<p>I've had my heart set on this school since my Freshman year and it is beginning to look bleak. I have a 3.9 UW GPA and a 4.04 W GPA because the only weighted class my school offers is Spanish, so I only have 3 UW credits, compared to over 20 UW credits. I was having really rough personal problems and had really rough course work, so I didn't have time to really prep for the ACT at all and I got a 27 composite. I plan on retaking it two more times. I also plan on taking the SAT twice, but the first testing date is this Saturday. I don't know how I will do on it, because I'm extremely new to the format of the test. I really want to do film, I think I'm really good at it and can only learn more to improve. I've always been a film enthusiast and I made my own 5 minute film at the University of Southern Florida this past summer. I'm from Central Illinois and would love to attend an interview if it would help my chances. Also to alumni or current students, does the application essay really make a huge difference? I am going to work very hard over the summer and during the first semester of my senior year to try and make this happen. Any tips?</p>
<p>First of all -relax! No one has guaranteed admission to USC, but for a freshman -you’re doing great. </p>
<p>GPA: USC looks at unweighted GPA only, actually. A 3.9 is fantastic.</p>
<p>Course rigor: You’re expected to challenge yourself, but only in the context of your school. If AP courses aren’t offered, you won’t be penalized for it.</p>
<p>Test scores: You’re ACT/SAT score increases every year in high school -not because you take them so many times, but because your abilities naturally improve. A 27 at the freshman level is good. It’s sort of frowned upon to retake tests more than twice, so I’d wait till end of junior year for that. Keep taking practice tests to measure your improvement, though.</p>
<p>Essay: Essays are vital. They tell USC about your character, which they use to determine how well you’d contribute to the student body. You should start working on them at the end of your junior year.</p>
<p>SCA: Don’t know much about the film school, so I can’t help with that, except that it’s very competitive. However, if not admitted to SCA, you could still be admitted to the college of letters & sciences (Dornsife).</p>
<p>Of course, with holistic admissions, no one can really chance you, but don’t worry so much about the academic side. :)</p>
<p>You can take test 3 times without it being “frowned upon” and most people do.</p>
<p>I don’t think you are a freshman, you said this has been a dream school since freshman year, what year are you, I am thinking rising senior?</p>
<p>Essays are critical.</p>
<p>^^^“GPA: USC looks at unweighted GPA only, actually. A 3.9 is fantastic.” Not true. They only report the average of the unweighted accepted because of so many different weighted grading systems - it is nearly impossible to report weighted averages. But they certainly look at your weighted GPA and AP courses, and encourage a rigorous course load. Remember, USC looks at EVERYTHING to make an accepted student.</p>
<p>Take the tests when you are ready, don’t necessarily wait till after junior year - if you are advanced in math and English classes taking them during junior year may be better while the material is fresher. If you are already a rising senior as suspected, good luck this weekend. If you don’t rock it, study this summer for the fall tests! You can do it.</p>
<p>Lastly, if you do a whole lot better on one or the other - ACT or SAT, focus on one of them. Don’t test yourself into madness.</p>
<p>“You can take test 3 times without it being “frowned upon” and most people do.”</p>
<p>-Which is why I said retake twice, since he/she has taken it once already. :)</p>
<p>“They only report the average of the unweighted accepted because of so many different weighted grading systems - it is nearly impossible to report weighted averages.”</p>
<p>-Right. No one can say which weighting system is fair, which is why they recalculate to unweighted lol</p>
<p>“But they certainly look at your weighted GPA and AP courses, and encourage a rigorous course load. Remember, USC looks at EVERYTHING to make an accepted student.”</p>
<p>-Yep, they’ll want to see that he/she has challenge himself/herself in light of opportunities presented.</p>
<p>@brilo66 Wow, sorry! For some reason, I read that you were a freshman! I really should be more careful. My bad. Well, as a rising senior, you have less room for changes to GPA/test score, but don’t stress too much anyways. Keep doing your best work, and when application season rolls in, try to present your app in the best light possible. You can always come here for further advice. :)</p>
<p>@brilo66 Good luck on your SAT! I found it easier than the ACT; you could do better on it too. :)</p>
<p>^^^I was concerned with this statement mostly:</p>
