I have been trying to calculate my MCA score and I don’t think it’s working. Is it possible someone could help me out?
Stats:
GPA:
9-12 (W) = 4.07
10-12 (W) = 4.25
SAT: 1290 (660 math, 630 RW)
Work experience:
Around 10 hours a week.
EC’s:
Around 16 hours a week.
Took six math classes with three being the requirement.
Took three lab science classes with two being the requirement.
Let me know if I’m missing any information, thanks!
https://rogerhub.com/gpa-calculator-uc/
Can you list out your all your a-g courses you have taken. Are they semester courses?
Is work experience major related?
Did you take the SAT multiple times and is the score listed your superscore?
@cojagi45, do as @Gumbymom recommends and you’ll get the right answer. My guess though since you mentioned classes and not semesters, is that you undercounted for your rigor score. Also, HS weighted GPA is not used in the calculation, only the CSU GPA linked above. Good luck.
9th:
Lab Bio 9
English 9
Spanish 1
World History
Math 1
Spanish 2
10th:
AP Euro
English 10
Chemistry 10
Math 2
Math 3
11th:
Math Analysis Honors
AP Biology
AP English Language
AP Psychology
AP US History
Financial Algebra
12th:
AP Calc
English 12
Engineering Honors (just thought I’d include it)
I tutored in math (not too sure if that’s considered related)
Only took SAT once
You are on semester?
Calculated CP GPA?
What you’ve posted is confusing. Did you take a year of Spanish 1 and a year of Spanish 2 concurrently, or were they each a semester? If they were a semester, were they multi hour classes packing in what would typically be a full year into a single semester. Ditto Math 2 and 3. I’m not certain Financial Algebra or Math Analysis count. It would depend on what they covered. Tutoring Math would be major related in my eyes, but if you didn’t label it as such on your application, it’s sort of academic now. CP won’t allow recalculations for mistakes. Most importantly, I don’t see a performing or visual art. That alone would cause you to be rejected. Two semesters or more are required for admission to all CA publics.
Yes, it said 4.27
Sorry, we have 4 classes that switch each semester. (4 one semester and 4 the next semester). I forgot to mention TV and Film 1 and 2.
To help us understand, what was covered in Math 1, 2, and 3? Were they hour long classes?
Integrated math classes. It covers algebra, geometry, and trig. They are requirements.
@Gumbymom knows better than I how to do this, but I know there are times when a semester class actually counts as two semesters. Each Algebra, Geometry and Trig are typically full year classes. How did you enter them on your application?
They count as four year classes I believe. I just finish them in half that time.
So you get 1 or 2 grades per course?
@Gumbymom two grades per course.
Ok here we go.
GPA is capped at 4.2 so 2250 points.
SAT is 1290 x 1.03125 so 1330 points
Total- 3580
So based on your posted classes, I see 5 Math courses that would qualify. Financial Algebra is an g course (college prep elective) so 500 points
Lab science is 6 semesters so 125 points
English is 8 semesters so 50 points
VPA is 2 semesters so 25 points
Total= 700
EC/work
EC’s 16 hours is 120 points
Work plus major related is 90 points
Total- 210
MCA points are 4490.
Thank you so much! I really appreciate it.
@Gumbymom, will Poly re-enter the classes correctly if the poster just counted them as a semester on the app? If not, would you think it would be reasonable grounds for appeal if denied?
@eyemgh: I am not sure if SLO will re-enter the classes correctly since they do no allow course or grade updates (due to mistakes) once the application has been submitted. It could be grounds for an appeal but usually it has to be a mistake made by SLO vs. the applicant.
@cojagi45: You might want to call admissions on Monday if you think your classes were incorrectly reported on your application and see what they say.
There are instructions for completing the Cal State application for block schedules which seems to be the type of schedule you have.
For Cal State application:
High Schools Using a Block System
• If your school uses a block system (full year course completed in one half of a school year), list the course name once and final grade earned twice. Select the Semester term type.
● 1 block unit (where only 1 grade is earned) = 2 semester units (report that grade twice – once for Fall semester and again for Spring semester)
● 1 block unit (where 2 grades are earned) = 2 semester units (report both grades – one in fall and one in spring) ● 1/2 block unit = 1 semester unit (enter the grade once in the appropriate term)
In reading @eyemgh ‘s posts and experimenting with the MCA calculator, I can see a “uniqueness” in the acceptance criteria for Cal Poly and/or Cal State. For example, how is it possible to take more than 8 semesters of English, when only grades 9-11 (and possibly 8) are counted? And if someone took only 4 semesters of a foreign language instead of 8 because they already began with an advanced-level course as a freshman, that does not get counted in. Hard sciences are counted, whereas soft sciences such as env-sci or psych are not. Even the parents’ education levels can be factored into the MCA. Not saying this is wrong, as each school has a different selection criteria, but I can see how students can be at an advantage or disadvantage when applying, versus, say to the UC system. Maybe I’m missing something here…
@lolpanda11111, you are spot on. CP, strengths and weakness, is what it is, assuming the MCA still rules. Nothing posted this year would suggest that it doesn’t. For better or worse, at least it isn’t the black hole that selective, holistic scholes are.
BTW, it is possible to take more than 8 semesters of English. A student just has to take more than one in a single year. My son did that his senior year. Foreign language from middle school counts as long as it is part of the same series. It is just like math.