I am very curious as to how many applicants to SLO have the recommended 10 semesters of English. I was stunned when I saw that recommendation on the SLO website. I realize there are creative ways to get the 9th and 10th semesters, but I can’t imagine too many applicants really have it. We have explored ways for my son (currently a HS junior) to take a college English course this summer, but it would be tough. The summer sessions at our local CC’s last nearly the entire summer. That would eliminate any sort of family vacation, or time off for a very busy kid. He will max out the rest of the course rigor points, so I am hoping that the lack of the 5th year of English won’t keep him out.
ocgolfdad I would not worry about it. Cal Poly caps the extra rigor points at 750. If your son has advanced math five years that is 500 points the remaining 250 can come from 4 years of lab science =200 or extra Foreign Language =100 or extra Fine Arts = 50 . My oldest son now a junior at Cal Poly took a humanities course offered at his high school to get the extra 100 in English but the school no longer offers it. Younger son got his points from Math, Science and Fine Arts.
@Dadfan: Thanks for the reply. He will have the 500 points in math, 4 years of lab science, the foreign language, and the fine arts, so I guess he will be maxed out. You’re pretty sure that 750 points is the max?
Both of your sons are at SLO? What majors and what kind of admissions stats did they have? Did they go ED?
Thanks again.
Positive on the 750 max for rigor. Additionally, it is possible to have a CP calculated GPA over 4.2, but the algorithm gives maximum points for any GPA 4.2 and above.
Thanks @eyemgh. Is there comprehensive info available anywhere for all the points that go into the algorithm? I see lots of posts with references to points for various factors, but nowhere have I seen it all together. Thanks.
Look up my reply in the post “Confused About MCA”. That will explain it pretty well. Good luck.
ocgolfdad yes-- both my son’s applied ED and were accepted ED. Junior son is a business major had a 3.9 Cal Poly GPA was around 1200 on SAT. Second son just got admitted ED for next fall — Engineering with a 4.2 Cal Poly GPA 1400 SAT. Its an excellent school. What major is your son interested in?
@Dadfan: He is looking at Computer Science or Computer Engineering. Both tough, I know. If he can pull straight A’s this semester he will have a 4.00 Cal Poly GPA. So far a 27 on the ACT; we need to get that up a little. He will max out the rigor, and have good Work (internship in CS) and EC (golf team) points.
I would think to get 5 high school English classes, one could take 9th, 10th, and 11th grade English plus AP English Lang & AP English Lit. Both sons were admitted ED with only 4 English classes, one being an AP English. They took lots of science and math classes, too.
@eduparent: Yes, that will be the case for my son. 4 years of English, plus lots of Math and Science. What majors/stats did your sons have? Thanks.
Just an FYI. Cal Poly counts a passing (3+) AP score on the AP English Lang or AP English Lit exam as a year (2 semesters) of an English class. Two of my kids passed these AP exams while taking just the regular High School English classes. Easy way to get the extra English bonus points if you can get the score. 
@ocgolfdad sent you a private message with some more relevant information on majors.
Ocgolfdad—Majors: computer science and computer engineering. CP GPA 4.0. ACT 30-31. My opinion, rigor is important, completing as many hard classes as possible and taking lots of math/science. This summer, consider learning a programming language, studying for the ACT, touring colleges, and/or figuring out which colleges you will apply to.