Did you get into Cal Poly? Here’s what to know as acceptance letters go out
It’s that time of the year again — thousands of Mustang hopefuls are eagerly waiting to see whether they’ll receive a coveted acceptance letter to Cal Poly.
While some may have already received their answers, others are still waiting to hear back — and that waiting could last through the end of the month.
University spokesperson Matt Lazier confirmed on Thursday that Cal Poly had started issuing admissions letters.
All applicants were slated to learn whether they were accepted, waitlisted or rejected by April 1, he said.
Students who applied will receive an email notifying them that their application status has changed, Lazier said.
After that, their admissions decision can be seen in the Cal Poly application portal.
Accepted students will have until May 1 to accept their admission. Steps like applying for housing and choosing a meal plan will follow your acceptance.
Cal Poly has not yet released the total number of applications it received for fall 2026, but last year it set a new record with 81,914.
What to know if you’ve been waitlisted
If you land on the waitlist, you still have a good chance to get in.
The university begins admitting from the waitlist after students who have been accepted choose to go elsewhere and give up their spot.
That process usually lasts until July 15, but it can go even longer.
“There are no ‘rankings’ on the waitlist, and only the application materials that were reviewed initially will be used in any waitlist decisions,” the university’s website says.
If you are an eligible California resident who has been waitlisted or denied admission to Cal Poly, you could potentially be redirected to a non-impacted California State University campus.
The CSU will inform students of available campuses via email, according to the admissions website.
If you have questions, the Cal Poly admissions office can be reached via email at admissions@calpoly.edu.
I wasn’t accepted. Can I appeal the decision?
If you were not accepted to Cal Poly for the fall, all hope is not necessarily lost.
Students who are not admitted have a two-week window to appeal an admissions decision — though the likelihood of the rejection being overturned is very low, according to Cal Poly’s admissions appeal website.
“For an appeal to have merit, it must contain new, serious and compelling information that clearly shows you to be academically stronger than had been earlier evidenced,” the website said. “Neither grades received in the current academic year nor mistakes made on the application are a basis for an appeal or the reversal of a decision.”
Students who file appeals will hear back within three weeks of the university receiving their application, according to the website.
This story was originally published March 12, 2026 at 5:12 PM with the headline "Did you get into Cal Poly? Here’s what to know as acceptance letters go out."
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