Chance me for SLO? Aerospace, Microbio, and biomedical engineering

Colleges and Universities A-Z Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
1

<p>Hello! If it’s possible, I’d love to see chances on these. Cal poly’s majors are heavily impacted and some are much harder to get into than others, so I’d love to see how I am in terms of Aerospace, Microbio, and biomedical engineering. </p>

<p>ACT: Composite 32. English 33, Math 30, Reading 32, Science 33, Writing 10
SAT II: Math II - 800 Biology 720</p>

<p>Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.6
Weighted GPA: 3.71
Class rank: N/A</p>

<p>AP English Lang: 5
AP Physics: 4</p>

<p>Senior Year Classes:
AP Biology
AP Macro Economics
Psych
AP Calculous AB</p>

<p>Extracurriculars: Run a biotech company, volunteer 10 hours a week, robotics 25 hours a week (leader), First chair in band all four years, started/5 clubs (investing, volunteering, STEM-MED, and a couple more) and am in three others, lifeguarded for two summers, and I model for a clothing company</p>

<p>Summers: Travelled to india to volunteer at hospices (1 month), travelled to appalachia to do the same thing (1 month), microbio research/working on startup (three utility patents to date), internship at biotech company, lifeguarding, volunteering at hospital</p>

<p>Freshman Year: Research/interning at biotech startup</p>

<p>Sophomore Year: Started robotics (200+ hours that year), continued internship at biotech, started volunteering at hospital</p>

<p>Junior Year: Achieved first round of seed money, got published in scientific journal, started nonprofit that works with five major corporations and many small businesses, another 300 hours with arguably the best robotics team in the nation, sold initial patents to large company</p>

<p>Essays and Recs:
-Common app essay on growing my two companies from ground up and working with CEOs of Fortune 500 companies.</p>

<p>-recs from princeton valedictorian who loved me in every way (english teacher) </p>

<p>Other
Gender: Male
State: CA
High School: Private College Preparatory
Legacy: None
Ethnicity: Caucasian</p>

2

<p>Although you don’t have the highest of GPAs (average weighted GPA for engineering admissions fall 2013 was 4.08) it sounds like you have lots of great experience and other learn by doing qualities that Cal Poly looks for. And as a tip, you should really consider Mechanical Engineering. I’m a fifth year ME graduating this December, so while looking for jobs at career fairs and such, it seems like more ME’s get hired for aerospace and biomed companies than those specific majors. By going ME, it opens up a much wider variety of career options since we’re essentially the Jack of all Trades engineers. Good Luck!</p>

3

<p>Do you have any suggestions on how to talk about my hands on experience? Unfortunately SLO doesn’t offer much detail in their application.</p>

4

<p>You can’t talk about your experience. There are 3-4 questions on the application regarding hours worked, hours volunteered, and if either were relevant to your major. That’s it. Cal Poly is strictly about numbers (GPA and ACT) and rigor of high school coursework. There’s no essay or short description of your experience.</p>

<p>Having said that, your experience looks amazing and you’re going to have lots of options. You need to find a match and a safety school that you’re willing to attend because Cal Poly is going to be a bit of a reach.</p>

5

<p>Yeah, that’s what I assumed. I’ve got a couple schools that have the holistic approach on there that’ll hopefully take me (JHU/NYU/UMich) and then some safeties (Uwash/BU/Northeastern), any suggestions?</p>

6

<p>Is money an issue? You might get some merit aid with your test scores but probably not enough to bring the cost down to a UC or CSU. Are you applying to any UCs? You’re probably guaranteed admission (Merced/Riverside). Also look at Cal Poly Pomona and San Jose State.</p>

<p>Hopkins is the best for biomedical engineering in the country but a huge reach. </p>

<p>Embry-Riddle in Arizona for aeronautical engineering. Other possible match schools with engineering are Seattle University and University of Portland. Santa Clara University would be a reach.</p>

7

<p>Luckily money isn’t an issue for my family. I’ll definitely take a look at SCU and the others! I’m hoping that the company I run will put me in the running for some of the more prestigious schools, but as we all know, it’s hardly a guarantee for anyone (let alone someone with my GPA). Thanks a bunch!</p>

8

<p>University of Washington doesn’t admit into engineering. You have to compete for a spot once you’ve completed Freshman year.</p>

9

<p>Yeah, engineering isn’t all I’m interested in (bio’s my #1 right now), but I figured it’d be good to keep options open.</p>