I have a 3.34 GPA from a CSU and I’m planning to transfer to USC for Fall 2016 as a sophomore. I’m volunteering at a hospital, holding leadership positions in school clubs, etc. I think I have a good number of “higher than normal” extracurriculars. Most of my courses this semester fulfill the USC common core/GE. I also have some courses that fulfill the prerequisites for my intending major, although I will be applying as undeclared. My letter of rec is coming from my English teacher who knew me decently well and how I act in the classroom. I applied to USC my senior year of high school but obviously I got denied, do you think my dedication to attend USC will help with my applications this time around? What are my chances with getting accepted? Thanks
@badmintongirl Hey, I’m in the same situation as you, but I won’t have one of the pre-req’s done by spring of 2016, will I be auto denied admission of that major, or since, because I am applying as a sophomore, will get over-viewed? Thanks for your help.
Does anyone know if it will be inherently harder to get into marshall, than applying as say undecided?
@genieforuboi
I had a similar question that didn’t get resolved very well. I want to get in to Marshall so I want to apply to the major that would most surely get me in. I don’t know which one that is though. So any feedback? I only want to do it if I can still get into Marshall later.
Thankyou
@badmintongirl One of my EC’s was volunteering at LAC+USC Medical Center. Hmm, your GPA is maybe just a bit on the lower side, but if you do have several EC’s, that will definitely help. I do think that USC admires people that don’t give up. I was rejected before being accepted myself - there’s a pretty high sucess rate of people that were rejected before getting in the next cycle.
@JC10202010 The only thing I’ve heard is that there is usually a process if you don’t directly get into Marshall as a transfer. For example, if you didn’t take calc or some other prep course, you’d need to get at least a B in both courses or such to get into Marshall. I suppose they could always be understanding, but that process sounds tougher than directly transferring into the school. So I guess you could always try for a major outside Marshall, but make sure you sorta like it in case you’d get stuck with it, but it does seem like most people are able to move around schools if they really try though 
The only examples I can think of on the forum right now are two students that wanted to transfer into Viterbi and were instructed to do decently well in prep courses before they’d be considered for that change.
Hey quick question: If your just a member of a club and don’t hold a title, should you still put that on an application? Thanks.
@zettasyntax
Thankyou for answering my question.
On another note, does anyone know who it is that reviews your application and decides if you get in. Is it the counselor for your CCC area? For example if im in Hollywood , would if be the admissions counselor for that area that would review my application and determine my acceptance?
@JC10202010 The admissions committee at USC are the ones who ultimately decide if you are accepted or denied. Your admissions counselor merely serves as the person who communicates between you and the admissions committee. For example, if the committee needs extra paperwork from you or clarification about anything on your application, they will inform your admissions counselor about it and he/she will email you about it.
Thankyou @badmintongirl that was very helpful.
This might seem a little bit ignorant, but why do the counselors have so many amazing degrees?
@chjd22 It wouldn’t hurt to just include it in your application since it will give the admissions committee an indication of what kind of person you are and what are your interests.
@silvermansachs Because you are applying as a sophomore, I am pretty sure that it will be overviewed because you will have 1 year at USC to complete the missing prerequisites. You are not required to declare a major until junior year so you will not be auto denied because of incomplete prereqs.
@JC10202010 Haha I have no clue! Maybe that’s why they’re qualified to be university admissions counselors 
Hi everyone, I’m planning to apply to International Relations (emphasis in Global Business) or Business admin (concentrate in IR). Current CGPA is 3.67 and I’ve done most of the Busienss core courses. I was a business major previously but I plan to take up IR too. I heard that Marshall is really hard to enter so anyone here can suggest if I should put IR or Business as my intended major? Which major would be sort of “easier” to get in?
Does anybody know what major I can apply as that is in some way related to business but doesn’t require alot of math. I am horrible at math but have already taken accounting and econ and I want to transfer into Marshall after having been accepted to another major. In needs to be something that makes sense to admissions counselors because of the courses I already took might make it look auspicious. My essay was all about starting my own business so that will seem odd. I play piano so I might want to pursue a major that is related to piano but that doesn’t require a high technical proficiency. Is there a piano building major?
Or whatever else will get me in?
I also have the same question as yuanqii. Should I apply to that major instead, it seems good?
@JC10202010 Why can’t you apply as business again? You can apply as two majors. There are lots of majors that can be tied into business, lol.
@Yuanqii You can apply to both majors and then see what happens. You can always try reapplying to Marshall when you’re a student.
The commonapp gives you guys two major options so I don’t understand the problem here. If you get into Marshall, great. If you get into your alternate, you can stick with it (if you end up liking it) or you can try to switch over to Marshall.
Would admissions officers know I am applying to two majors and does it make a difference if they do.
I’m currently taking college algebra, and im at best going to get a B so what majors do you guys think could be tied to business?
@JC10202010 Have you looked at your commonapp already? Once you’ve added USC to your list, it shows that you can choose your intended major and alternate major. If you are a sophomore transfer, you can put undecided as your alternate if you can’t come up with anything. If you are a junior transfer, you will have to select another major. College algebra? Have you taken any calc courses yet? Also, it depends on which field of business you’re looking at doing. Look into the field you want to do and use google as a resource to find what other majors would be applicable to your business interests. (e.g. Human Resources = Sociology or Psychology would be good non-business majors for that career path as well)
Thanks @mochibbycake I will definitely look into that. I just want to do the least amount of math as possible because it will ruin my grades.
@mochibbycake thanks! I actually did 2 Math courses which were calculus for business and social sciences in my college. But the requirements for IR is fundamental calc so I wonder if both my Math courses would transfer Or I’ll have to take up another math course in USC? For now I think I have yet to complete one of the required courses for the major, so can I still apply for it? Or do I have to apply as undecided to complete that one course before applying straight to IR?
@mochibbycake oh by the way! I did quite a lot of business courses as I was a business major, so will they transfer? I didn’t take Intro to IR or any IR related courses yet. There’s only one pre req for IR if I’m not mistaken, can I take it in USC itself? Because I don’t think it’s offered in my college any time soon 