@LvMyKids2 - The business major applied to Michigan - Ross pre-admit (WL), UC Irvine (Admitted to Biz, Regents Scholarship), and USC - Marshall (Rejected). USC was his #1, so that rejection was a surprise and disconcerting. He has committed to Notre Dame. He was pre-admitted to Mendoza. He was definitely targeting business programs at all his schools. Berkeley wasn’t on the list because he really doesn’t like the area. We live about 70 miles away, so several school trips have gone there.
@usma87 – I couldn’t help but notice your kid (and others) and rejection at USC. Both my D18 (ACT 35, APs, ECs, etc.) and her friend (ACT 36, APs, ECs, class rank, etc.) were rejected by USC. Her friend’s parents chalk it up to NMF status and not wanting to give the NMF scholarship. I’m not so sure. What particularly irks me is that LA and USC talk about LA being the emerging “Biotech Valley”, in competition with Silicon Valley – but it’s only talk. Both D18 and her friend were integral parts of their HS’s Biotech team, one of only 8 high schools in the USA that competed in an international competition in Boston last November. I’ll note that USC did not have a team there while Stanford collaborated with Brown to form a team. That gives you an idea of the level of competition. Anyway, these two kids could have formed the nucleus of a biotech team at USC that would have blown away the others in the coming years.
@droppedit - I asked the USC admissions officers directly whether being a NMF adversely affected our D’s chance of being admitted and was told that it did not. They told us that, to the contrary, they wanted as many high caliper kids as they could get. That said, its not easy to rationalize why some kids get in and others don’t.
I saw in the decision thread that your D is going to UA. That’s awesome, I hope she does well there.
@kcheves – yes, D18 is going to Bama to take advantage of their NMF scholarship (plus UFE and RRSP, which hit on her strongest points … she’s both technical and able to “humanize” it for presentations). I came to this section of the forum to find out about the latest NMF scholarship that showed up on nationalmerit.org.
Anyway, we’ve already mentally “spent” the money for other schools … so I’ve encouraged her to take advantage of all of Bama’s study/travel abroad opportunities. She may end up with a better overall education than if she went to a private school with their crushing financial burden (we’re full pay).
There seemed to be many many qualified kids that did not get in USC this year. At my child’s school some of the brightest (in terms of stats, GPA, test scores, ECs,) did NOT get in, while other lower stat and not sure what they did for EC types got in. Not sure if USC was trying to maybe protect yield rate, and therefore made more offers to kids that they thought would accept??? @droppedit and @kcheves
@droppedit I saw a thread at one point that postulated USC offers the 1/2 tuition to every NMF. It used to be unlimited. Then, in the past two years or so they started limited the number of NMF students they would admit. They can claim the opposite all they want. I feel there is something a little sideways about it. Water under the bridge at this point. My sons are happily committed to their schools. Part of my reason for starting this thread is to help future NMF parents manage expectations. My biggest takeaway, the NMF is a scholarship tool, not an admission bolster. Shoudl have been obvious, but it is a distinction I see more clearly now. Roll Tide
Just another data point, but my D also applied to USC (and is a NMF) and was not admitted.
@usma87 - I confirmed with several USC admissions officers, and was eventually notified in writing, that USC awards the 1/2 tuition Presidential scholarship to all NMF’s that are admitted to USC and name USC as their first choice. I agree that it is not an admissions booster, at least at USC.
@droppedit
“What particularly irks me is that LA and USC talk about LA being the emerging “Biotech Valley”, in competition with Silicon Valley – but it’s only talk”
USC is FIRST bringing in top notch Professors from across the country in order to help LA become “Biotech valley”
College students, regardless of their talents, are not the ones who are going to make that happen ,yet .First things first.
And yes, USC DOES want NMF’s. But so many apply that there is not enough room for all. Which is also the case at all highly selective colleges with acceptance rates lower than 20 % these days .
And for the record for future NMF applicants- just sending in an application, regardless of ones stats, does not indicate a genuine interest in going to USC. .USC does care about demonstrated interest.
