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Cal Poly Pomona: Acceptance Rate and Admissions Statistics

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California State Polytechnic University, Pomona is a public university with an acceptance rate of 55%. Cal Poly Pomona's 1,438-acre campus sits on the eastern edge of Los Angeles Country. The school is one of the 23 universities that make up the California State University system, and it frequently ranks as one of the country's  top undergraduate engineering colleges . Cal Poly Pomona is made up of eight academic colleges with business and engineering being the most popular programs among undergraduates. The guiding principle of Cal Poly Pomona's curriculum is that students learn by doing, and the university emphasizes problem solving, student research, internships, and service learning. With over 300 clubs and organizations, students at Cal Poly Pomona are highly engaged in campus life. In athletics, the Broncos compete at the NCAA Division II level in the  California Collegiate Athletic Association .

Considering applying to Cal Poly Pomona? Here are the admissions statistics you should know, including average SAT/ACT scores and GPAs of admitted students.

Acceptance Rate

During the 2018-19 admissions cycle, Cal Poly Pomona had an acceptance rate of 55%. This means that for every 100 students who applied, 55 students were admitted, making Cal Poly Pomona's admissions process somewhat competitive.

SAT Scores and Requirements

Cal Poly Pomona requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 91% of admitted students submitted SAT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of Cal Poly Pomona's admitted students fall within the top 35% nationally on the SAT. For the evidence-based reading and writing section, 50% of students admitted to Cal Poly Pomona scored between 510 and 620, while 25% scored below 510 and 25% scored above 620. On the math section, 50% of admitted students scored between 510 and 640, while 25% scored below 510 and 25% scored above 640. Applicants with a composite SAT score of 1260 or higher will have particularly competitive chances at Cal Poly Pomona.

Requirements

Cal Poly Pomona does not require the optional SAT essay section. Note that Cal Poly Pomona will consider your highest score from each individual section across all SAT test dates. SAT Subject test scores are not required, but if the score meets a benchmark, it may be used to fulfill certain core course requirements.

ACT Scores and Requirements

Cal Poly Pomona requires that all applicants submit either SAT or ACT scores. During the 2017-18 admissions cycle, 25% of admitted students submitted ACT scores.

This admissions data tells us that most of Cal Poly Pomona's admitted students fall within the bottom 46% nationally on the ACT. The middle 50% of students admitted to Cal Poly Pomona received a composite ACT score between 19 and 27, while 25% scored above 27 and 25% scored below 19.

Note that Cal Poly Pomona does not superscore ACT results; your highest composite ACT score will be considered. Cal Poly Pomona does not require the optional ACT writing section.

In 2019, the average high school GPA for Cal Poly Pomona's incoming freshmen class was 3.83. These results suggest that most successful applicants to Cal Poly Pomona have primarily A grades.

Self-Reported GPA/SAT/ACT Graph

The admissions data in the graph is self-reported by applicants to Cal Poly Pomona. GPAs are unweighted. Find out how you compare to accepted students, see the real-time graph, and calculate your chances of getting in with a free Cappex account.

Admissions Chances

Cal Poly Pomona, which accepts over half of applicants, has a somewhat selective admissions process. In the graph above, the green and blue dots represent accepted students. The majority of students who got in had GPAs of 3.0 or higher, SAT scores (ERW+M) of 1000 or higher, and ACT scores of 20 or higher. However, note that there are some red dots (rejected students) hidden behind the blue and green. Some students with grades and test scores on target for Cal Poly Pomona still get rejected.

What makes the difference between an acceptance and a rejection? Unlike the  University of California System , the California State University admission process is not  holistic . Except for EOP (Educational Opportunity Program) students, applicants do  not  need to submit letters of recommendation or an application essay, and extracurricular involvement is not part of the standard application. Instead admissions is based primarily on GPA and test scores. Minimum high school course requirements include two years of history and social science, four years of college prep English, three years of math, two years of laboratory science, one year of visual or performing arts, and one year of a college preparatory elective. The reasons why an applicant with adequate scores and grades would be rejected tends to come down to factors such as insufficient college preparatory classes, high school classes that weren't challenging, or an incomplete application.

Be aware that California State Polytechnic University, Pomona designates some majors as impacted because it receive more applications than can be accommodated. For those majors, there may be additional criteria that must be met for eligibility. Cal Poly Pomona recommends that you meet with an admission counselor to help you select a major and understand the admission process and requirements during high school. They can help you map out the best courses to take to fulfill the admissions requirements. Your school's career center or college guidance office can find out when they may be visiting your area, or you can meet with them at Cal Poly Pomona.

All admissions data has been sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics and California State Polytechnic University, Pomona Undergraduate Admissions Office .

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What You'll Need to Apply

Applying to graduate school.

Once you have decided that graduate school is in your future and found programs of interest, you will notice that each school has a different application, including deadlines, fees to apply, and how many letters of recommendation you need. Browse our resources below to learn what you need in order to apply for various graduate and professional school programs.

Testing Information

Many graduate programs require  this general graduate admissions test . It tests your verbal, quantitative, and analytical abilities. Some programs also require a subject test.

Required by  The American Bar Association  for admission to most law schools. It measures your reading and verbal reasoning skills.

Required by almost all  U.S. medical schools . It tests your knowledge of biology, chemistry as well as your critical analysis and reasoning, among other sections.

Graduate management programs around the world use  this test . It scores your analytical writing, integrated reasoning, quantitative, and verbal abilities.

Transcripts

Official transcripts are available for purchase from the Registrar’s Office website. You can receive them as soon as 24 hours electronically.

Letters of Recommendation

It is common to need 3-5 letters of recommendation. Each program may have different requirements regarding who can write them (faculty members, TA’s, supervisors, etc.). Reference our tips below:

Who to ask?

• Choose people who know you well.  Unless the head of the company really knows you, this will work against you. Grad schools are more impressed by letters with specific examples that illustrate your interests and abilities.
• Select people who know you in different ways.  Three people raving about your research skills is less effective than three individuals who can highlight three different skills like research, leadership and writing.

How far in advance should I ask?

Give your recommenders plenty of time.  Allow one to two months to write your letters. Check in with them after a couple of weeks or a month to ask if they need additional info. This also serves as a gentle reminder.

What do I provide them?

Provide everything the recommender needs.  Make sure each person has your resume, personal statement, and research information, if appropriate. Don’t forget the appropriate forms, stamped and addressed envelopes, and other details specified by your target schools.

After receiving the letter of recommendation

Say thank you.  Writing a letter of recommendation takes time and thoughtfulness. Make sure to return the same gesture with a thank you email or card.

Personal Statement

The most effective statements hook a reader right at the start. Admissions counselors only spend one to two minutes per essay, so invite them to linger on yours with a compelling introduction. Here are additional tips:

Develop an outline

Reflect on how best to tell your story and develop an outline before you start writing.

Compelling introduction

Admissions counselors only spend one to two minutes per essay. Develop an effective opening statements to hook a reader right at the start.

Tell a story

Choose a turning point, important lesson, or self-discovery that corresponds to the essay question, demonstrates why you are applying to this particular program, and shows why you are a fit. Tailor statements to each program.

Need help writing a personal statement?

Utilize the following resources to help you develop your personal statement:

• Purdue University Writing Lab  

Writing with a prompt?

• If you are provided prompts, create a draft, edit, and seek out the career center for edits and adjustments.

Writing without a prompt?

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• Have you listed a defined number of reasons why you would be the most interesting candidate for the grad admission panel?  
• Why this field and when did the interest become important to you?  Why do you want to continue learning about the field and why are you confident this is the right decision? 
• How have you learned about future opportunities from graduate school education?  Who or what has helped you to think about this field long-term?   
• What work, volunteer, community engagement opportunities have you had through your time as a student?  How have you grown in the role(s) as an individual.   
• What attributes do you believe will contribute to your success upon receiving an advanced degree?   
• What are your short-term and long-term goals after obtaining your additional education?  

Two Important Things To Remember!

• Always make certain the question(s)/prompts are answered within the word limit requirements. 
• Writing over the word limit is fine for drafts, it’s all about refinement and creating a concise personal statement or answers to questions.  The career center is available to help as you navigate this endeavor.   

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Career Center Build 97 - Room 128 3801 West Temple Avenue Pomona, CA 91786

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First-Year Student

What is a first-year student.

You are considered a first-year student if you are currently in high school (with or without any completed college classes) or you are a high school graduate who has not attended any college after high school, prior to entering Cal Poly.

Your Application

Cal Poly accepts applications for first-year students from October 1 - November 30. Learn more about our application process, including choosing a major and how to submit your application materials.

How to Apply

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Dates to remember.

Learn about application due dates, financial aid filing periods, when you will be notified about our decision and more. 

Dates and Deadlines

Selection Process

Review our admissions requirements and selection criteria, including GPA, test scores and other variables. 

Selection Criteria

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Learn how to access the application as well as discover tips to help you navigate and complete each section of the application.

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Explore Our Majors

Cal Poly's six academic colleges offer more than 60 majors for you to consider.

We require students to declare a major as part of the application process in order to maximize their experience in their chosen field from Day One. While changing your major may be possible, we recommend you explore majors thoroughly before making your choice.

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Calculate and review your costs of attendance as well as learn about the various types of financial aid available.

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Once You're Accepted

Did you get an offer of admission and are wondering what you need to do next? Learn more about the steps you need to take and the things to remember after you have been selected for conditional admission to Cal Poly.

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Cal Poly Requirements for Admission

Choose your test.

What are Cal Poly's admission requirements? While there are a lot of pieces that go into a college application, you should focus on only a few critical things:

• GPA requirements
• Testing requirements, including SAT and ACT requirements
• Application requirements

In this guide we'll cover what you need to get into Cal Poly and build a strong application.

School location: San Luis Obispo, CA

This school is also known as: California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

Admissions Rate: 30.3%

If you want to get in, the first thing to look at is the acceptance rate. This tells you how competitive the school is and how serious their requirements are.

The acceptance rate at Cal Poly is 30.3% . For every 100 applicants, 30 are admitted.

This means the school is very selective . If you meet Cal Poly's requirements for GPA, SAT/ACT scores, and other components of the application, you have a great shot at getting in. But if you fall short on GPA or your SAT/ACT scores, you'll have a very low chance of being admitted, even if you meet the other admissions requirements.

We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies . We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools , from state colleges to the Ivy League.

We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools.

Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in.

Cal Poly GPA Requirements

Many schools specify a minimum GPA requirement, but this is often just the bare minimum to submit an application without immediately getting rejected.

The GPA requirement that really matters is the GPA you need for a real chance of getting in. For this, we look at the school's average GPA for its current students.

Average GPA: 4

The average GPA at Cal Poly is 4 .

(Most schools use a weighted GPA out of 4.0, though some report an unweighted GPA.

