More info about Programs at USC/Chances of Getting in

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Southern California
1

<p>Yes, I am only a freshman in high school, but I already know what I want to do. My cousin (he got into USC...class of 2006 from high school) said that USC has really good media and journalism programs. I'm interested in obtaining a digital media/communications degree as well as taking part in their print journalism program.</p>

<p>No, I have not taken any SAT II's yet (I'm set to take the SAT II for biology in june) or any SAT's for that fact. However, this is what I do know about myself.</p>

<p>*3.66 GPA unweighted
*3.8ish weighted
*part of the film making club
*beginning a podcasting club next year
*part of the robotics team working on overall design of the robot and website
*been doing different forms of martial arts for the last 8 years (don't know if that matters)
*can play piano, trumpet, euphonium (aka baritone), and percussion. Been playing the piano for the last 7 years, trumpet for 5 years, and euphonium for 3
*classes set for sophomore year: Calculus AB AP, world history honors, spanish II honors, english II honors, chemistry, band, and drama</p>

<p>If there's anything else I should put here, notify me. I just want to know more about USC's digital media and journalism programs. Also, I want to know if I'm on the right track so far...</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>you're definitely on track... keep up your hard work!</p>

<p>(goodness, AP Calc sophomore year?!?! SMARTYPANTS!)</p>

3

<p>join yearbook or newspaper! It's a great way to get to know people and get some experience in journalism. It'll give you great exposure to the field!</p>

4

<p>im not sure about your chances because I don't know if Annenberg (the journalism school) is more competitive than other programs at USC....does anybody know the answer to this? I will be applying to Annenberg as well but i don't know if that will help or hurt me</p>

<p>good luck though :)</p>

5

<p>if you're really interested in journalism check out northwestern, and the northwestern national high school institute of journalism. the northwestern national high school institute of journalism is an intensive 6 week program for high school juniors that gives you a wealth of informaiton and skills.
i'm not trying to advertise for northwestern, i just think that program will benefit you in numerous ways and stand out on your college application.</p>

<p>i attended the summer program, and it gave me the necessary preparation to become editor in chief of the student newspaper. i even recently found out i was accepted to the annenberg school of communication (spring admit).</p>

6

<p>I'm more interested in the digital media/communications stuff. However, journalism is just...really interesting. I want to be a renowned tech journalist who can also be an IPTV producer =).</p>

<p>Also, to add, I'm indian...if that helps my chances at all.</p>

7

<p>cool..sounds like a good direction to head. i'm sure if you work hard, keep your grades up and contribute to journalism, you'll get into usc when the time comes.</p>

8

<p>I'd say try to keep your GPA as very high as possible. According to the USC letter, nearly all of the applicants accepted achieved near-straight A averages this year--I hate to say it, but it'll probably be even more competitive by the time you get to applying to colleges. (I was rejected with a 3.66 UW/3.82 W and really strong extracurriculars like asb officer, a lot of stuff in music, chief editor of school newspaper, as well as plenty of comm service and such...) I felt like the weakest part of my app was my GPA and maybe that's what prevented me from getting in.</p>

9

<p>I read over your stat and noticed you had robotics. I was on the robotics team at my school for all 4 years of HS and was president, driver, and robot master. This got me HUGE brownie points when I went in for my interview in september. I got into engineering at USC and not at UCLA, so I think that USc places more value on EC's and also any work experience youve had, it seemed to be a hot topic at the interview. They want to know how balancing all the things in your life during high school has helped prepare you for college.</p>

10

<p>mistershooby - </p>

<p>If you haven't already started, start now, with doing Service Hours. Find a local community service organization where you can get plugged in. Local Food Bank, Red Cross, Lung or Heart Disease Org, Leukemia, Assist Senior Citizens, Under-priviledged Kids, Volunteer at a Hospital, etc., etc. Contact one or more of them. Find a way that you can volunteer. Once a month, once a week, even if it is only an hour or two. By the time you are a Senior, you will have dozens, if not hundreds of hours under your belt. It looks great on college application, you feel better after helping people, and they (whoever you have helped) are very appreciative. Your High School Administrators, Principal, Counselors, etc. admire that type of work. You will be suprised how you are singled out for recognization. Go for it, get involved, and enjoy the time. Good luck to you.</p>

