Hello. My son is applying to Cal Poly (both SLO and Pomona), either for Aerospace (Astronautics) or Computer Science at SLO, and Aerospace (Astronautics) at Pomona.
He works 13-15 hours per week at Mathnasium as a Math Instructor.
There’s a question on the application that asks whether 25% or more of your work experience is major related.
Is this job major related, since it’s math, and his intended major is math intensive? Or does the work experience have to be in the actual field of Aerospace or Computer Science for it to count as major related?
This is just my opinion as a parent who helped fill out the CSU app last year at this time with his D21.
I believe they’re looking for paid and/or unpaid work experience in the fields of CS or Aerospace (or whatever your child ultimately picks on the app). And being a math tutor would not be major-related because CS and Aerospace jobs use math in their fields of study.
Math major, yes, being a paid or unpaid math tutor in math is major-related.
So, update. My kid reached out to Cal Poly SLO admissions to get a definitive answer, and surprisingly, this was the response: “I would say that that work experience absolutely has to do with your intended major. :)” (Yes, the smiley face is part of this direct quote.)
I’m thinking maybe he should reach out a second time just to double check, on the off chance that the person was a new hire, or something, however, that’s what they said.
I would definitely think Math would count. Expecting a teen to have a job in exactly the same field as their intended major is a stretch. Even if indirectly related, I would say it counts as that job could lead you to pursue the major.
I considered it related before I saw the answer you received. His work relates to the same kind of knowledge he will use in his major. He was not delivering pizzas.
IMO, just because you use math in construction management, sales or accounting doesn’t mean you have experience in your major of construction management, sales or accounting, as examples. Math tutoring isn’t CS or Aerospace.
However, if the SLO admissions dept. said yes, then obviously go with that answer. But it’s a pretty loose interpretation IMO.
Respectfully, unlike Construction Management, applied mathematics, some of it very heavy lifting, is a significant component of either major. Remember the question isn’t is the job in your intended major? It’s is it related to your intended major? In this case, very much so. Glad CP answered that way. I would have been shocked if they didn’t.
EDIT: OOPS! Didn’t realize this was a month old. Dooh!!!
I think it’s definitely related, it shows your interest in one of the components of CS/engineering major. My daughter was also a math tutor and got accepted to 3 mid tier UCs with Regents scholarship for engineering.