SAT: 2120 (CR-660, M-800, W-660 Essay:10)
SAT II: 720-Physics, 760- Math II (Would retaking Math II for 800 make a difference?)
GPA Top 10% of Class; (assuming there is grade deflation at my school):
9-11 UW- 3.68
9-11 W- 4.16
By the time of graduation I will have taken 12 AP courses! (Explains my poor GPA)
I have a strong upward trend:
Freshman (8 A’s 4 B’s)
Sophomore (6 A’s 4 B’s 2 C’s)
Junior (13 A’s)
Senior Year Schedule (Rigorous Schedule?)
AP Gov
AP Stats
AP Psych
AP Physics C
AP Lit
AP Computer Science/Tennis
Extracurriculars:
CSF (3 Years)
Key Club (3 Years)
Taekwondo 3rd Degree Black Belt (13+ Years)-What My Essay is about
1st Place Cal State Open Taekwondo Tournament
Junior Leadership Team for Taekwondo
Taekwondo Instructor Experience (200 Hours)
Volunteer as Taekwondo Instructor (50 Hours)
Social Security Office Internship
Orange County Math Circle Competition-4th Place
Love 2 Read (Library Reading Program)
Teen Advisory Board at Library
AP Scholar With Distinction
USC Discover Engineering (3 UNIT COURSE)-LAST SUMMER
600+ Community service hours
I think your ECs bump you up from a below average to average applicant, especially being a Taekwondo instructor. It’s a lot more important to demonstrate immense passion for one pursuit that to litter your resume with minor involvements in random things. Talking about it in your essay was a good idea. I’m not sure if its too late to retake the SAT or ACT, but a higher score would help.
Did you go to a prep school/private school? 3.7 GPA and in the top 10% sounds pretty competitive. If so, USC will evaluate that fairly, unlike the UCs that just skim the top 10% from where ever. If 50% of USC’s students weren’t from private schools, the average accepted GPA would probably be like 3.9. Just so you have a fair idea that there’s a lot people in the same boat as you that get accepted.
@epicer Nope, I go to a public school and my GPA is a 3.68 UW, but it is mostly because AP Chemistry and AP European history are really hard at my school and the average grade is a C+, in those courses, and I took them as a sophomore, and this caused my GPA to take a hit, but I got all A’s junior year in 4 AP Classes, so hopefully that will help out quite a bit, due to the upward trend. But thanks for the chance!
eh… I got into Dornsife last year with a 1710 SAT/28 ACT score, so anything is possible. Being a minority helps, but being from Orange County doesn’t. You never know, though. USC looks at applicants pretty thoroughly.
Good luck!
