@scout07 @GamerGal27 I selected a Marshall major first and Dornsife major second. Viterbi is the engineering school so that is irrelevant for my case. But is what you’re saying if I don’t get into Marshall I at least still have a chance of getting into the school in general (with my stats that match are at the top range of theirs)??
@redwall1521 thanks. hopefully I’ll get in. I’m visiting in Feb which might show some interest… I didn’t know that selecting my common app major had such an enormous pull on if I’ll get in…
@ngj123 If you don’t get into Marshall then you would be evaluated for your second choice major. But you should check with Dornsife as my son didn’t learn he wasn’t even evaluated for Viterbi until he had been accepted as Undecided. I wouldn’t be surprised if each school had their own rules and/or the way they decide is changing as more and more students apply and they don’t have the resources to evaluate everyone for their first and second choices. But that’s just a guess…
@ngj123 , FWIW, when my oldest son applied to USC, he applied only to the SCA (Film and TV Production) with no alternate choices. Back then, (2010) he got accepted to USC before he heard from the Film School, but he was not part of the merit round. His acceptance packet came out late Feb/early March. IDK if they still do that – send out acceptances after the scholarship round, but before the regular decision round. Anyway, my son called the SCA to see where he stood with them and they were shocked to know he had been accepted (to the University) because they still had not finalized their decisions. The woman at SCA said , “Boy they (the university, not SCA) must really want you.” Anyway, he didn’t get into the SCA, but admission wrote him a letter stating that they still thought he could be very successful at USC and hoped he would attend anyway. He ended up applying to Marshall after he had already made his commitment to USC. He got into the BCA, which is a joint major between SCA and Marshall. Not getting into SCA but getting into the BCA was the best thing that ever happened to him. Anyway, I don’t know if things have changed but, in his case, his admission was not contingent upon his major.
@blueskies2day , I honestly don’t think USC looks at income. It is rare, but I have seen kids with really high test scores get rejected outright. I think admissions can gauge if an applicant is genuinely interested in their school or just using it as a backup and that may play a part with scholarships.
Here’s what an admin of Viterbi told my D and me regarding 2nd choice majors: He said that if your 1st choice major rejects you, it’s not likely you’ll be admitted to you your 2nd choice major. The reason is that every school at USC has equally high standards and competitiveness. If USC wants to admit you, you’ll get your 1st choice major. If they don’t, then don’t count on being admitted into your 2nd. He said it’s extremely rare that that would happen.
I applied after the Dec 1 deadline for scholarships, but does anyone know when I would find out if I’m accepted?
@stephrass that’s exactly the opposite of what I know to be true. I personally know someone who had Viterbi as their first choice and Dornsife as their second and they were not accepted to Viterbi but they were accepted to Dornsife. Their S is now a freshman at USC in Dornsife.
@amberlee , you should find out before April 1.
@scout07 I just said the guy said it was not likely and very rare…not that it wasn’t possible.
@stephrass, I am perfectly willing to concede that the admission process has changed since my first son applied 5 years ago. All I know is that my son was accepted to USC before his desired school had even finalized their decision. Now, maybe things have changed or maybe it varies depending on the major. Since the SCA is nearly impossible to get into, perhaps they are more “forgiving” to applicants in that field. I get the impression that, in areas where talent takes the lead – SCA, Thornton, Roski – admissions defers to the school first. But, in other majors, they process applicants regardless of the major.
If the first choice is one that requires an audition or portfolio (Thornton, Film School), it is possible and it does happen sometimes that students hear they’re accepted to USC in general before they find out if that program has accepted them. It is also possible to NOT be accepted to one of those programs and be admitted to Dornsife undeclared or to a second choice. If the first choice does not have an audition or portfolio, it is also possible to not be accepted to that program and to be admitted to the second choice (say Viterbi—>Dornsife).
I was on the phone Tuesday with someone from the school to check to make sure that my entire application was completed and the man said that we will find out by March 1 but more than likely we will find out by end of this month.
Newsie2015 - you think kids who applied by the JAN 15 deadline will hear by March 1? If so, that is insanely quick. I do not believe that.
@exeterkid31 I never said I believed him. 
I think March 1st is when they tell you if you are missing any parts of your application
@stahboy but you can see if your application isnt complete by looking at youUSC
I would believe him! He works in the school. Now the college confidential thing to do would to assume that I will receive my decision on Monday.
Really? March 1st?
@ExeterKid31
This is what you said before…
This is what you said after…
So which one do you believe?
I believe that March 1st is when we will hear back if our application is complete. For people who did not receive a scholarship, which is probably all of us reading this right now, the time we hear back is in late March, which is right before the date that colleges are required to send out decisions.