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Admissions Information

Freshman Students

Read the information on the Admissions Webpage regarding freshman admission criteria. Admission to Cal Poly is competitive and you must apply to a specific major. The application is available on-line through CSU Mentor. Fill it out carefully and double check its accuracy before you submit it since there is no opportunity for revision once it is sent. Print out a copy for your records before you send it.

Freshman are accepted during the fall and summer application cycles only.

Transfer Students

Use the information below in conjunction with the Admissions webpage to obtain the most complete picture of what classes you should take to be competitive in the admissions process, and at the same time, to meet the course requirements for your specific major. Admission of transfer applicants is competitive and based on these four categories:

Specific coursework (See description below)

  • General Education or IGETC Completion
  • Grade Point Average
  • Work Experience and Extra-Curricular Activities

The categories given the most weight in the admission process for the majors in the College of Science and Mathematics are Specific Coursework and Grade Point Average. You should use ASSIST to match courses at your school with the equivalent Cal Poly courses listed in the information below. If the institution you are attending is not in Assist, you will need to look up the course descriptions from the Cal Poly catalog and compare these with what your institution offers to find the closest equivalent.

IMPORTANT

All transfer students are required to have completed GE Area A requirements and the transferable math class for the major that they are applying to. Area A includes English Composition, Speech, and Critical Thinking. The appropriate math class for each major is listed under the Specified Coursework for that major. These courses must be completed with a grade of “C” or better by the time of transfer. For Fall applicants, these courses must be completed by the end of spring quarter.

These courses are required to be considered for admission to Cal Poly. If you do not have one of these three, your application will be automatically rejected.

  • English Composition: 3 units required; typically satisfied by a CSU GE certification in Area A; Cal Poly course is ENGL 134.
  • Critical Thinking: 3 units required; typically satisfied by a CSU GE certification in Area A; Cal Poly courses are ENGL 145 or 148, PHIL 126, SCOM 126 or 145.
  • Speech: 3 units required; typically satisfied by a CSU GE certification in Area A; Cal Poly courses are SCOM 101 or 102.

Additional Specific Coursework is major-specific.

Click on the major you are interested in to find out what is required.

Biochemistry

Required (if you do not have the minimum, your application will be rejected)

  • Calculus/Differential Equations: minimum 4 units, 8 units recommended; trig-based calculus for science and engineering; Cal Poly courses are MATH 141,142,143.
  • Chemistry: minimum 4 units, 12 units recommended; chemistry with laboratory for science majors; Cal Poly courses are CHEM 127,128,129.

Recommended

  • Physics: 8 units; calculus-based physics with lab; Cal Poly courses are PHYS 131/141,132, 133.
  • Life Science: 3 units; a general biology with lab for science majors; Cal Poly course is BIO 161.

Biological Sciences

Required (if you do not have the minimum, your application will be rejected)

  • Precalculus Algebra/Trigonometry: 3 units required; Cal Poly courses are MATH 118 and 119.

Highly Recommended

  • Chemistry: minimum 4 units, 12 units recommended; chemistry with laboratory for science majors; Cal Poly courses are CHEM 127,128,129.
  • Biology: minimum 4 units, 8 units recommended; general biology with laboratory for science majors; Cal Poly courses are BIO 160,161,162.

Recommended

  • Physics: 8 units; trigonometry-based physics with laboratory; Cal Poly courses are PHYS 121,122,123.
  • Statistics: 3 units; Cal Poly course is STAT 218.

Chemistry

Required (if you do not have the minimum, your application will be rejected)

  • Calculus/Differential Equations: 4 units required, 8 units recommended; trig-based calculus for science and engineering; Cal Poly courses are MATH 141,142,143.
  • Chemistry: minimum 4 units, 12 units recommended; chemistry with laboratory for science majors; Cal Poly courses are CHEM 127,128,129.

Recommended

  • Physics: 8 units; calculus-based physics with lab; Cal Poly courses are PHYS 131/141,132, 133.
  • Life Science: 3 units; general biology or microbiology with lab; Cal Poly courses are BIO 111,115,161, BOT 121, MCRO 221/224.