11

<p>a couple more questions:
How important is GPA as a freshman in high school to colleges?
Also, how much do colleges care about you taking honors classes vs. AP classes vs. normal classes</p>

12

<p>I think that they do consider freshman GPA but not as much as the others. Sophomore year is important but I heard junior and senior years are really emphasized. They like improvement so I would bring up the GPA and get it as high as you possibly can. </p>

<p>About AP classes, honors classes, and regular ones... i would think the AP class to be the most rigorous although I have gone through honors classes that could be about just the same. The purpose of AP classes is to pass the exams in May and earn college credit. I took 1 AP class during sophomore year (only 1 AP offered), 2 APs 1 Honors junior year, and 4 APs for my senior year. I stopped doing some of my extracurriculars senior year except for the ones I really liked. I would take AP and honors classes as long as you can handle the workload.</p>

13

<p>the reason I asked is because i'm considering pulling out of the honors program for science. This biology class I'm in right now is so vigorous, I've lost my love in science. Also, biology is dragging my GPA down...way down. So I don't think I'd take chemistry honors next year. I just wanted to know if colleges would frown upon that.</p>

14

<p>Mistershooby - You will get a lot of varying answers on Honors and AP classes. </p>

<p>The best case scenario (not possible for everyone, as you are finding out) is to take all the honors and AP classes, AND to get A's in all those classes. That is the best case scenario, and very few are able to achieve that result. Then, below that, there are mixed opinions. </p>

<p>Argument #1 says: take as many AP and Honors classes, even if you get Bs, becauase colleges want to see that you challenged yourself. The people on this side of the argument believe that colleges give you a break, if you tried, and only got a B.</p>

<p>Argument #2 says: do whatever you can to get the highest GPA (even if it means not taking any AP or Honors classes. (I don't agree with this argument.</p>

<p>Argument #3 says: take as many AP or Honors classes as you can keep up with and do well in. Choose the subjects that you enjoy more, or that you typically do better in, to take. If in your Junior Year, there are 3 or 4 possible AP and/or Honors classes, and you take 2 (maybe 3) of them, and you do well, then you have done a combination of Argument #1 and #2. </p>

<p>I believe in Argument #3. However, it really comes down to your abilities. If you are academically in the top 2-5% of your class, then you probably should be able to handle more (or even all) of the AP and/or Honors classes. If you are in the top 5-10% of your class, then maybe 1 or 2 per quarter or semester is fine. If you are below that (and it is OK to be in this area) then maybe you can not handle the extra work of an AP or Honors class. </p>

<p>Side note: it is generally not considered a good thing to take Honors and/or AP classes and C's (or less) in them. You are probably in over your head (IMHO).</p>

<p>As you figure out which classes you can handle, it will give you an ideal of what types of schools you will be able to apply to.</p>

15

<p>I mean....the only class I have a C in right now is biology. It is an incredibly weak subject for me. This is why I wanted to drop out of the honors program in terms of science. Would colleges frown upon that? I know they wouldn't appreciate the C in biology, but would they look down upon the fact that I dropped out of honors science for sophomore year?</p>

16

<p>UH i dropped out of both AP Chem and AP calc BC (I got C's in there first semester) and somehow i still got in. I think its because i was an art major though...</p>

17

<p>well I wish to be a digital media/communications major</p>

<p>minoring in journalism. And my English grade is a strong A, and my computer based design grade is an A as well. </p>

<p>I've been offered internships after I turn 15 at a place called the Pixel Corps as well as Ziff Davis media (google them to find out more)</p>