Hi! I am a High School senior who has just been accepted into the IB program in the USC Honors College. I’ve been looking at the Tracks and Business Cohorts offered to students and was wondering when/if I can apply to these programs. Thanks for your answers!
Hey, first off congratulations! I was accepted into Honors IB back in December as well! I know that the international cohorts’ applications are already open (I’ve already gotten started on the IBEA application). You can apply to them right away, and I would imagine having Honors College already locked in would put you above a lot of applicants. If you don’t need too much time on the essays or resume, I would suggest you start soon to meet the February 1 early application deadline. They hold phone interviews with finalists, and I would assume that IBA and CIFA, since they require a Spanish or French essay on the application respectively, will also test your speaking skills over the phone.
I’m not too sure what you mean by “tracks,” however. If you mean specializing in like marketing or accounting or something like that, I know that process you generally do after you finish the Business Core, so you won’t need to worry about that until your sophomore year.
@Kryskov Hi! Thanks for responding. Concerning tracks I was confusing them with Cohorts. Do you know how competitive to sign up for one of these? I don’t really have much language experience outside of Spanish 1 and 2 in high school since we can’t go above Spanish 3. How much you think it will ding me if I don’t have much in the way of foreign language experience?
Depends what track you’re wanting then. Honestly I don’t know how many people exactly applying, but I know IBEA has only 10 or so slots for USC and I have no experience in any of its languages so I’m hoping I make up for it being honors. If you’re trying to go for IBA, then I’m not sure Spanish 2 cuts it. You’d need to write an essay solely in Spanish, so things like past and future tenses, and possibly subjunctives, you would need to have a grasp of. Even if you go through to the phone interview, you will be tested over the phone on listening and speaking skills (I think). If you’re not too comfortable with any of these, either take a crash course with a Spanish tutor or something, or consider other tracks (IBEA, MENA, IBCE) which do not REQUIRE experience in their respective programs. Any experience in these other tracks is good but not necessary.
@kryskov Yeah, I see. I wasn’t considering doing the Americas cohort. But I was wondering if not having extensive foreign language experience will put me at a disadvantage when applying.
As I said, it helps to have it but it isn’t required. Not much information is given about the profile of accepted students. In the instructions it only says most would have an SAT of at least like 1250 or ACT of 27, which I assume we both have if we’re in honors. I know one of the essay questions for IBEA asks if you have any previous exposure to French, German, Portuguese, or Chinese (the languages IBEA focuses on). Instructions make it clear that you would have to do intensive language study after freshman year to remain on par with the program if you don’t know any of the language beforehand, but just because it mentions that, I would think there were at least a few people overall who were accepted and didn’t know the languages. Arabic, Chinese, and Portuguese aren’t offered in schools around me so I would assume not many people have that much exposure. Maybe you can contact the program directors and they can give you a profile on admitted students? If they do, definitely let me know what it is
Definitely, thanks! If what you say regarding the stats is true, then I’m good in that area (1410 SAT).