With a GPA of 4, Cal Poly requires you to be at the top of your class . You'll need nearly straight A's in all your classes to compete with other applicants. Furthermore, you should be taking hard classes - AP or IB courses - to show that college-level academics is a breeze.

If you're currently a junior or senior, your GPA is hard to change in time for college applications. If your GPA is at or below the school average of 4, you'll need a higher SAT or ACT score to compensate . This will help you compete effectively against other applicants who have higher GPAs than you.

SAT and ACT Requirements

Each school has different requirements for standardized testing. Only a few schools require the SAT or ACT, but many consider your scores if you choose to submit them.

Cal Poly hasn't explicitly named a policy on SAT/ACT requirements, but because it's published average SAT or ACT scores (we'll cover this next), it's likely test flexible. Typically, these schools say, "if you feel your SAT or ACT score represents you well as a student, submit them. Otherwise, don't."

Despite this policy, the truth is that most students still take the SAT or ACT, and most applicants to Cal Poly will submit their scores. If you don't submit scores, you'll have one fewer dimension to show that you're worthy of being admitted, compared to other students. We therefore recommend that you consider taking the SAT or ACT, and doing well.

Cal Poly SAT Requirements

Many schools say they have no SAT score cutoff, but the truth is that there is a hidden SAT requirement. This is based on the school's average score.

Average SAT: 1335

The average SAT score composite at Cal Poly is a 1335 on the 1600 SAT scale.

This score makes Cal Poly Moderately Competitive for SAT test scores.

Cal Poly SAT Score Analysis (New 1600 SAT)

The 25th percentile SAT score is 1260, and the 75th percentile SAT score is 1450. In other words, a 1260 on the SAT places you below average, while a 1450 will move you up to above average .

Here's the breakdown of SAT scores by section:

SAT Score Choice Policy

The Score Choice policy at your school is an important part of your testing strategy.

Cal Poly has the Score Choice policy of "Highest Section."

This is also known as "superscoring." This means that you can choose which SAT tests you want to send to the school. Of all the scores they receive, your application readers will consider your highest section scores across all SAT test dates you submit .

Click below to learn more about how superscoring critically affects your test strategy.

For example, say you submit the following 3 test scores:

Even though the highest total you scored on any one test date was 1000, Cal Poly will take your highest section score from all your test dates, then combine them to form your Superscore. You can raise your composite score from 1000 to 1400 in this example.

This is important for your testing strategy. Because you can choose which tests to send in, and Cal Poly forms your Superscore, you can take the SAT as many times as you want, then submit only the tests that give you the highest Superscore. Your application readers will only see that one score.

Therefore, if your SAT superscore is currently below a 1450, we strongly recommend that you consider prepping for the SAT and retaking it . You have a very good chance of raising your score, which will significantly boost your chances of getting in.

Even better, because of the Superscore, you can focus all your energy on a single section at a time. If your Reading score is lower than your other sections, prep only for the Reading section, then take the SAT. Then focus on Math for the next test, and so on. This will give you the highest Superscore possible.

Download our free guide on the top 5 strategies you must be using to improve your score. This guide was written by Harvard graduates and SAT perfect scorers. If you apply the strategies in this guide, you'll study smarter and make huge score improvements.

Cal Poly ACT Requirements

Just like for the SAT, Cal Poly likely doesn't have a hard ACT cutoff, but if you score too low, your application will get tossed in the trash.

Average ACT: 29

The average ACT score at Cal Poly is 29. This score makes Cal Poly Moderately Competitive for ACT scores.

The 25th percentile ACT score is 28, and the 75th percentile ACT score is 33.

Even though Cal Poly likely says they have no minimum ACT requirement, if you apply with a 28 or below, you'll have a very hard time getting in, unless you have something else very impressive in your application. There are so many applicants scoring 29 and above that a 28 will look academically weak.

ACT Score Sending Policy

If you're taking the ACT as opposed to the SAT, you have a huge advantage in how you send scores, and this dramatically affects your testing strategy.

Here it is: when you send ACT scores to colleges, you have absolute control over which tests you send. You could take 10 tests, and only send your highest one. This is unlike the SAT, where many schools require you to send all your tests ever taken.

This means that you have more chances than you think to improve your ACT score. To try to aim for the school's ACT requirement of 33 and above, you should try to take the ACT as many times as you can. When you have the final score that you're happy with, you can then send only that score to all your schools.

ACT Superscore Policy

By and large, most colleges do not superscore the ACT. (Superscore means that the school takes your best section scores from all the test dates you submit, and then combines them into the best possible composite score). Thus, most schools will just take your highest ACT score from a single sitting.

We weren't able to find the school's exact ACT policy, which most likely means that it does not Superscore. Regardless, you can choose your single best ACT score to send in to Cal Poly, so you should prep until you reach our recommended target ACT score of 33.

Download our free guide on the top 5 strategies you must be using to improve your score. This guide was written by Harvard graduates and ACT perfect scorers. If you apply the strategies in this guide, you'll study smarter and make huge score improvements.

SAT/ACT Writing Section Requirements

Currently, only the ACT has an optional essay section that all students can take. The SAT used to also have an optional Essay section, but since June 2021, this has been discontinued unless you are taking the test as part of school-day testing in a few states. Because of this, no school requires the SAT Essay or ACT Writing section, but some schools do recommend certain students submit their results if they have them.

Cal Poly considers the SAT Essay/ACT Writing section optional and may not include it as part of their admissions consideration. You don't need to worry too much about Writing for this school, but other schools you're applying to may require it.

Final Admissions Verdict

Because this school is very selective, strong academic scores are critical to improving your chances of admission . If you're able to score a 1450 SAT or a 33 ACT or above, you'll have a very strong chance at getting in.

For a school as selective as Cal Poly, rounding out the rest of your application will also help. We'll cover those details next.

But if you apply with a score below a 1450 SAT or a 33 ACT, you unfortunately have a low chance of getting in. There are just too many other applicants with high SAT/ACT scores and strong applications, and you need to compete against them.

Admissions Calculator

Here's our custom admissions calculator. Plug in your numbers to see what your chances of getting in are. Pick your test: SAT ACT

• 80-100%: Safety school: Strong chance of getting in
• 50-80%: More likely than not getting in
• 20-50%: Lower but still good chance of getting in
• 5-20%: Reach school: Unlikely to get in, but still have a shot
• 0-5%: Hard reach school: Very difficult to get in

How would your chances improve with a better score?

Take your current SAT score and add 160 points (or take your ACT score and add 4 points) to the calculator above. See how much your chances improve?

At PrepScholar, we've created the leading online SAT/ACT prep program . We guarantee an improvement of 160 SAT points or 4 ACT points on your score, or your money back.

Here's a summary of why we're so much more effective than other prep programs:

• PrepScholar customizes your prep to your strengths and weaknesses . You don't waste time working on areas you already know, so you get more results in less time.
• We guide you through your program step-by-step so that you're never confused about what you should be studying. Focus all your time learning, not worrying about what to learn.
• Our team is made of national SAT/ACT experts . PrepScholar's founders are Harvard graduates and SAT perfect scorers . You'll be studying using the strategies that actually worked for them.
• We've gotten tremendous results with thousands of students across the country. Read about our score results and reviews from our happy customers .

There's a lot more to PrepScholar that makes it the best SAT/ACT prep program. Click to learn more about our program , or sign up for our 5-day free trial to check out PrepScholar for yourself:

Application Requirements

Every school requires an application with the bare essentials - high school transcript and GPA, application form, and other core information. Many schools, as explained above, also require SAT and ACT scores, as well as letters of recommendation, application essays, and interviews. We'll cover the exact requirements of Cal Poly here.

Application Requirements Overview

• Common Application Not accepted
• Electronic Application Available
• Essay or Personal Statement
• Letters of Recommendation
• Interview Not required
• Application Fee $70
• Fee Waiver Available? Available
• Other Notes

Testing Requirements

• SAT or ACT Not used if submitted
• SAT Essay or ACT Writing Optional
• SAT Subject Tests
• Scores Due in Office December 1

Coursework Requirements

• Subject Required Years
• Foreign Language 2
• Social Studies 1
• Electives 1

Deadlines and Early Admissions

• Offered? Deadline Notification
• Yes November 30 April 1

Admissions Office Information

• Address: 1 San Luis Obispo, CA 93407
• Phone: (805) 756-1111 x1111
• Fax: (805) 756-5400
• Email: [email protected]

Other Schools For You

If you're interested in Cal Poly, you'll probably be interested in these schools as well. We've divided them into 3 categories depending on how hard they are to get into, relative to Cal Poly.

Reach Schools: Harder to Get Into

These schools are have higher average SAT scores than Cal Poly. If you improve your SAT score, you'll be competitive for these schools.

Same Level: Equally Hard to Get Into

If you're competitive for Cal Poly, these schools will offer you a similar chance of admission.

Safety Schools: Easier to Get Into

If you're currently competitive for Cal Poly, you should have no problem getting into these schools. If Cal Poly is currently out of your reach, you might already be competitive for these schools.

Data on this page is sourced from Peterson's Databases © 2023 (Peterson's LLC. All rights reserved.) as well as additional publicly available sources.

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California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

• Rating 3.67 out of 5   3,266 reviews

Report Card

• Academics grade  B minus
• Value grade  A
• Diversity grade  A minus
• Campus grade  B minus
• Athletics grade  B+
• Party Scene grade  B minus
• Professors grade  C+
• Location grade  C+
• Dorms grade  C+
• Campus Food grade  B+
• Student Life grade  B
• Safety grade  B
• Hispanic-Serving Institution
• Public College
• SAT/ACT Optional

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona Rankings

Niche rankings are based on rigorous analysis of key statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and millions of reviews.

• Best Colleges for Architecture in America 41 of 161
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Cal Poly Pomona Admissions

Students also applied to ....

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• grade  B minus California State University - Los Angeles
• grade  A+ University of California - San Diego
• grade  B California State University - San Bernardino

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Will you get into cal poly pomona.

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Requirements for Bachelor’s Degree

General requirements.

