Newly Admitted Transfer Students

If you sent transfer course transcripts and test scores to Cal Poly by end of day on July 15, you will receive an email from evaluations@calpoly.edu letting you know that your transfer/test scores have been fully processed and your Degree Progress Report (DPR) is available. This report will show you how your classes transferred to Cal Poly and your overall progress toward completing your degree. Your Degree Progress Report is located on the Academics tab on your portal under the block titled "General Degree Resources". You will receive said email prior to your fall enrollment appointment.

If you submitted transcripts/test scores AFTER the July 15 deadline, rest assured that the Evaluations Unit of the Office of the Registrar makes every effort to process transcripts/test scores as quickly as possible (an “RP” notation in your Degree Progress Report indicates that your transfer credit is actively being evaluated). However, your credit evaluation may not be finalized before you register for the fall term. If you have questions, you should work with an Academic Advisor in your College Advising Center to review your planned fall schedule in anticipation of the final processing of your transcripts/test scores.

Transfer students attending California Community Colleges or CSUs may refer to articulation agreements on ASSIST, which equate individual courses to Cal Poly major and support courses. ASSIST also provides CSU General Education lists. For information on using ASSIST to determine Cal Poly credit, please review our “How to Use ASSIST?” page. Some major/support courses may need to be petitioned through the student’s major department if articulation agreements are not in place in ASSIST or if classes were taken at a private institution, a UC, or out-of-state. Evaluations will convert semester units of credit to quarter units by multiplying semester-unit totals by one and one-half.

Note: Transfer students with Advanced Placement credit must have their scores sent to Cal Poly directly from the College Board; notation of AP exams on a college transcript is not sufficient for Cal Poly to award credit. It is recommended that students do this as soon as possible, in order for the transfer evaluation to be as complete and accurate as possible, and in order to satisfy registration prerequisites.

Which courses should I enroll in for fall?

Your major has provided a list of courses they recommend for your fall registration. Seats have been saved for incoming transfers and will open up on registration day.

First, find your college:

• College of Architecture and Environmental Design (CAED) - under Major Specific Resources
• College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences (CAFES)
• College of Engineering (CENG)
• College of Liberal Arts (CLA)
• Bailey College of Science and Mathematics (BCSM)
• Orfalea College of Business (OCOB)

You will have time during your assigned SLO Days in August to connect with your advisor and department to review these course lists and get questions answered prior to your registration. 

When can I register for fall classes?

You will be able to register during your fall enrollment appointment. Your specific enrollment appointment (aka, your assigned registration time) can be found in your Student Center.

To review other important dates, please visit the Planning Calendar for the term.

How to Register for Classes

How to Add and Drop Classes

The “add/drop period” is the first 8 days of instruction of the quarter, during which students can continue to add and/or drop classes from their schedule. After this period, adding and dropping classes is not allowed, although, students can “withdraw” from a class(es) under specific circumstances (see below).

Withdraw Policy

Between the end of the regular add/drop period and the last day of instruction, a student must petition to withdraw from a course for a "serious and compelling" or "emergency" reason. For details on this process, as well as to learn how to withdraw from an entire term, see Drops, Withdraws, and Leaves.

If you have additional questions about your first quarter registration, please refer to Academic Advising's A Transfer Students Guide to Register For Your First Quarter At Cal Poly.

What are the different ways that classes are being offered at Cal Poly?

There are six different modalities of instruction being offered at Cal Poly:

• Synchronous
• Asynchronous
• Sync/Async Hybrid
• In Person
• In Person/Sync Hybrid
• In Person/Async Hybrid

For definitions of modalities and instructions on how to search for classes by modality of instruction in Schedule Builder, please visit the Schedule Builder webpage.

I have questions about how to use Schedule Builder. Is there anyone I can speak with?

Schedule Builder will be reviewed in detail during SLO Days in August. The Office of the Registrar will present a general introduction to the tool and allow ample time to answer questions. Please review all the frequently asked questions and video tutorials outlined on the Schedule Builder webpage to begin familiarizing yourself with the platform.

My Degree Planner displays courses that are not the courses recommended by my Advisor or my Department. What should I do?

Degree Planner is a degree planning tool which provides you with a personalized, pre-populated path to graduation. Your path contains a sequence of courses that you are encouraged to regularly adjust to accurately reflect your future plans. Because coursework is still being posted for fall term, you may see discrepancies between PLANNED courses and what you intend to take. You should work with an Academic Advisor in your college for guidance on recommended coursework for your first term at Cal Poly. Once you log in and begin to use Degree Planner to plan future terms, you will see a higher level of accuracy in interaction between Degree Planner and Schedule Builder.