Hi -
With SAT/ACT not being considered this year, are there any estimates of what MCA scores might be considered competitive for CalPoly SLO admissions? I am assuming that SAT scores just get subtracted from the available MCA calculators.
I have been told by CalPoly admissions that there will be a way to specify National Merit Scholar finalist status once those decisions are announced in February and that finalist status (if achieved) will be added as a note in the student’s file. Are there any rumors about the extent to which NMS finalist status might help overcome some COVID-related grade stumbles in junior year (our best estimate of CSU GPA is a 3.69)?
Target major is physics (AP score of 5 on Physics 1 and currently taking Physics 2).
Thanks very much for any input!
No MCA data since SLO went test blind last year. I would see how the Applicants SLO GPA compares to admitted students from 2021 and determine where the applicants stand since GPA is the largest component along with course rigor.
Even MCA scores posted prior to 2021 admissions were never confirmed as being accurate and major thresholds were never posted.
I am surprised that National merit status can be updated in February since SLO in the past has only allowed updates for Biographical info and in-progress/planned Senior courses.
NSM status is far as I am aware only affords applicants some extra opportunities at merit scholarships.
Thanks, @Gumbymom. He’s definitely lower on GPA that the 2021 admits by any measure, but very strong for rigor (17 AP classes [AP Scholar with Distinction plus AP Capstone] plus quite a few honors classes). We are not completely clear on the mapping to A-G (we’re OOS) in terms of GPA, but I am sure he’s maxed out number of semesters for every category, including VPA. I would love to be wrong about his GPA - it’s a 4.25 at his high school based on their calculations, but I know it will be lower at SLO.
When we were on campus before applying, we spoke with an admissions officer who told us that an email will be sent out after NMS finalists are announced and he can reply to that to confirm status. I got confirmation of that via email again this week. I just don’t know what, if any, impact that will have.
I think it’s just a waiting game for us. The grades don’t help, for sure.
Thank you for the NMS finalist information which seems to be new this year at least in updating that information. I am aware the NHSP and NMS were given more opportunities for merit scholarships but information on which scholarships and the amounts have never been fully clarified.
Two year ago my student was accepted to SLO and received an email the first week of March titled, “You’re in, what’s next?” Amongst other things in the email, the following was listed for NMS.
- April 1: Deadline for emailing a copy of your award confirmation to admissions@calpoly.edu if you are a National Merit Finalist or have a National Achievement Scholarship.
Shortly after submitting the NMS letter, a scholarship appeared in the financial aid packet. I believe (but am not sure) it is part of the Cal Poly Scholars program. Here is a magazine article about trying to attract NMS to SLO.
That’s super interesting, @lkg4answers! Thanks for that. My concern is that based on GPA, he might not make it far enough to get the admissions email that your student got.
What I heard back from the admissions office this today is: " I believe there will be emails going out around the time that the results are announced. The students will then email a copy of the letter to [admissions office email] and they can add that note in his file. Decision on our end won’t go out until March (earliest) but no later than April 1st." However, your experience suggests that perhaps they used this more for funding decisions than admissions decisions. I think in our case, we might need the NMS status to try to tip admissions decisions in our favor. The article about hoping to attract NMSs to CalPoly is encouraging though. The AO we spoke with on-site lit up when we mentioned semifinalist status. Fingers crossed!
Oh… wait. Is the Scholars program limited to CA residents? We’re out 
The “You’re in, what’s next” email arrived two days after the acceptance email. 10 days after the acceptance email was an invite to apply to the honors college. A few days later they sent an invite to apply for the Loyal Order of Propellerheads (LOOP) Scholarship Just sharing the timeline of emails but, yes, they were all sent after the acceptance email.