In addition, USC has spots in many Schools to fill, not just in the Engineering or Liberal Arts Schools. The Thorton School of Music, Cinematic Arts, are but a few of the 20 Schools accepting new students each year at USC.
" It used to be unlimited. Then, in the past two years or so they started limited the number of NMF students they would admit."
@usma87
that is totally false. USC has NEVER accepted all the NMF’s who applied.
In the past [ 10+ years ago] approx. 50% of NMF’s were accepted, [ those # came from the USC’s Dean of Admissions] but those days are now loooooooooooong gone. In addition USC doesn’t really care who is a NMF when reviewing applications. Just stating that USC is their first choice in Jan. means little, if anything. Their 1/2 tuition NM scholarship automatically goes to admitted NMF’s who designate USC as their first choice by the mid- May deadline.
Recently USC has seen a surge in the # of applications , including those from NMF’s.
USC, just like ALL colleges and U’s with acceptance rates under 20%, doesnt have room for all the top students who apply. And just like at all highly selective colleges, all NMFs dont automatically get accepted.
USC has spots to fill in all 20 schools- including Cinematic Arts, Thorton School of Music, Engineering,Dance , Accounting, Business, etc etc
USC’s application process IS holistic, not meritocratic, and all would be wise to believe what @appalachymom wrote-
"To future applicants and parents:
Believe the selective schools that say admission is holistic!"
@usma87 agree with your “NMF is a scholarship tool, not an admission bolster”…too many of our kids are so smart with great GPAs and ACT/SAT scores. Colleges realize that the PSAT is one test, one day and that is why they don’t give huge bolster for admission. I think it is becoming more about what impact your child had on their school or community and then expect to make. Not stats.
@menloparkmom not sure why you were telling me about USC and U’s with acceptance rates under 20%. My comment wasn’t specifically about NMFs, but that from the high schools around my area, there were many kids who got in to USC that did NOT have the TOP grades/stats/ECs. I undersand that maybe they had better essays, but that is subjective. On the quantifiable things (GPA/Rigor/test scores/ECs), many of the kids got into better schools (Top 20), and got denied from USC. I believe that USC is protecting their yield a bit more this year and accepting students that are likely to go. I saw it across the board at 3 local high schools. Say what you want, but I have a big grip on USC and the local SoCal high schools in my area. It was a weird year.
And I am the one that constantly says NMF is not that big of a deal. It is NOT to take away from kids who achieve this. But it is one test, on one day. A kid’s course work and ECs and GPA over the course of 4 years weighs much more heavily (and essays and recs) in the process.
this is what I was trying to bring to your attention-
“USC has spots to fill in ALL 20 schools- including Cinematic Arts, Thorton School of Music, Engineering,Dance , Accounting, Business, etc etc”
So for instance- applicants who are incredibly accomplished in making films, but who may NOT have the highest overall GPA, scores or be NMF’s, may be JUST what USC is looking for for the Cinematic Arts School.
Same with accomplished dancers, musicians, etc etc.
With colleges like USC, or the UC campuses, who accept students by MAJOR, those with the absolute highest SAT scores, AP scores, and overall GPA are not MORE likely to be accepted by some of the 20 schools at USC, than those with good enough but slightly lower scores but outstanding talent and EC’s…
Thorton doesn’t want only kids with perfect SAT scores if they can’t read a note of music.There are spots to fill in all the Schools at USC.
And USC is NOT going to go the way of U’s like Stanford, and end up with 40+% of all enrolled students in Engineering, for instance, leaving many Humanities based professors with fewer and fewer students to teach.
Once again- USC does NOT accept ONLY the students with the highest GPA’s. etc. Which is what so many here seem to think SHOULD be the case.
It 's not a "weird"year, its a sign of things to come, as long as USC continues to accepts applicants with diverse interests and talents, not just those with the highest stats, which is what “holistic admissions” means, and it will continue to get harder and harder to get as the the # of applicants to USC continues to increase.
