2 Part Thread: 1- Chance me! 2- Interview help!

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Southern California
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<p>Hey everyone! Call me LP. Please take a few moments to look through this thread to help me out a bit. Any feedback is helpful and appreciated! I live in Beijing, China and I attend an international school. I'm American-Chinese but I've lived here since 4th grade. Please chance me :)</p>

<p>Oh yeah, I'm a Full IB Candidate, Not sure how that'll help at all haha.
Hardest courseload possible.</p>

<p>PART 1: Chance me!
GPA: 3.2 approximately UW
low Freshmen Year, and 4.0 Sophomore year. and Average Junior Year.
Currently a senior. Before you discard of me, please read on (:</p>

<p>SAT: 2060
Writing: 680
Math: 700
Readin: 680</p>

<p>PSAT: 202 (National Merit - Semi-Finalist)</p>

<p>Other stuff:
- Student council 11th Grade President
- Student council 12th Grade Executive President (highest)
- Varsity Basketball
- Varsity Volleyball - Asian-Pacific Championship 1st Place
- JV Basketball - Most Valuable Player, Team Captain
- JV Volleyball
- Varsity Track and Field - Most Valuable Player, 1500m record holder
- Interact (community service) Member
- School article - Journalist
- Forensics Speech and Debate Team - Member
- Financial Club</p>

<p>OTHER other stuff:
- Both my parents attended USC
- I am a Californian resident (although I doubt this matters)
- Not applying for Financial Aid
- Love business
- I am starting my own company in Beijing
- I love investing in stocks</p>

<p>Not sure what else there is. I'll be sure to add on if there is. Please chance me. Be fair, but be square. :) Thanks everyone. I appreciate the time.</p>

<p>PART 2: Interview</p>

<p>I am flying over for a week to LA from Beijing to have my interview. Any tips?
-What kind of questions do they ask?
-Anything I should be aware of?
-How much does it affect admission process?
-Will this help me?</p>

<p>I'm an above-average speaker and I hope I can make a good impression. I want to show them who I am besides my grades that were low in Freshmen year. I want to show them the me that loves business, loves academia, and loves USC. </p>

<p>Any help would be appreciated. Thanks USC ppl!</p>

<p>-LP</p>

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<p>Of course it depends on to which school you are applying. If it's Business/Marshall, you may have a tough time with the GPA, but your ec's may just do it for you. You may have a better chance with CLAS (College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences.) </p>

<p>Since you are full IB (and if you've had honors classes), that will also help balance your GPA- adcoms will see that. When they look at your GPA (UW), they evaluate it along with the strength of your classes and your class rank.</p>

<p>Since you are a CA resident, you may have some good luck at a UC since they don't count freshman year.</p>

<p>In the interview and essays, stress your leadership. Relax, show your confidence and maturity, and try not to be cocky. Bring a resume to your interview. My sons' interviews were primarily based on going over their resumes and they talked about their ec's. The interview is a very small part of admissions considerations, but it adds up with all the other little things. </p>

<p>FYI- Admissions are not based on financial need (or no need) or legacy (except under extreme circumstances.) The legacy part will help you only if you are not accepted- admissions will provide a one time consultation to help you transfer later. </p>

<p>Search through some old posts on this USC forum. Look at the Official Decisions for Fall 2007 to see the stats and ec's of those admitted. Look at the interview threads to see what others said about that. Get very familiar with the state of USC now. (It's different than when your parents were there- I know- I went to USC years ago!) This will all help show your passion when you write those essays. </p>

<p>Some students with your stats have gotten in to USC and some haven't. You sound like the type with the passion and energy to pull it off. Good luck.</p>

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<p>Bump!bump!bump!bump!bump!bump!bump!</p>