r/CalPoly • u/AdPrudent8365 • Mar 25 '26
Admissions Waitlisted
Guys okay lemme js rant rq
Cal Poly SLO was my top option and if I had gotten in I would’ve gone no matter what. When the first round had been released and I didn’t get my decision I was confused but I was like ok wtv.
Tdy i got waitlisted and im so confused bc like I got into UC Irvine, UC Davis, and UC Berkeley which are arguably much harder to get into. So ya im js annoyed.
My major is psychology btw. My GPA is a 4.5 weighted, and my ECs are actually pretty good
But ya that’s it don’t b disappointed if u didn’t get in, ppl r on one nowadays 😐
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u/Last_Measurement4336 Mar 26 '26
It is OK to rant but please understand you cannot compare the application review criteria used by SLO to the UC’s. SLO admits based on the CP/SLO GPA (9-11th a-g course grades with the 8 semester cap) so a 4.5 weighted is not possible. They only have you report hours/week for EC’s so you cannot go into detail like the UC’s. They have no PIQ’s so there is nothing really to set you apart from the rest of the high GPA students.
SLO is stats based for admissions while the UC’s use a comprehensive review.
Psychology is highly impacted with a projected admit rate of around 6%. You have some great options so I am sure you will thrive wherever you end up attending.
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u/Ramen_cat2024 Mar 26 '26
Got a C back in 9th grade so likely that dooms all chances right? Is there a calculator for Cal Poly? UCs only count 10-11th grades.
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u/Last_Measurement4336 Mar 26 '26
I use the CSU calculator and input the 9-11th grades. https://www.calstate.edu/apply/gpa-calculator/
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u/One_brokeartist Mar 26 '26
No, I got in when the first wave came out and ngl I have mid grades, had a 3.6 CSU GPA, and got a couple of Cs and still got in for computer engineering anything is possible
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u/VSPlayz Mar 26 '26
Almost exact same for me lol but I got in CS, super suprised but very happy about it
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u/shugadubs Mar 29 '26
Honestly don’t beat yourself up. I mean I didn’t exactly get admitted but I got two Cs my sophomore year and have a 3.96 csu gpa and i’m waitlisted for chem. stuff’s always possible
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u/AHuxl Mar 25 '26
Same happened to my friend last year except straight up rejected from Cal Poly not waitlisted…hes really happy at Cal right now though 🐻💛💙
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u/Right_One_1770 Mar 25 '26
CalPoly rejects many top tier candidates b/c those applicants tend to choose a better school, like Cal. They do this to improve the matriculation rate after acceptance. It’s totally uncool.
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u/Warm_Cup5199 Mar 26 '26
people that claim yield protection are lowk coping
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u/Right_One_1770 Mar 26 '26
I got into CalPoly and every UC I selected. 100% accepted. So, no cope.
CalPoly is a good school. It’s not a great school. Cal is #1 or #2 public university in the world.
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u/lam3001 Mar 26 '26
Psych is the most impacted major at SLO, harder to get into than CS, at least a couple years ago
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u/Only-Condition-7935 Mar 26 '26
So you got admitted to Berkeley early?
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u/AdPrudent8365 Mar 26 '26
Yaa
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u/lumberjack_dad Mar 26 '26
Nah OP is lying... they are waiting for decision on 26th. If you got in early why are you waiting.
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u/AdPrudent8365 Mar 26 '26
What?? I got in early but I didn’t do early decision or anything That’s such a random thing to like abt lmao
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u/lumberjack_dad Mar 26 '26
Cal Poly SLO grads have like the highest employment rate for any public university in California, so I am not surprised it's harder to get into.
If you are going into research then UCs are still the way to go, but CP is about developing practical skills so you can get a decent job and make some $$$.
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u/Free_Bison_3467 Mar 26 '26
My daughter got off the waitlist the day she graduated from high school, may 30th 2024. We lost our deposits for the UC she was going to attend but cal poly was going to be less expensive anyway. She is loving it in SLO.
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Mar 26 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Last_Measurement4336 Mar 26 '26
SLO has their own GPA calculation does not use the CSU GPA. 9-11th a-g course grades with the 8 semester cap.
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u/Even-Rent1092 Mar 25 '26
My gpa was a 4.0 unweighted. And my top school was slo. My portal says not selected. Does it mean rejected or waitlisted
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u/Different_Might_4048 Mar 26 '26
I thought Berkley didn't send their stuff?
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u/ArtGallery002 Mar 27 '26
It's a little random after a certain point, if you have good schools already don't sweat abt it too much you're chillin
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u/Desperate-Profit2415 Mar 28 '26
Makes no sense- UC Berkeley is one of the top schools - same with Davis and Irvine. My son in a similar situation. Didn’t even get waitlisted
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u/Confident-Window-238 Mar 26 '26
tough this year - Cal Poly received over 81,000 applications for the fall 2026 term for approximately 6,400 available student openings - 12-13% acceptance rate?
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u/Last_Measurement4336 Mar 26 '26
No, that is not the admit rate. In general, they admit 3 times as many students since not all enroll. They probably accepted at least 19K+ students since last year they admitted 20,513.
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u/Much-Ad-2060 Mar 26 '26
6400 accepted is a 7.9% rate.
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u/Last_Measurement4336 Mar 26 '26
There are 6500 Freshman spots but not all admitted students will enroll so they admit many more students. As stated, last year they had 71,171 applicants and admitted 20,513 so they probably admitted at least 19K+ applicants this year.
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u/Born-Sun-2502 Mar 26 '26
UC Davis has a higher acceptance rate than SLO and Irvine is slightly higher or on par. Some of it is just random luck of the draw and how impacted a specific major is.
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u/ZookeepergameRude652 Mar 26 '26
It’s not a poll. It’s the GPA. Ask kids who had above 4.0’s. Cal Poly makes no sense on admissions.
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u/Already2go72 Mar 26 '26
My grandaughter was waitlisted last year and I am so glad she never got chosen . We used to live there . Good old boys town . Not worth the money. Old school many issues . Her boyfriend who is over the top brilliant got rejected but got picked for ever other college . Move on you will be much better off
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u/ZookeepergameRude652 Mar 26 '26
Cal poly doesn’t accept kids who will get into UC’s. You are too good for Cal Poly. UC Davis is the place to go. Irvine is too mellow and Berkeley has its elements surrounding the school.
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u/muphasta Parent Mar 26 '26
My son got accepted to all the UCs he applied to except UCLA, and was waitlisted at Irvine. He did not apply to Cal, but got in to: Davis
San Diego
Santa Cruz
Santa Barbara
He is going to CO SLO.
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u/Blue142A Mar 26 '26
That is not true. My 2025 student was accepted at UCSB, Davis & Irvine. Chose SLO.
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u/Different_Look2170 Mar 25 '26
Psych has like a 5% acceptance rate at cal poly