Hi everyone,
I’m applying for CalPoly SLO in the fall. Based on their website, it seems that they consider 9-11 capped weighted GPA. I have a few questions:
For anyone curious about stats (lol):
Intended major: mechanical/electrical engineering
UW Academic: 3.95
W Academic: 4.5
APs: CSA, Calc BC, Phys 1&2, Chemistry (5), APUSH (4)
Thank you!
Generally the UCs and CSUs only count academic (A-G) classes, but sometimes PE classes count as A-G classes, for example a dance class might count as an arts class and also fulfill a PE requirement for your school. If you attend a CA high school, you can look up your high school to double check which classes are A-G classes (and which are considered honors classes) on this web site: University of California A-G Course List
You can use the RogerHub UC GPA calculator and enter the numbers for grades 9-11 (instead of the usual 10-11 which applies to the UCs and other CSUs). GPA Calculator for the University of California – RogerHub
You can also calculate your SLO GPA using the CSU calculator and including 9-11th a-g course grades since it automatically limits the Honors points to 8 semesters.
@Gumbymom I am sure you have answered these questions a lot but I couldn’t find in any of the threads. I had the following questions for you as you are so knowledgeable and even her private college advisor didn’t know:
I wanted to see if the below info is still the calculation for Cal Poly SLO?
The Academic MCA:
The maximum GPA they will use is 4.2, even though you can have a higher calculated CP GPA. A 4.2 is worth 2250 MCA points. Thus, multiply your CP GPA by 535.7 and you’ll get your MCA points for GPA. Cal poly slo uses 9-11th to calculate gpa, correct?
Then the class rigor score, worth 750 points. In this section you get zero points for meeting the minimum admission requirements and adders for more than the minimum. The bonuses in order of power are (min semesters/max total semesters/bonus per extra semester/total possible bonus): math 6/10/125/500, lab science 4/8/50/200, English 8/10/50/100, foreign language 4/8/25/100, visual performance 2/4/25/50, no bonus points for social sciences or electives. As with GPA, you can actually score higher than the maximum, but 750 is the most they will count, correct?
Finally, work and ECs, worth 350 points. Work (hours per week/bonus): 0/0, 1-5/20, 6-10/40, 11-15/60, 16-20/80, 21+/100, add 50 points if work is major related. ECs (hours per week/bonus): 0/0, 1-5/30, 6-10/60, 11-15/90, 16-20/120, 21+/150, add 60 points for leadership role.
My daughter is junior in high school and she wants to apply to SLO in the liberal arts school. She has taken the following math classes:
Honors Alg 1
Geometry
Alg2
Statistics at Santa Ana community college-csu/uc approved
Precal/trig- will take this summer at Santa Ana -community college
So the first question is to make sure we get her to the full 500 points for the MCA in math. if she takes precalc/trig at community college this summer will she get the full 500 points? Does rigor in the math come into calculation for the 500 or would the 5 years of math classes with the precalc/trig and statistics at Santa Ana community college get her the full 500?
Also if she takes pre-calculus/trig this summer will that be calculated into her 11th grade gpa and count towards honors points in gpa?
If the stats and precalc/trig will not be enough to get her the full 500 points and she needs to take calculus to get her there Would it be enough for her to be enrolled in calculus at community college in the fall of her senior year to get the full 500 points? Then if she gets a B or C it won’t be calculated into her gpa?
For the lab sciences will she get the full points for:
Biology
Anatomy
Honor chem
Zoology- she will take this senior year and counts for a lab sciences. Unless she finds a different lab science online at community college
For English- will she get the full points for:
Honors English 1
Honors English 2
AP lit and comp
Then senior year she will take ap lang
i saw cal poly says 4 years English but you should have 5.
- For the 8 points cap for honors do they only accept ap/IB and duel enrollment classes for the honors points or will they give her Points for her honors classes?
Does Cal Poly SLO treat all AP/duel Enrollment and Honors courses the same for rigor when calculating GPA;
-Does the 8 semester cap bonus points only apply for classes taken in 9th, 10th and 11th grade? Do they include summer after 11th grade?
For foreign language- she has taken 3 years of regular Spanish.
For visual Performance- she has taken 2 classes in this category.
It says no bonus points for social sciences or electives. So all the AP history classes don’t factor in? She has taken:
World history honors and MUN
Ap euro
Apush
If you don’t get anything for social Sciences then does it make sense to take any more ap social studies classes senior year just for Cal poly slo purposes?
Electives- she has several
Is there a limit as to how many community college/dual enrollment classes cal poly slo will accept for the MCA calculation? If so what is the number and how do these classes at community college compare to honors/ap classes at highschool?
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer if you will as you are the most knowledgeable person on cal poly!
Is she attending a California high school?
CSUs use the UC a-g course requirements to determine what is acceptable (ref: page 6 of CSU handbook), including what counts as honors. You may want to check this here for her high school:
My understanding is that 9th grade honors courses don’t count as honors, but do check on that site.
Yes she attends high school
In Orange County ca
Great! You can use the link @SJ2727 posted to search for her high school’s course list, then check each course she took to see if it is considered UC / CSU honors.
Thank you so much.
The MCA calculations and points were from 2013 and although SLO still uses Multiple Criteria Admissions for their application review, the GPA calculation is no longer capped at 4.2. The Freshman profile shows middle 50% GPA ranges up to 4.25.
If they still using the same point values for rigor this also not known along with the maximum number of rigor points for each subject.
For the GPA calculation:
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.
I would try to meet the recommended a-g course requirements that SLO posts on their website regardless of the previous MCA information posted.
@tamagotchi @SJ2727 have answered your other questions.
Thank you so much.