I’m applying to most UCs and Cal Poly SLO for Biology - I know it’s one of the impacted majors… Do you think I have a chance to get in Cal Poly?
I’m a female high school senior with a final goal to get into a Medical school.
UC GPA 3.95, UW GPA:3.7
ACT 34
Many hours of EC including working/volunteering at 2 hospitals, Physician shadowing, tutoring math and Science, attending UCI summer Pre-Med program, conducting medical research, and a short publication in American Medicine Board.
Thank you!
Just to ad some info: ACT composite 34 (E35, M34, R34, Sci 34, Writing 36)
Is the fact that I took Stats and AP Stats is going to kill my opportunity to get in?
Biology has around a 14% acceptance rate. Your GPA is below the average for the School (4.06) but ACT is above the average (30). SLO uses 9th grades in their CSU GPA calculation, so this may help your GPA. SLO also uses an MCA score to rank applicants by major. Here is the calculation:
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 5,00
4500 is a competitive score.
I don’t know if it was in my original or if it got fouled up in the cut and paste, but at the bottom there’s a typo. It should say “Scores are capped at 5000”.
@Natrad, in addition to @Gumbymom’s pointed about GPA, Poly only uses the math and English sections of the ACT. You convert each to SAT, add them together and then do the math described above to get to 1650.
Good luck.
Thank you so much for your replies and for the great info! I just tried to calculate my MCA score.
GPA = 2116 (3.95x535.7)
Test = 1608 converted ACT R34 and M34 into SAT(780 for both)X1.03125
Class rigor = 500
EC / Work Hrs = 350
Subtotal for accademic points = 4524
Parents education = 600 I assume that is if both parents have no college education, right?
Veteran’s benefit = 0
Zip code= 0 - I don’t know what it means???
High school = 700
Parent employed by CPSLO = 0
Subtotal for Demographic points = 1300
My attainable points = 5824
@eyemgh: I copied the “Scores are capped at 5000” from the original post last year. If there is no cap, I will be sure to remove that part in my copy. @Gumbymom
Hi Gumbymom, I think that he’s agreeing that there IS a cap, but that it should read “5000” rather than “5,00”.
Zip code refers to whether you live in one of the areas near SLO that would get priority to attend Cal Poly. All the CSUs have a priority system for students whose home is in their “local admission area.” http://www.calstate.edu/sas/onestopkiosk/documents/CSULocalAdmission-ServiceAreas.pdf
@Natrad - 300 points are given for each parent who haven’t finished high school (not college) with a total of 600 maximum.