Kinesiology

Required (if you do not have the minimum, your application will be rejected)

  • Pre-calculus Algebra: 3 units required; Cal Poly course is MATH 118.
  • Life Science/Biology: 8 units required; 12 units recommended; general biology with laboratory and human anatomy/physiology; Cal Poly courses are ZOO 240,241(or 331,332) and BIO 161,115 or 111 (The appropriate biology course depends on the concentration you are planning to follow. Check the curriculum display in the catalog to find the right course).

Recommended

  • Chemistry: 4 units; Cal Poly courses are CHEM 110, 111, or 127. (The appropriate chemistry course depends on the concentration. Check the catalog).
  • Statistics: 3 units; Cal Poly course is STAT 217 or 218.
  • Health Education: 3 units; Cal Poly course is KINE 250 or 255.
  • First Aid/CPR: 3 units; Cal Poly course is KINE 280.

Mathematics

Required (if you do not have the minimum, your application will be rejected)

  • Calculus/Differential Equations: 12 units required; trigonometry-based calculus for science and engineering; Cal Poly courses are MATH 141,142,143.
  • Physics: 8 units required; calculus-based physics with lab; Cal Poly courses are PHYS 131/141,132, 133.

Recommended

  • Linear Algebra: 3 units; Cal Poly course is MATH 206.
  • Fundamentals of Computer Programming: 3 units; Cal Poly course is CSC/CPE 101 or 235.

Microbiology

Required (if you do not have the minimum, your application will be rejected)

  • Precalculus Algebra: 3 units required; Cal Poly course is MATH 118. Although the admission requirement is MATH 118, the graduation requirement for Math in the Microbiology major is Calculus, MATH 141 or 161.
  • Chemistry: 4 units required; 12 units recommended; chemistry with laboratory for science majors; Cal Poly courses are CHEM 127,128,129.
  • Biology: 4 units required; 8 units recommended; general biology with laboratory for science majors; Cal Poly courses are BIO 161,162.

Recommended

  • Physics: 8 units; trigonometry-based physics with laboratory; Cal Poly courses are PHYS 121,122,123.
  • Statistics: 3 units; Cal Poly course is STAT 218.
  • Microbiology: 4 units; Cal Poly course is MCRO 224.

Physics (B.A. and B.S.)

Required (if you do not have the minimum, your application will be rejected)

  • Calculus/Differential Equations: 5 units, 12 units recommended; trigonometry-based calculus for science and engineering; Cal Poly courses are MATH 141,142,143,241,244.
  • Physics: 8 units required; 12 units recommended; calculus-based physics with lab; Cal Poly courses are PHYS 131/141,132, 133, 211.
  • Chemistry: 4 units required; chemistry with laboratory for science majors; Cal Poly course is CHEM 127.

Statistics

Required (if you do not have the minimum, your application will be rejected)

  • Calculus/Differential Equations: 8 units required; 12 units recommended; trigonometry-based calculus for science and engineering; Cal Poly courses are MATH 141,142,143,241

Recommended

  • Linear Algebra: 3 units; Cal Poly course is MATH 206.
  • Fundamentals of Computer Programming: 3 units; Cal Poly course is CSC/CPE 235.
  • Elementary Probability/Statistics: 3 units.

For Fall Quarter Applicants Offered Admission

An offer of admission from Cal Poly is conditional pending verification of the self-reported information submitted on your application, meeting university standards of admission and fulfilling admissions requirements of the California State University (CSU) system. Applicants are required to:

  • When requested, submit official transcripts (including current Work In Progress) from all colleges and universities attended.
  • Submit online Student Intent to Register (SIR) by May 1st deadline.
  • Maintain good standing at the last college or university attended and in the last term attended.
  • Complete, with a grade of "C" or better, all courses listed as "in progress" or "planned" on the application for admission AND all CSU and Cal Poly program required coursework (a grade of "C-" does not fulfill admission requirements at Cal Poly) by the end of the preceding Spring Term.

Applicants unable to meet the above requirements will have their offer of admission rescinded.

For Summer and Winter Quarter Applicants Offered Admission

Applicants offered admission who listed courses on their application as currently "in progress" that are CSU or major required, must submit a final transcript showing a "C" or better in those courses before the applicant can be deemed eligible to register for classes for their first term at Cal Poly. This may result in a delay in the student's registration with limited class availability. Note that summer registration begins in May and Winter registration begins in October

Please visit the Admissions Prospective Students website for more information.