I recently received a letter in the mail which stated that I was both accepted into the Honors College as well as “guaranteed admission into the IB program.” I couldn’t really find any data on the undergrad IB program, and the website is very vague in its statistics. I thus have two questions:
What advantages does the USC IB program have over other programs like Stern or Wharton?
How many students are accepted into this program?
@Crassus Google University of South Carolina International Business and you will find a web page dedicated to the USC international business program. The Undergraduate International Business Program has been ranked #1 for the last 18 years. In addition, the MBA Program for International Business is also ranked #1 and has been ranked in the top 3 for the last 25 years. Therefore, you know that you are in a proven program with a lot of quality professors.
As a freshmen, you would be Pre-IB since you enter the IB program as a junior. They limit the junior enrollment class to 160 students, not including the cohort programs. I think the cohort programs may add up to 80 additional students. You definitely want to declare IB as your major if you are a freshman in the Honors College. SCHC students are guaranteed admission as a junior as long as they maintain a 3.65 GPA through their Sophomore year. For non-SCHC students, the admission is very competitive and students with 3.90 GPA’s get turned away.
IB majors are required to study abroad for a semester, take four 300 level language classes and double major. You would major in IB and also in a core business major such as accounting, finance, GSCOM, marketing, etc.
Another way to answer your 1st question is to flip it around and ask what the advantages of Stern or Wharton would be for the additional $150,000 of tuition that you would pay have to pay. I do know that there are many talented students in the USC IB program and the school and faculty will do everything they can to help you succeed if you take the initiative.
I just want to add that the backdoor into IB is through the cohort program. You apply to the cohort program as an incoming freshman. Last year there were two deadlines, one in February and another a month later. If you are accepted into the cohort, then you are accepted into the IB program also as an incoming freshman.