<p>(Sorry, my other thread got derailed and has no chance of getting back on topic)</p>
<p>I am curious as to the variables that went into admitting or rejecting various applicants across the spectrum of qualification. Post your relevant qualifications and whether you were accepted or not.</p>
<ol>
<li>3.9 GPA (80 units)</li>
<li>Bio bajor</li>
<li>Feeds homeless</li>
<li>Created a software development company in spare time over this spring</li>
<li>Wants to devote 155 IQ to medicine.</li>
<li>Honors societies</li>
</ol>
<p>I went through that thread, and they all seem to be freshman applicants (while I am interested in transfer applicants), and they are virtually all accepted. I need accepted and rejected examples.</p>
<p>Your application doesn’t seem very cohesive. What does developing a software company have to do with medicine? Is the software related to the medical field?</p>
<p>Feeding the homeless is always good. My 17-year-old cooks at a food kitchen, but I’d expect older students, especially those interested in medicine, to do more. Have you volunteered in a lab? Or at a hospital? Any activity that shows an interest in medicine would be a great addition to your application. </p>
<p>How do you plan to “devote (your) IQ to medicine”? IQ is a number. You can’t really devote it to anything. I don’t actually understand the point of including it. You’d be better off, I think, to describe what your area of interest is and what improvements you hope to make in the field of medicine. Are you going to devote your life to finding a cure for childhood diabetes? Wiping out cancer? You need to be specific. Just stating your IQ makes it look like you couldn’t be troubled to think about anything deeper than superficial attributes which really don’t matter in the larger scheme of things. </p>
<p>Are you reapplying to USC? If not, I don’t understand the point of this thread. Finding out a few details won’t give you a full picture of other applicants, so you won’t have any better understanding of the reasons they were accepted and you weren’t. Your time is better spent doing things to strengthen your application. Study the admission requirements of the colleges you’re interested in to find out what they really want, why they’d be a good fit for you, and what you can offer them. Then go do something that makes you come across as a real person (with talents, interests, and accomplishments) who would be a welcome addition to their student body.</p>
<p>OP, I’ve read this thread and your other thread. Its time to let USC go and move on. There’s no point in analyzing USC’s decision if you will be attending school somewhere else. I hope you applied to more than one school. </p>
<p>Thanks for the replies thus far. I have already mentioned that I am not re-applying to USC (I wouldn’t go if they paid me), and I do not wish to contest or question their choice. It is their choice to make, and I wouldn’t even care if the reason was something like “because he is Hispanic” as an example, because I believe in their right to allow whomever they wish, for whatever reason (no matter how trivial) since they do not owe me or anyone else anything. I am inquiring for the purposes of applying to other schools and correcting, if possible, whatever was missing or lacking (ie, should I switch majors? Should I engage in more EC? Etc etc)</p>
<p>“What does starting a software development company have to do with medicine?”. As much as feeding the homeless has to do with medicine. It is relevant in that it displays a trait they might like (ie, the kinds of traits that are found amongst people that start companies, and people that feed the homeless.)</p>
<p>Your IQ is not an accurate measure of intelligence. It never has been. The IQ test is very cultural (i.e. Not am the same in every country). Just curious, why do you think that should change your admission decision?</p>
<p>Also, USC looks for students who are going to add something new and different to the atmosphere did you explain to them how you plan to do that?</p>
<p>Many highly selective universities will use a holistic approach to admissions, meaning they try to read the application and discern who the student is as a whole–more than just numbers and gpa. Perhaps you don’t give this admission factor the credit it warrants, as your soft skills (presenting yourself to this public forum, for one) may not appear strong in your application package. Have you heard the term: red flags? </p>
<p>Admissions officers pick up on subtle cues (and sometimes less subtle) to give them the impression of the whole student. The choice of specific words is important. An example: saying “feeds homeless” gives off an impression of condescension–certainly you don’t put forks to their mouths. Instead, saying “worked 400 hours to prepare and serve meals at XYZ Women’s shelter” is showing a capacity to do hard work for people in need. Subtle distinctions in language may be hard for some applicants to discern, but instead of recognizing now just how off-putting the wrong words can be, you appear to be argumentative here. If any of this elitist tone seeped into your essays, or was alluded to in your LORs, those can be red flags that the applicant is not strong in interpersonal communications, which may go on to impede their future progress as med schools may also call on these skills. The exception might be the superior intellect who goes out and works in the lab of a top researcher and has a meaningful role in a medical breakthrough. i.e. demonstrates genius rather than telling about it. If an applicant notes he/she is a great musician, adcoms will see prizes won. There needs to be demonstrable national or international awards and honors to show extreme giftedness, not simply self-reported accomplishments. </p>
<p>Aside from the above, you have also brushed off other evaluations on your qualifications. Your ECs are not competitive for those hoping to get into med school, which makes your stated goals seem immature. Most transfers who are serious about med school will seek out real experience in the field to test/prove their fitness for the field. If you are truly looking to improve your future transfer chances, you will heed the advice you are getting here. No matter if you find people’s reactions rude or kind, they should all be instructive to answering your question of why you were not admitted.</p>
<p>I must have missed that. What I see from your earlier posts on this thread is an interest in transferring from a student who was rejected and calls himself “Appealsguy.” I interpreted that to mean you might be appealing USC’s decision. </p>
<p>When I asked what your ECs have to do with medicine, I was trying to find out what characteristics you’re trying to highlight. You have some good ECs, but I think if you could tie them together a little better, it would help you. If your software is related to medicine, sell it that way. If not, you need to highlight a different angle. Who are you creating software for, and how has it helped them? Working in a food kitchen is also a great activity, but I would flesh that out more too. For instance, if you have an interest in helping the disadvantaged when you become a doctor or researcher, working in a soup kitchen may take on deeper meaning. Everything on your app should be there for a deeper purpose. You’re bright, you’re industrious, you’re dedicated; everything should reinforce the image you want to convey.</p>
<p>Accepted ViterbI-Computer Science
3.9 All honors/AP
2270 SAT One time
Sports, Leadership
NMF 1/2 scholarship
NHRP</p>
<p>Btw I read your previous posts, You’re too hung up with IQ. BTW, mine’s way up there, and it generally get’s in the way by turning black and white into the gray of what if’'s. Turn off the IQ and get back to earth. </p>
<p>According to my school’s stats, USC seems to really like the SAT - there is a direct trend between the kids accepted and their score. What was your SAT score? if it was sub 2100 then maybe that was the reason 2100 is an outstanding score but USC is an equally outstanding school</p>
<p>@AppealsGuy - there is nothing wrong with your application. USC takes 20% of its applicants’ Mine takes only 8% (including the waitlist). Same with many colleges. They could throw out those applications and pick a new class that would be just as strong. There JUST IS NOT enough room at the table. </p>
<p>So there is no second guessing. Nothing you can do differently. What USC looks for changes depending on what their campus needs are and who is in the applicant pool.</p>
<p>Move one. Do your best. Find a place where you have a shot because frankly, these days, even top students are getitng lots of rejections from schools they once thought were safe. The Common App has exploded the number of applications coming in the door.</p>
<p>Here’s the deal - The college that likes you the way you are and wants you more than the other applicants in the pile will choose you. Sometimes it just depends on the luck of the draw and which readers got your file. Apply to a broad number of schools including those that just admit based on your quantitative statistics.</p>
<p>And don’t mention IQ - students that do are easy to reject because it’s a useless measure of how well a student will perform academically and fit into the student culture.</p>
2100 is an outstanding score but USC is an equally outstanding school</p>