California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo College Portrait
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo1 Grand Avenue San Luis Obispo, CA 93407-1111
805-756-2311
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
Cal Poly is a nationally ranked, four-year, comprehensive public university located in San Luis Obispo, California. The emphasis of the University is a "learn by doing" educational experience for its more than 19,000 students. Many students seek admission to Cal Poly not only because of its excellent academic reputation but also because the 6,000-acre main campus is nestled in the foothills of San Luis Obispo, just minutes from California's Central Coast beaches.
Living in the Cal Poly Community
Your experiences as a university student are different from those at any other time of your life. You juggle classes and work, establish new friendships, and enjoy new freedom . . . and that's exactly why we're here! The programs of Student Life & Leadership are designed to add value to your life at Cal Poly. You will find opportunities to develop leadership skills, set goals, make decisions, share in group dynamics, experience diversity, and work independently to reach your goals. Student Life & Leadership provides the structure, and YOU provide the student life with your passion, ideas, dialogues, and programs. As a member of the university community, we know that you will contribute in many important ways, and we are here to be inspired by you and lead with you to make our campus even more vibrant.
The Big Picture: How many students were on campus in Fall 2011?
More Information
| Total Students | 18,762 | |
|---|---|---|
Undergraduate Snapshot
| Total Undergraduate Students | 17,725 | |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | ||
| Women | 7,904 | 45% |
| Men | 9,821 | 55% |
| Race/Ethnicity | ||
| American Indian / Alaskan Native | 73 | <1% |
| Asian | 1,915 | 11% |
| African American / Black | 137 | 1% |
| Hispanic | 2,305 | 13% |
| Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander | 44 | <1% |
| White | 11,130 | 63% |
| Two or More Races | 857 | 5% |
| International | 226 | 1% |
| Race/Ethnicity Not Reported | 1,038 | 6% |
| Where do Cal Poly undergraduates call home? | |
|---|---|
| California | 92% |
| Other US States & Territories | 7% |
| Other Countries | 1% |
| How old are Cal Poly undergraduates? | |
| Average Age | 20 |
| Percent of Undergraduates Age 25 or Older | 3% |
New Student Applications (Fall 2011)
New Freshmen High School Background and Test Scores
Test(s) Required for Admission: SAT or ACT recommended
| Test Scores of Enrolled New Freshmen | ACT | SAT |
|---|---|---|
| Composite | 25 - 29 | |
| Math | 26 - 31 | 580 - 690 |
| English | 24 - 30 | |
| Critical Reading | 540 - 640 |
50% of admitted students have test scores within the ranges listed, 25% have scores above, and 25% have scores below.
| High School Background of Enrolled New Freshmen | ||
|---|---|---|
| Percent in top 25% of High School Graduating Class | 83% | |
| Percent in top 50% of High School Graduating Class | 98% | |
| Percent of New Freshmen who submitted HS GPA | 53% | |
| Average High School GPA (4-point scale) | 3.84 | |
| Percent who submitted High School GPA | 98% | |
Sticker Price: How much does it cost on average?
Typical Undergraduate Costs for 2010-11 without Financial Aid (Full-Time, In-State Students)
Total Typical Cost of Attendance: $23,456.00
Out-of-State & Other Costs
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The cost to attend California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo varies based on the individual circumstances of students and may be reduced through grants and scholarships.
How much would I pay?
Financial Aid: How much help is there to pay?
Scholarships & Grants
- 27% of 2010-11 full-time undergraduates received need-based grants or scholarships; the average award for the year was $2,969.00. Scholarships and grants are financial aid that does not need to be repaid and is sometimes referred to as gift aid.
Annual Need-Based Loans
- 27% of 2010-11 full-time undergraduates received need-based work-study and/or loans (not including parent loans); the average loan for the year was $3,812.00. Loans need to be repaid. Typically, repayment starts once you are no longer enrolled full-time. Please refer to page 12 of the Funding Education Beyond High School guide on the US Department of Education's Federal Student Aid website for more information about Financial Need.
Percent of 2010 Full-time Beginning Students Receiving Each Type of Financial Aid
NOTE: Students may receive aid from more than one source.
Cal Poly Classes & Instructors
| Classroom Environment | |
|---|---|
| Students per Faculty | 19 to 1 |
| Undergraduate classes with fewer than 30 students | 46% |
| Undergraduate classes with fewer than 50 students | 86% |
| Total Full-Time Instructional Faculty | 800 |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Are Female | 33% |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Are Persons of Color | 17% |
| % of Full-Time Instructional Faculty Who Have the Highest Academic Degree Offered in Their Field of Study | 80% |
Campus-based Housing
97% of new freshmen live in campus-based housing or residence halls.
38% of all undergraduates live on campus
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Campus Safety
The basic goals of the University Police Department are to support and enhance a safe and accessible environment that will allow all of us to enjoy our community and . . . to further the university mission of providing academic excellence. Our motto, "Protecting Our Future," is taken seriously. We believe it identifies a clear sense of our responsibility.
