Part of the problem with assessing chances at CPSLO is that they do not publicly post the prior year threshold scores (or the algorithm, although some have reverse-engineered it).
Totally!
Really the best one can do is to look at the published actuals from the previous year, and multiply by 3 as an estimated yield. That gives a percentage, but says nothing about the quality of the candidate pool.
I do though think itâs probably fair to say that those two majors are reaches for most applicants, especially in a no test environment. Thatâs not based on holistic randomness, but on the fact that they get so many applicants with high GPAs and rigor by their calculation for those majors. It can come down to non-academic intangibles like major related jobs, living in the service area, going to a Partner School, etc. assuming the algorithm is anything like it was last they published it in 2013.
Well this is downright depressing.
https://amp.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/education/article261193012.html
Implies around 9% acceptance for CS and 20% or so for ME using the 3x rule (assuming 33% yield).
Yikes. Had no idea CS was that tough to get into.
It does not speak to the quality of those accepted which is presumably quite high.
With respect to overall admission at CPâSLO, female applicants in a recent year were accepted at a 36% greater rate than male applicants (for whatever reason).
https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?q=California+polytechnic&s=all&id=110422#admsns
CS and ME in most colleges biases male. So do most other engineering majors, which tend to be among the more selective majors at CPSLO. So male applicantsâ focus on more selective majors may be part of why they have a lower admission rate.
Differences in the strength of admission credentials between male and female applicants may also have an effect.
CPSLO (like other California public universities) does not consider gender in admissions.
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Those are both high for what those majors traditionally run. ME hovers at 15 and CS at 6 or so. They both have very strong applicant pools as judged by who has been rejected over the years Iâve followed it.
That said, if your student has a high GPA, as calculated by the CSU calculator for grades 9-12, AND they have high rigor (calculus or better, lots of lab science and English, 3 years of foreign language), theyâll be in the hunt.
any though on Cal Poly Pomona?
Unless I am nuts, I am seeing OOS costs of just over 40,000âŠ
Iâd ask why? You have access to so many other fine schools.
Pomona = more commuter, lots of smog, and not the strongest academically.
Would it work in budget? Yes.
You have a TON of options at under $50K - so yes, this is another - but i canât imagine with the hundreds of schools you can attend, why this one - but to each his own. If you lived in in the LA, OC or San Bernardino areaâŠthen Iâd get it.
Good luck.
PS - their COA shows just under 40K but if you do the NPC it shows a tad over $40K. Some schools have an engineering sur charge - i didnât see one there.
I donât know the area at all. Just thought Iâd ask for the kid who would love CA experience within budget and major constraints.
So Arizona will be your California closest - but Iâd say SDSU over CPP - although SDSU will be harder admit I believe.
Your child has many wonderful opportunities.
If you can spend $30K vs. $50K - is that a consideration? Or youâd just assume hit the budget to the edge?
Certainly - if you take a west coast visit, go to CPP and check it out.
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We will have 30k options which will be primarily in state plus AZ publics. These are all very good options. Will leave $ for graduate school.
If some schools stretch us to mid 50âs, we are willing if the school warrants that stretch. GTech for example might be worth the additional $, maybe USC or BU with some merit. Maybe Santa Clara, with luck UT Austin.
Itâs unpredictable at the high end of the range, but having really good safeties makes it feel less treacherous.
Since Austin is on your list, have you considered Rice? If you qualify, the Rice Investment might get the cost to where you want it to be. Itâs super easy to change majors. Itâs a reach school for everyone but your daughterâs stats have her in the ballpark.
I guess you answer then. CPP shouldnât be on the list. I get it. Cheaper better but we can stretch for the ârightâ school. That wouldnât be CPP. You might look at a Vandy, WUSTL, Rice, Miami, Col School of Mines. These are unlikely to get u in the 50s but they have scholarships. Well School if Mines will be there (at budget). Plus CU Boulder and itâs a strong engineering school.
I get it now.
Donât forget, add another $5k vs what you think. College costs at least that much more than they tell you.
Sounds like you have a lot going on
Iâd agree. I wouldnât choose CPP from out of state. Thatâs just my opinion, but I think there are cheaper safeties in other states, and better schools in CA that would offer a more rounded typical college experience.
Vandy we just saw as such an incredible reach in admissions and $, gave it little consideration. Rice also a reach, but D has it on her list as a reach and will give it a shot. Boulder- the three kids we know there came home after freshman year all for same reason - they saw it as full of rich party kids. May be great engineering but that might be a tough culture to pursue such a tough major in. Mines could be a thought. Thanks for that one.
I hear you loud and clear on CPP. Unfortunately, she eliminated Cal Poly SLO last night reluctantly. The haul to and from the east coast was going to be a significant and costly journey each time home. I do suspect it makes it back on by the Fall though. It will be a very tough admit though as SAT is not considered and there are probably an abundance of kids with 4.0 and 10 APs applying. She has no STEM related ECâs so that could hurt her but who knows.
She doesnât need STEM ECs for most any school. She needs ECs to show - sheâs more than a student - whether work, sports, clubs of interest, etc. Tenure and impact matter. That youâre in the coding club or rocket club donât. And for many schools - ECs are not even part of the equation - many âaffordableâ that is.
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IF the admission algorithm is largely the same as it was last they publicly discussed it in 2013, some of that matters and some of it doesnât.
Calculate her GPA using the CSU calculator and 9-11 grades. Thatâs the only GPA that matters. It was capped at 4.20 in 2013, with everything above that rounded down to 4.20. Some suspect that it has been increased, or even that the cap has been eliminated. The important point being though, a student with less than a 4.0 unweighted can still hit the max in their algorithm.
APs donât matter per se. They do boost the weighting in the GPA, but in the calculator they are capped at 8 semesters. A student with 4 APs is seen as the same as a student with 12.
STEM ECs make no difference.
Getting back East will be easier than it looks on paper. There are all sorts of student ride shares to SF, with easy drop offs at SFO.
Before you write it off, look at the linked thread below. They still use the MCA, but itâs probably been changed a little. Itâll give you a general idea though.
Lastly, itâs worth considering starting in General Engineering. Itâs assumed that they are unsure of what they want to do, so the process for changing majors is a little easier and the barriers are a little lower. Itâs an easier admit than either ME or CS.
Best of luck! Itâs a fun time!!!
Not sure about this. (Some) STEM ECs (as a part of a mix) will help support your application if you are applying in STEM I think.
Wouldnât CPP offer a blend of typical college experiences, with a mix of commuter and residential students?
But perhaps not what an out of state student really wants.
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