Improve chances for Cal Poly SLO?

<p>Hi Everyone
I have a 3.5 GPA unweighted, but a 4.0 weighted.
SAT combined: 1730
-CR: 590 MATH: 550 WRITING: 590
(also, for Cal Poly, I was thinking either environmental studies or psychology)
I go to a public school and am a female. I'm at least in like the top 50% of my class.
I took the SAT in the spring of my junior year but I'm thinking about retaking it again in the fall of my senior year to HOPEFULLY get a better score.
I really really like Cal Poly SLO but I know it's hard to get into.
I also looked at UCSB which I really liked, and I'm going to look at the Claremont schools along with LMU and Chapman.
What are my chances getting into Cal Poly and any of the other schools?
Thank you so much!</p>

<p><strong>extracurriculars</strong>
I've been in a girl scout troop since 2nd grade, and have been doing endless hours of community service since then, however these are the MAIN projects that I have completed.</p>

<p>-in 2006 I completed my bronze award (15 hours)
-in 2009 I completed my silver award (50+ hours)
- My troop and I raised money for "Peace Builders", we made clothing and sold soccer balls and with the money raised, we bought and sent off suppies to orphan in war-torn and disaster stricken areas
- we also quilted baby blankets and donated them to a local hospital for premature babies
-now, current I am working on my gold award (80 hours) and hope to finish it by the fall!!
- we are beautifying a local school that doesn't have enough money. We are going to teach them about recycing, health and fitness and how to eat better, donate more books to their library, repaint the school, plant new gardens and hopefully raise money for a marquee that the staff has always wanted</p>

<p>I know that may not be like a lot of extracurricular, it's just girl scouts, but a gold award is like an equivalent to an eagle scout award.</p>

<p>I've also played volleyball since 5th grade, and played a couple years for a club, but I mostly do that as a past-time and don't plan to play big time or anything.</p>

<p>What can I do to improve my chances?</p>

<p>THANK YOU!</p>

<p>Annyyboodddyy?</p>

<p>At this point the most important thing that you can do is get your SAT scores up and I would also suggest that you try the ACT. Hire a qualified tutor and check their references and track record. As I’ve posted on other threads my son went from pretty low sores for an engineering major to the 97th to 99th percentile in all subjects after using a tutoring service. As a result he has his pick of 5 top UC’s and both Cal Poly’s. Bottom line, if you take it seriously tutoring works. Cal Poly is very difficult to get into these days and the honest answer is that it will be tough for you with you current scores. Additionally, the Claremont schools will also be hard with the exception of Pitzer or possibly Scripps. Pitzer, by the way, is a very cool place if you are a bit of a bohemian. Scripps is for women only. But, on the same general campus as 4 other schools so you will meet men and have coed classes if you take subject at other colleges. If you like geeky, brainiac guys Harvey Mudd is just next door. Pomona college is just as difficult to get into these days as Harvard or Stanford. Also, Cal Poly is very strict with regards to major choice. The majors you mention above are very different and be aware that you must declare your major upon application to the school and you are expected to stick wit it for all four years. So choose carefully. Your unweighted GPA is a bit low for the schools you mention above but a 4.0 weighted is doable. A university that allows you to explore different majors might be best for you. If you can’t decide. My kid will go to SLO for engineering and that is all he wants to do. He chose General Engineering so that he can create his own curricula in the later years. But that is about the max in flexibility you can get there. Expand you list of schools and enjoy the process. Also, make sure that you visit every campus that you get into prior to accepting the offer. This is critical. After visiting a couple of the campuses that my kid got into we immediately wrote them off the list. Then we found ourselves at Cal Poly and felt at home just as quick. After the tours, it was an easy choice.</p>

<p>thank you very much! but applications and coming so close, I don’t know if I could get a tutor for the ACT.
I actually did take a Revolution Prep class for the SAT, which helped a bit, but I’m just not a good test taker.</p>

<p>Osakadad gave you great advice.</p>

<p>Claremont colleges will be very challenging with your test scores. I have a relative that just started there. I think the average ACT at Pomona is 34. It is still easier to get in than Harvard, but it is still up there.</p>

<p>As for Cal Poly, you do need to have a good idea what major you want before you apply. Due to the funding cuts, and decrease in enrollment, I think CP will be even more strict when it comes to change of major requirements. </p>

<p>I am a sophomore at Cal Poly now, I have had friends that successfully changed major within a college, but have not heard anyone that changed between colleges yet. </p>

<p>Cal Poly has this really strict number based admission system, so work hard on improving your test score.</p>

<p>There’s not much room on the application for EC’s. If I recall correctly, just how many EC’s, how many hours, and maybe any leadership. A series of check boxes.</p>

<p>Here’s 2009 admitted freshman profiles.
<a href=“Cal Poly Admissions”>Cal Poly Admissions;

<p>Last year it helped to live in their referral area.</p>

<p>My D got into Scripps HS class of '08 '(she also got he silver! Good luck on the gold!), and son into LMU HS class of 2011. Scripps is going to be a pretty big reach but LMU is pretty doable.He did not get into SLO or UCSB.</p>