<p>hey everyone. USC is one of my reach schools and u will soon find out why b/c of my bad UW gpa of 3.1 and my W gpa of 3.87-3.8. i have a 1390 SAT (cr/m) and am planning to take it again. i was getting 3.8-4.0 gpas freshman/sophomore year, then my parent divorced during the winter break of my junior year, so that's why my gpa is so low. anyways,</p>
<p>my ECs are pretty good. i am a student representative at my school ( 3 years), am a varsity track and cross-country athlete (3 years), sports editor of my newspaper, head delegate for model u.n. (3 years), am involved in NHS and key club, along with other things, but it's a long list. </p>
<p>i volunteer a LOT. i spend 100s upon 100s of hours with my local library, my school and the make-a-wish foundation. i also opened up a hospitality busiess with my parents and have been managing it for 6 years.</p>
<p>oh yeah, i am oos as well. so, with my crappy gpa and my Ecs, do i at least have a shot at USC?</p>
<p>That's an impressive list of EC's. I'd like a little more information before I try to predict the future, though :). Please read this post and then let us know more about how you will present yourself to the adcoms, and what major you're interested in: <a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-southern-california/526451-so-you-want-know-your-chances.html%5B/url%5D">http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/university-southern-california/526451-so-you-want-know-your-chances.html</a></p>
<p>thanx!! ok, so here goes: </p>
<ol>
<li><p>SAT=1st time: 690 CR, 660 M, 640 W Essay 10
2nd time: 700 CR, 690 M, 740 W Essay 11
i'm taking it a third time too
oh yeah, the PSATs: 201</p></li>
<li><p>see, i think that this might be my deal breaker b/c my gpa is a 3.1 unweighted on a 4.0 scale. my weighted gpa is a 3.7. i was a 3.8-4.0 unweighted gpa student freshman/sophomore year, but during my junior year, my parents got a divorce, which was a cause of my grandma getting lung cancer. u could probably say that this couldn't have happened at a worse time.</p></li>
<li><p>i'm asian/caucasian</p></li>
<li><p>i'm really wanting to major in journalism, especially broadcast journalism and maybe minor in business management</p></li>
<li><p>my ECs are listed above</p></li>
<li><p>my goal is to become a journalist, mostly in the field of sports, so going to a school like USC would be a DREAM!!! i have loved this school ever since i was a little kid and would love to be a trojan!! i know that my gpa is REALLY bad compared to the average 3.8 unweighted gpa, but do you think that i have a chance?? thanks!</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Your SAT is slightly above the average SAT for accepted students in the class of 2012, but yes, your GPA is on the low side. If you were in the top quarter of your class at a high school known for a rigorous curriculum (e.g. AP's or IB program) and no grade inflation, I would be comfortable saying you have a good chance. If that's not the case, then your chance will increase if you get great recommendations and you can get your counselor to explain in her report that the junior year drop in grades was an aberration, and why it happened. Then work really hard to bring up the senior year grades, as USC is very likely to ask for them before admitting you. It sounds like USC would offer just what you want, so good luck!</p>
<p>thanks so much and i'll do my BEST!! thanks again!</p>
<p>If you did something extraordinary with working in your parent's hospitality business, perhaps you can expand on that on your essay. This might work if you want to switch as a business major and journalism/writing minor.</p>