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Cal Poly averts admissions fiasco by making room for extra students

August 10, 2017

Unlike a couple University of California campuses, Cal Poly has averted public outrage by finding ways to make room for hundreds of students the university did not expect to accept for admissions. [LA Times]

In 2015, after more students than expected said they would attend UC Santa Cruz, the university withdrew admissions offers to more than 500 prospective students who missed paperwork deadlines. UC Irvine took a similar approach this year, abruptly rescinding about 500 admissions offers after 850 more students than expected committed to attending the university. But in response to public pressure, UC Irvine reversed course and said it would readmit most of the students who had their admission taken away.

Cal Poly likewise miscalculated this year when offering admission to prospective students. About 700 extra students accepted admissions offers.

The  miscalculation was due in part to a decision by Cal Poly to eliminate an option that allowed students to make early, binding commitments to enroll on the San Luis Obispo campus. In the past, when students applied for early enrollment it boosted their chances of acceptance.

However, the early enrollment program was viewed as advantageous to wealthier students because poorer students need to wait to receive financial aid packages.

Doing away with early enrollment resulted in the incoming freshman class consisting of 30 percent more low-income and underrepresented minorities. But, it also made the enrollment process more unpredictable.

Incoming freshmen accepted Cal Poly admissions offers at a rate of 34.6 percent this year, compared to 29.5 percent last year.

Additionally, 400 more current students than expected have said they are returning to the Cal Poly campus this fall. Many of the returning students have benefited from increased academic support and counseling, which prevents them from dropping out, according to the university.

Unlike the Davis and Irvine campuses, Cal Poly did not resort to withdrawing admissions offers. Cal Poly is accommodating the extra students by reconfiguring dorms to contain 1,000 more beds. The university is also hiring additional faculty.


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This is what happens when you pour a liter of liquid into a quart jar. The good institutional news is that they will likely attend five years for a four year degree. Students too are now hostages by design.


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Idiots. Probably due entirely to a lack of a pay raise. Wil lanyone be held responsible? Of course not but when we see you gets the next promotion and pay raise we will then be able to figure out who it may have been,


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If Cow Poly can’t supply housing they don’t need more students. Just more fodder for the slum lords including some faculty,ex city mayors and Realestate people. To hell with the low income people. If the want the local housing to go to students they should have to pay bed tax just like morels.


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Stacking em like pancakes in the dorm, hope they get a cut rate.


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How much do we pay these Administrators to get the best and brightest. This is yet another scam on the local citizens of San Luis Obispo, the money these students bring to town, the booze they consume at the local troughs and campus that will receive more money. SLO is becoming the armpit of the County for sure… Those students will love having those extra 1,000 beds shoved into the dorms for the rent the students pay causing noise, privacy, assaults, etc. Almost feel sorry for those snowflakes, NOPE!


Remember when we though President Baker was pushing the limits and his shanigans? Well, careful what you say and ask for as the situation can always be worst and look at what we have today, Armstrong and his army of administrators and we questioned why he needed so many? Well, now we know why0!


“Money, money, money, makes the world round” as Liza Minnelli would sing…


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It was the catch 22…

They manipulated the admissions process to get more of the desired poor and minority students and then shazam…they find a way to fit in 1000 more dorm bed and make room for those protected class of students. No do a little thought experiment and ask yourself if those extra students were slim ball whites from upper middle class families, would Cal Poly bend over backwards to accommodate them? You know the answer folks…as Orwell said aptly in Animal Farm…”Some Pigs are More Equal Than Others”! White kids with middle/upperclass incomes who’s parents pay the taxes to make this State work…need not apply.


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I so enjoy the “creative” reading that goes on here. Perhaps a class or two at Poly wouldn’t hurt you.


Seems pretty clear that all the University’s changed their policies to be fair to everyone who may want to attend.


The previous policy favored those with money. It wasn’t merit based.


I thought that was a requirement of the right–meritocracy and all.


FYI–from a monetary perspective Cal Poly receives the same amount of money for each student so it makes no difference to them what their financial situation is. Rich kids poor kids they get theirs. They should be focused on being fair to all who apply.


Now I would contend it is the rich kids who cause the ills you complain about ( going to the bar isn’t cheap), not the poor so you should be happy that more of them are now admitted than before.


”Some Pigs are More Equal Than Others” You know and some pigs are just pigs. Eh?


Your last statement is quite telling. You don’t believe in merit–you believe in privilege.


I for one am happy that a bureaucratic FUBAR didn’t result upending 100’s of aspiring youths and their higher education plans.


You appear to only see this through the prism of privilege and race.


Cal Poly did the right thing. The honorable thing. If you ask me.


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This isn’t a question of rich or poor, they are trying to make themselves look better by saying enrollment of low income and under represented minorities are up but that is due to their throwing millions into recruiting them and it won’t be many of those extra students. They do get paid the same per student but having over 1,000 additional students means millions of dollars to Cal Poly. They have been short of faculty for years since Armstrong decided to increase enrollment, up from 18,000 when he started to well over 22,000 in 2017, so where does he think he will find the faculty? He won’t they will hire more part time lecturers. All students are going to suffer due to this “miscalculation”. They blame early admittance and say it hurt poor students, yet there was no requirement to attend if you didn’t get financial aid, it also accounted for a small percentage of applicants. They also didn’t say that last year’s enrollment rate was well below the prior few year average closer to 33.5% so any competent admissions department should have never accepted more students than in any other year, especially considering Armstrong publicly was quoted saying he would reduce enrollment. This is all a game by Armstrong, only the students are losing. Cramming 8 students into apartments meant for 4, which would be illegal to rent in town, will only hurt these students, they aren’t even giving them desks!


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LMAO!! What a fool. A brainwashed fool at that!


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