A candidate for the bachelor’s degree shall have

• completed the courses in one of the listed baccalaureate curricula with a minimum “C” grade average (GPA of 2.0) in the major (core and designated subplan) courses, in all college-level courses taken at Cal Poly Pomona, and in all completed college-level course work;
• completed the required general education courses;
• completed the required courses in American history and government, including state and local government. This requirement is met by completing PLS 201 and HST 202;
• completed at least one four-unit course that meets the American Cultural Perspectives Requirement;
• spent not less than three quarters in residence, two of these quarters immediately preceding graduation;
• earned not fewer than 50 quarter units in residence applicable to the bachelor’s degree; of which 36 units must be in upper division courses, 18 units must be in the major core, and 12 units in general education courses;
• earned a total number of grade points at least equal to twice the number of units attempted (achieve a “C” grade average e.g. GPA of 2.0) in all courses taken at Cal Poly Pomona and overall coursework;
• a) completed all coursework requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree, with a minimum of 60 of those units being of 300- or 400- level      courses, 18 of which must be in the major core; or b) completed all coursework requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree, with at least 27 of these units being in 300- or 400-level courses      in the major core; or c) completed all coursework requirements for the Bachelor of Architecture degree, with 67.5 units required for the major and with at least 40.5     of these units being in 300- or 400-level courses; d) no major will contain less than 54 quarter units of courses required in the core for the major. Within these 54 units must be at least 15 units      of 100 and 200-level courses. The courses in the major core must be exclusive of those courses taken to satisfy the general education      requirements;
• met the Graduation Writing Test requirement;
• had a graduation check. A graduation check request can be made in the Registrar’s Office when a senior has no more than 10 classes (40 units) left to take to complete degree requirements. Processing of the graduation check takes 60-90 days and the graduation check is sent to the student’s Cal Poly Pomona e-mail address. This policy is currently under revision. Please refer to the online catalog for the current policy.
• filed an application for graduation in the Registrar’s Office in the quarter in which all requirements will be completed, prior to the deadline listed in the academic calendar.

Determination of Graduation Requirements

In determining graduation requirements, students have three basic options open to them. They may decide to meet the degree requirements listed in the Cal Poly Pomona university catalog at the time they first entered the university, or they may decide to use the requirements listed in the university catalog at the time of their graduation, or they may elect to use the requirements in effect at the time they began study at a CSU campus or a California community college.

At Cal Poly Pomona, all colleges/schools evaluate incoming students on the current curriculum for their major/core and support areas. Questions on this matter should be directed to the student’s advisor or department chair.

Whenever a student changes major, while this action is not considered a break in enrollment status, he/she may elect to use either the major department degree graduation requirements published in the Cal Poly Pomona university catalog at the time the major was changed or the requirements in the catalog at the time of graduation.

California community college students transferring to Cal Poly Pomona without a break in enrollment status will be evaluated on the graduation requirements listed in the Cal Poly Pomona university catalog at the time of entrance to Cal Poly Pomona. Students may elect in writing to the Registrar’s Office to fulfill graduation requirements at the time they began attending a California community college or in effect at the time of graduation. After entry to Cal Poly Pomona, any change of status or major will cause them to come under the major degree catalog provisions valid at the time of the change. Also see “General Education” section in this catalog regarding transfer and change of major students and GE certification.

Students who are not in attendance for more than two consecutive quarters in any given calendar year are considered to have broken enrollment status. This will affect both major and other degree requirements and may require additional course work for degree completion.

If a student wishes to complete requirements at another institution, that work must be completed within one (1) semester or two (2) quarters of last enrollment at Cal Poly Pomona.

Participation in Graduation Ceremonies

Undergraduate students may apply for graduation and/or participate in June commencement ceremonies if they have no more than eight units remaining to fulfill the graduation requirements, and are in good academic standing (2.00 GPA for Cal Poly Pomona coursework, major core GPA and 2.00 for all cumulative coursework) at the end of the term prior to that in which the student applies to graduate.

Graduate students who have not completed all of their graduation requirements, including the GWT, may not participate in the commencement ceremonies

Requirement in Mathematics Proficiency

All students must demonstrate a base level math competency. This may be done by taking an approved course in mathematics or statistics. The following courses have been judged to meet this requirement: MAT 106   , MAT 114   , MAT 115   , MAT 116   , MAT 120   , MAT 125   , MAT 130   , MAT 191    or STA 120   . Transfer students will satisfy this requirement by taking an equivalent course which may also be used to meet the CSU General Education quantitative reasoning requirement. Intermediate Algebra taken at a Community College will not meet this requirement, nor will it be considered acceptable to meet the quantitative reasoning requirement.

Prerequisite coursework for MAT 106   , MAT 114   , MAT 120   , MAT 125   , MAT 130   , MAT 191   , MAT 194   , and STA 120    must have been completed within 3 quarters or 2 semesters.

Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement

All students subject to degree requirements listed in the 1977-78 and later general catalogs must demonstrate competency in writing skills as a requirement for graduation. Based on action taken by the Cal Poly Pomona Academic Senate in 1978, writing competence at Cal Poly Pomona is assessed primarily by means of a written test. All persons who receive undergraduate, graduate, or external degrees from Cal Poly Pomona must pass the Graduation Writing Test (GWT). The test is available to undergraduates at the completion of 90 units and for graduates upon admission.

The test must be taken by the quarter following the completion of 120 units for undergraduates, or by the completion of 8 units for graduate students. If the GWT is not taken by this time, a hold will be placed on a student’s records. While the student’s records are on hold, registration will not be allowed nor will transcripts of credits be released.

Under certain conditions a student can fulfill the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirements by successfully completing a course; CPU 401, offered through the University Writing Center. A student may also, under special circumstances request to have the GWT requirements waived.  An undergraduate who had the GWT requirement waived will need to take it and pass it if he/she returns to Cal Poly Pomona as graduate students.

Important information about the appeals process for the test is contained in the GWT Study Guide and the Information Bulletin, available to all students. They may be obtained from the Test Center, Building 98, Room P2-4.

Minimum Grade Point Average

In order to graduate, a student must have an overall GPA of 2.0 in all university coursework as well as a 2.0 in his or her major coursework (e.g. core and designated subplan courses). If an undergraduate student, at the time of the graduation check, has less than a 2.0 GPA in the major, the student can raise the major GPA to a minimum of 2.0 by the following courses of action:

• Attainment of sufficient grades in all remaining major courses in the student’s program;
• Attainment of sufficient grades in all remaining major (core) course in the student’s program plus the use of the Repeated Course Policy. (Refer to “Repetition of Courses” section in this catalog.)
• Use of the Academic Renewal Policy, which allows the removal of up to three quarters or two semester of previous academic work from baccalaureate degree consideration. (Refer to the “Academic Renewal” section in this catalog.)

A student may not substitute a support course or any other course as a major course after the major course has been taken. Further, this university has the right to prescribe that any particular graduation requirement be met within seven (7) years. For further details on this prescription please see the Associate Provost, Building 98.

General Education Requirements

Cal Poly Pomona’s General Education Program is designed to help students to succeed in their chosen field, adapt to a changing workplace, contribute to their communities, and become lifelong learners. It provides essential skills and knowledge through a framework that enhances students’ understanding of basic disciplines and encourages an appreciation of the complexity of all knowledge.

Goals and Measurable Outcomes

I. Acquire foundational skills and capacities.                       a.    Write and speak effectively to various audiences.        b.    Locate, evaluate, and responsibly use and share data employing information and communication technologies.        c.    Construct arguments based on sound evidence and reasoning to support an opinion or conclusion.           d.    Apply and communicate quantitative arguments using tables, graphs, and equations.

 II. Develop an understanding of various branches of knowledge and their interrelationships.       a.    Apply scientific methods and models to draw quantitative and qualitative conclusions about the physical and natural world.       b.    Analyze major literary, philosophical, historical, or artistic works and describe their aesthetic, historical, and cultural significance in society.       c.    Analyze concepts, theories, and methods pertaining to cultural, economic, historical, political, or social institutions.       d.    Integrate concepts, theories, and examples from more than one field of study to identify problems, draw conclusions, and construct               original ideas.

 III. Develop social and global knowledge.       a.    Describe the historical development of diverse cultures and analyze the role that cultural diversity plays in shaping core institutions and              practices of individuals and societies.       b.    Apply principles, methods, value systems, and ethics to social issues confronting local and global communities.

IV. Develop capacities for integration and lifelong learning.         a.    Analyze the behavior of individuals within the context of the social and natural environment, human sexuality, physical and mental health,               and stages of life.       b.    Understand the role that the acquisition of a recreation, avocation, or artistic skill plays in an individual’s physiological and psychological              development.       c.    Understand the importance of active engagement in communities for the betterment of personal and public life.

Students must complete a minimum of twelve quarter units of upper division general education which may be taken no sooner than the quarter in which the student achieves upper division status. Twelve quarter units of the total general education program must be completed in residence at Cal Poly Pomona.

Questions related to general education requirements should be directed to the Office of Academic Programs, Building 98.

General Education-Approved Coursework and Unit Distribution

Approved courses and unit distributions to meet the general education requirements are listed in the catalog section “General Education.” The framework, guidelines, and coursework approved to meet general education requirements may change subsequent to the publication of this catalog. Students who change majors or otherwise have a break in status may find that they are subject to new degree requirements. Careful academic and career planning is essential.

General Education for Transfer Coursework

Transfer students may satisfy CSU lower division General Education requirements through certification of courses that satisfy the CSU General Education-Breadth Requirements or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC). Contact your community college counselor for more details.

Limited Enrollment-Courses Open to Majors Only

Because of impaction in certain academic majors, enrollment in courses within these programs may be limited to approved majors only. Certain exceptions are possible with written permission of the instructor and the department chair by an academic petition. 

Scholastic Requirements

Each student is expected to meet the academic standards required by the state, the university and by the instructor of a course. While class attendance is not recorded officially by the University, students are expected to attend all class meetings. Instructors’ standards, particularly as they impact  grades, must be explained in the syllabus made available in each class near the beginning of the quarter. It is the students’ responsibility to make themselves aware of each faculty member’s guidelines by carefully reading the syllabus.

It is the student’s responsibility to notify the instructor in advance of any planned absence and to request arrangements to make up academic work that is missed for any reason. The instructor is the judge of the validity of the reasons for absence and of what arrangements, if any, are to be provided for the student to make up class work. Instructors may require students to provide documentation for excused absences. It must be recognized that not all learning activities and exercises related to a class can be replicated.

It is possible for a student to have three final examinations scheduled for the same day. If that happens, the student has the liberty of asking the professor of the middle exam to pick a mutually convenient time for the exam.

Effective Fall 2009, students may not re-enroll in courses where a grade of C or better has already been attained. Students may enroll in, but may not receive credit for, courses that are prerequisites to courses already passed with a C or better (e.g., No credit will be awarded for MAT 106 after completion of MAT 114 with a C or better.) Exceptions from these policies may be requested by submitting the General Academic Petition form to the Academic Programs Office. Students who wish to review course material may enroll in the course on an audit (“AU”) basis.

Students may not enroll in courses which have prerequisites without having successfully completed such prerequisites with the appropriate passing grade as designated by the offering department.

Academic Standing

Uniform minimum standards for academic probation, subject to disqualification, and disqualification are in effect at all California State University campuses. A student is considered to be in good standing when a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 (C) for all university level work attempted and for all such work attempted at Cal Poly Pomona is earned.

