<p>So USC just sent me their letter requesting "more information" about 1st semester
Senior grades.
And let's just say; they arn't to jolly.
It's a LARGE DROP from my Junior year. [3/4 AP classes I've taken 1st semester Senior year, I've gotten C's in].
But I don't want to sound like I'm making excuses,
but there are extenuating circumstances for these miserable grades;[My mom lost her job and its been financially hard on the family].
Mind you, 2nd semester I've doing MUCH better compared to 1st semester, but I feel that USC may reject me based SOLELY on my 1st semester Senior year.
Is there any way that I can inform USC about the change in circumstances?</p>
<p>That sounds like an legitimate excuse. You could always write a letter explaining your circumstances. It doesn’t hurt to do so. :)</p>
<p>As long as you have gotten no worse than Cs & have good explanation, it should be OK, tho it may affect your chances for merit funding.</p>
<p>^ Yeah. Nothing lower than a C, and all my C’s are in my AP classes.</p>
<p>Should I just address the letter to the admissions office?</p>
<p>If you have any relationship with “your” admissions officer in your home district, it would be good to address it to him/her. (If you haven’t contacted him/her, it is a good thing to do, to establish a relationship. Our D did & she feels it helped her in her transfer application & acceptance.)</p>
<p>USC is pretty understanding, but consider be sure that your mom’s loss of jobs is indicated in your FAFSA & other financial docs completed to determine appropriate aid for you to attend USC or elsewhere. They tend to be quite generous with need & merit aid IF you are a student they want (high grades, high scores, excellent ECs).</p>
<p>I have a midyear grades problem too… my grades remained relatively the same as before, save for a C in my physics class. However, the number of people in my class decreased by ~50. I have no idea HOW 50 people disappeared, but that’s what happened. Anyway, now instead of being in the 80th percentile I’m in the 70th percentile. :/</p>
<p>HImom,
how do we know who our local admissions rep. is? Where can we find out? Thanks!</p>
<p>Go to usc.edu and click on undergraduate admissions & contact us and “find your admissions counselor.” It should get you there. Good luck–it’s been a good school for both my kids.</p>