@Pantafootball I don’t think a C matters too much if you take a higher-level class and perform the same/better I’m sure a C would have been the highest grade I could have hoped for had I not dropped the class.
@jjcc77 There’s really no predicting things with USC. I know a poli sci transfer that had all possible prep completed (including her GEs) and she also had a 4.0 GPA, yet she was a spring admit. The most logical reason as to why they would defer students to spring would be to not have them harm their “3.7 average admitted GPA”, so there are obviously other factors. One person even suggested that a bad essay could land you a spot as a spring admit, so the theories are crazy, haha.
@zettasyntax I wouldn’t mind being admitted for spring. I just want to be admitted! Also, because I have a lot of credits how do you think USC would consider my hs transcripts?
@jjcc77 Yup, @et8818 is right I actually had nothing in terms of HS transcripts lol (I was only in the 9th grade for ~ 2 months, so I had no completed credits whatsoever) =\ Once you’re over 30 units, they don’t really care. They just want to know that you graduated.
I know chance me’s can be pointless, but I was wondering if any of you lovely folks could give me feedback on my application?
Salem State
Honors Program
GPA: 3.67 now, 3.74 after this semester.
Credits (by end of Spring '17 semester): 71, Junior status.
Major: Economics
Prereqs: About half done. Will be taking the rest in the spring semester as I apply.
College extracurriculars:
Research Assistant
Vice President of Community Council in my former resident hall.
Treasurer of Gay Straight Alliance
Peer Leader at LGBT space
Intern at a Chamber of Commerce
Current part time jobs at a haunted house and Escape Room
Member of Music Society
Also: My SATs and HS GPA is awful. I came from a very dysfunctional, low income family with substance abuse so my home life caused my grades and mental health to suffer. Also, my sister passed away last month, right at the beginning of the semester. It’s been devastating, but I can’t lose sight of my own life and goals. I’m pushing through this. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but I will try my hardest to finish with straight A’s. My sister’s passing will likely be the topic of one of my essays.
@mkjmkj like you said, chance me’s are just guesses. But I think your stats look great. You have a tough major and a solid GPA. I think with an equally solid essay, you have a great shot at USC.
I’m so sorry about your sister. I know how losing someone dear to you can threaten to derail your focus. It’s so hard to carry on along the same path when everything is pulled out from under you like that. Keep up the awesome work. Fight on!
@jjcc77 It’s mostly been pretty great! Although, I had a very rocky start. It was quite a dramatic shift from my CC to USC. I understand that some CC’s better prepare one for university study, but I definitely feel like I was not adequately prepared. A fair majority might be used to getting overall 4.0 GPAs or 4.0 semesters, but that might not happen once you start at USC. I feel like I’ve gotten used to the way things are working now however and hope to get more than 1 A this semester lol. I only earned 1 A grade my first semester here and didn’t get any of them during a chaotic summer semester.
@zettasyntax Thanks for sharing! I know it’s gonna be different at the university so I’m trying my best to get solid grades while in cc. I’m glad your adjusting! Are transfer students treated any differently there? If you don’t mind me asking, what’s the lowest grade you’ve gotten?
@zettasyntax I’m also interested in your experience, as I havent started at sc yet. Was it difficult for you to make friends, and what advice do have for making adjusting to the curriculum easier?
@awalksonman@CornellAEMplease I’m guessing you’ll need the updated version of the GE requirements though, if you started college fall 2015 or later. Here is the link for the updated GE curriculum:
@jjcc77 Honestly, I do not believe that people treat you any differently if you are a transfer student. In fact, one of the first people that talked to me at USC was actually a transfer student - but I had no idea. She seemed to be so knowledgeable about all of USC’s resources that I assumed she had been here since she was a freshman. Well, to be honest, I had a disastrous (emphasis on D) summer session. It really messed up my GPA. CS at USC is most certainly not easy. I was told that in this particular class, there was a massive curve and students with averages of 40% or so manage to get a C+. This was not the case and it crushed me because I never thought I’d see such a grade. I’m taking the course again in hopes that a regular semester and different instructor might make it slightly easier for me to handle.
@awalksonman It was very hard for me to make friends. This may have been partly due to the fact that I was a spring admit, but I felt like everybody had already settled into their own little groups by the time I started at USC. Aside from the girl I mentioned above, I haven’t made any close buddies that I text and whatnot. To be honest though, I am very shy and thus socializing is difficult for me; if people don’t talk to me first, I’ll almost never start a conversation. Hmm, I can’t really think of a good piece of advice. I would encourage everybody to utilize office hours though. I wish I had done so during my first semester here, but I was a bit nervous to do so. Also, compared to CC where you can slack off a bit on reading, that doesn’t work at USC. You really need to keep up with the reading. In one class, this was especially the case. I felt that on the first exam, she was testing us on entire chapters despite her insistence that only certain portions/her lecture material would be covered. So it might also be a good idea to read the entire chapter just to be safe. In this situation, I actually wound up with an F on my very first exam. I did redeem myself by getting an A on a subsequent midterm, but the damage had already been done and I ended the class with a C+.
QUESTION ABOUT CLASSES TO TAKE:
next semester, to satisfy all my transferrable course requirements for my major, i can take either business calc or an 8-week calc 1 and 8-week calc 2 class. the latter option being significantly harder, and putting my gpa in more jeopardy if i get a spring grade request. however, taking calc 1 and 2 satisfies berkeley/ucla’s math requirement while business calc doesn’t. usc is still my #1, though. thoughts? i’m desperate, even if u don’t think u know ish respond so i feel a lil more validated with my decision lmao
@rebounded to be straight up, an 8 week calc class sounds like an awful idea, let alone two of them. Really weird that Calc 2 is just a prerequisite for UCLA and Berkeley considering at USC you don’t have to take calc 2 at any point at all for Business. I would recommend talking calc 1 only, because that also satisfies USC’s requirement and half of UCLA and Berkeley
@rebounded that’s odd, I’m taking Calc 1 to satisfy USC’s bus admin requirement and I’d say that’s what most people do… I’ve never seen a scenario where Calc 1 doesn’t satisfy their requirement, only Business Calc. Tough situation you’re in then, If your only options are Bus. Calc or those two 8-week programs, here’s what I’d suggest: if you’re a sophomore applicant, take Business Calc… if you’re a junior applicant, do the two 8-week programs. Or, you could put all of your eggs in one basket and stick to Business Calc regardless, but I assume you want other options if USC doesn’t work out. Good luck!
@nobelcollegekid USC gives priority to in state CC students first, specifically students who are apart of the TTP (Trojan Transfer Plan, theses students have family alum and were denied Freshman year), and 2nd priority is given to OOS CC students. So yes, CC students do have priority over 4 years if that’s what you’re wondering.
I’m sure a C would have been the highest grade I could have hoped for had I not dropped the class.