If a student’s GPA remains below 2.0 for more than three consecutive quarters, the student will not be certified for veterans educational benefits until his/her academic status is restored to good standing.

• Early Warning. In order to achieve early intervention to assist students by providing an early warning system, all undergraduate students with a Cal Poly GPA of less than 2.2 will have an advising hold placed systematically on their record. Students will be placed on academic probation, subject to disqualification, or disqualified under the following conditions:  
• Academic Probation. A student will be placed on academic probation if the cumulative grade point average falls below 2.0 (C) either for all college-level work attempted, for all college-level work attempted at Cal Poly Pomona, or all work attempted in the major. The student will be advised of probation status in writing at the end of each quarter. Students on probation will have advising holds placed on their record the following quarter. These students will not be able to register until they have cleared this hold with their major department and have been counseled as to how to regain good standing. An advising contract may be required by the major department. A student’s status may change from probation directly to academic disqualification without having been in the Subject to Disqualification status.  
• Subject to Disqualification. A student will be subject to disqualification if the Cal Poly Pomona or cumulative grade point average falls below 1.5 for freshmen, 1.7 for sophomores, 1.9 for juniors, and 1.95 for seniors. Students will be advised in writing of their subject to disqualification status as soon as possible following the end of the quarter. Each academic unit may exercise the option to disqualify a student in Subject to Disqualification status due to a lack of adherence to advisement worksheets, failure to make progress in the major, or follow faculty advisement.  
• a freshman (less than 45 quarter units of university work completed) or sophomore (45 to 89 quarter units of university work completed) is 22.5 or more grade points below a 2.0 (C average) in either the cumulative GPA or Cal Poly Pomona GPA;
• a junior (90 to 134 quarter units of university work completed) is 13.5 or more grade points below a 2.0 (C average);
• a senior (135 or more quarter units of university work completed) is 9 or more grade points below a 2.0 (C average).

Notification of academic disqualification is sent as soon as possible following the end of the quarter. Disqualification supersedes any contract or worksheet completed.

A student who is disqualified on the basis of their grade point balance will not be allowed to attend for at least one quarter, normally the quarter following notification of disqualification.

Students have the right to appeal their eligibility to enroll by completing the Disqualification Appeal Student Information Sheet available in the Registrar’s Office and submit to the Lead Records Specialist. Except in extraordinary circumstances, appeals will be considered only if the student’s CPP and overall grade point average, during the quarter subsequent to disqualification, have improved enough to remove the student from disqualification status. Students will be notified of their College Appeals Committee’s decision no later than the last day to register for the quarter in question. A successful appeal request is considered a reinstatement. However, no reinstatement petition or advising contract is required. Students may not appeal a second disqualification.

Upon initial disqualification, students may request consideration for reinstatement only after presentation to the university of satisfactory evidence that they have improved their chances of scholastic success. The Petition for Academic Reinstatement must be filed in the Registrar’s Office after approval by the student’s major department chair and the college dean.

After reinstatement, students must be removed from disqualification status by the time they have attempted an additional 24 units in baccalaureate level courses. This coursework must be agreed upon by the student and the department chair at the time of reinstatement.

Effective summer 2009, undergraduate students who do not remove the disqualification within the 24-unit limit and academically disqualified undergraduate students who attain good standing or probationary status and then become disqualified again are no longer eligible to enroll at the university.

Administrative-Academic Probation. An undergraduate or graduate student may be placed on administrative-academic probation by action of appropriate campus officials for any of the following reasons:

• Withdrawal from all or a substantial portion of a program of studies in two successive terms or in any three terms. (Note: A student whose withdrawal is directly associated with a chronic or recurring disability or its treatment is not to be subject to Administrative- Academic probation for such withdrawal.)
• Repeated failure to progress toward the stated degree objective or other program objective, including that resulting from assignment of 15 units of NC, when such failure appears to be due to circumstances within the control of the student.
• Failure to comply, after due notice, with an academic requirement or regulation which is routine for all students or a defined group of students (examples: failure to complete English Placement Test, failure to complete a required practicum, failure to complete a specified number of units as a condition for receiving student  financial aid).

When such action is taken, the student shall be notified in writing and shall be provided with the conditions for removal from probation and the circumstances which would lead to disqualification, should probation not be removed.

Administrative-Academic Disqualification . A student who has been placed on administrative-academic probation may be disqualified from further attendance if:

• The conditions for removal of administrative-academic probation are not met within the period specified.
• The student becomes subject to academic disqualification while on administrative-academic probation.
• The student becomes subject to administrative-academic probation for the same or similar reason for which he has been placed on administrative-academic probation previously, although not currently in such status.

When such action is taken, the student shall receive written notification including an explanation of the basis for the action.

In addition, an appropriate campus administrator may disqualify a student who at any time during enrollment has demonstrated behavior so contrary to the standards of the profession for which the student is preparing as to render him/her unfit for the profession. In such cases, disqualification will occur immediately upon notice to the student, which shall include an explanation of the basis for the action, and the campus may require the student to discontinue enrollment as of the date of the notification.

Satisfactory Progress

Full-time undergraduate students are considered to be maintaining satisfactory academic progress toward their degree goal when they have completed a minimum of 36 units per academic year of which a minimum of 24 units directly apply to satisfying the core, support, and/or directed elective course requirements of their major curriculum according to their Degree Progress Report (or until such time as all core and support course requirements are satisfied). Good standing is defined as 2.0 GPA.

Half-time students are considered to be maintaining satisfactory academic progress toward their degree goals when they have completed a minimum of 18 units per academic year of which a minimum of 12 units directly apply to satisfying the core, support, and/or directed elective course requirements of their major curriculum according to their Degree Progress Report (or until such time as all core and support course requirements are satisfied). 

Declaration of Minors and Additional Majors (revised 09/19/2014)

Students may declare up to two minors in addition to their primary major if all academic programs can be completed within 36 units above the number of units required for their primary major.  Students must receive the approval of the chair of the department offering the proposed academic program.

Students may declare one major in addition to their primary major if all academic programs can be completed within 48 units above the number of units required for their primary major.  Students must receive the approval of the chair of the department offering the proposed academic program.

Minors or double majors may be declared at any time in a students’ career but students are strongly encourage to declare minors and double majors early in their career.  After earning 135 totals units, students may declare a minor or additional major only if they are in good academic standing and have the approval of the chair of the department offering the proposed academic program.

Credits from transfer units, non-traditional college-level work (including AP, IB, and CLEP examinations, and credit by challenge examinations), and military service in excess of 90 quarter units shall be excluded from the unit count for the purposes of the minor and double major policies.*

Students may request exceptions to the minor and double major policy by filing a general academic petition.

*Students often have credits from these sources that are not applicable to their Cal Poly Pomona degree program for a variety of reasons, including unfamiliarity with how tertiary education works (especially first generation college students), poor advising at Community College, exploration/change of career direction, credits for sports, etc.  The intention of this policy is to count up to 90 quarter units that likely fulfill GE and academic program requirements at Cal Poly Pomona without prohibiting transfer students from minoring or double majoring if they have a large number of units that do not further their Cal Poly Pomona degree.

Second Baccalaureate Degree

Admission to seek an additional bachelor’s degree for holders of such degrees is processed by the Admissions Office in the same way as other undergraduate admissions.

A student who has earned a baccalaureate degree at an accredited institution must meet the curricular requirements for the second baccalaureate degree as well as minimum residence requirements established by this university. A minimum of 50 units must be taken in residence and, of the 50 units, 36 shall be earned in upper division courses with 18 of these upper division units being in courses in the major.

Advanced standing will be granted for work completed for the original baccalaureate degree as applicable to the new degree objective. Work completed at this university prior to awarding of the original baccalaureate degree shall be counted as appropriate toward the residence requirements for the second degree. Any change in general degree requirements (such as general education) will have to be met in order to receive the second baccalaureate degree.

Transfer Credit

A student who has attended accredited two-year or four-year colleges will be given full credit for college level courses successfully completed. Credit for courses taken at other institutions counts toward fulfillment of curriculum requirements when applicable; other courses count as elective credit. Cal Poly Pomona does not accept credit for courses in religious practices.

A maximum of 70 semester units (105 quarter units) of community college course credit may be applied toward the bachelor’s degree. No credit may be allowed for professional courses in education taken at a community college.

A maximum of 36 quarter units of extended university course credit may be applied toward the bachelor’s degree. Units students take over the 36 college level transferable limit-through Cal Poly Pomona or other Continuing Education or Extended Education programs or Open University coursework-may satisfy a specific course requirement, but only 36 units may be considered by the university as transferable college level work that may be counted towards satisfying the minimum units required for a degree.

No limit is placed upon the number of transferable credits from a four year college or university, except that no student will be granted a bachelor’s degree in any curriculum without having met the general unit, grade, and residence requirements.

No credit will be given for work taken at an unaccredited institution until the student has successfully completed 30 quarter units of work at this university. At that time, and upon recommendation of the student’s major department, credit may be given for the unaccredited work.

Once a student has commenced work at this university, approval of the advisor must be secured prior to taking courses at another institution for credit toward major requirements at this university. (See also concurrent enrollment section and eligibility for intercollegiate athletics section.)

Course Numbering System

Courses are grouped into number series indicating the level at which they are presented.

Credit Hour

As of July 1, 2011 federal law (Title 34, Code of Federal Regulations, sections 600.2 and 600.4) requires all accredited institutions to comply with the federal definition of the credit hour. For all CSU degree programs and courses bearing academic credit, the “credit hour” is defined as “the amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency that reasonably approximates not less than:

• One hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours of out-of-class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester or trimester hour of credit, or ten to twelve weeks for one quarter hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time; or
• At least an equivalent amount of work as required in paragraph (1) of this definition for other academic activities as established by the institution, including laboratory work, internships, practica, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.”

A credit hour is assumed to be a 50-minute period. In courses in which “seat time” does not apply, a credit hour may be measured by an equivalent amount of work, as demonstrated by student achievement.

Grading Information

Assignment of grades and change of grades are the prerogative of the instructor of record. However, when circumstances necessitate that a grade change occur without the signature of the instructor of record, the change of grade form must be accompanied by a memo to the Registrar’s Office, signed by the College Dean or the Department Chair, stating the reason for the absence of the instructor of record’s signature.

Students may appeal grades that they consider to be unfair. See section on “Grade Appeals Policy” for more details.

Grading System

Grades have the following functions:

• To recognize performance in a particular course.
• To act as a basis of screening for other courses, programs or graduate school.
• To inform the student of his/her level of achievement in a particular course.
• To stimulate the student to learn.
• To inform prospective employers of the student’s achievements.