Campus Crime Statistics
Carnegie Classification of Institutional Characteristics
The Carnegie Classification's were created "to reference the great diversity of colleges and universities in the United States, and ... enable [people] to identify groups of roughly comparable institutions." For information on the Carnegie Classifications system, please visit their website: http://classifications.carnegiefoundation.org/
- Basic Type
- Master's Colleges and Universities (larger programs)
- Size and Setting
- Large four-year, primarily residential
- Enrollment Profile
- Very high undergraduate
- Undergraduate Profile
- Full-time four-year, more selective, lower transfer-in
- Undergraduate Instructional Program
- Professions plus arts & sciences, some graduate coexistence
- Graduate Instructional Program
- Postbaccalaureate comprehensive
NOTE: Institutional classifications based on the Carnegie 2005 edition.
Student Activities and Involvement at Cal Poly
Students who are actively involved in their own learning and development are more likely to be successful in college. Colleges and universities offer students a wide variety of opportunities both inside and outside the classroom to become engaged with new ideas, people, and experiences. Institutions measure the effectiveness of these opportunities in a variety of ways to better understand what types of activities and programs students find the most helpful.
Institutions participating in the VSA program measure student involvement on campus using one of four national surveys. Results from the one survey are reported for a common set of questions selected as part of VSA. Following are the selected results from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). The questions have been grouped together in categories that are known to contribute to student learning and development. The results reported below are based on the responses of seniors who participated in the survey.
Group Learning Experiences
- 99% percent of seniors worked with classmates on assignments outside of class.
- 62% of seniors tutored or taught other students
- 37% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week participating in co-curricular activities such as student organizations and intramural sports
Active Learning Experiences
- 92% of seniors spent at least 6 hours per week preparing for class
- 28% of seniors worked on a research project with a faculty member
- 63% of seniors participated in an internship, practicum, or field experience
- 67% of seniors participated in community service or volunteer work
- 17% of seniors participated in study abroad
- 99% of seniors made at least one class presentation last year
Institutional Commitment to Student Learning and Success
- 96% of seniors believe this institution provides support for student success
- 74% of seniors rated the quality of academic advising at this institution as good or excellent
- 65% of seniors reported that this institution provided help in coping with work, family and other non-academic responsibilities
- 94% of seniors reported working harder than they thought they could to meet an instructor's standards or expectations
Student Interaction with Campus Faculty and Staff
- 56% of seniors believed that the campus staff were helpful, considerate, or flexible
- 84% of seniors believed that faculty are available, helpful, or sympathetic
- 95% of seniors reported that faculty members provided prompt feedback on their academic performance
- 75% of seniors discussed readings or ideas with faculty members outside of class
Experiences with Diverse Groups of People and Ideas
- 64% of seniors reported that they often tried to understand someone else's point of view
- 79% of seniors reported their experience at this institution contributed to their understanding people of other racial and ethnic backgrounds
- 50% of seniors often had serious conversations with students of a different race or ethnicity
Student Satisfaction
- 92% of seniors would attend this institution if they started over again
- 91% of seniors rated their entire educational experience as good or excellent
- 86% of seniors reported that other students were friendly or supportive
Evaluation of Experiences
Survey Administration Process
Survey Information
Majors and Degrees
| Degrees awarded at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in 2010-11 | |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 4,081 |
| Master's | 512 |
| Total | 4,593 |
| Areas of Study with the largest number of bachelor's degrees awarded in 2010-11 | |
|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations | 13% |
| Mechanical Engineering | 6% |
| Agricultural Business and Management | 5% |
| Architecture | 4% |
| Animal Sciences | 4% |
| Links to degree programs at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo |
|---|
Bachelor'sMaster's |
Future Plans of Bachelor's Degree Recipients
Survey Administration Process
Student Success & Progress Rate
A 90% four-year success and progress rate means that 90% of students starting in Fall 2005 either graduated or are still enrolled at a higher education institution four years later.
Counts for the Fall 2005 entering class shown in the graph above.
- 3,570 First-Time, Full-Time Students
- 1,016 Full-Time Transfer Students
Success & Progress Rate Table
Retention of Freshman Class
First-time students in Fall 2010 that returned for their second year: 93%
More Information
Student Learning at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
All colleges and universities use multiple approaches to measure student learning. Many of these are specific to particular disciplines, many are coordinated with accrediting agencies, and many are based on outcomes after students have graduated.
Cal Poly currently conducts program-level assessment of student learning as part of a revised process for academic program review that was introduced after 2000. In addition, many programs undergo simultaneous review by an external accreditation agency.
Cal Poly conducts university-level assessment via the ULO Project. This complements program review by ensuring that all students across campus are achieving expected levels of performance in relation to the University Learning Objectives (ULOs), which were approved in 2007. The ULOs were amplified by the addition of Diversity Learning Objectives (DLOs) in 2008 and Sustainability Learning Objectives (SLOs) in 2009. Departments must show alignment with the ULOs and DLOs in the course of program review.
Finally, Cal Poly is exploring the use of an electronic portfolio as a tool to facilitate both student learning and the assessment of that learning, with a pilot project taking place in the Architecture Department during 2009-2010.
Learning Assessment Examples
Pilot Project to Measure Core Learning Outcomes
Colleges and universities participating in the College Portrait measure the typical improvement in students' abilities to think, reason, and write using one of three tests. This is part of a pilot project to better understand and compare what students learn between their freshman and senior years at different colleges and universities.
Data Not Available