Cal Poly Admission Requirements
Acceptance Rate
| Measure | Difficulty | |
|---|---|---|
| Admission Standards | Very High | |
| Applicant Competition | High |
Can I get into Cal Poly? The school has a 35% acceptance rate. Last year, 16,817 out of 48,588 applicants were admitted making Cal Poly a highly competitive school to get into with a lesser chance of acceptance for qualifying applicants. Academically, it has very high requirements for admission test scores, generally admitting students who score in the top 16 percent. California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo typically accepts and attracts "A-" average high school students. Only 31% of those admitted chose to enroll in the school. Most incoming freshmen graduated in the top quarter of their high school class.
35% are accepted,
can you get in?
SAT Requirements
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 25th | 650 |
| SAT Math 25th | 620 |
| SAT Composite 25th | 1270 |
| SAT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| SAT Reading 75th | 700 |
| SAT Math 75th | 730 |
| SAT Composite 75th | 1430 |
| Estimated Average SAT | 1350 |
SAT Scores you need to get in
What are the SAT requirements for students to be admitted to California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo?
California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo typically requires applicants to be in the top 15 percent of SAT test takers. The school consistently takes SAT composite scores down to 1270 on a 1600 scale, below which admission should be considered a reach. We estimate some students could be accepted with SAT's as low as 1190. The estimated average SAT composite for admitted freshman is 1350 out of 1600. A competitive SAT score is critical as 70 percent of applicants submit SAT scores to the school. Note: SAT scores presented on this page have been adjusted upwards per the College Board's concordance tables for test takers after March 2016.
Estimated Chance of Acceptance by SAT Score
| SAT Score (1600 scale) | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 1430 and Above | Good | >48% |
| 1350 to 1430 | Avg + | 35%-48% |
| 1270 to 1350 | Avg - | 24%-35% |
| 1190 to 1270 | Reach | 16%-24% |
| Less than 1190 | Low | <16% |
ACT Requirements
| ACT Test | 25th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 25th | 25 |
| ACT Math 25th | 26 |
| ACT Composite 25th | 26 |
| ACT Test | 75th Percentile Score |
|---|---|
| ACT Reading 75th | 33 |
| ACT Math 75th | 32 |
| ACT Composite 75th | 31 |
| Estimated Average ACT | 28 |
ACT Scores needed to get accepted
What are the ACT requirements for prospective students to get into Cal Poly?
Admission data indicates that Cal Poly regularly accepts students with ACT's of 26 and above. Successful applicants typically send ACT scores in the top 18 percent nationally. We estimate the school accepting minimum ACT composite scores around 24 in some instances. Prospective students submitting an ACT composite of 28 or higher should be in the upper half of applicants - and students with a 31 and above have very competitive chances. Scoring well on the ACT is very important as 68 percent of applicants submit ACT scores to California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo.
Estimated Chance of Acceptance by ACT Score
| ACT Score | Competitiveness | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 31 and Above | Good | >50% |
| 28 to 31 | Avg + | 35%-50% |
| 26 to 28 | Avg - | 26%-35% |
| 24 to 26 | Reach | 19%-26% |
| Less than 24 | Low | <19% |
Estimated GPA Requirements
You will need exceptionally good grades to get into California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo. The average high school GPA of the admitted freshman class at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo was 3.87 on the 4.0 scale indicating that primarily A- students are accepted and ultimately attend. Even with a competitive GPA, admission to Cal Poly will be challenging as the school denies more applicants than it admits.
| High School GPA | Freshmen Within Range | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|
| 3.75+ | 65% | Good |
| 3.50 to 3.75 | 20% | Avg - |
| 3.25 to 3.50 | 10% | Reach |
| 3.00 to 3.25 | 4% | Reach |
| 2.75 to 3.00 | 1% | Reach |
| 2.50 to 2.75 | N/A% | Low |
| 2.25 to 2.50 | N/A% | Low |
| 2.00 to 2.25 | N/A% | Low |
High School Class Rank
83% of California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo freshman were in the top twenty five percent of their high school graduating class.
| High School Class Rank | Freshmen Within Range |
|---|---|
| Top 10% of class | 49% |
| Top 25% of class | 83% |
| Top 50% of class | 98% |
| Bottom 50% of class | 2% |
| Bottom 25% of class | 0% |
Admission Statistics
| Women | Men | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 23,092 | 25,496 | 48,588 |
| Accepted | 9,173 | 7,644 | 16,817 |
| Acceptance Rate | 40% | 30% | 35% |
| Enrolled | 2,712 | 2,541 | 5,253 |
| Percent of Admitted Who Enrolled (Admission Yield) | 30% | 33% | 31% |
Fall 2019 Application Deadline
The application deadline for Fall 2019 has passed. Applications were due on Nov 30, 2018.
Admission Requirements
What are the requirements for admission to California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo and what considerations affect admission decisions?
| Test Scores | Recommended |
| High School GPA | Required |
| High School Class Rank | Neither required nor recommended |
| Completion of College Preparatory Program | Required |
| Recommendations | Neither required nor recommended |
| Demonstration of Competencies | Neither required nor recommended |
Credits Accepted
| AP Credit | Yes |
| Dual Credit | Yes |
| Credit for Life Experiences | No |
Primary data source, U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?id=110422 IPEDS survey data for California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo.
