Chances at Cal Poly Slo Arch

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Weighted GPA: 3.7
AP classes:9
Honors: 6
Language: 6 semesters
Science: 8 semesters
Advanced math: 4 semesters
History: 6 semesters
Visual arts: 8 semesters

SAT 1(math +reading) = 1450

Founder of Arch and Design club, vp ( 2 years)
History club prez ( 2 years)
Girls robotics publicist ( 1 year) secretary ( 1 year)

1 summer intern at arch firm

237 volunteer hours habitats for humanity and library

3rather good letters of rec by
arch teacher
englisph teacher
Physics teacher

I realize my GPA is well below the average, but factoring in SAT score, extra curricular, volunteering, etc. what do you think?

2

Your GPA may hurt your chances a bit since the average for the College of Architecture/Env Design was 3.92. This is the CP GPA using 9-11th grades.

Here is how the MCA points are calculated for SLO courtesy of @eyemgh. From my understanding, 4500 is a good score. Also note, EC’s count for very little. Most points are for GPA/test scores and extra classes above the minimum.

The maximum GPA they will use is 4.2, even though you can have a higher calculated CP GPA. A 4.2 is worth 2250 MCA points. Thus, multiply your CP GPA by 535.7 and you’ll get your MCA points for GPA.

The next biggest thing is test scores. The odd thing, likely because they wanted it to total a nice round number, is that the max score is 1650, even though the max SAT score is 1600. Multiply the total of your best SAT CR and your best SAT math by 1.03125 to get your MCA test points. If you took the ACT, they convert and vice versa.

The third largest section is the class rigor score, worth 750 points. In this section you get zero points for meeting the minimum admission requirements and adders for more than the minimum. The bonuses in order of power are (min semesters/max total semesters/bonus per extra semester/total possible bonus): math 6/10/125/500 (note: stats and finite do not count), lab science 4/8/50/200, English 8/10/50/100, foreign language 4/8/25/100, visual performance 2/4/25/50, no bonus points for social sciences or electives. As with GPA, you can actually score higher than the maximum, but 750 is the most they will count.

Finally, work and ECs, worth 350 points. Work (hours per week/bonus): 0/0, 1-5/20, 6-10/40, 11-15/60, 16-20/80, 21+/100, add 50 points if work is major related. ECs (hours per week/bonus): 0/0, 1-5/30, 6-10/60, 11-15/90, 16-20/120, 21+/150, add 60 points for leadership role.

There you go. Good luck.

GPA = 2250
Test = 1650
Class rigor = 750
EC / Work Hrs = 350
Subtotal for accademic points = 5000

Parents education = 600
Veteran’s benefit = 700
Zip code= 500
High school = 700
Parent employed by CPSLO = 700
Subtotal for Demographic points = 3200

Max attainable points = 8200

Scores are capped at 5,000

3

Thank you for your thorough response. It makes everything much more clear, except I don’t understand how the demographic points work especially highschool, parents education, and zip code. I live in the Bay Area, my HS has a API rating of 842, and both my parents have bachelors degrees.

4

Attending a high performing high school in an affluent area and having 2 college educate parents will result in you receiving few ‘demographic’ points.

5

Demographic points are awarded to local applicants so specific HS’s and Zip codes in-service area. Parent education would be for a First generation applicant. Based on your response, you probably will not get any points in these areas.