At the discretion of the instructor, plus and minus (+/-) grading symbols may also be granted. The grade points associated with each grade are as follows:

An Audit grade (AU) signifies that a student has audited a course through an approved process. Enrollment as an auditor is subject to permission of the instructor; provided that enrollment in a course as an auditor shall be permitted only after students otherwise eligible to enroll on a credit basis have had an opportunity to do so. Auditors are subject to the same fee structure as credit students and regular class attendance is expected. Once enrolled as an auditor, a student may not change to credit status unless such a change is requested prior to the last day to add classes. A student who is enrolled for credit may not change to audit after the third week of instruction.

Credit/No Credit (CR/NC)

Courses will be graded on a CR/NC basis as follows:

• Some courses, as indicated by their catalog descriptions are offered for CR/NC grading only. Such courses are designated by the sponsoring department. Enrollment in these courses is not counted in the 24-unit limit or the 2-course/8 unit limit described in IIA below.
• All challenge examination credit will be awarded on CR/NC basis only. Credit for courses in student’s major (core) will be given letter grades only.
• A student may take up to two courses per quarter, not to exceed eight units, on a CR/NC basis. The total number of units which are graded CR/NC may not exceed 24 units for all college level work to be counted towards a bachelor’s degree, including all transfer work, and eight units for a master’s degree including all transfer work.
• A student who opts for CR/NC must already be regularly enrolled in the course. Before the end of the third week of classes, the student must file the CR/NC request form in the Registrar’s Office. A student may not change from one grading option to the other after the end of the third week of classes.
• A course may not be repeated as CR/NC if the student has previously been enrolled in that course for the traditional grading option. A course may be repeated for CR/NC only if a grade of NC has been earned previously.
• Undergraduate students and post-baccalaureate students seeking a second degree will be given a grade of CR for coursework equivalent to a grade C or better in any course for which CR/NC grading is approved and in which the student is properly enrolled. “NC” will be assigned for coursework equivalent to “C-,” or lower grades. For graduate courses designated as mandatory CR/NC, the grade of “CR” will be given for coursework equivalent to a grade of “B” or better. “NC” will be given for coursework equivalent to a “B-,” or lower grade. This will apply to both graduate and undergraduate students who are enrolled in graduate courses.
• Courses in the student’s major (“Core Courses in Major” on the student’s curriculum sheet) may not be taken as CR/NC unless designated as mandatory CR/NC grading.
• To be eligible to opt for CR/NC grading, an undergraduate student must have earned at least a 2.0 GPA in all Cal Poly Pomona work attempted. (The 2.0 GPA requirement is waived in the case of non-matriculated students having no previous work recorded at Cal Poly Pomona.) A graduate student must have earned at least a 3.0 GPA. New students enrolling at Cal Poly Pomona for the first time are eligible if they were admitted on a “clear” basis.
• Grades of CR/NC are not included in the student’s grade point average. Courses for which CR is recorded will be counted as units completed only.
• These regulations apply to all students enrolling at Cal Poly Pomona including non-matriculated students in the Extended University program, summer session, and workshops who wish to elect courses on a Credit/No Credit grading basis.

The symbol “I” (Incomplete Authorized) indicates that a clearly identifiable portion of the course requirements cannot be completed for serious and compelling reasons. An Incomplete shall not be assigned when it is necessary for the student to attend a portion of the class during a future term.

“I” grades are assigned at the request of the student and granted at the discretion of the instructor. A failing grade is not an acceptable reason to request or grant an “I”. It is the responsibility of the student to bring pertinent information to the attention of the instructor and to determine from the instructor the conditions that must be met to complete the course, and the associated deadline, not to exceed one year, which must be satisfied to remove the Incomplete. The Contract for Incomplete Grade is used to record these conditions. This written record protects both students and faculty. Copies of this Contract are to be filed in the Department Office, Registrar’s Office and given to the student. A final grade is assigned when the work agreed upon has been completed and evaluated.

An “I” must normally be made up within one calendar year immediately following the end of the term during which it was assigned. However, the time period set forth by the instructor on the Contract prevails. This limitation prevails whether or not the student maintains continuous enrollment. Failure to complete the assigned work within the time period set by the instructor will result in the “I” being converted to an “IC” symbol, unless the faculty member designates a specific letter grade at the time the Incomplete is assigned to replace the “I” in the student’s record.

Although the one-year maximum for incomplete grades is the general university policy, exceptions can be made in special cases, such as military service and serious health problems. The extension of an “I” grade in a course shall be allowed only one time, for a maximum extension of one year. The General Academic Petition is used to file such requests.

Effective fall 2009, students may not re-enroll in courses for which an “I” grade has been assigned. In cases where repetition of the course is deemed appropriate, the student should be assigned a withdrawal (“W”) or failing grade rather than an “I” grade.

Report Delayed

The “RD” symbol may be used where a delay in the reporting of a grade is due to circumstances beyond the control of the student. The symbol may be assigned by the Registrar’s Office only and, if assigned, shall be replaced by a substantive grading symbol as soon as possible upon submission of a Grade Change Form. An “RD” shall not be used in calculating grade point average or progress points.

Report in Progress

The “RP” symbol is used in connection with courses that extend beyond one academic quarter. The symbol indicates that work in progress has been evaluated as satisfactory to date but that the assignment of a precise grade must await the completion of additional coursework. Cumulative enrollment in units attempted may not exceed the total number applicable to the student’s educational objective. All work is to be completed within one calendar year of the date of first assignment of RP and a final grade will be assigned to all segments of the course on the basis of overall quality. Any extension of this time period must receive prior authorization by the advisor, department chair and college dean on a General Academic Petition. For master’s degree thesis or projects (695, 696), the time limit is two years. The “RP” symbol is authorized for specific courses, for example, courses numbered as 461, 462, 690-699, etc. The “RP” grade is not used in calculating the grade point average.

Official Withdrawal

The “W” symbol indicates that the student was permitted to withdraw from the course after the fifth day of instruction through the end of the eighth week of instruction with the approval of appropriate campus representatives. It carries no connotation of the student performance and is not used in calculating grade point average. A “W” will not be recorded for a class unless the student has officially withdrawn from the class.

Students may withdraw after the fifth day through the fifteenth day (third week) of instruction via the BroncoDirect system. Withdrawal from classes after the 15th day of instruction until the end of the eighth week of instruction is permissible only for serious and compelling reasons. To request to withdraw from classes after the third week of instruction, students must submit to the Registrar’s Office a Request for Class Withdrawal for Serious and Compelling Reasons Form with the necessary approval signatures. After the eighth week of instruction through the last day of finals week, withdrawals will only be permitted for serious and compelling reasons beyond the students’ control.

Effective fall 2009, undergraduates are limited to 28 units of recorded course withdrawals, i.e., where students receive “W” grades for the classes. Course withdrawals prior to fall 2009 and withdrawals approved through the Retroactive Withdrawal Petition process will not contribute to this limit. After the fifth day of instruction through the last day of finals week, students whose reasons for withdrawing from classes are beyond their control may request that such class withdrawals not contribute toward the 28-unit limit. Approved requests for this exception will be indicated by the Dean’s signature and the Associate Provost on the Request for Class Withdrawal for Serious and Compelling Reasons Form.

Withdrawal Unauthorized

The symbol “WU” indicates that an enrolled student did not withdraw from the course and also failed to complete course requirements. It is used when, in the opinion of the instructor, completed assignments or course activities or both were insufficient to make normal evaluation of academic performance possible. For purposes of grade point average and grade point computation this symbol is equivalent to an “F”. The “WU” is also assigned when a student does not drop a course properly, such as when a student withdraws from a course without authorization (e.g. no approved withdrawal form is on file in the Registrar’s Office). If the appropriate withdrawal form is on file, this “WU” will be replaced by a “W” in the Registrar’s Office and a “W” will appear on the final grade sheet returned to the instructor and on the student’s grade report.

Grade Appeals Policy and Procedure

Under the provisions of Executive Order 1037, “Assignment of Grades and Grade Appeals,” and the University’s “Statement of Student Rights, Responsibilities, and Grievance Procedures,” students may appeal grades that they consider to be unfair.

The Executive Order governs the assignment of grades by faculty and requires an appeal procedure to ensure that the rights and responsibilities of faculty and students are properly recognized and protected. Occasionally, a circumstance will prevent assignment of an earned grade or will cause an assigned grade to be questioned by a student.

The following policy has been adopted by Cal Poly Pomona to provide the mechanism to deal with such unusual occurrences:

Course grades assigned by instructors are presumed to be correct. It is the responsibility of the student who appeals an assigned grade to demonstrate clerical error, prejudice, or capriciousness in the assignment of the grade, or that a reasonable accommodation for a documented disability was requested and not appropriately provided; otherwise, the judgment of the instructor is final.

A student who believes that a course grade has been assigned inappropriately must follow the proper steps in the appeal process, observing the time limits for completion of various steps in the process as follows:

Step 1: The student should speak face-to-face with the instructor during the first three weeks of the quarter following the assignment of the grade. Note: If the grade is assigned in the spring quarter, the student should follow these procedures in the following fall quarter. If the instructor is on leave, on sabbatical, or is not currently on the faculty including FERP faculty at the time of the appeal, the University shall attempt to contact the instructor on behalf of the student.*

If an appointment cannot be arranged, the student should attempt to communicate with the instructor by phone, e-mail or fax. If a grade has been assigned in error, the instructor can quickly correct the error by submitting a change of grade form to the Registrar’s Office.

Step 2: If the grade dispute is not resolved with the instructor and the student intends to appeal the grade, the student must appeal to the next level as soon as possible, but no later than the sixth week of the following quarter. In most cases, the student will appeal to the chair of the academic department that offered the class. If the instructor is a department chair, the student should appeal to the dean of the college that offered the class. If the instructor is a dean, the student should appeal to the Provost. The person to whom the student appealed will discuss the issue with the instructor and respond to the student, usually within two weeks.

*Note: the grade appeal process is suspended during the summer quarter when fewer students and faculty members are expected to be on campus. The grade appeal process is also suspended if the faculty member is on leave or on sabbatical. Thus, for spring quarter, “the following quarter” will be the following fall quarter. For appeals of summer quarter grades, the following quarter is the following fall quarter. For appeals when the faculty member is either on leave or on sabbatical “the following quarter” is the quarter the faculty member returns to CPP.

Step 3: If the student is still not satisfied after receiving the response from this second level of appeal, the student may submit a written statement within ten working days to the University Course Grade Appeal Committee through the Office of the Associate Provost. The formal grade appeal should be submitted prior to the end of the regular quarter following the quarter for which the grade was assigned.

Step 4: The Chair of the University Course Grade Appeal Committee will forward the student’s statement to the instructor. The instructor will be asked to respond in writing by a specified date (normally within two weeks). The student’s statement and the instructor’s response will then be reviewed by the entire committee, normally within two weeks of receipt of the instructor’s response.

