How do you calculate the MCA score for Cal Poly SLO?
MCA information:
Academic MCA:
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, 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 are also other Non-Academic Bonus Points:
CA vet/701, Hayden Partner School/700, faculty/staff dependent/700, service area of CP/500, either parent with some or no HS, but who DIDN’T GRADUATE FROM HS/300 (per parent).
Lastly,
Cal Poly ACT/SAT Concordance Chart in case you took ACT (use only Math and English and figure out the two equivalent SAT scores)
ACT CR M
‪36 800 800‬
‪35 770 790‬
‪34 760 780‬
‪33 750 760‬
‪32 720 730‬
‪31 700 700‬
‪30 680 680‬
‪29 650 660‬
‪28 630 640‬
‪27 610 620‬
‪26 590 600‬
‪25 570 580‬
‪24 550 560‬
‪23 540 540‬
‪22 520 520‬
‪21 500 500‬
‪20 490 480‬
‪19 470 460‬
‪18 450 440‬
‪17 440 410‬
‪16 420 390‬
‪15 400 360‬
‪14 380 330‬
‪13 360 300‬
‪12 330 280‬
‪11 300 260‬
Here’s how it works. Cal Poly does TWO “READINGS” one of academic only and one after adding additional non-academic bonus adders. The reason I put readings in quotes is that they don’t actually READ them. A computer tallies points and then ranks students.
How do you know this? I’ve never seen or heard anything from cal poly admissions that validates this formula.
Welcome back. 
The actual Cal Poly presentation was available online for quite some time. All reference to the MCA was then pulled about a year and a half or so ago. It’s now speculation as to whether or not it has been changed, but nothing has been presented officially to suggest otherwise.
From what I understand your hypothesis is based upon slide show that CPSLOs director of admissions gave at indrusty confrence over five years ago… A lot has changed since then…
When you can PROVE anything has changed with actual hard evidence, rather than rabid speculation, I’m all ears. Until then, I’ll choose to stick with the last hard evidence anyone out here has seen. I have no dog in this hunt. My son was in before I knew about the MCA. I was simply looking to rectify claims that flew in the absolute face of reality. This is where it led me. When I get new evidence, I’ll change my opinion. So far, I haven’t seen any.
There’s no official indication of whether or not this formula is still in use. However it is a good way to estimate your chances at getting into SLO. I’m not saying that people should or should not apply (too late for that now, anyhow) but this will allow people to temper their expectations appropriately.
Looking at the past decision threads posted on here last year, it’s obvious that the MCA theory stands true. I think its in all of our best interests to continue using MCAs for making accurate predictions, until new evidence comes out like how @eyemgh said.
I know of a student who was just denied a major change and was told it was because his mca score was to low for the major. I’m sure they were trying to backdoor the admission process and didn’t realize you can’t switch to any major you want if you get accepted into the school.
Yeah this post kind of confirms that Cal Poly is still using MCA: https://â– â– â– â– â– â– â– /7r3jxr
What is ITP? Does it really have a 100% admission rate?
I think it’s listed in the business school. Some kind of industrial tech packaging thing
Then the reddit question doesn’t make sense. If he’s already in the Business school, why would he wants to change? Somebody suggest him to change to AgrBusiness, but that’s cross school, would be harder, wouldn’t it?
I believe they are not letting him transfer into Business Administration because he wouldn’t have qualified when he was initially accepted to CP. Really is unfair to get admitted to non competitive major in the school and back door your way into one of the most sought after majors. They should suggest a transfer to another CSU IMHO.
@bogeyorpar: SLO admits by major and even though both ITP and Business Admin are in the same College of Business, to change majors your initial Freshman application stats-MCA score have to qualify for the new major before you can continue with the major change. Always easier to go from a competitive major to a less competitive than the other way around. As stated above, it keeps applicants from backdooring their way into SLO.
Does anyone know if you count the first year of language or math taken in middle school - in the MCA formula above. In other words for Foreign language minimum semesters is 4, but you can get bonus points up to 8 semesters. If one took 8th grade French 1, 9th grade French 2 and then 10th and 11th french 3 and 4…is that considered 4 bonus semsters (i.e., the 10th and 11th grade french 3 and 4)? Or are they ONLY counting what you took in high school. This could also hold true for math as many take Alegebra 1 in middle school 8th grade? Thanks in advance for any help.
Under the old application, the advanced language and math classes taken in middle school counted. They are supposed to under the new application too, but it was so confusing, I’m gathering that it created a snafu in the algorithm and thus a delay in acceptances being sent out.
Would like clarification on the MCA calculation. Does AP stats count in the math calculation?
1 Like
yes Stats counts
Thank you.