FAQ for USC Admissions

<p>for the counselor report and teacher recommendations, am i supposed to pick it up from them and mail it in myself all together or do i have them mail it in separately on my behalf</p>

<p>I am filling the Financial Statement of Personal or Family Support form and I found this: The United States government requires all international applicants to provide
proof of ability to pay tuition and living expenses before USC can issue a formal
letter of admission and the forms required to obtain a visa. </p>

<p>It seems that I must be able to pay the full amount before I can be admitted but I'm actually counting on getting a scholarship from USC for my undergrad study. Does that mean I'm no longer eligible to apply to USC?</p>

<p>I suggest that you check with USC. From this forum, I understand that USC does not give international students any financial aid. With the changing economy, I don't know what the current financial aid policy is at USC. The way I understand it, USC wants to know that you have the funds to pay for USC tuition and living expenses. However, I suggest you call USC admissions and clarify if there is any financial aid available for international students.</p>

<p>What is the difference between a Letter of Recommendation and the Counselor or Teacher Report?
They are the same thing. USC Admissions calls it the Counselor or Teacher Report.</p>

<p>How do I submit it?
Print the form- <a href="http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/private/0910/Form4.pdf%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/private/0910/Form4.pdf&lt;/a>
On this form, the instructions state:
"After completing Part I of this report, give the form to your teacher or counselor."</p>

<p>Ideally, USC Admissions would like you to do just that. Complete the top of the form, give it to your teacher or counselor, and the teacher or counselor will mail it. Provide a stamped addressed envelope.</p>

<p>How many recs should I submit?
The instructions on the form state:
"If you would like more than one individual to submit a report, you may make copies of this form."</p>

<p>Here on CC, there has been much discussion as to how many recs should be submitted. IMHO, since the instructions really just call for one, submit one or two more ONLY IF they are excellent. (They like it if you can be complete and concise in the least amount of paperwork to read!) </p>

<p>Should I sign to waive my right to access the report/can I read the recommendation from the counselor or teacher?
The waiver states:
“I will not seek access to this confidential recommendation submitted for the purposes of admission and counseling only.” </p>

<p>USC Admissions is asking the applicants to sign this so it is a good idea to sign. Ethically, it is the right thing to do. Counselors and teachers need to be able to write an honest and confidential evaluation. If this still concerns you, just pick the writer of your rec very carefully.</p>

<p>Does the rec need to be in by the application deadline?
Admissions has stated in phone calls from CC members that they give a little leeway in that. There is no exact time stated but the sooner you get it in, the sooner your application will be evaluated. I wouldn't wait for more than one week after the application deadline.</p>

<p>dou, be aware that the scholarships are merit based and not need based. Also, even with a full tuition scholarship, you still need to be responsible for the room and board which amounts to about $15000.</p>

<p>Sorry for the dumb question, but...</p>

<p>"Paper applications go to-
USC Office of Admission
File No. 51158
Los Angeles, California 90074-1158</p>

<p>Teacher/Counselor Report and any other form other than the app-
USC Office of Admission
John Hubbard Hall
700 Childs Way
Los Angeles, California 90089-0911"</p>

<p>For forms 3 (academic history where you report your grades) and 5 (SAT/ACT student report), does this belong in the "paper application" mailing address, or the "other form other than the app" mailing address?</p>

<p>ps: is there an envelope size preference? Like only the big ones, or only the small ones? Or do they not care?</p>

<p>Form 3 and Form 5 this year has this address at the bottom:
University of Southern California
Office of Admission
University Park Campus
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0911</p>

<p>Any of those addresses will make it to admissions.</p>

<p>Any size envelope is fine.</p>

<p>Either is fine.
Last year there was a lot of confusion regarding the different addresses. Admissions stated though, after people made a few phone calls, that wherever you send stuff, it will get to the right place. The file # address is a location off campus, and the Childs Way one is the actual administration building on campus. Just make sure you have your ID #, or SSN plus name and birthdate (if you don't have the USC ID#) on any papers you send. Also make a note on envelope indicating what's inside.</p>

<p>Best to send in the large envelopes so the papers are not folded, but it's ok to send in regular ones too.</p>

<p>I think the Office of Admission, University Park is the same as the Child's Way one. I guess that would be the one to send to if the address is stated on form. Any zip that's 90089 is on campus.</p>

<p>Hi bmom, I was hoping to receive a merit-based scholarship from USC and my family can pay the rest of the 15K. If not, I'm also applying for government scholarships now but it is ongoing...</p>

<p>However, it seems now that I can't even apply without enough funds in my bank... I emailed the adcom but the reply was simply some copy-and-paste information from the Financial Statement of Personal or Family Support form. </p>

<p>Should I apply anyway? Or should forget about applying to USC?</p>

<p>dou, I sent you a pm</p>

<p>Must internationals selected for USC scholarships attend the interviews in the US?</p>

<p>Ah, thank you for the replies =). I did not make a note on the envelope indicating that the teacher evaluations would be inside though, and I think its already sent. Hopefully this wont do any significant damage!</p>

<p>Also I have one last question. For the online application I couldn't enter my grades as they were greyed out. I got the impression that the grades were ment to be mailed through form 3 (academic history) only. And I already submitted the online application. I havent sent in form 3 yet, but will plan to on November 29 (the mail opens that day, right?). Is this okay?</p>

<p>@dou I know someone from here (Australia) that got a trustee scholarship and they conducted their interview over the phone so I'm guessing the answer is no</p>

<p>Thank you, beeish. Yea, I've checked with some other students, interviews are required for some scholarships but USC will cover the traveling expenses which is cool! :)</p>

<p>even if your from another country? I assumed they would just do it over the phone :S</p>

<p>Yeah, at my Trustee interview session last year, there was a girl there from South Korea.</p>

<p>dou, the trustee and presidential scholarship letter we got last year clearly stated that one must attend the interview or they will not be considered for the scholarship. There was nothing that implied that a phone interview could be conducted instead, so the person who did the interview over the phone must have made a special request.</p>

<p>As for them reimbursing the travel expense, last year they only paid for domestic flights so even my flight from Vancouver Canada was not reimbursed. dou, are the students whose travel expense were paid for from your country?</p>

<p>No, those receiving scholarships are US students.. :(</p>

<p>woah... cause thats alot of money to go from here to the states for only like 4 days...</p>

<p>it's also a chance to visit the school and if you get the scholarship, it's all worth it.</p>