Cal Poly Acceptance Rate 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 & 2026

California Polytechnic State University – Complete Guide

Check here Cal Poly Acceptance Rate for all year. Here I have listed Cal Poly Acceptance Rate

• Cal Poly Acceptance Rate 2022
• Cal Poly Acceptance Rate 2023
• Cal Poly Acceptance Rate 2024
• Cal Poly Acceptance Rate 2025
• Cal Poly Acceptance Rate 2026

Cal Poly Acceptance Rate: Cal Poly can be found in San Luis Obispo, CA. It is a private college that is focused on a small handful of programs that are offered. Cal Poly Enrols about twenty thousand students every year.

An ACT or SAT may be required before applying to the college. Scores in the 1240-1240 range (25th percentile) to 1440 (75th percentile) for the SAT exam and within between 26 (25th percentile) to 32 (75th percentile) for the ACT exam are typical for applicants accepted by Cal Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo.

When we apply samples of GPA information from over 150 schools, we can estimate that the Cal Poly average GPA ranges between 3.48 and 3.78 for students accepted. The school’s acceptance rate is only 28 per cent.

They are taken into the school because of the significant number of students applying for admission. Based on past acceptance rates, The projected Cal Poly acceptance rate is predicted to be 28 per cent. You can get more information from the admissions office website at admissions.calpoly.edu.

Overview of Cal Poly State University

California Polytechnic State University has six academic colleges that provide over 150 undergraduate courses and 50 graduate degrees across diverse disciplines.

Engineering programs at Cal Poly are the highest-rated programs and are a preferred option for applicants. Regardless of their subject, these programs focus on real-world learning and hands-on experiences and strive to incorporate them as an integral component of their course.

The campus covers 9178 acres and is governed by an academic calendar based on quarters. The university also is home to more than 80 state-of-the-art labs and 50 clubs. Additionally, over 300 student associations work in various academic and co-scholastic areas.

It is home to about 22000 students annually in different colleges. The colleges of academics that are part of Cal Poly State University are:

• College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences
• College of Architecture and Environmental Design
• Orfalea College of Business
• College of Engineering
• College of Liberal Arts
• College of Science and Mathematics

Cal Poly State University Rankings 2023

College Factual recognizes the best universities and colleges with its annual ranking. These rankings comprise categories such as the top overall colleges, top colleges in each significant, top value schools, and more.

California Polytechnic State University: San Luis Obispo was given the number of badges 689 in the rankings of 2023. The most highly ranked subject within the university is communications technology, along with support.

Cal Poly Acceptance Rate

The acceptance rate for Cal Poly is about 29.3 per cent, making it one of the most selective colleges nationwide. For the fall Semester of 2022, Cal Poly has received 58,953 applications.

Additionally, the school was ranked as the top public master’s institution in California by Forbes and named among the Top 20 private and public universities in the West on the 2021 list of the nation’s Top Colleges.

This means that Cal Poly is a sought-after choice and makes the selection of those who apply in the race for Cal Poly admissions relatively high.

Cal Poly Admissions – SAT/ACT policy, class rank, and GPA

Cal Poly is a non-test-blind institution. Cal Poly does not consider the scores of tests that are standardized. This makes GPA the most crucial measure, and the students admitted to the class of 2026 attained a mid-50 per cent GPA of 4.08-4.25.

When looking back at Data from the Class of 2025, The data shows that 49% of the students were among the top quartile of their high school graduation class. 82% of them had been in the highest percentile. The average weighted GPA of students enrolled that year was 4.01.

When the standardized tests were still considered part of the curriculum, the mid-50% ACT range was between 28 and 33, while a similar SAT span was between 1240 and 1420.

