<p>I just received a letter in the mail regarding the resident honors program at USC, and it sounds pretty interesting. I'd be able to go to college a year early, BUT they only accept 20-30 kids each year. Does anyone know what type of student would be qualified to get selected into a program like this? Furthermore, could somebody maybe let me know if I stand a chance if they do know about this? My qualifications are below. </p>
<p>Unweighted GPA: 4.0
Weighted GPA: 4.5</p>
<p>Class Rank: 1 out of 535 at a very Competitive High School that sends many students each year to top colleges.</p>
<p>PSAT 99th percentile in all categories last (sophomore) year. Combined 212.</p>
<p>AP world history score: 5</p>
<p>Currently enrolled in:
AP Chemistry
AP Computer Science
AP English Literature and Composition
AP U.S History
AP Spanish Language
and all other classes are Honors Classes</p>
<p>Extra Curricular Activities:
Freshman Class Vice President
Sophomore Class President
Junior Class Vice President
Science Competitions (plan on going to district/state level this year)
Head of School's Social Events Committee last year
Head of School's Community Service Committee this year
Class Ambassador to the Principle last 2 years.
Debate last year
Organized School partnership with local special olympics
Organized school-wide coat drive for homeless people
Created and Implemented a student to student tutorial service
National Honor Society</p>
<p>Thanks for reading! I could really use your help settling on whether or not I should apply!</p>
<p>I’m from NorCal, and I also come from a rather competitive school (70% Asian at least…and I’m one of that 70%) but my stats aren’t as good as yours.</p>
<p>My GPA is above 3.9 unweighted (not quite sure what), and combined PSAT was 215, also 99th percentile in each category. I got the letter in September, which was good because my school wanted me to submit stuff by October…not sure what my ranking is because we don’t rank. At school I do the regular CSF and NHS stuff, am on the Speech and Debate team and am VP of Chinese Dance Club. Outside of school I also figure skate and occasionally compete, which is something I hope to continue doing all my life.</p>
<p>Having looked at old threads, I think you have a darn high chance of getting in. You scores/grades and extracurriculars are amazing (much better than mine!). Where are you from and what school do you go to?</p>
<p>Hi, is this the official board for the 2011 Resident Honors Program? I couldn’t find anything else.</p>
<p>I’m also planning on entering this year. My stats are no way as good as the OP’s though. Are your weighted GPA’s only counting ninth and tenth grade? You’ve got some great EC’s, and a nice schedule this year. </p>
<p>I’m from Cali, and I go to a large public school. I’m in the top 1% in my grade with 600+ students. I’m currently enrolled in all APs, and I took three APs last year. For club stuff, I have a few leadership positions, and I volunteer at my local hospital (over 200 hours). I’ve always worked with charity organizations as a research intern, but it wasn’t anything special. My biggest problem is probably the SAT, which I haven’t taken yet. I’m taking it this December and I praying for a 2200. My PSAT sophomore year was laaame. </p>
<p>Have you guys taken any SAT 2 subject tests yet? It’s not required, but I’m sending in a few just in case.</p>
<p>This is just a guess, but I imagine one factor that might be important in attending college early is maturity. Have you been able to make decisions on your own? Have you been to camp or enrolled in summer classes away from home? Have you traveled? Have you participated in any exchange programs?</p>
<p>None of the above are requirements, but leaving home early entails making decisions on your own and living with students who are older. Would you be comfortable with these situations? For some students there is not enough challenge in high school. They seek new challenges and academic experiences. If you are one of those and feel SC is a good fit there is nothing to lose by sending in the application. Good luck!</p>
<p>Thanks for the reply and nice words! To answer your question, I go to Lake Travis High School right outside of Austin, Texas. I’m originally from california though, hence the familiarity with usc. I’m jealous of your PSAT though! That would have been merit scholar finalist here in texas! I’m sure being from california will really help you out though, because the college is probably much more familiar with the education system there. Your EC’s look great too though! Where at in California are you from? We used to live in Pasadena, right outside of Los Angeles. Good Luck with your application!</p>
<p>@ feedback411:</p>
