California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo

<h4 id="section---Pros">Pros</h4> <ul><li>Very low number of graduate assistants teaching courses </li><li>Ranked 6th regionally in <i>U.S. News and World Report</i>'s 2013 list of best colleges </li><li>Listed as one of The Princeton Review's best value colleges in 2012 </li><li>Accepts AP and dual credit </li></ul><h4 id="section---Cons">Cons</h4> <ul><li>Student-to-faculty ratio is 22:1, which is six students higher than the national average </li><li>Acceptance rate is 33%, which is 32.5 percentage points lower than the national average </li><li>Total cost for in-state students is $6,342 higher than the national average </li></ul><h3 id="section---RankingsAndSchoolAnalysis">Rankings and School Analysis</h3> <p>California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is one of 23 institutions in the California State University system, which had the 10th-largest endowment in the nation for the years 2008-2009, according to the National Center for Educational Statistics. Cal Poly - SLO comes in 6th on <i>U.S. News and World Report</i>'s' 2013 list of best regional universities. This list ranks schools in the West and evaluates them based on statistical data reported by the school regarding graduation and retention rates and faculty quality. This high ranking indicates that these data points compare favorably with other similar 4-year colleges in the region. </p> <p>By adding Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo to their list of best value colleges in 2012, The Princeton Review identifies this school as a place where your education could be a better financial investment than at other universities. Although the total cost of attendance is higher for both in-state and out-of-state students, the high level of research activity, low number of graduate assistants teaching courses, academic rigor of its classes, and large number of program offerings help this school earn this designation. </p> <p>Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo states that it encourages students to learn by doing and that more than half of seniors have job offers before graduation. Graduates of California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo have gone on to win senate seats, governorships, and various awards (from Emmys to PGA championships). A few have even flown in space with NASA. Furthermore, many Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo alums have gone on to found innovative and successful businesses. Some recent competitions in which students at this school have received honors include the 2012 human-powered vehicle challenge, the Glo-Bus International Business Competition, the national concrete canoe championship, the international steel design competition, and the 2012 Open Minds video competition. </p> <p>If you want to apply to this school, you should note that its acceptance rate is 33% - well below the national average. Of those admitted in 2011, however, only 32% chose to enroll, according to the NCES. This means that if you're offered a place on the school's wait list, you may still have a chance of getting in. A unique element of the application process at Cal Poly - SLO is that it requires you to declare a major on your application. This allows for new students to begin classes within their major from their very first semester at the school. If you do get in and choose to study here, you'll be required to complete general education requirements, including classes in science, mathematics, humanities and English, in addition to course requirements for your chosen field. </p> <h2 id="section---GettingInAndFinancialAidAtCaliforniaPolytechnicStateUniversitySanLuisObispo">Getting in and Financial Aid at California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo</h2> <p>If you want to submit your application to Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo, you'll likely want to take a good look at the majors offered at this school. Admissions requirements vary, depending on what degree program you plan to pursue. According to the school's website, your application will be judged on the following criteria: your intended major, the academic rigor of your high school courses, the GPA earned in college preparatory coursework, SAT or ACT scores, and your extracurricular activities or work experience. </p> <p>In 2011, according to College Board, 56% of students applied for financial aid, but only 3% had their full need met. The average first-year financial aid package in that same year was $9,293, and half was in the form of loans and work-study, while the other half consisted of scholarships and grants. If you want to apply for aid, your FAFSA is the only aid application you'll have to submit for this school. By submitting the FAFSA, you'll be considered for federal, state, and scholarship aid to help defray the costs of your studies. Be sure to have your application in between January 1 and March 2 for priority consideration. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><th>Admissions and Financial Aid</th><th /></tr> <tr><td> <i>Regular Application Deadline (2013)</i> </td><td> November 30***</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Application Fee (2013)</i></td><td>$55**</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Acceptance Rate (2011)</i></td><td> 33%**</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Tuition and Fees (2011-2012)</i></td><td> $7,911 in-state; $19,071 out-of-state**</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Average First-Year Financial Aid Package (2011-2012)</i></td><td> $9,293***</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Percent of Students With Need Met (2011)</i></td><td>3%***</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Student Loan Default Rate (2009)</i></td><td> 2.8%**</td></tr> </table><h2 id="section---StudentLifeAtCaliforniaPolytechnicStateUniversitySanLuisObispo">Student Life at California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo</h2> <p>Students at Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo have 400 registered clubs and organizations to choose from, 50 of which are dedicated to the engineering department alone. Even if you're not planning to pursue this school's most popular major - engineering - there are many extra-curricular options to supplement your studies. Model UN, concert band, literary magazine, fraternities, sororities, pep band, and both club and NCAA Division I sports are among your choices. </p> <p>The suburban campus of California Polytechnic State University - San Luis Obispo is located roughly 200 miles from Los Angeles and 230 miles from San Francisco, but with its proximity to the beaches of the central California coast, you may not be going on many road trips. Both the campus and the student body at Cal Poly - SLO are large, and the majority of students choose to live off-campus. The NCES estimates that the cost of room and board is equal for both on-campus and off-campus housing in San Luis Obispo, but the cost is $1,161 higher than the national average for on-campus housing at 4-year public colleges. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><th> Student Life</th><th /></tr> <tr><td><i>Campus Setting</i></td><td> Suburban****</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Student Population (2013)</i></td><td> 17,725 undergraduates**</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Male-to-Female Student Ratio (2011)</i></td><td> 55% male, 45% female***</td></tr> <tr><td><i>% of Full-Time Students (2011)</i></td><td> 96%***</td></tr> <tr><td><i>% of In-State Students (2011)</i></td><td> 92%***</td></tr> <tr><td><i>% of International Students (2011)</i></td><td>1%**</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Retention Rate (2011)</i></td><td> 93%**</td></tr> <tr><td><i>% of Students Living On-Campus</i></td><td> 38%***</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Extracurricular Activities</i></td><td>400 registered organizations and clubs****</td></tr> <tr><td><i>Noteworthy</i></td><td> More than 80 state-of-the-art labs on-campus****</td></tr> </table><p><i>Sources: *Cal Poly - SLO, **NCES, ***College Board, ****U.S .News and World Report</i>. </p> <h3 id="section---ContactInformation">Contact Information</h3> <ul><li><i>Address:</i> Admissions Office, Cal Poly - SLO, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407 </li><li><i>Phone:</i> 805-756-2311</li></ul>