Cal Poly Admission Requirements

California Polytechnic State University takes into consideration the following factors when assessing candidates for Cal Poly admissions:

• The Intended Program of Study: You are evaluated and assessed based on which course you choose to pursue. Your Major will consider your academic performance, SAT/ACT scores and other variables.
• High School Coursework, Your College Prep Course Work taken during High school, is also assessed. Your overall selection will be affected by your chosen subjects and how well you perform in them.
• GPA Cal Poly takes into account your 9th-11th-grade weighted GPA. This number is based on the college prep coursework you have submitted with your application. For courses deemed ‘college-level’, ‘Honours’, ‘international Baccalaureate’ or an ‘advanced place’, weightage will be given. This can include up to eight semesters.
• SAT/ACT scores: Cal Poly Admissions does not consider ACT/SAT scores. You can still send in as many ACT or SAT scores before November 30th, and the highest score for each test area will be considered.
• Work Experience and Extra-Curricular Activities: People with diverse personalities are given weightage by the University. Experiences such as leadership, volunteering, extra-curricular activities and volunteer programs will be considered.

Cal Poly GPA Requirements

Cal Poly Admissions Board seeks students with vital academic records who are active in the classroom. The official Cal Poly website states that the average GPA for the middle half of the first-year students admitted to Fall 2022 is 4.08 – 4.25. Cal Poly’s average GPA is higher than other schools.

Cal Poly ACT Requirements

The official website for Cal Poly does not mention the cutoffs or minimum requirements to get an ACT score; however, according to top Edu-tech websites, the average ACT score of the students attending Cal Poly is 29. This places Cal Poly under the Moderately Competitive Classification for scores on the ACT.

Although Cal Poly doesn’t specify any required ACT score, scores lower than 26 would make it hard to graduate. It will require outstanding curricular and co-curricular performances.

Cal Poly SAT Requirements

The mean SAT score for students accepted into Cal Poly is 1335, with a result of 1600. This means it is a highly competitive school to be a part of, according to SAT scores.

Based on percentiles, the 25th percentile score for this New SAT exam is 1240, as is the 75th percentile’s score of 1430. Therefore, it is sensible to aim for a Score of 1350 or higher, which puts you within the 50th percentile.

Cal Poly Admissions has a score choice policy focusing on “highest selection. This means you can submit any number of SAT results in the hands of Cal Poly Admissions. Cal Poly Admissions team as feasible. They will consider the highest scores in each area on your application.

Cal Poly- Admissions Stats by College

College of Agriculture, Food & Environmental Sciences

• GPA range: 3.94-4.25
• Acceptance rate: 48%

College of Architecture & Environmental Design

• GPA range: 4.04-4.25
• Acceptance rate: 30%

College of Engineering

• GPA range: 4.17-4.25
• Acceptance rate: 22%

College of Liberal Arts

• GPA range: 4.00-4.25
• Acceptance rate: 31%

College of Science & Mathematics

• GPA range: 4.14-4.25
• Acceptance rate: 34%

Orfalea College of Business

• GPA range: 4.11-4.25
• Acceptance rate: 27%

Applying To Cal Poly

The academic year 2021-22 will be the most popular; the acceptance rate is 33% for California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, in which 54,570 students applied, and 18,008 were accepted.

The average SAT score for enrolled students is 1,315, while the average ACT score is 29. It is required to submit three items to be forwarded to applicants.

The table below outlines the general admission requirements for those wishing to apply to Cal Poly.

Open Admission Policy	✗
Undergraduate Application Fees	$55
Graduate Application Fees	$55
Admission Information	admissions.calpoly.edu/
Online Application	www2.calstate.edu/apply
Acceptance Rate	33%
Average Test Scores	1,315 SAT / 29 ACT
Credits Accepted	Dual Credits, Advanced placement (AP) Credits, Credits for Life Experiences, Credit for Military Training

Admissions Trends & Notes

• The most crucial point is that most CSU colleges have implemented a test-blinding policy in the coming years.
• There were 286 students from abroad in the 2025 class. They came from 66 different nations.
• Just 10 per cent of first-year students are first-generation college students. The mean for public institutions in California is 33%.
• Cal Poly also remains one of the schools with the lowest ethnic diversity within the CSU or UC system.
• 59 per cent of Mustang first-year students graduated with a 4.0 GPA.

Who Gets In?