<p>Thanks! This isn’t an official board, I’m kind of new to the website and was just looking for somewhere to post. But it can be! If that’s allowed… But anyways, I’m not sure whether or not my interpretation of 4.0 weighted is the same as in other states, since here it’s on a letter scale to determine the unweighted, but on a 100 point for weighted. So all my 4.0 really means is consistent A’s. Not consistent 100’s, though i wish i had them! To answer your first question the weighted one is from freshman year and sophomore year combined, and my school adds 10 points to an A in an honors course and 15 for AP. Your EC’s sound amazing though! I’ve never interned for charity or worked in a hospital, that sounds really fulfilling! I’m sure that’s a great experience. And I haven’t taken any yet, I’m taking them in December though, which is passed the deadline. Hopefully they could get them somehow. Good Luck! And Good Luck with your SAT! I totally understand the stress!</p>
<p>@ Georgia Girl:</p>
<p>That’s a great point! The whole leaving home part is definitely a decision factor. But I’m hoping a year is less time than it seems as far as getting ready to go out on my own goes. Thanks for wishing me luck!</p>
<p>I’m from the San Francisco Bay Area, Cupertino. Personally, I think there are way too many competitive Asians…I’m not even sure if 215 would have gotten me commended in CA last year…and I’m not daring to hope this year. We all joke we’d do better in somewhere other than California, like Alabama or Mississippi. I have a friend in Texas…we went to camp together last summer. It sounds like a nice place to live.</p>
<p>@feedback411:</p>
<p>Dang, you have so many APs. AND you interned (that’s something I’ve been thinking of doing for a while). I’ve taken two SAT2s and scored above a 750 on both. Do we have to send score reports along with the stuff we put on the app? I haven’t done the actual SAT though…fingers crossed for the November test…Are you from Norcal or Socal? If you do Speech and Debate I might run into you sometime, depending on what school you’re from.</p>
<p>@Georgia Girl:
I’ve done a three-week long living on-campus summer camp at Stanford…would that be something which adequately shows maturity?</p>
<p>To all: I hope we’ll see each other at USC in about a year. If possible, I’d like to keep in touch with y’all throughout the application process…that’s what kids in the past have done. I haven’t told many people that I’m doing this (my username is even a pseudonym) and I’ve been dying to talk to others about it.</p>
<p>Just a safety tip…anyone can choose a moniker and come on this forum. For your own security I suggest keeping personal information to a minimun and using the private message system. Describe accomplishments and other data in general terms. </p>
<p>We are volunteers. We can only speculate about decisions by the admissions committee. If you have achieved scores of 750+ on your SAT IIs my suggestion would be to include those in the application.</p>
<p>The Resident Honors Program enrollees do receive a merit scholarship.</p>
<p>Georgia Girl:
Thanks for the advice. I live around forty minutes away from USC, so I’m not straying very far from home. But, I definitely feel capable enough to live by myself, and I feel like my high school experience has gone as far as it can get. I could definitely find myself a bigger challenge at USC.</p>
<p>atxnickg:
Ohh I see, my school does GPAs on a strict 5.0 or 4.0 basis, so we don’t add up any points, unless they’re for credits for graduation. My weighted GPA as of now is 4.3, really jealous of yours! (: I actually think your ECs are a lot better than mine! You seem like you are really involved at your school. Have you won any awards in your clubs/organizations? I’m part of Science and Math Club at my school, but none of us have recieved any recognition or formal award before, unfortunately. Good luck on your SATs as well! </p>
<p>sheilachian:
Those are some really great SAT 2 scores. I’m planning on retaking MathIIC next week, along with one more subject test after December. Yeah, I think we have to send a score report for our SAT2’s through collegeboard to USC as part of the common app. If you scored a 750+ on both, you should definitely send both in! I’m from SoCal, and I don’t do speech and debate, I’m more of a math-science person. Seeing you got such a high score on your PSAT, I’m sure you’ll do fine on the actual SAT. </p>
<p>It sounds like both of you guys come from competitive schools, which is really good. Our school’s top students rarely go to Ivies. Have you talked to your counselors yet about the application process? I still need information about graduating early from high school; I think I’m missing two credits as of now (if I complete my junior year sucessfully).