The Committee will take one of the following actions:

• Request additional information from the student and/or the instructor.
• If the University Course Grade Appeal Committee finds that the student has grounds for complaint based on discrimination, caprice, or clerical error, then the instructor of record will be asked to reevaluate the grade. If the instructor refuses to reevaluate the grade or the instructor’s reevaluation results in the same grade, then the chair of the academic department that offered the class shall be asked to find a qualified faculty member with academic training comparable to the instructor of record to evaluate the student’s work and assign a grade. If the instructor is a department chair, the dean of the college that offered the class shall be asked to find a qualified faculty member with academic training comparable to the instructor of record to evaluate the student’s work and assign a grade. If the instructor is a dean, the provost shall be asked to find a qualified faculty member with academic training comparable to the instructor of record to evaluate the student’s work and assign a grade.
• Recommend to the instructor that the grade be maintained as given.
• Call for a formal hearing.

Step 5: When the Committee has made its recommendation, the student will be notified of it in writing, and be given a copy of the instructor’s written response to the student’s statement. This grade appeal procedure may take six to eight weeks to complete. The outcome of the formal grade appeal procedure is final; there is no higher level of appeal.

The Office of Academic Programs shall ensure that the university website, catalog and other publications reflect this policy. Additional information on preparing a written grade appeal is available from the Office of the Associate Provost or the website at http://www.csupomona.edu/~academic/programs .

Repetition of Courses

Effective fall 2009, undergraduate students are not permitted to re-enroll in classes in which a grade of C or higher has been assigned. Individual courses can be repeated for no more two times for a maximum of three attempts. Courses attempted prior to fall 2009 will contribute to the limit of three attempts. Effective fall 2009, students may repeat no more than 42 quarter units. Units of courses repeated for which grade forgiveness was granted prior to fall 2009 will contribute to this 42-unit limit. Units attempted for other courses repeated prior to fall 2009 that are still included in the calculation of the GPA (not forgiven) will not contribute to this limit. These limits do not apply to courses that have explicitly been designated as repeatable.

Grades received in courses taken in excess of this limit can be used to satisfy content and prerequisite requirements, but will not be used in GPA calculations. These courses will appear on students’ transcripts.

A waiver of this policy the policies related to repetition of courses will be granted only to students with a minimum overall grade point average of 2.0 and documentation of demonstrated effort. Students requesting a waiver must submit a General Academic Petition to the Office of Academic Programs.

Grade Forgiveness

Effective fall 2009, active students may attempt to improve their grade point average by seeking Grade Forgiveness after repeating a course for which a grade lower than a C was issued. Grade Forgiveness can be applied for a maximum of 16 quarter units and only to courses taken for undergraduate credit and before awarding of a bachelor’s degree. Units of courses for which grade forgiveness was granted prior to fall 2009 will contribute to this 16-unit limit. When Grade Forgiveness is granted, the grade and units for the excluded course work will not be used in the calculation of the grade point average and the units will not be used to satisfy the requirements toward graduation. The excluded course work will remain on the student’s permanent record, but will bear the Grade Forgiven annotation. Grade Forgiveness will not be granted for courses for which the original grade was the result of a finding of academic dishonesty.

A waiver of this policy will be granted only to students with a minimum overall grade point average of 2.0 and documentation of demonstrated effort. Students requesting a waiver must submit a General Academic Petition to the Office of Academic Programs. 

For Grade Forgiveness to apply, the course must be repeated at Cal Poly Pomona.  Courses repeated at another college or university, regardless of its equivalency to the Cal Poly Pomona class, will not be eligible for Grade Forgiveness.

To request for Grade Forgiveness on any course, students must have the Grade Forgiveness through Course Repetition Form signed by their academic advisor and filed in the Registrar’s Office, CLA Building, 2nd floor. To ensure that the latest form is being used, students are encouraged to download the Course Repetition form from the Registrar’s Office Forms & Services website, http://www.csupomona.edu/~registrar/forms-services/index.shtml .

Academic Renewal

It is permissible for an undergraduate student to request the removal of up to three quarters or two semesters of previous academic work from baccalaureate degree consideration. Application for Academic Renewal is made during the quarter in which the applicant plans to graduate. The following conditions must prevail:

• Five years have elapsed since the most recent work to be disregarded was completed and the student’s GPA is too low to qualify for graduation.
• Since the completion of the work to be disregarded, the applicant has completed, at this university, 22 quarter units with at least a 3.0 GPA, 45 quarter units with at least a 2.5 GPA, or 67 quarter units with at least a 2.0 GPA. Work completed at any other institution shall not be used to satisfy this requirement.

The student may apply for removal of work from degree consideration in a letter to the Committee on Academic Renewal through the Associate Provost, Building 98. The letter shall specify which semester(s) or quarter(s) of previous work are to be removed from consideration with supporting statements providing evidence that:

• The work is substandard and not representative of the student’s present scholastic ability and level of performance.
• The level of performance represented by the work under consideration was due to described extenuating circumstances.
• The applicant would need to complete additional units of work and enroll for one or more additional quarters to qualify for the baccalaureate degree if the request is not approved.

If the committee acts favorably upon the request, the student’s academic record will be annotated to show that no work taken during the disregarded term(s), even if satisfactory, may apply toward baccalaureate requirements. All work, whether or not disregarded, will remain on the student’s permanent academic record.

Retroactive Withdrawal

The administrative grade of “WU” will be given for a course if a student discontinues attendance and participation without officially dropping the course or withdrawing from the university. It is the sole responsibility of the student to formally drop courses by filing the appropriate forms with the Registrar’s Office in a timely manner. Retroactive Withdrawal will not be approved for students who did not withdraw from a course or courses because they did not report for the first meeting of a class and were not dropped.

When a student has received “WU” in all of the courses in which they enrolled during an academic quarter, the student may petition for retroactive withdrawal. The grades may be retroactively changed to the administrative grade of “W” if the student can demonstrate and document that serious and compelling reasons required their unofficial withdrawal from the university during the quarter in question and that the grades received were not earned (e.g. letter grades A-F).

Students who wish to apply for retroactive withdrawal must do so within one calendar year of the last day of the quarter in which they unofficially withdrew from the University. A student does not have to be enrolled in the university at the time the application for retroactive withdrawal is submitted.

Petition forms are available from the Office of Academic Programs, Building 98 T7-8, and must be submitted by the fifteenth day of classes in order to be considered by the Retroactive Withdrawal Committee for the current quarter.

Graduate Courses Taken By Undergraduates

An undergraduate may petition for up to thirteen quarter units of graduate coursework taken as an undergraduate student for undergraduate or postbaccalaureate credit providing that:

• the courses are at the 300, 400, or 500 level
• none of the courses to be taken for graduate credit is applied to the bachelor’s degree;
• the student has senior standing (has completed 135 quarter units) and an upper-division grade point average of 2.75 or better; some departments may specify a higher GPA;
• the petition is submitted before the end of the third week of the quarter in which the work is performed; retroactive credit will not be granted;
• the petition is endorsed by the course instructor, and approved by the Office of Academic Programs.

If the petition is approved, the courses for which such credit is requested will be identified on the transcript as undergraduate or postbaccalaureate coursework as applicable, and grades earned will be considered in the cumulative undergraduate or postbaccalaureate-GPA as applicable.  If no petition is filed, the coursework will be considered postbaccalaureate work.

Students may also petition to have undergraduate coursework taken as an undergraduate student for postbaccalaureate credit.  None of the courses can be applied to the bachelor’s degree.

Petitions for consideration of work taken as an undergraduate student will not be considered from students after completion of the undergraduate degree. 

When an undergraduate student takes a graduate course, there will be no differential evaluation procedure.  All students in the class will be considered graduate students and evaluated according to postbaccalaureate standards established by the associated graduate college.

Contact the Office of Academic Programs, Building 98-T7, Room 18, for further information.

Credit for Non-Traditional College-Level Work

Advanced placement examinations.

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, grants credit toward its undergraduate degrees for successful completion of examinations of the Advanced Placement Program of the College Board. Students who present scores of three or better will be granted up to six semester units (nine quarter units) of college credit. Students may not receive credit for a course for which they already have received credit from an AP examination. IGE students may use AP credit to substitute for a maximum of two courses in the IGE sequence. See the table “College Board Advanced Placement Examination Credit” for information about credit for specific exams. For additional information on Advanced Placement credit contact the Office of Academic Programs, or the Degree Progress and Evaluation Services, Registrar’s Office, both located in Building 98. 

College Board Advanced Placement (AP) Examination Credit {PDF}    

International Baccalaureate

International Baccalaureate courses designated as honors courses on the UC “a-f” list are awarded extra grade points for computation of the high school grade point average. Grades of 4 or higher for International Baccalaureate subjects taken at the higher level (HL) may receive up to 9 units of elective course credit at Cal Poly Pomona. Subjects taken at the subsidiary/ standard level (SL) will not receive credit. If a student has received Advanced Placement credit for a course, IB credit will not be given for the same course.

International Baccalaureate (IB) Examination Credit {PDF}    

CLEP Examinations

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona grants credit to those students who pass examinations that have been approved for credit systemwide. This information is subject to change. Contact the Office of Academic Programs, Building 98, for further information.

College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) Credit {PDF}    

Credit by Challenge Examination

Students may challenge courses by taking examinations developed at Cal Poly Pomona. Only enrolled undergraduate students may challenge courses. Credit shall be awarded to those who pass them successfully. A student may not challenge more than 36 quarter units worth of coursework.

An approved Petition for Credit by Examination permits regularly enrolled students to obtain university credit for subject matter in which they are especially qualified through nontraditional education or experience. Students must not have previously received credit for any course containing similar or advanced material from the same subject matter field. Students are not permitted to obtain credit by examination unless all prerequisites for the course as specified in the University Catalog have been satisfied. Credit by examination will not be allowed for a course that is a prerequisite of a course which the student has already completed or in which the student is currently enrolled.

Challenge exams shall not be permitted as a means of earning a higher grade in a course. Once a student has enrolled in and earned a grade (passing or failing) in a course, the only way to earn a higher grade is to repeat the course and pay normal course unit fees. A course may be challenged only once.

No student, including resident, out of state, or foreign, shall be permitted by an instructor to sit in a class without enrolling either for audit or credit, and paying appropriate fees. Challenge exam credit will not be given for any course that has been audited. Units of credit received through this procedure may not apply toward the residence requirement for any of the degrees or credentials offered by the university.

A $5 fee per unit is charged for each challenge examination ($25 maximum). The length of the examination will be consistent with the unit value of the course. It may include written, oral, or skills tests, or a combination of all three types and will be sufficiently comprehensive to determine that the student has essentially the same knowledge and skills as those students who successfully complete the course are required to possess. Challenge examination credit is entered on the student’s permanent record. For courses in the student’s major, the credit is a letter grade. Other challenge exam credit is awarded on a CR/NC basis.