Let’s take a look at the demographics of undergraduates today:

Most students came to California and paid tuition on state-wide campuses. The most popular areas of residence for students from outside the state for the class of 2025 were :

1. Los Angeles: 16%
2. Santa Clara: 9%
3. San Diego: 8%
4. Orange: 8%
5. Contra Costa: 6%

The states that sent the highest proportion of students from outside the country to the class of 2025 were:

1. Washington: 31%
2. Colorado: 15%
3. Oregon: 10%
4. Texas: 6%
5. Illinois: 3%

In terms of ethnicity, The break-up of the student body can be seen as follows:

• Asian: 13%
• Hispanic: 20%
• African American: 1%
• Multiracial: 8%
• White: 53%

Students from abroad came in the most significant amounts from the following nations:

1. India
2. China
3. Myanmar
4. Vietnam
5. Taiwan

The gender breakdown of the student body reveals an evenly split

• Male: 51%
• Female: 49%

“Feeder schools” into Cal Poly SLO who was responsible for sending the most number of fresh students to the university between 2021 and 2022 were:

• San Luis Obispo High
• Salinas High
• Arroyo Grande High
• Gabrielino High
• Oakland Technical Senior High
• Granada Hills Senior High
• San Ramon Valley High
• Palisades Charter High
• Redwood High
• Bellarmine College Prep

Yield Rate

The yield rate of Cal Poly, the per cent of students accepted who decide to Enrol multiplied by the total number of students accepted, was 27 per cent.

Compared with other public universities in California, UC Berkeley has a 40 per cent return, UCLA has 44%, and UC San Diego comes in at 17 per cent.

Why Cal Poly

• Location: San Luis Obispo, California
• Campus features: Cal Poly’s sprawling, nearly 10,000-acre campus features a greenhouse, ranch and an estate vineyard.
• Student/Faculty Ratio: 18:1
• Athletics Cal Poly Mustangs: Cal Poly Mustangs play with the NCAA Division I Big West Conference for all sports and the Big Sky Conference for football.
• The highlights of HTML0: Cal Poly ranks as one of the most prestigious engineering schools for undergraduates across the nation and is highly regarded for its schools of agriculture and architecture. Cal Poly’s “learn by doing” philosophy extends to all majors and gives students a lot of hands-on experiences.

How Cal Poly SLO Rates Applicants

Two factors are deemed “very important” to their admissions decision-making process. They include the quality of your course and the GPA you earn in these courses.

It will “consider” items such as extracurricular activities, talents/ability, first-generation status, geographical residency, volunteer work and work experience that is paid.

Cal Poly, along with all California State University campuses, have been made test-blind, which means they won’t be able to consider SAT and ACT scores during the application process. Before, test scores have been an “essential” component of the application process at Cal Poly.

The words of The admissions department:

• “For evaluating your applications, we’ll consider your weighted GPA of 9th-11th grade. The number will be calculated using the college prep coursework listed when you submit your form. The weight is given to classes designated as Honours or college-level courses advanced placement, or international Baccalaureate’ up to eight years.”
• “Cal Poly is a school that takes things like internships, work experience, volunteer programs, and other extracurricular activities into account. We also are curious about any management positions you have been involved in during these activities.”
• “The cognitive and non-cognitive variables objectively evaluate all candidates under our faculty-mandated Multi-Criteria Admission (MCA) process.”

Tips for Applying to Cal Poly

If you’re planning on joining the more than 59,000 Mustang freshman hopefuls in the next admissions period, you must be aware of these things:

• The university does not provide interviews or consider suggestions, essays or any indication of interest.
• You must choose one of the majors from a selection with more than 60 when you submit your form.
• Applications are accepted at any time between the 10th of January and 11/30.
• No essay requirements are required for those who apply for Cal Poly SLO.

Steps to Improve your Cal Poly Admissions Chances

• Meet the Cal Poly GPA requirements: The GPA score of an applicant’s application reflects your academic stability and performance. It reflects a person’s dedication and commitment to their studies and could save the application from being rejected immediately.