<p>“GPA: USC looks at unweighted GPA only, actually.”</p>
<p>That is dangerous to say to unknowing/inexperienced applicants, no matter how you reinterpret and restate it. There is someone who would make USC their dream school cause they would think they don’t care about APs after reading that. Good to clarify.</p>
<p>^ Yes, I should’ve worded that differently. Thanks. Sorry @brilo66. USC does care about AP’s, but since none are offered in your case, they’ll also take that into account.</p>
<p>USC looks at your unweighted GPA and recalculates GPA if your school only reports weighted. Your counselor must check off how rigorous your coursework was in context to your classmates. It’s best if they check “most rigorous.” Some HS’s only offer a few APs, some offer 22. But USC knows each sending HS very well and will consider your grades in context to what your school offers.</p>
<p>HI everyone thank you so much for replying. Just to clear things up, I am going to be a Senior this fall. I’m having difficulty navigating the USC website. I can’t find the application essay topics or how to schedule an interview, so if anybody could help me with that it would be much appreciated. </p>
<p>Also my school offers no AP courses. I talked to my guidance counselor about various online classes, but they’re all out of budget for my family’s low income. I’ve taken the most difficult classes offered here including dual credit courses, and I am signed up for English 101/102 this coming year. I was accepted into English 106 after testing but they don’t offer it. I think I am also signed up for History 101. Those are the only dual credits offered. The only advanced class I have not taken and will not take is Biology 2, because I took Bio 1 freshman year, hated the class, and found the teacher of the class very unfair in his grading methods. Therefore I am not interested in taking another of his classes. I will have taken 5 years of math by the end of highschool, and four years of every other academic subject. So, no home ec. classes on my plate. I only was able to take 3 years of Spanish, and I took 3 years of art. </p>
<p>You are on top of things! </p>
<p>On campus interviews can be scheduled beginning in July and off-campus interviews beginning in August. The website has not yet been updated for the 2015 cycle, but here’s in last year’s info about interviews: <a href=“http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/firstyear/prospective/interviews.html”>http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/firstyear/prospective/interviews.html</a></p>
<p>Here is last year’s essay topic: <a href=“https://camel2.usc.edu/admonlineapplication/AdmOnlineAppInfo.aspx?page=PreviewFallEssay”>https://camel2.usc.edu/admonlineapplication/AdmOnlineAppInfo.aspx?page=PreviewFallEssay</a> Again, the website has not yet been updated for 2015 (USC admissions is still in the process of considering transfer applicants who received spring grade requests), so the essay may or may not remain the same. The 2015 information/essay preview should be up on the website by August.</p>
<p>As Lilliana and madbean mentioned, your high school record will be considered in the context of YOUR high school - if AP courses were not available they will not expect that you have APs on your transcript.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Thank you! I thought I was missing something; now I can calm down! :)</p>
<p>@brilo66 - if you are interested in film there are two parts to the application - the main USC application which is submitted through the Common App in the fall. And the “Supplement” which will be read separately by SCA.</p>
<p>USC has to find you academically admissible or SCA won’t be able to accept you. SCA, from what I’ve heard doesn’t read the main application - only the supplement. There are specific instructions for SCA applicants depending on what your planned major will be. Production, for instance, has a portfolio request. Crit Studies is heavily dependent on essays and film analysis.</p>
<p><a href=“USC Cinematic Arts | How to Apply”>http://cinema.usc.edu/admissions/apply.cfm</a></p>
<p>But in order to get into film you have to be accepted by BOTH USC and SCA. If SCA declines you can still be accepted by USC has undeclared and take film classes as an elective - not the ones reserved for majors, but still, there are plenty of things you can do to learn including crewing on student films and looking for internships. </p>
<p>If USC declines, then it’s a no-go for SCA too.</p>
<p>Please note - SCA takes only 4% of the applications. Put another way - they turn down 96% of the students who apply - all motivated, passionate and qualified. There just isn’t enough space. Also, the deadline is December 1st one month earlier than the other departments. So plan on starting your supplement, projects and essays before the end of the summer. It’s a LOT of work.</p>