Detailed instructions for applying for credit by examination may be obtained from the Registrar’s Office.

Credit for Noncollegiate Instruction

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona grants undergraduate degree credit for successful completion of noncollegiate instruction, either military or civilian, appropriate to the baccalaureate degree, which has been recommended by the Commission on Educational Credit and Credentials of the American Council on Education. The number of units allowed are those recommended in the Guide to the Evaluation of Educational Experience in the Armed Services and the National Guide to Educational Credit for Training Programs.

Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges

California State Polytechnic University has been designated as an institutional member of Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges (SOC), a group of over 400 colleges and universities providing voluntary postsecondary education to members of the military throughout the world. As a SOC member, California State Polytechnic University recognizes the unique nature of the military lifestyle and has committed itself to easing the transfer of relevant course credits, providing flexible academic residency requirements, and crediting learning from appropriate military training and experiences. SOC has been developed jointly by educational representatives of each of the Armed Services, the Office of the Secretary of Defense and a consortium of 13 leading national higher education associations; it is sponsored by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) and the American Association of Community and Junior Colleges (AACJC).

Credit for Military Service

Nine units of elective credit will be allowed toward a baccalaureate degree for a student with an honorable discharge from the military services of the United States who submits evidence of satisfactory completion of at least one year of active military service.

An additional 131/2 quarter units of elective credit will be allowed toward graduation to any student submitting evidence of receiving a commission in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, or Marine Corps. Maximum total credit possible toward graduation for military service is 221/2 quarter units. Credit is not given for completion of the six-month reserve training programs or for college level general educational development tests.

Credit for specific courses may be allowed if the student has satisfactorily completed equivalent study in a military service school. The guidelines of the American Council on Education are followed in determining eligibility and approval must be granted by the department teaching the specific course for which credit is sought.

Credit for Continuing Education Course Work

Students taking more than 36 college level transferable quarter units through Cal Poly Pomona or other Continuing Education or Extended Education programs or Open University course work may satisfy a specific course requirement, but only 36 units may be considered by the University as transferable college level work which meets the minimum number of quarter units required for a degree.

Honors and Honorary Societies

Honor lists.

The Dean’s List, announced at the end of each quarter, honors undergraduate students who have completed at the University 12 or more letter grade units during the quarter with a 3.5 or better grade point average for Cal Poly coursework. Students taking preparatory coursework must obtain C (2.0) letter grades or better in their preparatory courses and make satisfactory progress toward completion of remediation requirements to remain on the Dean’s List.

The “President’s Honor List,” announced at the end of the spring quarter, honors undergraduate students who have a grade point average of 3.5 or better for completion at the University of 12 or more units during all three quarters of the academic year.

Honors at Graduation

The University grants honors at graduation to students who have demonstrated academic excellence during their career in higher education. The grade point average for the determination of honors is calculated on all grades earned at this institution as well as any other institution of higher education attended.

The honors designations with the grade point averages required are summa cum laude-3.80-4.00; magna cum laude-3.65-3.79; cum laude-3.50-3.64. Students who complete their graduation requirements in the summer, fall or winter quarters will have their GPA’s determined before the commencement program is printed and their designated honors will be identified in the program.

Students who complete their graduation requirements in the spring quarter will not have their final GPA’s determined until after the commencement program printing. In order to identify these students in the commencement program, their GPA as of the last winter quarter should be used as the determining GPA for graduation honors recognition. If the GPA status (as to Graduation Honors) changes for spring quarter graduates as a result of grades earned during the spring quarter, this will be recorded on their transcripts and on their diplomas. This status change will not occur in the commencement program. The number of status changes is expected to be minimal. Only students who have completed all of their graduation requirements before spring quarter or students who are registered and complete the balance of their graduation requirements in the spring quarter (as of the census day) will be eligible for honors at graduation. The label “Graduation Honors” is printed next to the student’s name in the commencement program and announced at the college convocations.

University Wide Honorary Societies

The members of the Society of the Sigma Xi are scholars who have produced significant research in the pure or applied sciences. The object of the society is to encourage original investigation in the physical, life, agricultural, earth, medical, and behavioral sciences, mathematics, and engineering. Membership is gained by being elected by an institutional chapter, by a duly authorized club, or by the Chapter-at-Large. The membership of the Cal Poly Pomona Sigma Xi Authorized Club consists of faculty and students. The Club has the authority to elect Associate Members.

Golden Key National Honor Society

The Golden Key National Honor Society is a non-profit organization which was founded by undergraduate students in 1977 at Georgia State University to recognize and encourage scholastic achievement and excellence among upper division students in all undergraduate fields of study. It is through the recognition of scholastic achievement, the presentation of scholarships to outstanding members, and the involvement of members in educational programs that the society promotes excellence in academics.

Phi Beta Delta

Phi Beta Delta is an honor society formed to recognize and encourage professional, intellectual, and personal achievements in international education. The Cal Poly Pomona chapter was founded in 1986 and at present primarily consists of students who have spent a year of study abroad in one of the 34 California State University overseas study programs in 16 different countries. Other students and also faculty and administrators may be invited to become members. The society fosters community and dialogue within an international perspective.

Alpha Lambda Delta

Alpha Lambda Delta is a national honor society open to freshmen who are full time students and rank in the top 20 percent of their freshman class at the end of their first quarter. Its goals include the promotion of high standards of learning. The Society has numerous awards, national workshops, program guidance and fellowships and loans for graduate and professional study.

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How to Write the Pomona College Essays 2020-2021

We’ve updated this post! Read the  2021-2022 Pomona essay guide .

Set against the beautiful backdrop of Southern California, Pomona College is one of the five undergraduate schools in the Claremont Consortium. Pomona boasts a diverse student body and tight-knit community on campus. It is also known for an incredible tradition of engaging intellectualism.

Another important perk is that Pomona allows students access to resources at all five Claremont schools, providing boundless opportunities for growth and discovery. In this regard, attending Pomona provides an undergraduate experience that maintains both the tender closeness of a liberal arts college, as well as the expansive offerings of a larger university. 

With an acceptance rate of 7.6% in 2019 , Pomona’s selective admissions process measures up to its prestigious name and high quality educational tradition. Admission into Pomona is no small feat; the median ACT score for the class of 2023 was a 34, and the median SAT composite was a 1490. 

Writing a strong essay is crucial to any successful college application. In this guide, we will walk you through how to tackle each and every one of Pomona’s supplements. In doing so, our hope is that your application will shine! Want to know your chances at Pomona? Calculate your chances for free right now.

Want to learn what Pomona will actually cost you based on your income? And how long your application to the school should take? Here’s what every student considering Pomona needs to know.

Pomona College Essay Prompts

Short response questions (1-50 words each, optional), what’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given, what’s your favorite way to eat a potato, you’re relaxing on a friday night. suddenly, your favorite song pops into your head. what is it, if there are aspects of your identity that you feel are not captured elsewhere in this application, please provide that information below..

• If not captured elsewhere in your application, please share with us how you have overcome challenges in your life.

Supplemental Essays (required)

Prompt 1: Pomona is committed to achieving the benefits of diversity for all students by creating a community that learns and grows together through the exchange of different lived experiences and perspectives. Our community is made up of students from diverse cultures, races, ethnicities, and linguistic backgrounds; political, religious and social views; physical abilities; home environments and socioeconomic backgrounds; hometowns and regions; and sexes, gender identities and sexual orientations.

Choose one of the following two prompts: (200 words)

• Option A: Tell us about an experience when you dealt with disagreement or conflict around different perspectives within a community.
• Option B: Tell us about one of the communities you belong to and what it means to bring that shared belief and/or perspective to Pomona.

Prompt 2: Helen Keller once said, “The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of tiny pushes of each honest worker.” Whether you aspire to be a hero or an honest worker, what impact do you want to have in the Pomona community, your community back home, or any new community? (200 words)

When first looking at these questions, you might be thinking to yourself, “Wow, these questions are…out of the ordinary. Why does this portion of the application exist?”

These questions exist to give Pomona a more holistic view of you as an individual, not just as an automaton capable of having a stellar GPA and an impressive résumé. The admissions officers want to see you: a well-rounded human capable of joy, humor, and a social life.

The biggest mistake you could make in this section is to not be completely authentic. Don’t select an answer in hopes of impressing the committee, instead be honest and write about what you truly think, feel, and believe. With that in mind, let’s jump in.

Short Response Question 1

To begin thinking about this prompt, try to recall any pivotal moments in your life. Did you receive some great advice during one of those times?

Still thinking? Reflect on any of your great mentors. Have they said anything in particular that stuck with you?

Once you think of something, you want to find a way to present it as quickly and efficiently as possible. After all, you only have 50 words!

You might try a quick description of the situation:

e.g. “ Sprawled across the ice after an impressively unsuccessful turn, I can hear my coach’s skates. I instinctively reach for his hand but find nothing. ‘It doesn’t matter how many times you fall’ he tells me sternly, ‘I only care about the number of times you pick yourself up.’” (48 words)

or, maybe forego the description:

e.g. “ My mother first said her (now iconic) slogan: “Listen to learn,” while berating me for not paying attention. “You’re never gonna learn anything if you don’t shut up and listen.” And she was right. I don’t always need to say something smart. Sometimes, I just need to listen.” (48 words)

Short Response Question 2

Come on! You have to at least chuckle when you read this. Give the best 50 word description of your dream potato. This prompt requires no real explanation. You should have fun with this. 

Are you a baked potato with toppings kind of gal? A refined au gratin aficionado? Mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving? Latkes at Hanukkah? Tater tots? Blitva at your Babushka’s? This response could be as heartwarming or as humorous as you like.

e.g. “ Sometimes, I make the pilgrimage to the Golden Arches, where I order a large serving of French fries and an M&M McFlurry. I drive to a hill that overlooks the freeway. I dip my crispy fries in the decadent McFlurry and watch the passing cars in non-judgmental silence.” (50 words)

Short Response Question 3

Here, you’re just showing off your personality. Now is not the time to say that you jam out to Chopin’s Nocturne in E-flat major, unless that is your truth, and in that case, own it! Don’t worry about choosing something impressive, all you have to do is write about your favorite song! 

Some examples might include:

e.g. “Every once and awhile, my family will be sitting at our kitchen table when ‘Cecilia’ by Simon and Garfunkel will come on. There is something about the rhythmic stop-clap at the beginning that brings us all to our feet, tromping across the kitchen floor in syncopated bliss.” (47 words)

e.g. “The most authentic version of myself is this: windows down, sunroof open, “Truth Hurts” by Lizzo playing. I love to duet to her recorded voice a quarter tone flat, not a care in the world or a single note sung correctly.” (41 words)

Have fun with this one!