Many top colleges are searching for students who demonstrate this academic rigor. This indicates that they will be able to cope with the academic demands they’ll encounter throughout their college years.

So, high school students must concentrate on increasing and maximizing their GPA score, as it acts as a stepping stone to an excellent college.

Although it’s not the sole factor, an excellent GPA will help you get accepted better. Many competitive schools will also consider the difficulty level of a student’s application. This is why you should be aware of the difficult courses offered within your Secondary School.

• Aim for Cal Poly SAT Score: A good SAT/ACT score is always an advantage for your application. While most college websites do not provide the cutoff for SAT/ACT scores, you should strive to achieve an SAT/ACT score that puts you in the top 50 % of applicants. You must begin early preparations and seek out tutoring or coaching when needed.
• Impressive Extracurricular record: Most colleges seek active students inside and outside the classroom. While GPA refers to performance in school, Extracurriculars assess your involvement outside the classroom. So, it would help if you looked for opportunities to lead, plan events, compete in competitions, take on roles in academic clubs, etc.
• Write Essays that stand out:  While you may have been told this many times, The importance of writing well-written essays for college applications can’t be undervalued. The articles you write can distinguish you from the crowd. The trick to writing an effective essay is to give the details of your education and talk about how you’ve dealt with the most difficult life challenge. The article should also explain why you chose the program and the factors that make you an ideal candidate.

Is Cal Poly SLO a Good School?

There are many different opinions about what constitutes a “good” school. Admissions difficulties and admissions statistics for admitted students can provide a good idea of how selective a school can be. However, they don’t reveal anything about the education offered or the overall experience of students.

However, there are several good options to understand better how happy students are and how well the school helps its students.

Let’s look to better understand the services Cal Poly SLO offers and whether it is the right choice for you.

Should I Apply to Cal Poly?

If you have a 4.0 (or greater) GPA with a weighted average at the high school level, then you’re an ideal candidate for any of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo programs. Students with an average of 4.1 or 4.2 in a mostly Honours/AP curriculum will be the most successful.

But, very few students can take Cal Poly as a “safety” nowadays. All students must ensure that they create an appropriate list of colleges with a combination to “reach”, “target”, and “safety” schools.

It is best to do this with an admissions specialist who is well-versed in the most recent developments and strategies associated with your college of choice.

Financial Aid at Cal Poly SLO

By 2022, 7018 out of the 21,093 undergraduates got financial assistance. Cal Poly SLO meets 59.4 per cent of the demonstrated financial need of undergraduate students.

Financial aid for a full-time first-year student will be around $11,586 annually. Nearly all Cal Poly SLO undergrads take out student loans to pay for the remaining expenses.

Cal Poly SLO graduates with student loans can graduate with an average amount of $21,874 worth of credit card debt.

The debt average for each type of loan varies.

Average Debt By Loan Type
Federal Loans	$19,353
Cal Poly SLO-Specific Loans	$7,500
Private Loans	$34,524

 

Most Common Loans for Cal Poly SLO Students
Federal Loans	100%
Institutional Loans	100%
Private loans	100%

A majority of students opt for loans from institutions or the government because they typically offer lower rates of interest as well as more flexible loan repayment choices than personal loans. Government loans can be subsidized or not.

The supported loans do not incur interest while in school, whereas unsubsidized loans start accruing interest when the loan is made. If students don’t qualify for federal loans that are sufficient to pay for tuition, they may be able to take out private loans.

Parents may also apply for the Parent PLUS loan, a federal loan that parents can take to help their children with college expenses.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) assists colleges in assessing students’ and their families financial needs, allowing them to provide a financial assistance program that can meet, or is close to, their needs. For more information about Cal Poly SLO financial aid, read on, or go to the financial assistance site.

Scholarships at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Scholarships and grants may be available to students who cannot pay full tuition. Scholarships and grants are not required to be repaid, unlike loans.

Cal Poly SLO gave students $69 million in need-based scholarships in 2022. This total amount helped students with financial needs to pay for school. Students without financial need were awarded $11.58 Million in merit-based scholarships.

