So, I have a pretty low gpa, around 3.0 - 3.3, and I was wondering if I have a chance of getting in. I am captain of my schools varsity football team, captain of the varsity lacrosse team, I participate in my schools production(designing sets and woodworking to make the sets), and I have volunteer in Red Cross. My sat is a 1430 out of a 1600, but I am going to take it again and plan on getting higher than a 1500. I might take the ACT to try to get above a 32. I am going to SAT2S and try to get 750s or higher. With all of this and a potentially nice essay and teacher recs, can i get in?
btw im in a very competitive STEM high school in NY and the gpa is out of a 4 scale
Probably not but I’m not 100% sure if your coming out of high school. I would never tell someone not to try, so apply anyways. However, I would suggest looking into your local community college. The path to enter USC as a transfer is easier. If your captain of this and than but have a low GPA, that just tells me you focused on sports over your grades. Time and again USC hammers home the importance of a high GPA.
@bugajskj I wouldn’t characterize the transfer path to USC as being “easier.” The admission rate of USC transfer applicants is almost as low as it is for freshmen (like around 20% for transfers), and the average admitted college GPA is 3.7. There are still thousands turned away each year. But yes, I agree with you: one should never not try, since the outcome of any college application isn’t always easy to predict.
I characterize “easier” as having less variables too deal with. After two years with a good GPA you have proven you can take on college coursework and what some may consider an “adult” phase of life (many transfers work for a living after high school which universities take into account) AND as a junior transfer your high school grades/Test scores are irrelevant. As a high school student you have four years of grade accumulation, ACT SAT testing, and your EC’s play a bigger role. So yes, it is easier.