Short Response Question 4

Use this space to be straightforward and direct. Perhaps you have a hobby that wasn’t really explored yet or a quirk that all your friends have come to identify you with. Perhaps you want to talk about your religion, sexuality, gender identity, family structure…Whatever it is that makes you the person you are, this is the space to put it into the spotlight.

You only have fifty words. This is tough to fit in a very serious aspect of your identity, but not impossible. You want to pack in as much “punch” as possible.

e.g: “I received Reggie as a bar mitzvah present. As a lifetime lover of reptiles, I have two snakes and a gecko, but the chameleon is my favorite. As I wear my “Chameleon Dad” shirt around my house, I watch with joy as he climbs the table with his zygodactylous feet.” (50 words)

When filling out this section, try to be as memorable, but authentic, as possible. Re-read these four short answer questions and ask yourself, “How could I summarize myself in these questions?” If your responses are forgettable, go back and see if you can find a more exciting option. This is a unique opportunity to present your authentic, unadulterated self to a college. Embrace it!

Prompt 1, Option A

Tell us about an experience when you dealt with disagreement or conflict around different perspectives within a community. (200 words).

This prompt is the classic “conflict question.” A favorite question in behavioral interviews, this question is asking for you to demonstrate your ability to facilitate through disagreement or conflict. 

Beware! When answering this prompt you run the risk of:

• Taking no responsibility and looking uncompromising, difficult to work with, etc.
• Taking all of the responsibility and looking incompetent, weak, etc.

To write this essay to the best of your ability, choose a scenario where you and the other party could have done something better. Then start by identifying what happened. If possible, try to avoid group projects, as this is a very common and routine answer.

1. Identify a conflict.

Once you identify an instance of disagreement or conflict, you want to present it in an engaging manner. Do not attempt to regurgitate the language of the prompt. How will your essay stand out from thousands? A good hook.

Here is a weak example that simply restates the prompt:

e.g. “One experience I have dealing with conflict was when my twin brother and I were on a road trip and I couldn’t follow the directions.”

You can do better than that! Try starting the story in media res —in the middle of an action! This is typically way more exciting.

e.g. “‘Pull over!’ My twin brother screamed, while reaching over the center console to commandeer the steering wheel. While trying to swat off his intensifying attacks and focus on the road, the car was beginning to swerve.

Although graced with several gifts, spatial awareness is not one that I possess. I am still learning how to drive a car in reverse, sadly resulting in the untimely death of several neighborhood trash cans and exactly two mailboxes. I have no hand-eye coordination, making tennis and baseball virtually impossible. And, I am absolutely terrible at directions.”

2. Explain your response to the conflict.

How did you handle the conflict? What is its origin? Who is responsible for the conflict?

In this section, you should address actions you took to stop the conflict. While taking responsibility, address how you changed the other person’s behavior or your own.

e.g. “As we approach the city limits of Albuquerque, my brother begins to give instructions. ‘In .6 miles take a left,’ he tells me. While his intentions are pure, this unit of measurement is essentially meaningless to me.

‘Can you just give me the street name and a warning?’ I ask.

‘That is a warning,’ he scoffs, before putting his feet up on the dashboard in an act of defiance.

‘Can you just try to give directions in a different way that helps me?’ I ask.”

3. Share the resolution and the long-term results.

What resulted from your confrontation? If nothing, maybe something changed about your perspective or you learned a lesson.

e.g. “After briefly vowing to only take separate cars for the rest of our lives, my brother and I were able to reconcile and find a better way to communicate while driving.”

Prompt 1, Option B

Tell us about one of the communities you belong to and what it means to bring that shared belief and/or perspective to pomona. (200 words).

A quote from Pomona’s website reads, “the line between living and learning is practically non-existent. Ninety-four percent of our students live on campus all four years, and many professors live within five miles of campus. This creates a close-knit community where new collaborations or eye-opening discussions can spring up anywhere – a dorm, club meeting, or at lunch with a professor.” 

This living-learning environment is likely the reason behind this prompt. Pomona wants to understand how you’ll contribute to their community; this is a classic Diversity College Essay .

To start, think about which community you want to mention. There are many types of community. Geographic, religious, identity-based, familial, academic, extracurricular, etc. The choice is up to you, but the actual community you pick should have certain codes or values (formal or informal) that align with an aspect of Pomona.

Establishing a connection between your community and Pomona requires extensive research, so take your time to dig through the website, watch day in the life videos, and see if you can talk to a current student through your mutual connections.

Once you’ve done that, here’s what an outline of your essay might look like:

2. Give a description of the community you belong to.

Consider starting with an anecdote, metaphor, or effective hook.

e.g. “Upon re-entry to the Earth’s atmosphere, the Apollo 16 crew experienced 7.19 units of g-force. Strapped inside two chambers, both a vertical and auxiliary, I remember the lessons my instructor taught me: breathe deeply, focus, and remember your training. My vision begins to blur as I feel a tightening—almost a crushing—sensation in my chest.

Upon the successful simulation, I exit the chamber to find my fellow friends and trainees eagerly anticipating my review. ‘How was it?’ they ask, with fervor and excitement. I struggle to find the words as they pat me on the back and bombard me with even more questions.”

3. Identify the value.

This value should be similar to one of Pomona’s values. Additionally, you should show, not tell how this value exists in your chosen community. 

For example, if you are writing about Pomona’s love of learning outside of the classroom, a weak essay might directly say:

e.g. “At Space Camp, conversations about space happen outside of the classroom. I really enjoy talking to my peers about space and debating topics.”

A stronger prompt continues the narrative structure and introduces this idea with nuance.

e.g. “Although only five days, Space Camp is the highlight of my year. After a long day of simulations and training, I’ll return to my barrack. As late-night turns into early morning, my peers and I will discuss anything from the possibility of life on Europa to the Fermi paradox.”

4. Make the Connection to Pomona

Utilize your research. Without sounding like you already attend Pomona, seamlessly integrate your narrative into the context of Pomona’s community.

e.g. “I believe an education at Pomona would allow me to develop my intellectual curiosities. As someone who enjoys both traditional and experiential learning, in and outside of the classroom, I feel like my love of debate and pursuit of knowledge could be enhanced, if not maximized, by a Pomona education. Similar to my late-night talks at Space Camp in Alabama, I can picture myself, coffee in hand, talking about the Zoo hypothesis with my peers in the common room of Lyon Court as a brief tangent from studying for our Organic Chemistry midterm.”

Helen Keller once said, “The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of tiny pushes of each honest worker.” Whether you aspire to be a hero or an honest worker, what impact do you want to have in the Pomona community, your community back home, or any new community? (200 words)

First, let’s make the distinction: are you a hero or an honest worker? There is not a wrong answer. A hero might look like someone with large amounts of community service, a person who has done a lot for a particular community, etc. Whereas an honest worker could be an aspiring researcher, an artist, someone who has made smaller gestures toward a larger goal.

Again, the key to this prompt is research and the presentation of that research. How have your actions affected your community at home, and how would you continue them to make change at Pomona?

If you elected to complete Option B of the first essay, make sure to talk about a different facet of your identity.

1.  Present your identity as a hero or honest worker (or something else) in an engaging way.

Are you a “hero” because you work as a volunteer firefighter and want to pursue a major in Science, Technology and Society (STS) to maximize safety in engineering practices? Fantastic. 

Are you an honest worker because you are a writer who believes that an article can change the world and want to study under Professor Kevin Dettmar? Perfect.

Do you want to be something in-between? Do you want to be an MD-PhD who does cancer research but also treats low-income patients? Also great.

Try presenting your identity with a short anecdote or metaphor.

e.g. “As the last bell rang on Wednesday afternoon, I feverishly shoved my books and laptop into my backpack and raced down the hall to the library. In about 10 minutes my favorite part of the week would begin: the meeting for my school’s newspaper.

While I loved writing essays and compositions for my English classes, it never gave me the same thrill as writing articles for my school’s newspaper. As a journalist and reporter, I aspire to be an honest worker, using each article I write as an opportunity to inspire, educate, and evoke change.”

2. Synthesize your identity at home to your potential identity at Pomona.

After identifying yourself as a “hero,” “honest worker,” or something in-between, begin to reflect upon why you sorted yourself into either category. Focus on one reason. 

e.g. “I consider myself an honest worker because I value the smaller steps required to reach a larger goal. Whether I’m writing an article about improving the food in the cafeteria or eliminating racism and discrimination, I use my words to empower others to question current norms and take action.”

3. Address the “impact” you want to have in the Pomona Community.

Explain to the admissions officers how you will continue to be an active and impactful community member at Pomona.

e.g. “At Pomona, I hope to contribute to The Student Life Newspaper and continue to use my words to evoke change. As an active community member, I will make a positive impact on Pomona’s campus by identifying and writing about important problems that should be corrected. I will do my best as an honest worker to not only make my own small pushes, but also inspire others to do the same in order to better Pomona’s community.”

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, cal poly pomona vs pomona college—how to choose.

Hi guys! I got accepted to both Cal Poly Pomona and Pomona College, and I'm having trouble deciding which one to attend. Can anyone give me some insight on the differences between these two schools, especially in terms of academics, campus life, and post-grad opportunities?

Congratulations on your acceptances! You're considering two great schools, but they have some significant differences. Let me break down some key points to help you make a more informed choice.

Cal Poly Pomona is a public university known for its strong emphasis on applied and technical education, particularly in engineering, architecture, and business. It follows a polytechnic approach, which focuses more on hands-on learning and practical skills.

Pomona College, on the other hand, is a private liberal arts college that offers a more well-rounded and academically diverse education. As a member of the Claremont Colleges consortium, you'd have access to over 2,000 courses and resources across the five undergraduate colleges. Pomona has smaller class sizes, offering more personalized attention from professors.

Campus Life:

Cal Poly Pomona has a larger student population compared to Pomona College. As a result, the social scene and campus events might feel more vibrant and diverse. Being a public university, Cal Poly Pomona also offers on-campus housing options that are generally more affordable.

Pomona College's smaller size fosters a tight-knit community, where you can build deeper relationships with peers and faculty. Its location within the Claremont Colleges consortium also means you'll have many opportunities to interact with students from the other member schools.

Post-Grad Opportunities:

Cal Poly Pomona's applied academic focus may provide you with more hands-on experience and industry connections in your chosen field, potentially improving your employability after graduation.

Pomona College's strong liberal arts education can help you develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills valued by a wide array of employers and graduate programs. The college's prestigious reputation among top liberal arts colleges, combined with its extensive alumni network, could also open doors to opportunities and connections in various fields.

Ultimately, the choice depends on your personal goals and preferences. If you're looking for a more applied, skill-focused education in a larger environment, Cal Poly Pomona may be a better fit. On the other hand, if you prefer a more diverse academic experience, a strong liberal arts foundation, and a smaller, tight-knit environment, Pomona College might be the right choice for you. Good luck with your decision!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

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