What are Cal Poly's average SAT scores and GPA? In this guide, we'll discuss what scores are needed for you to get admitted into Cal Poly. You'll also get to calculate your own chances with our admissions calculator.
Location: San Luis Obispo, CA
This school is also known as: California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Cal Poly Admissions Statistics
There are three critical numbers when considering your admissions chances: SAT scores, GPA, and acceptance rate. All these combine to tell you what you scores are required to get into California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.
Average SAT: 1335
The average SAT score composite at Cal Poly is a 1335.
Cal Poly SAT Score Analysis
The 25th percentile New SAT score is 1260, and the 75th percentile SAT score is 1450.
In other words, a 1260 places you below average, while a 1450 will move you up to above average. There's no absolute SAT requirement at Cal Poly, but they really want to see at least a 1260 to have a chance at being considered.
Here's the breakdown of SAT scores by section:
| Section | Average | 25th Percentile | 75th Percentile |
| Math | 675 | 620 | 750 |
| Reading + Writing | 660 | 620 | 720 |
| Composite | 1335 | 1260 | 1450 |
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Average GPA: 4
The average GPA at Cal Poly is 4. This makes Cal Poly Extremely Competitive for GPAs.
(Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA.
With a GPA of 4, Cal Polyrequires you to be at the top of your class. You'll need nearly straight A's in all your classes to compete with other applicants. You should also have taken plenty of AP or IB classes to show your ability to excel in academic challenge.
If you're a junior or senior, your GPA is hard to change from this point on. If your GPA is at or below the school average of 4, you'll need a higher SAT score to compensate and show that you're prepared to take on college academics. This will help you compete effectively with other applicants.
Admissions Rate: 30.3%
The acceptance rate at Cal Poly is 30.3%. In other words, of 100 students who apply, 30 are admitted.
This means the school isquite selective. If you have strong academic scores, you have a great shot at getting in.
Final Admissions Verdict
Because this school is quite selective, strong academic scores are critical to improving your chances of admission. If you're able to score a 1450 SAT or above, you'll have a very strong chance at getting in. But if you get a 1260 SAT or below, it'll be a steep uphill battle for you to get admitted.
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Admissions Calculator
What are your chances of admission at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo?
Chances of admission with these scores:
Here's our custom admissions calculator. Plug in your numbers to see what your chances of getting in are.
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SAT Score
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Note: Your admission decision relies not only on your GPA and SAT/ACT scores, but also on your coursework difficulty, extracurriculars, letters of recommendation, and personal statements. This tool provides only a simplistic estimate of your chances of admission. Instead of treating this tool as a crystal ball, we recommend you consider the big picture of what your chance means:
We recommend you apply to schools across a range of chances. Applying to some safety schools will guarantee you have a college to go to, while applying to some reach schools will give you a shot at getting into the school at the top of your range.
How would your chances improve with a better score?
Try to take your current SAT score and add 160 points to the calculator above. See how much your chances improve?
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Other Schools For You
If you're interested in Cal Poly, you'll probably be interested in these schools as well. We've divided them into 3 categories depending on how hard they are to get into, relative to Cal Poly.
Reach Schools: Harder to Get Into
These schools are have higher average SAT scores than Cal Poly. If you improve your SAT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.
| School Name | Location | SAT Avg | ACT Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, MI | 1435 | 33 |
| University of California, Berkeley | Berkeley, CA | 1415 | 31 |
| University of California, Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA | 1405 | 31 |
| Stony Brook University | Stony Brook, NY | 1396 | 31 |
| Villanova University | Villanova, PA | 1395 | 33 |
| University of Miami | Coral Gables, FL | 1384 | 31 |
| Binghamton University | Binghamton, NY | 1375 | 31 |
Same Level: Equally Hard to Get Into
If you're competitive for Cal Poly, these schools will offer you a similar chance of admission.
| School Name | Location | SAT Avg | ACT Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of California, Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara, CA | 1355 | 29 |
| University of Texas at Austin | Austin, TX | 1355 | 30 |
| Rochester Institute of Technology | Rochester, NY | 1352 | 31 |
| University of Washington | Seattle, WA | 1340 | 30 |
| United States Military Academy | West Point, NY | 1331 | 30 |
| American University | Washington, DC | 1329 | 30 |
| University of Connecticut | Storrs, CT | 1315 | 29 |
Safety Schools: Easier to Get Into
If you're currently competitive for Cal Poly, you should have no problem getting into these schools. If Cal Poly is currently out of your reach, you might already be competitive for these schools.
| School Name | Location | SAT Avg | ACT Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Texas at Dallas | Richardson, TX | 1291 | 28 |
| Drexel University | Philadelphia, PA | 1290 | 28 |
| Penn State University Park | University Park, PA | 1265 | 28 |
| Hofstra University | Hempstead, NY | 1246 | 27 |
| Temple University | Philadelphia, PA | 1241 | 28 |
| University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, AL | 1225 | 26 |
| University of Cincinnati | Cincinnati, OH | 1223 | 26 |
Data on this page is sourced from Peterson's Databases © 2023 (Peterson's LLC. All rights reserved.) as well as additional publicly available sources.
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