About
Is California State Polytechnic University the School for You?
California State Polytechnic University - Pomona, commonly referred to as Cal Poly Pomona or Cal Poly, is a 4-year, public university that offers bachelor's and master's degree programs. Get the pros and cons of studying at Cal Poly below, and decide if it's the school for you.
<h4 id="section---Pros"> Pros</h4>
<ul><li>Average debt at graduation is $9,959 less than the national average
</li><li>Accepts AP and dual credits
</li></ul><h4 id="section---Cons"> Cons</h4>
<ul><li>Total cost is $3,778 more than the national average for in-state students
</li><li>Acceptance rate is 8.7 percentage points lower than the national average
</li><li>4-year graduation rate is 28 percentage points lower than the national average
</li><li>Student-faculty ratio is 10 higher than the national average
</li></ul><h3 id="section---CaliforniaStatePolytechnicUniversityAtAGlance"> California State Polytechnic University at a Glance</h3>
<p>The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reported that the total cost for attending Cal Poly during the 2011-2012 school year was $20,914 for in-state undergraduates and $32,074 for out-of-state undergraduates. This total cost was higher than the national average for both in-state and out-of-state students attending a 4-year public university. In addition, room and board costs for the 2012-2013 school year amounted to $10,752, according to <i>U.S. News and World Report</i> - $1,437 higher than the national average. However, students graduating from Cal Poly Pomona had lower-than-average debt; the 2011 graduating class had an average debt load of $16,701, according to <i>U.S. News and World Report</i>.
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<p>In Fall of 2011, Cal Poly had an acceptance rate of 55.1%, meaning that if you choose to apply, you may have a less-than-average chance of being accepted. There are 9 colleges at Cal Poly, housing about 45 departments, and offering 62 undergraduate majors and 27 graduate programs. Cal Poly accepts AP and dual credits.
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<p>As of 2011, the student-to-faculty ratio at Cal Poly was 26 to 1, as noted by <i>U.S. News and World Report</i>; this was higher than the national average of 16 to 1. During the same year, about 75% of classes had between 20 and 49 students, while 13.5% of classes had less than 20 students.
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<p>If you find that you need academic help, you can turn to the Learning Resource Center (LRC), which offers tutoring programs in reading, math, and writing, as well as other one-on-one and group tutoring sessions. After 4 years, only about 12% of students who began their college career in Fall of 2005 had completed a bachelor's degree program. After 6 years, 50% of those same students were finished.
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<h2 id="section---AdmissionsFinancialAidAtCaliforniaStatePolytechnicUniversity"> Admissions & Financial Aid at California State Polytechnic University</h2>
<p>The entering class of Fall 2011 had an average high school GPA of 3.3. For their standardized test requirement, 94% of students chose to submit their SAT scores, and 28% chose to submit their ACT scores. The average ACT composite score was 22, and the average SAT scores for critical reading and math were 478 and 517, respectively.
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<p>The priority deadline for filing your financial aid application is March 2. At Cal Poly, 73% of all full-time undergraduate students applied for need-based aid, but only 32% were determined to have need. Of those, 19% had their need fully met. You can apply for non-need-based grant and scholarship awards as well. The average non-need-based athletic scholarship was $1,727, and the average non-need-based academic scholarship was $2,724 in 2011, according to <i>U.S. News and World Report</i>.
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<table border="1"><tr><th> Application and Tuition Info </th><th /></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Regular Application Deadline (2011)</i> </td><td> November 30***</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Financial Aid Application Priority Deadline (2011)</i> </td><td> March 2***</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Application Fee (2011)</i> </td><td> $55***</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Acceptance Rate (2011)</i> </td><td> 55.1%***</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Tuition & Fees (2011)</i> </td><td> $6,106 in-state <br /> $10,752 out-of-state**</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Average Financial Aid Package (2011)</i> </td><td> $10,739***</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>% of Students with Need Met (2011)</i> </td><td> 19%***</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Average Student Debt at Graduation (2011)</i> </td><td> $16,701***</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Student Loan Default Rate (2009)</i> </td><td> 4.4%**</td></tr>
</table><h2 id="section---StudentLifeAtCaliforniaStatePolytechnicUniversity"> Student Life at California State Polytechnic University</h2>
<p>Cal Poly is an ethnically diverse school. According to NCES, in 2011, 34% of undergraduate students were classified as Hispanic or Latino, 25% as Asian, and 24% as white. It is a majority male school, with men making up 57% of the undergraduate student population. Also, 99% of Cal Poly students come from the state of California.
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<p>If you want to pledge, there are 16 fraternities and 11 sororities on campus to choose from. However, only 2% of men and 1% of women choose to go Greek at Cal Poly. If you'd rather get involved in other ways, there are a number of clubs at Cal Poly, representing such diverse interests as geology, equestrianism, formula racing, and marketing. A limited number of NCAA varsity sports and club sports are available for men and women.
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<table border="1"><tr><th> Student Life Info </th><th /></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Campus Setting</i> </td><td> Midsized city**</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Student Population (2011)</i> </td><td> 19,399 undergraduate students <br /> 1,708 graduate students**</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Male-to-Female Student Ratio (2011)</i> </td><td> 57% to 43%**</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>% of Full-Time Students (2011)</i> </td><td> 87%**</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>% of In-State Students (2011)</i> </td><td> 99%**</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>% of International Students (2011)</i> </td><td> 1%**</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Retention Rate (2011)</i> </td><td> 90%**</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Campus Housing Available</i> </td><td> Yes**</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>% of Students Living on Campus</i> </td><td> 13%***</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Number of Libraries</i> </td><td> 1*</td></tr>
<tr><td> <i>Extracurricular Activities</i> </td><td> About 280***</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Sources: *California State Polytechnic University - Pomona, **National Center for Education Statistics, ***U.S. News and World Report</i>
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<h3 id="section---ContactInfo"> Contact Info</h3>
<ul><li><i>Address:</i> Office of Admissions and Outreach, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, 3801 West Temple Avenue, Pomona, CA 91768
</li><li><i>Phone:</i> (909) 869-5299</li></ul>

