where they were required.

The application pool is much smaller at ED. If you’re sure it’s where you want to go, then I think you have a better chance/odds of getting in ED than regular. My son applied ED to cal poly and was accepted. I think it would have been much more difficult at RD.

Apply to UC’s too. My son applied and put his major at each school as comp sci or engineering and didn’t get in (waitlisted). Kids with lesser stats got into UC’s by stating an undeclared major. If I had to have him do it again, I’d tell him to apply undecided.

I think being an oos student could help you, as CA is so short money, they are increasing the number of oos students to generate more cash.

Lmk if there’s anything else you want to talk about.

@cscalpolymom, Cal Poly is very sensitive to backdooring into a tougher admit. A switch is possible, but not guaranteed. They state very clearly that they can use your original admission stats and compare your standing to the cohort you would have competed against originally as part of their assessment for fitness to transfer. Again, it is possible, but not guaranteed. Therefore, I never recommend it as a primary strategy.

What I would recommend for @rkumar3550 is to apply ED to CS. If he’s accepted, great. If not, then he can switch to SE in the RD round.

An alternative would be just do SE in the first place. Why it’s so much easier to get in than CS at Poly is a mystery. The curriculum and placement are very similar.

@cscalpolymom I wouldn’t apply for the UC’s, as I would get very little financial aid. They are much more expensive than Cal Poly and other california state colleges.

@kinglime What was your SAT 1600 score?

@cscalpolymom What were your son’s stats? I take it that you did not rescind your other apps after he got admitted to SLO on ED, correct? Not judging at all, but what were your thoughts on that issue?

@ocgolfdad 720 math 720 reading so 1440 total.

@ocgolfdad my sons stats are/were:
Gpa 4.3 weighted
Act 32 - 33 in math portion
Sat mathII 780
Sat bio 760
Did not take sat exam
4 honors classes
8 ap classes / passed all with a 4 or 5
Eagle Scout
100 + hrs community service
Won student recognition district award for engineering 2 yrs running
Department awards in engineering, biology, economics
Plays guitar
Hispanic

Most of the apps sent in were before he was accepted to cal poly, so he just let the cards fall. Once accepted at CP he did contact those and decline offers. Some were hard to reject. Some gave big merit money. Some offered to fly him out to visit - even after he declined admission. The apps due after Cal poly admission - like those to Cornell and stanford, were never sent in.

Also membership in NHS, CSF, robotics, hoops, where he had leadership roles.