Hello!! This is my first post. I’m a high school sophomore in the class of 2019. I’m deeply interested in going to Cal Poly SLO to major in business (not sure which type though). My father went to Cal Poly SLO and majored in engineering (don’t know which type) and my mother went to a community college and transferred to SJSU. My freshman GPA is a 3.5 in the first semester (A- in geometry common core, B in English honors, C- in biology honors, A in health, A+ in PE, A+ in Spanish 1) and a 3.33 in the second (A- in geometry common core, B+ [89.98, it was an A- but dropped because of finals] in English honors, C in biology honors, B+ in common core study skills, A in PE, A in Spanish 1). My extra circulars that year (2015-2016) are badminton JV, Leo and interact club as just members. As of now in my sophomore year I have World history honors (A-), algebra 2/trig (B-), chemistry (A-), Spanish 2, English honors (B+), and pe. I’m actually quite worried for all of my classes except Spanish and pe. My current extra circulars are cross country JV, (will be doing track) and future business leaders of America (club), I’m not sure if I’m not doing Leo or interact. I know my GPA is pretty shakey. I also have 42 service hours completed. Should I take APush, APChem, or APEng as a junior? They honestly don’t really interest me. How am I doing as of now? Would UCR or UCI accept me? What should I aim for as my act or sat score? What colleges would take me in if I keep up at this? Should I get a tutor? What colleges/universities have a good college atmosphere and are good for business majors?
For Cal Poly GPA is most important. Do every thing you can do to get your GPA as high as you can. Next highest in the algorithm is SAT/ACT. Again, higher is better. Take a prep class, in person or online, or do a book based study course. Take lots of practice tests and review every question, correct and incorrect. Rigor follows. Get through calculus if you can. Take as many lab sciences as you can stomach as a prospective business major. Keep taking Spanish and English every year. Lastly ECs…get a leadership role and if you can, get work experience in a job that relates to business. Good luck.
@eyemgh Thank you very much!! I can try my best to get a leadership role by doing class council next year as a junior and hopefully keep it up to senior year. However, keeping a high GPA might be a problem for me. Spanish is something I was planning to take for only three years, but I’ll try for four. I genuinely don’t mean to ask a stupid question but why does it matter to take Spanish for four years? I think UC recommended is three. I’m so sorry if I asked a dumb question. And as I am weak in the science area, I plan to take physics (or APChem depending how I do now) in my junior year and maybe biotechnology in my senior year, so would those count as lab sciences? Nonetheless, thank you very much for your response!
@eusphorus: If you are a California HS student, you can look up which HS classes are considered “Lab Sciences” on the following link by typing the name of your HS:
Cal Poly SLO also lists a Freshman Profile for each College which shows average CP GPA (9-11th), ACT and SAT scores (Math+CR) so you can get some target values.
Take the classes you are concerned about senior yr as they won’t be included in your application GPA (but you cannot get below a C or admission can be rescinded).
Congratulations on thinking ahead as a sophomore. I have a student who graduated last June from Cal Poly Business School. It is a very good program. Regarding Spanish – it can be used to get extra points on the Cal Poly application but only 2 years is required. My student had 2 years of Spanish but 5 years of English --took a Humanities course which counted as a 5th English-- along with the Math and Lab Science bonus points to get the maximum course rigor bonuses. Based on my student’s experience most important for business is to have the Math. The science requirements for business major are not tough – my student took an online physical science course in geology and a biology class /lab at Cal Poly – no other science required. Good Luck to You!
@Dadfan Oh dang it, math isn’t my best subject. Would you recommend I get a tutor (if it helps)? I currently have a B- in Alg2/Trig and I’m not sure if i can raise it to an A-, and it could even drop to a C!
@Dadfan Oh dang it, math isn’t my best subject. Would you recommend I get a tutor (if it helps)? I currently have a B- in Alg2/Trig and I’m not sure if i can raise it to an A-, and it could even drop to a C!
I would get a tutor. Alg2/trig is foundational for calculus. In order to get maximum rigor points, you need to get through Calc. The bonus is…score a 3 or better on the AP exam and you don’t have to take it at Poly!
I wondered how students got that 5th year of English! Which humanities class is it that counts as English credit? I’m not sure if anyone knows, but at my daughter’s high school they have to take career seminar and health freshman year, do these not count in a-g? We’ve been filling out my daughter’s CSU app and that doesn’t seem to fit anywhere.
@socalmom007: Career seminar and health are non a-g courses. If there is a category for non a-g, then list them there. My son’s had the same issue. One of their friends took a Lit class at a CCC to get 5 years English.