I’d like to keep in touch with you guys as well!</p>
<p>We can totally keep in touch! I’ve been thinking lately, and it’d be cool to have the input of others actually considering the program, what benefit do we get from applying to this program? I mean… 50,000 dollars for my senior year of high school at USC would stress me out quite a bit! haha.</p>
<p>I’m also looking to apply to RHP Good luck y’all!</p>
<p>Do you know how the teacher recs are supposed to be submitted? RHP seems to want us to send in a paper RHP app with 2 paper recs…but the Common App (which we also have to complete) has its own section for teacher recs…?</p>
<p>Does anyone here know what a Presidential/Trustee scholar looks like on paper? There is no way my parents will pay for USC without at least half-tuition :/</p>
<p>I’m also hoping for a scholarship…I was really hoping on the National Merit one until we all took the PSAT and everyone said it was abysmally easy…oh California, I’m in trouble. I hope I can get at least Presidential though (again, fingers crossed for SATs). Freaking out right now because SATs are this Saturday, but ah well. :)</p>
<p>I think we need both recs. The RHP one is sent in by the teachers through mail, and the common app one online. If your school, like mine, has the ridiculous policy of only allowing seniors to use the online system, you have to ask your teachers to send the common app one by mail too. I’ve been running around school trying to talk to counselors and get teachers to write recs because practically no one has done this at my school. </p>
<p>Apparently there have been a few RHP applicants from my school, but none of them got in. I hope to become the first. Do I think I’ll make it? Decidedly not. :P</p>
<p>It is a courtesy to your teachers if they take the time to send you a positive letter of recommendation to include with your request a stamped addressed envelope to your desired college. Also, if you have a record of EC’s or service outside of school it might be good idea to include that with the envelope.</p>
<p>I think the teachers would also appreciate a formal thank you letter after you know the recommendation has been mailed.</p>
Gooood luck! Go kick some major butt on Saturday! </p>
<p>So, just to clarify:</p>
<p>We will need our teachers to send BOTH the paper rec (included on the RHP applicatio pdf) and the online rec (included as part of the Common App + USC supplement)…right?</p>
<p>Yeah, we need both. Thanks for the good wishes!</p>
<p>On a completely unrelated note, I saw on your forum starter post thing that you went to EPGY. When did you go and what course did you take? I went this past summer and did Topics in Bioscience and Biotechnology in the June-July session.</p>
<p>That’s so awesome, sheila! I was part of Investigations in Economics from July-August. Btw, by a school with "way too many competitive Asians, do you mean MVHS? </p>
<p>So, a question for all us fellow prospective RHPers:</p>
<p>How far are your applications coming along? :D</p>
<p>How’s everyone’s application going?
I’m like a third done with the Common App, still need essays, recommendations, and ec’s to be filled out.
For teacher/counselor recommendations, did you guys already talk to them about it? I spoke with my not-too-enthusiastic counselor about this program, but I’m unsure as to when I should forward the nomination form to him. How long do you suppose it takes teachers to complete the recommendations? I still haven’t decided who to ask yet. </p>
<p>Less than three weeks before the deadline now! Regret how I slacked so much during October.</p>
<p>Ask your teachers right away! They’re probably inundated with senior recommendations as well, so make sure to give them lots of time before the deadline.</p>
<p>@feedback411: Hah, my counselor’s not too enthusiastic either, I think. She asked me why the heck I wanted to skip senior year. I asked my teachers for recs back in October, but that’s because my school’s kinda big and if you don’t do things soon all the teachers get too many and you’re stuck.</p>
<p>Starting the last chunk of my app stuff tonight (all the little things I’ve been too lazy to do). Can’t believe it’s less than two weeks until Dec 1…and SAT scores next week…dang. At least most of the rec stuff has been sent…I think.</p>
<p>I’m really nervous about this. I want to get in unbelievably much and am hoping that I can. A couple of weeks ago I went to USC because I scheduled an interview, and it was a nice experience. The campus is great, the people are friendly and it’s really nice at night…I want to go there now! Why does the waiting process have to take so long???</p>
<p>How about on Dec. 1/whenever we finally submit the final bit of our apps we all check this thread and post whatever the heck we’re doing. Then begin to wish very hard.</p>
Good luck y’all!</p>