Am I on the right path?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Southern California
1

<p>I'm a junior in high school. I wanted to directly see what some people who go to USC/have been to USC have to say about my chances. </p>

<p>I dream of going to USC School of Cinematic Arts. It's one of the most prestigious and exclusive film programs in the world. And it's my dream.</p>

<p>I just want to know if I'm on the right path.</p>

<p>I am a good student. I get mostly A's and B's, but have received 3 C+'s in my high school career so far (math classes). I'm poised to have straight A's this year. My GPA right now is a 3.2, but with my poised straight A's this and next year - it should go up and with the right calculations from my college counselor, I should have a 3.5-3.6 expected GPA. </p>

<p>I am a very well-rounded person.</p>

<p>I am the founder and President of the Cinema Club at my school (3 years)
I am an inducted member of the International Thespian Society, which is an honor society dedicated to the theatre and film arts. I was elected PR Officer on the Executive Board, and am poised to be President next year. (4 years)
I am a scholar athlete on the Varsity Swim team. (3 years)
I am a staff member of my school's news station, WHTV (3 years)
I am a staff member of our school's newspaper (2 years)
I am a staff member of our school's literary magazine (2 years)
I am in all of the main stage play productions our school produces, with main roles every year. (3 years)
I've written, acted and directed plays in the 10 Minute Play Festival every single year (4 years).</p>

<p>Some community service that I've engaged in includes giving away hours at a yearly haunted house fundraiser - which this year, the funds are going to a charity for a proper water well in a village in Africa (run by Senior President of ITS).</p>

<p>I make short films in my spare time. My first short film that I ever made (written/directed/produced) was awarded the top rating, Superior, at the New Hampshire Thespian Festival, and was invited to screen at the national festival in Lincoln, Nebraska.</p>

<p>I also am taking a personal master screenwriting analysis with an Academy Award winner, Ernest Thompson (he wrote and won the Oscar for On Golden Pond). He is also willing to write a college recommendation letter.</p>

<p>I am a very involved student, and I work really hard to keep up good grades - despite losing my way in my Math courses Freshman & Sophomore year with the C+'s...</p>

<p>Anyway, I was wondering, with this information, if I'm on the right path to a potential acceptance to USC? Is there anything I can be doing differently/add on? </p>

<p>Thank you so much!</p>

2

<p>School of Cinematic Arts (SCA) takes only 4% of its applicants and from what I can see, no waitlist. So the odds for any candidate are automatically (excruciatingly) low.</p>

<p>No one can tell you if you have a shot or not. Certainly your activities are in the ballpark. But USC turns down a lot of equally qualified, passionate students each year. All with great stats and great motivation. They have also taken students who have no film background and do not have lengthy resumes such as yours. But they showed strong potential.</p>

<p>What I can say from the perspective of someone who works with Admissions for a different college is that your emphasis on volume of “activities” may be a flag especially in light of the 3 C’s in math. Glad to hear the grades are better because it will show “growth.”</p>

<p>SCA isn’t math based, and they look holistically at the entire candidate. So you’re portfolio and your essays (not your resume) is going to do all the heavy lifting. It isn’t “what” you did that counts - but how and why you did them that most colleges will be looking for. Long resumes are common. Passion and depth - not so much. And the latter two tend to stand out in a positive way.</p>

<p>My advice - be who you are, do your best on your applications. Don’t do activities because they might “look good” to USC. Do them because they matter to you (with or without college on the horizon). Then hope for the best. Colleges tend to be pretty good at choosing the students who best fit the campus culture and fill their needs for a diverse class (in terms of talents and interests).</p>

<p>Everyone who applies has a shot. Other than that, no one can say if the odds will be in your favor.</p>

<p>Good luck.</p>