Life at Cal Poly

Cal Poly is known to offer a lively student life. The campus is situated on the Central Coast between San Francisco and Los Angeles; San Luis Obispo, also known as SLO, is a classic college town with many cafes, shops, culture, and nightlife.

SLO is also the home of the well-known Farmers’ Market, a week-long street party that displays what the city can bring to the table regarding food, music, entertainment, and local cuisine every Thursday night.

The university offers a variety of possibilities outside of academics for students interested in sports or Athletics, as well as Performing Arts and more.

Cal Poly Athletics is home to 21 NCAA Division I teams, predominantly inside the Big West Conference, which has won over 50 championships. Numerous student clubs, sports teams, and music organizations keep the campus busy.

The campus also offers excellent mental and physical health facilities. The school is committed to health, well-being, and safety with qualified health, medical specialists, and counselors.

Academic Life at California Polytechnic State University

The ratio of student-faculty at the California Polytechnic State Universities–San Luis Obispo is 19.1, and the school offers 17.3 percent of its classes that have less than twenty students.

The most popular majors at California Polytechnic State University–San Luis Obispo include: Engineering; Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services; Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields; Social Sciences; Biological and Biomedical Sciences; Architecture and Related Services; Parks, Recreation, Leisure, Fitness, and Kinesiology; Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services; Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs; and Psychology.

The average retention rate for first-year students, which is a measure of satisfaction with the school, is 94%.

Student Life at California Polytechnic State University

California Polytechnic State College–San Luis Obispo boasts a total student body of 21093 (fall 2021), which includes the gender ratio of 51 percent males and 50 percent female students.

38% of students in this college reside in college-owned, owned, or affiliated housing, while 62% live outside the campus. In sports, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo is part of the NCAA I.

California Polytechnic State University–San Luis Obispo Campus

California Polytechnic State State University–San L. Obispo provides various student services, such as women’s centers, nonremedial tutoring and placement service, daycare health service, and health insurance.

California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo also provides campus security and safety services such as 24/7 foot and vehicle patrols as well as late night transportation/escort services and emergency telephones that are available 24 hours a day, and walkways that are lit students’ patrols, and restricted access to dormitories (key card, security card, and so on.). Alcohol isn’t permitted to students of legal age at California Polytechnic State University–San L. Obispo.

Location & Contact

Location

Address

Contact

Cal Poly Acceptance Rate FAQS

Q.1 What GPA do I need to get into Cal Poly?  

ANS. Average GPA: 4

(Most schools have an unweighted GPA of 4.0, but some have an unweighted grade. Suppose you have a GPA of 4. Cal Poly requires you to be among the top students in your class. It is essential to score nearly 100% A’s in your courses to be competitive with other applicants.

Q.2 Is Cal Poly difficult to get into?

ANS. Cal Poly admissions are selective, with an acceptance rate of 38 percent. Students who are accepted to Cal Poly have an average SAT score of 1240-1440 and an average ACT score between 26 and 32. The application deadline for admission to Cal Poly is regular. To apply for Cal Poly is November 30.

Q.3 What are the top 5 majors at Cal Poly?

ANS. The most popular majors at California Polytechnic State University–San Luis Obispo include: Engineering; Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services; Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields; Social Sciences; Biological and Biomedical Sciences; Architecture and Related Services ..

Q.4 What major is Cal Poly known for?

ANS. Cal Poly is best known for its agricultural and engineering programs. In Cal Poly’s College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences, students are taught everything from avocados and the anatomy of cows.

Q.5 Is Cal Poly SLO prestigious?

ANS. In short, Calpol SLO has the qualities to be considered a top university because it has a good reputation in areas like Engineering, Computer Science, and Business Administration. Additionally, the school has high student satisfaction levels and continues to climb the rankings.

Conclusion

All of this is what makes Cal Poly a great grad school. However, every year we’ve seen the number of applications to Cal Poly Admissions has been increasing, making admission more difficult.

However, you can secure your place in the most coveted program by increasing your efforts by working toward a higher GPA and obtaining a high SAT or ACT score, and writing a convincing essay.