Chances for USC?

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

Hi everyone, I’m an HS senior and I have a pretty solidified list of colleges, but I can’t decide if I should apply to USC or if it would be too much of a reach. Any opinions would be great!

Gender: Female
Ethnicity: White
Income: probably 250,000+
State: NJ

ACT:
SAT: 2040 (690CR, 610M, 740W)
SAT II: 720 Literature, 700 US History
GPA (UW/W): 3.6/4.28
Rank: Top 25% (bleh)

  • Sort of rough junior year, I took really hard classes but got a lot of Bs
  • All the hardest tracks for classes available besides math. My school offers AP Calc but I’m only in Calc H. I did take high honors math classes (equivalent to AP at my school) for Algebra 2, Geometry, and Precalculus
  • Doubled up on English junior year with both AP and high honors courses

AP: English Lang&Comp (5), US History taken over 2 years as my history class because of NJ state standards (5), Biology (3 but not reporting haha)

Senior Year Course load: Calculus H, AP Environmental Science, AP Lit, Latin 4 HH, AP Government and Politics, Gym (have to take it all 4 years), Lunch

Extracurriculars:
President of Model UN Club
President of Model Congress Club
President of Sister to Sister Mentoring Club
Member of small learning community at my school focused on politics and government and service w/ leadership positions
150+ hours in Key Club
Extensive summer volunteering and tutoring for younger students in English
Tutor 1x per week for an organization that serves low income elementary school students
Library job 6 hrs per week
Head Chairperson of my library’s library youth programming planning board
Staff writer for a national educational magazine for teens by teens; articles published in the magazine and blog posts published on their official website that gets 500,000 individual readers per month (not saying the name for privacy)
NHS member
Senior Peer Leader at freshman orientation this past summer
National Latin Honor Society Member
Magna Cum Laude on National Latin Exam 2x

Essays: I love writing and have had my essays checked over, so I think very good. My topic for the common app was creative.
Letters of Rec: Should be really great, one is from a teacher I had for both my English classes last year

Major: Political Science or English most likely

Thanks!!

2

It is a (low) reach.

3

USC would be a reach for you, due to SAT and GPA. But definitely apply, because your ECs are good!

Chance me back?
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/what-my-chances/1833338-chance-me-for-ucs-and-usc.html#latest

4

bumpbump

5

According to USC’s website the average unweighted GPA is 3.73 and in the 50% SAT range is 1980-2200, you have a below average GPA but your SAT is right on par for USC. I would say USC is a high match for you based on your scores but when you exemplify your EC it will look very good. Best of luck!

Hit that helpful button if i helped :smiley:

6

Imagine spending a few hours shopping for a coat, finding one you love, and buying it even though you live someplace you don’t really need coat and may never wear it. Is it worth it to you just for the chance to wear it and because you love it? It cost $80 to apply to USC, plus sending your scores and the cost of your time. Assuming you are applying to other colleges that are “safeties,” why the heck not?