California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo was established in 1901 as a vocational high school. It was founded by a group of local businessmen and civic leaders who saw the need for technical training in the area. In 1903, the school became an independent college and began offering bachelor’s degrees in engineering and other technical fields. In 1933, the college was renamed California Polytechnic College, and in 1941 it became part of the California State University system. The university continued to expand over the years, adding new programs and majors to its curriculum. In 1965, Cal Poly became one of only two polytechnic universities in the nation when it was granted university status. Today, Cal Poly is home to more than 20,000 students from all over the world who come to pursue their educational goals. The university offers over 150 undergraduate majors and minors and 46 master’s degree programs across six colleges: Architecture & Environmental Design; Business; Engineering; Liberal Arts; Science & Mathematics; and Agriculture, Food & Environmental Sciences. Additionally, Cal Poly offers many study abroad opportunities for its students that allow them to gain an international perspective on their studies as well as explore different cultures around the world. Check COLLEGETOPPICKS for a list of engineering schools in California.
California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo, as one of the top colleges ranked by major educational institutions, has impressed us by its high selectivity and student friendly application process during admissions. The following tables detail 2018 class profile, including total applications received, average high school GPA, SAT scores/ACT scores, and acceptance rates of California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo. To learn more about GPA, SAT and ACT scores information, please follow the links below. If you want to find even more about California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo, such as tuition fees and scholarships, you can click the link after tables to visit the school’s official website.
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Admissions Stats
California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo is a highly selective university that accepts only the best and brightest students. The admissions rate for Fall 2019 was 34%, with over 28,000 applicants vying for admission. The most popular majors at Cal Poly are Business, Engineering, Liberal Arts and Sciences, Architecture and Environmental Design, and Agriculture.
The middle 50% of admitted students have an average GPA of 3.7-4.0, an ACT score of 25-29 and an SAT score of 1230-1400. Cal Poly also values a strong high school academic record along with extracurricular activities such as community service or leadership roles in organizations or clubs. The admissions team also looks for evidence of creativity or innovation in the application materials.
Cal Poly has a holistic admissions process that takes into account not just a student’s academic performance but also their personal qualities such as motivation and passion. To be successful in the application process, it is important to demonstrate how you will contribute to the Cal Poly community through your involvement outside of academics. It is important to highlight any special talents or skills you possess that may set you apart from other applicants as well as your commitment to making a positive impact on campus life through leadership or service activities.
Fall 2022 Selectivity
| Selectivity | more selective |
| Fall 2022 acceptance rate | 33% |
| Early decision acceptance rate | 19% |
| Early action acceptance rate | N/A |
| Acceptance rate (excluding early action and early decision students) | 34% |
Fall 2022 Applications, Acceptances & Enrollments
| Applicants | 33,627 |
| Female applicants | 15,789 |
| Male applicants | 17,838 |
| Applicants accepted | 10,944 |
| Female applicants accepted | 5,547 |
| Male applicants accepted | 5,397 |
| Freshman enrollment | 3,524 |
| Female freshman enrollment | 1,675 |
| Male freshman enrollment | 1,849 |
| Early decision applicants | 4,069 |
| Early decision applicants accepted | 791 |
| Early decision applicants enrolled | N/A |
| Early action applicants | N/A |
| Early action applicants accepted | N/A |
| Early action applicants enrolled | N/A |
| Total enrolled incoming freshmen who were accepted under early acceptance or early action | N/A |
Fall 2022 Wait List
| School has a wait list | Yes |
| Applicants placed on wait list | 1,746 |
| Students accepting place on wait list | N/A |
| Students accepted from wait list | 31 |
Fall 2022 High School Rank
| Freshman students submitting high school class standing | 53% |
Fall 2022 High School GPA
| Freshman students submitting high school GPA | 96% |
| Average high school GPA | 3.8 |
| High school GPA 25th-75th percentile range | N/A |
Fall 2022 Freshman SAT Scores
| Freshman students submitting SAT scores | 91% |
| SAT Critical Reading average score | 588 |
| SAT Critical Reading 25th-75th percentile range | 540-640 |
| SAT Math average score | 627 |
| SAT Math 25th-75th percentile range: | 580-680 |
| SAT Writing average score | N/A |
| SAT Writing 25th-75th percentile range | N/A |
| SAT Essay 25th-75th percentile range | N/A |
Fall 2022 Freshman ACT Scores
| Freshman students submitting ACT scores | 62% |
| Average ACT Composite score | 27 |
| ACT Composite 25th-75th percentile range | 24-29 |
| ACT English 25th-75th percentile range | 24-30 |
| ACT Math 25th-75th percentile range | 25-31 |