cal poly application essay questions

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Cal Poly will select some of the best and brightest students from California and around the world to join us next year. Our undergraduate application is open from Oct. 1 – Dec 2 through Cal State Apply, the application for all CSU campuses.

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• Choose a Major You will need to choose a major on your application. Explore our majors and choose your program of study with our Major Finder .
• Review Selection Criteria Review our selection criteria to ensure you are maximizing your opportunity for selection as well as placing the correct information on your application.
• Gather Application Materials In order to complete your application, make sure you have a copy of your transcripts, current and planned class schedules, household annual income and social security number (if available).
• Apply We accept applications online through Cal State Apply from Oct. 1 – Dec 2. Review your application carefully before you submit it, as there are very few changes that can be made once you do. Late applications are not accepted. You may also want to look through our application resources for tips on how to complete the application.
• Pay Your Fee There is a $70 application fee per campus at the time you apply, unless you qualify for an application fee waiver . The application will notify you automatically whether or not you qualify for a fee waiver at the time of submittal.
• Keep in Touch Make sure you add [email protected] to your contact list. Email is our primary form of communication and how we will keep in contact with you throughout the admissions process. You will be contacted if we need any additional supporting documents such as transcripts or portfolios.

Art and Design and Music Department Applicants Qualified applicants will be notified in mid-January to submit a portfolio or complete an audition. More information is available through the Art and Design and Music Departments . 

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Cal poly essay prompts

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Cal poly slo essay prompts

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Cal state apply essay prompts

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How to Get Into Cal Poly SLO: Acceptance Rate and Strategies

June 14, 2024

Cal Poly SLO, the shortened name for California Polytechnic State University—San Luis Obispo, is the most selective of the 23 schools within the massive CSU system that serves nearly half a million students. With affordable and well-regarded bachelor’s degree programs in areas such as mechanical engineering, business administration, computer science, and architecture, it’s no wonder the number of applicants to Cal Poly has more than tripled since the turn of the millennium. Given the growing popularity of this increasingly selective public university—and the ever-dropping Cal Poly SLO acceptance rate—you will want to be aware of the following:

• Cal Poly SLO acceptance rate
• SAT/ACT policy and GPAs of admitted applicants
• Admissions stats by College
• Admissions trends at California Polytechnic State University—San Luis Obispo
• The demographics of current undergraduates
• How Cal Poly admissions officers evaluate candidates
• Tips for applying to Cal Poly
• Whether Cal Poly is transfer-friendly
• How to assess whether applying to Cal Poly is even worth the $70 application fee (for you)

Let’s begin with an examination of the most recent Cal Poly admissions data.

Cal Poly Acceptance Rate

The acceptance rate at Cal Poly for freshmen who entered campus in fall 2023 was 30%, nearly identical to the year prior. The applicant pool totaled 63,955 hopefuls. However, for the full picture, you’ll want to also look at admission rates by College (more on that below), which range from 20-48%.

Class of 2028 figures have yet to be released. However, there is reason to believe that the numbers could be significantly lower. A record-high 78,000+ applications poured in to Cal Poly SLO in the 2023-2024 application cycle.

Historical Cal Poly acceptance rates are as follows:

What GPA do you need to get into Cal Poly SLO?

Those admitted into the Class of 2027 possessed a mid-50% GPA of 4.03.

Moreover, 64% of attending students were in the top decile of their graduating high school class (up from 49% the previous year); 87% were in the top quartile. Only 13% of incoming students had a GPA under 3.74, with less than 1% having a GPA below 3.0.

What class rank do you need to get accepted to Cal Poly?

At Cal Poly SLO, 45% of students who entered the university in Fall 2023 placed in the top tenth of their class. 80% placed in the top quarter, and 96% placed in the top half.

What is the minimum SAT or ACT score for Cal Poly SLO?

As a test-blind institution, Cal Poly does not consider standardized test scores. Therefore, GPA is the most important metric for consideration.

For reference, back when tests were still considered, the mid-50% ACT range was 28-33 and the equivalent SAT range was 1240-1420.

Cal Poly- Admissions Stats by College

College of Agriculture, Food & Environmental Sciences

• GPA range: 3.88-4.23
• Acceptance rate: 48%

Architecture & Environmental Design

• GPA range: 4.00-4.25
• Acceptance rate: 30%

College of Engineering

• GPA range: 4.13-4.25
• Acceptance rate: 20%

Cal Poly SLO Acceptance Rate (Continued)

College of Liberal Arts

• Acceptance rate: 31%

Science & Mathematics

• GPA range: 4.08-4.25
• Acceptance rate: 35%

Orfalea College of Business

Admissions Trends & Notes

• All CSU schools have adopted a test-blind policy moving forward. If you submit test scores, the university will not look at them.
• There were 275 international students among the Class of 2027 from 61 different countries.
• Cal Poly also remains the least ethnically diverse school in the CSU or UC system. However, the URM population increased by 10% last year.
• First-time freshmen increased by 159 students, compared to 227 the previous year.

