Hello everyone! Would appreciate it if someone took the time to chance me for Cal Poly.
I’m a hispanic male (if that is relevant at all) planning to major in mechanical engineering with aerospace engineering as my alternate major. I’m also an out-of-state applicant.
-10 semesters of math including 8th grade - all classes either honors or AP. Currently taking AP Calc BC.
-Over eight semesters of lab science which includes: AP Chem and AP Physics I
-Performing arts all four years (band)
-Three years of foreign language in German
-21+ hours of extra curriculars with many leadership positions (Science Club President, Mock Trial Captain, Vice-President of UNICEF Club, etc.)
-16-20 hours of major related work experience. Currently work at Herman Miller as a Product Development Engineer averaging 17.5 hours per week during the school year and nearly 40 hours per week over the summer.
MCA: 4856
Overall I feel pretty good, however I feel as if my math test scores are a bit on the weaker side. Wanted some input on my chances because I noticed there were some pretty strong applicants who got rejected with good GPA and test stats. Although, I do know that those two alone don’t tell the whole picture.
California public universities are not allowed to admit on the basis of race/ethnicity. It is considered illegal.
Since Cal Poly SLO is a state university, priority admission goes to instate residents.
Be prepared to pay full fees at the Cal Poly’s as there is no financial aid for non-residents.
@“aunt bea” Thank you, I appreciate your reply and concern, but cost of attendance won’t be a problem. I’m fortunate enough to be in a financial situation that allows my family and me to afford out of state tuition.
Cal Poly is a very good value for out of state students and there is indeed aid for non-residents (just not much). My OOS son gets both merit aid and need based aid. The real issue is that if your EFC is low enough for a Pell, there won’t be any other aid to round out the difference. Cal Poly will fill roughly 85% of their class, as they do every year, with in state students. That still leaves a healthy 15% for OOS. I don’t make it a habit of “chancing,” but you look like your odds are very favorable. As always, have a safety, ideally, one that you’d even consider as your top choice. Lastly, make sure to include you middle school math classes from algebra and above on you application. Good luck.
@eyemgh Thanks! Crossing my fingers since Cal Poly is my first choice. I fell in love with the campus and location when I visited. I’ve already been accepted into Iowa State - one of my safeties.
@diosmioleo, @eyemgh is very familiar with Cal Poly so his reading is probably quite realistic although there are no guarantees. As you know, it is a university that prides itself on “hands on” education. If you are drawn to project based education and if you can operate with winter gear and if you do not make it into Cal Poly, you might try WPI. As you are from the other coast and because WPI is a private school and because your profile fits you may enjoy this option.
Two of WPI’s 40 plus project centers are located in CA. Students spend a seven week term doing research at these locations, but then you would have to return to the New England winter… which is warmer lately, but that is another subject.
WPI made my son’s top 3. His stats were similar to yours.
WPI is a very unique school. They have 7 week terms where you only take 3 classes at a time. They have two projects at a minimum (junior and senior year) that are used to flesh out the theory taught in classes and three if you choose one freshman year. Additionally, study abroad for engineers is unparalleled. You actually work on an engineering project for 7 weeks. It’s a quaint little campus in a nice little town about equidistant from Boston and Providence. They are part of a consortium of schools where you can enroll in classes at other colleges, but the 7 week term really makes that impractical for WPI students.
Weather is definitely a pro for Cal Poly. Seventy and sunny is the norm. Cost of living off campus HIGHLY favors WPI. Changing majors is much easier at WPI, but if you get into ME, you’ll be able to switch to just about anything else at CP. It’s just more arduous. You’ll get more support and hand holding at WPI. Grading is MUCH easier at WPI. Grading at Cal Poly varies substantially by major. ME is one of the toughest on campus. Over 10% of the letter grades given are F. That’s very uncommon in this day and age. WPI doesn’t even record Ds or Fs. That is not to say one is better or worse. They are simply different. People fault WPI for this, but I follow the engineering thread pretty closely and I’ve never heard anything but positive about WPI engineers. Cost of Cal Poly will almost certainly be less, even with no merit aid unless you fall into a Foisie (IF they still offer that…there’s some controversy within the Foisie family, so it may dry up, but it was a VERY generous scholarship) at WPI, BUT you’ll be more likely to graduate in 4 years from WPI than Cal Poly and as mentioned previously, off campus housing is cheaper at WPI. My son will graduate with a BS and MS in 4 years plus one or two quarters depending on if he does a thesis or not, but his experience if EXTREMELY atypical. The main knock against WPI, and this may or may not bother you, it didn’t factor at all for my son, is the lack of diversity of majors. Engineers make up about 25% of Cal Poly. WPI offers Humanities and Business, but proportionately, they are miniscule relative to the tech majors.
All in all there’s a lot to like. If you can swing it, you should go visit. It’s very different than Cal Poly and Iowa State, yet it offers an undergraduate focussed approach favored by both ISU and CP. My son agonized between those two and a third, Utah believe it or not. He made his final decision 2 days before the deadline.
@eyemgh Again thank you so so much for the in depth perspective. Learning by doing and collaboration are principles that I value the most in schools and so it’s great to hear that’s the case at WPI as well. How does your son like the quarter system at Cal Poly? I heard it can lead to a lot more midterms, but also allows you to take some more classes. And as always, thank you so much for the contributing you do in the forum, your posts are always very informative and helpful!
He likes it. I never keep up with how often they’re tested, but it’s a lot. There are strengths and weaknesses. It goes fast, but you get more classes. I think if he had his preference, he’d still choose the quarter system. It’s nice to end a term before Christmas break.
As a current student, I can say that you have pretty favourable odds. I can only speak from an in-state experience w. regards to MechE and aero but you have better stats than a number of people I know who are in either major. You have a great MCA, and better than mine (attending for CPE). I won’t make any guarantees, but I would be surprised if you got a rejection letter come February.