<p>Okay, I'm not asking for you to tell me if you think I can get in.... because I know I probably won't. Nonetheless, USC is my dream school, and I would rather be rejected than never know.</p>
<p>I come from a tiny town in the back woods of Georgia with a population tinier than USC's freshman class size. A 4.0 GPA is incredibly easy, and our AP classes are a joke. Opportunities are limited here, but I have taken every AP class plus Dual Enrollment courses at our community college.</p>
<p>Something that my high counselor has always told me is that my zip code will help a lot in the admissions. That being from this town will be my advantage. Chapman University is a more realistic option for me, and their admissions counselor told me that. Then again, Chapman is much smaller and I am in their score range. I can't imagine them getting a lot of applicants from Georgia anways. </p>
<p>So my questions are...</p>
<p>1) Is it a myth that my zipcode and high school report will be a huge advantage for me?
2) Would having a 4.0 and a numerical average of 97 slightly outweigh my 29 ACT score, or should I throw that shred of hope out the window.
3) ALSO, does it hurt you to only send one test? My SAT is embarassing, so I just focused on improving my ACT scores</p>
<p>Thank-you for your time!</p>
<p>You should absolutely, absolutely apply. The big thing any top school looks for is that you’ve maxed our the opportunities available to you, and at first glance it seems like you have. Girls also tend to not test as well as boys, though they usually have better grades, and good grades and lower test scores usually means that you don’t test well, while lower grades and high test scores usually mean that you’re smart but lazy.</p>
<p>BTW if you’re also applying to Chapman, are you looking at both schools for film? That’s what USC and Chapman usually overlap with, of course.</p>
<p>Oh, and to answer your actual questions…</p>
<p>1) Nope. Every school wants to enroll a diverse class, and diversity comes in many forms. Having a kid from the rural South will help counterbalance all of the kids from fancy suburban schools up and down California. The big thing, as I said above, is that you’ve maxed out the opportunities available to you and demonstrated that you’re capable of doing the work.</p>
<p>2) Grades are a good, basic predictor of success in college because that’s the day to day grind rather than one test on one Saturday morning, however you might want to do a test prep class if possible and then retake those tests (and mention it in your personal statements) as indicative of your desire to demonstrate that you belong at a school like USC / Chapman/ UGa / whatever.</p>
<p>3) Do the same with your SAT and SAT scores. The ACT is more curriculum-based, whereas the SAT (math/verbal) is more of a general intelligence test, with the verbal section being a function of how much you read and the math section being a function of how many math classes you’ve had. Obviously you’re not going to have much of a fancy education in rural Georgia, but, again, you want to demonstrate that you’ve maxed out the opportunities available to you. With fancy college admissions, it’s never one factor, so you also want to be able to write essays that demonstrate why specifically you’re choosing USC and why you’d be a fit there, or Chapman, or wherever. If your numbers are in any way whatsoever borderline, being a good fit for the school always helps to get the school to say yes.</p>
<p>Good luck! ;)</p>
<p>Depends on what major and how many other people you are competing against for the limited slots.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>Geographical diversity does help with admissions at many colleges- but it is not a guarantee. </p></li>
<li><p>Grades are important and class rigor. Most colleges want to know you can do the work. If the school is known for rigor and the grades are good but the scores are not as high - it could be that the student just isn’t a good standardized test taker. Test prep may or may not help with that. But worth a try. I will say, however that 29 is NOT a bad score. And I hope students will stop thinking that the only goal is to hit the magical 30’s. USC has taken students with lower scores which is obvious since they report the “middle” 50%. It means 25% of the admitted students scored lower than the range. 25% scored higher. Schools with more focus on creative tend to be more forgiving on scores, schools which are competitive in terms of math and science (Viterbi) will be stricter. So the “will it count against me” depends on what you are choosing for a major. Still - USC wants to know you can do the work and test scores are only one of the predictors. Since it has become so troubling how the test skews towards wealthy suburban students and international students, many schools are now giving them only a cursory glance for outliers (like applying in the low 20’s and high teens).</p></li>
<li><p>If you do better on the ACT then report ONLY the ACT. I have seen students knocked out of the running at several schools including my own because someone told them to report everything. They are two completely different tests requiring two different strategies. I’ve seen gifted students perform well on one and bomb the other. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>A few years ago schools began requiring students to report every SAT test they took. That may have been because of the cheating scandal. But with ACT you can report any or all. Hence, if you had a bad day and a test score was low - you can choose not to send it.</p>
<p>Some schools “superscore” but combining the best score on each test. However several counselors have suggested that even with that option, low scores on a particular test, when it comes down to the wire, might tip the scales towards a no.</p>
<p>Still - you’re from a rural area and Admissions staff around the country are pretty experienced in knowing that a kid from that type of environment has fewer options (and sometimes less guidance) than someone from a wealthier environment.</p>
<p>One thing - if USC is intrigued by you there is always another option. They could admit you undeclared and see how you do. Many students enter that way if they are not chosen for the major they desired. And they complete their General requirements while on campus and apply for a transfer to that major later.</p>
<p>Good luck! Yes - you should definitely apply.</p>
just to update–if anyone was curious-- I got in as a spring admit, and I’m taking it! Thank you for your responses!
The USC Atlanta Alumni Club is having a SCendoff party for Georgia admitted students in July. It is an opportunity to meet some of your classmates and supportive alumni. More details about the event can be found on the SC alumni club section of the university website. You should be receiving an invitation later this summer.