Who Gets In?

Let’s look at the demographics of current students:

Most students hailed from California and paid in-state tuition (only 16% of those who enrolled were non-residents). The most common counties/areas of residence for in-state students in the Class of 2027 were as follows:

• San Francisco: 28%
• Los Angeles: 21%
• Central Coast: 10%
• San Joaquin Valley: 9%

The states sending the greatest number of non-resident students into the Class of 2027 were as follows:

• Washington: 4%
• Colorado: 2%

Looking at ethnic identity, the breakdown of the incoming freshman class was as follows:

• Hispanic: 26%
• Black or African American: 1%
• Multiracial: 8%

International students came in the greatest numbers from the following countries:

The breakdown by gender of the entire student body shows an even split:

• Female: 50%

“Feeder schools” that sent the greatest number of new undergrads to the university in 2023-24 included:

• San Luis Obispo High
• Redwood High
• Millikan Senior High
• California High
• Arroyo Grande High
• Salinas High
• San Ramon Valley High
• Bellarmine College Preparatory

Cal Poly’s yield rate—the percentage of accepted students who elect to enroll, divided by the total number of students who are admitted—was 28%. To compare this school to other California-based public universities, UC Berkeley and UCLA are both above 40%.

How Cal Poly SLO Rates Applicants

There are only two factors that this school ranks as “very important” to their admissions decision process and they are: the rigor of your courses and GPA earned within those courses. They “consider” items such as: extracurricular activities, talent/ability, first-generation status, geographical residence, volunteer work, and paid work experience.

Cal Poly, along with all other California State University schools have gone test-blind, meaning they will no longer consider SAT or ACT scores in the application process. Previously, test scores had been a “very important” component of the review process at Cal Poly.

In the words of the admissions office:

• “For the purposes of your application, we’ll consider your 9th-11th grade weighted GPA. That number is calculated from college-prep coursework as designated on your application. Weight is granted for courses designated as ‘honors,’ ‘college-level,’ ‘advanced placement’ or ‘international baccalaureate’ for up to eight semesters.”
• “Cal Poly takes activities such as work experience, internships, volunteer programs and extracurricular activities into consideration. We are also interested in any leadership roles you may have held in these activities.”
• “All candidates are objectively evaluated by the cognitive and non-cognitive variables under our faculty-mandated Multi-Criteria Admission (MCA) process.”

Tips for Applying

If you plan on joining the 75,000+ Mustang freshmen hopefuls for the next admissions cycle, you should also know the following:

• This university does not offer interviews or consider recommendations, legacy status, or demonstrated interest.
• You will be required to select a major from a list of more than 60 on your application.
• Applications can be submitted any time from 10/1 through 11/30.
• There are no essays required for applicants to Cal Poly SLO.

Should I apply to Cal Poly SLO?

If you earned a 4.0 (or better) weighted GPA in high school, you are a viable candidate for any program within Cal Poly –San Luis Obispo. Students with a 4.1 or 4.2 in a mostly honors/AP curriculum will fare best.

Do I have a better chance of acceptance as a transfer student?

Actually, it’s harder to get accepted as a transfer student. For those entering the university in fall 2023, Cal Poly received 9,216 applications and admitted 1,968 students. This means that the Cal Poly transfer acceptance rate is just 21.3%. Here is a sampling of past transfer acceptance rates:

Read more about the Cal Poly Transfer Rate and Requirements here .

Cal Poly SLO Acceptance Rate – Final Thoughts

Very few students are able to consider Cal Poly as a “safety” these days; all students need to make sure that they formulate an appropriate college list , containing a complement of “reach,” “target,” and “safety” schools. You’ll definitely want to do this in collaboration with a professional who is aware of the latest trends and strategies associated with your prospective colleges.

Additional resources you may appreciate:

• Should You Start College Applications in the Summer?
• What is Demonstrated Interest?
• Do Colleges Look at Social Media?
• College Fair Advice for High School Students
• Application Strategies

Dave Bergman

Dave has over a decade of professional experience that includes work as a teacher, high school administrator, college professor, and independent educational consultant. He is a co-author of the books The Enlightened College Applicant (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016) and Colleges Worth Your Money (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020).

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