Calif kids should no longer expect to get “favorable” treatment from USC. There are too many other equally kids from across the country vying to get into USC.
to quote Bob Dylan-
The times they are a changing…
@kcheves - my inference is that they way the manage the number of NMF scholarships is through restricting admission for those students with NMF. The thread I referred to implied that the NMF status could actually be a negative, depending on how many NMF students apply. I know admissions says they value NMF status, but I am skeptical based on the results of this year’s admission process.
My last post about USC - my son who had it as his first choice did a visit in Junior year. He had contact with band people. He is a business major. So, not the most selective at USC. Still, didn’t go his way. The only reason I still harbor some resentment is it was his first choice and seemed more like a strong possibility. I feel bad for my son, simple as that.
I am NOT talking about just stats…you keep coming back to that. I am talking about kids with higher stats AND BETTER ECS, leadership etc. You keep mentioning this. I am saying for a fact that I know of many kids at 3 local high schools that got into Top 20 schools and DID NOT GET INTO USC. They overall were better - in any sense of the word and holistic approach. I know - trust me. And yes, it was a weird year, atleast as compared to the prior 5 years as much as I have been involved in college and kids going to schools across the country. I am not discounting that USC is a great school, but something changed this year. Not sure what. No need to debate. You have your opinion and I have mine. And, I don’t care where the kid applied from…california or new york or wherever. I can just tell you that the “caliber” of kid from the local high schools was less than in prior years. EDITED: I am not talking about the specific talents of Thornton, Cinematic Arts - where sometimes they pick talent over stats. I am talking about Engineering, A&S and Marshall.
“I am saying for a fact that I know of many kids at 3 local high schools that got into Top 20 schools and DID NOT GET INTO USC”
I got that. What makes them or you think they should have?
From what I have learned over the past 12 years on CC, since my DS was accepted at USC and given a Trustee scholarship, [ and yes he did get into 15 more "elite colleges, but chose to go to USC] is that USC wants kids with many different strengths and talents, and they and ALSO wants to FEEL THE LOVE.
THAT means that tippy top kids, regardless of where they are from, CAN’T treat USC like its their “safety”, like they used to. NOR can they just submit an application and think that’s enough. It’s not. NOT anymore.There are so many top kids applying to USC these days, who REALLY want to go there, and who let USC KNOW that, as opposed to being happy if they get in, or even “expect” to get in, that USC has plenty of great kids to choose from.
THAT is what has changed.
If you want to call that yield protection, so be it.
I call it having too many great students applying for too few spots.
I have been on the USC CC forum for 14+ years, and have CONSISTENTLY warned any and all comers especially in recent years, as USC’s acceptance rate has plummeted, that USC wants kids that GENUINELY want to go there.
Sorry the kids at your local HS’s did not know that.
.
@menloparkmom you are so very defensive. First, the kids from the local high schools did show interest. Some more than others. It was not a safety. No school with that acceptance rate is a safety. You capitalize words as if you are yelling at me telling me that kids have to show the love and can’t expect to just get in. I never once said that was the case. I never once said the kids didn’t show love, expected to get in, etc. at this stage of college admissions, DI is crucial. This is what I said ( paraphrasing)
This year, from our local high schools many kids that were very qualified ( stAts, gpa, ECs etc) did not get in and kids with lower stats, not much in terms of ECs got in. My observation is that usc is protecting its yield more as they know they have a better chance at getting acceptances from kids that it really might have been a reach. Less of a chance with kids that are so qualified they will chose a top 15 school. I realize they offer trustee, presidential etc to woo kids, but I was just giving my overall impression from facts at 3 local high schools. My kids were not involved in admissions this year, but I am very involved in the college scene.
USC admittances versus rejections were also not clearly based on GPA/test scores at DC’s high school. But all the admitted kids are great and have multiple talents – I can see why USC wanted them, and because USC looked a little harder at the applicants, they seem poised for a better yield from DC’s school than in previous years.