I’m currently a junior in high school with a 4.0 unweighted GPA, 4.467 total weighted, and 4.8 weighted for 10-12 so far. I am also ranked 1 out of 474 on a decile scale in my graduating class, I would have taken 9 AP classes in my four years, and I’m also on the varsity basketball team at my school and have been a member of several different clubs around campus. USC is my dream school because my grandfather went there on a track scholarship and led the team to a national championship in 1954, so I’ve been a fan for life and feel extremely comfortable on campus. I recently took my SAT and got a 1410 (750 math, 660 English) with a 7-7-7 essay. Do I have a good chance of getting in? If not, what should I do to make me a better applicant?
Congratulations on doing so well in high school. USC uses a holistic admissions process and your chances of being admitted depend on many factors, including your choice of major.
Here are some thoughts…
If you are able, I would study for and re-take the SAT to try to get closer to 1500. You have a high math score, so I’ll make the assumption that you are pursuing a STEM field. For reference, the average SAT for accepted Viterbi students this year was around 1460.
Take the summer to work on your essays so you stand out and show what you can bring to USC. The story about your Grandfather is great, and I would find a way to use that, but be aware that legacy status does not count nearly as much at USC as it used to.
If your ECs are limited to school clubs and basketball, you still have time to engage in an outside activity that ties to your planned major. See if you can get a summer job or internship that shows you’re serious about your course of study.
Demonstrating interest is important. If you are in SoCal or can get here, I would recommend sitting for the optional interview. They start accepting appointments in July for interviews in late summer and fall, and the interview slots will fill up fast. USC says an interview will not influence your chances of admissions, but my D interviewed and we got the feeling that it helped. The interviewer’s notes become part of your acceptance package and will be seen by everyone who reviews it.
If the regional USC admissions officer visits your school or your city, definitely go and introduce yourself to him or her, and follow up with a short note thanking them and telling them a little about yourself.
It sounds like you have lots of passion for the school, and I’m sure that will come through. Good luck!
@kcheves Thank you so much for the input! You were right about the STEM field, I’m leaning towards majoring in biomedical engineering with a biochemical emphasis. I failed to mention this but my school has a senior PACE project that involves putting in 30+ hours into a field of interest (internships, volunteering, etc.) and writing a research paper on a related topic. I’m pretty certain that it would be best to try to do my project more geared towards bioengineering after reading your comment, so thank you for the advice regarding the ECs reflecting my major!
@mb0121, you’re welcome! The PACE program sounds great, best of luck to you.