Some statistics on this year's admissions office

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Southern California
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<p>From Tim Brunhold on USC Admissions blog today:</p>

<p>And speaking of incredible students, here are just a few details about this year’s admitted freshman class:</p>

<p>• 19.6% of applicants were admitted
• More than 3,100 different high schools are represented
• Our admitted students come from every U.S. state, the District of Columbia and 79 different countries
• Outside of California, the five most represented states are Texas, Illinois, New York, Washington and Massachusetts
• Outside the U.S., the most represented countries are China, South Korea, India, Canada and Singapore
• 1-in-9 is the first in their family to attend college
• 64% are students of color
• 17% are international students
• The typical admitted student has an un-weighted high school GPA of 3.8. With weighting, the GPA is well over 4.0.
• The typical admitted student took 6-8 AP courses (assuming they were available at his or her high school)
• 75% of our admitted students have standardized test scores in at least the 95th percentile</p>

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<p>This doesn’t sound right. Did he really mean to say that the 75% PERCENTILE of USC admits have test scores in the 95th percentile? In other words, 25% are at least 95%.</p>

<p>Here are last year’s stats:</p>

<p>Admissions Data (2012):
• Percent of Applicants Admitted: 20%
• What Are Your Chances? (from ■■■■■■■■■■)
• USC GPA and Test Score Graph
• Average High School GPA: 3.69 (unweighted), 4.04 (weighted)
• Test Scores – 25th / 75th Percentile
• SAT Critical Reading: 620 / 720
• SAT Math: 650 / 760
• SAT Writing: 640 / 740 </p>

<p>(Soruce: [USC</a> Admissions: SAT Scores, Financial Aid & More](<a href=“http://collegeapps.about.com/od/collegeprofiles/p/USC.htm]USC”>USC: Acceptance Rate, SAT/ACT Scores, GPA))</p>

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<p>Yes, they mean to say 75% of USC admits had overall standardized test scores at least at the 95% percentile. The SAT ranges you posted are a bit misleading because they are the range for each SECTION. An individual admitted student might be in the lower range in one of those areas with higher scores in the other areas. So, for example, a hypothetical applicant might have a Math 650 + Writing 730 + CR 720 = 2100. Applicants with all three in the lower range would be admitted at much lower rates (but remember, 25% of admitted students come from the lower 25% of applicants - self evident, but often forgotten!).</p>

<p>If you look at the published composite scores, it gives a clearer picture about the total SAT/ACT scores of admitted students in 2012 rather than the individual sections: </p>

<p>From: <a href=“http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/private/1213/USCFreshmanProfile2012.pdf[/url]”>http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergraduate/private/1213/USCFreshmanProfile2012.pdf&lt;/a&gt;

The mean unweighted GPA last year was 3.8 (reference the same source as above)

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<p>I hope that clarifies it a bit!</p>

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<p>Thank you @alamemom for the clarification.</p>

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<p>Wow, he didn’t misspeak. Impressive. Thanks alamemom for extra info.</p>

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<p>@alamemom. Yet in their rejection letter, which I received today, they stated “of those offered admission, most achieved nearly straight-A averages and had standardized test scores at or above the 97th percentile.”</p>

<p>So, which one is it - 95th percentile or 97th percentile? that’s a big difference at least in my opinion.</p>

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<p>It is all in the semantics!</p>

<p>Both are true: 75% had scores of at least the 95 percentile, while “most,” or at least 51%, had scores in the 97th percentile.</p>

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<p>@Alamemom I was thinking about that, but I guess you’re probably right. Pretty clever!!!</p>

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<p>Alamemom and I are on the same page on this one, as I posted on another thread. Most simply means over 50%. What is even more impressive is that so many admitted students (75%) are in a high SAT pool. But for those interested, 25% are below that mark and there is no real telling how far below that point some of those students with some other outstanding attributes might be.</p>

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<p>Yeah good point madbean. As I posted in another thread, it’s just that “most” conveys a greater number, but strictly basing it on semantics, both of you guys and USC are correct.</p>

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<p>And going a little bit further, since they are saying over 8000 applicants were admitted, that means more than 4000 USC admits had test scores above 97% point so, approximately 2000 are likely to fall in a range between 95-97 percentile. That leaves about 2000 getting good news whose scores fell below that point.</p>

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<p>^ I’m hope I’m apart of that 2000 getting good news that fell below that point. lol ;)</p>

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<p>Yes their admitted students numbers are impressive - however only about 1/3 of their admitted students accept the admission offer, and that 3.8 (uw) GPA average drops to 3.7 (uw). Plus that number doesn’t take into account the academic rigor of a student’s coursework nor is it indexed for the competitiveness of the high schools. CC students typically take harder classes on average and go to more competitive HS’s, at least from what I can tell. All of which is by way of saying - Relax! You’re more likely to get in than maybe those numbers might suggest AND since you’re in the self-selected pool of applicants to USC, it also means that if you don’t get in there you’re looking at a range of really good schools and you’re going to find success at one of them. Try to remember what today feels like so you can tell YOUR kids about it, looking back from a happy and fulfilling life. :-)</p>

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<p>To make the 64%, people of color mark. Asian and Asain Americans must have been included. That’s okay, but I’d be interested in the number sans Asain?</p>

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<p>soso,
On the freshmen profile SC includes a list of ethnic backgrounds of students who enroll. This is also included in many of the university’s brochures. The university is considered to have one of the most diverse student bodies in the nation. I have copies of the profiles from the 2008-2012 entering classes. Asian/Asian Americans percentage has ranged between 23% to 25%.</p>

<p>Freshman Profile 2011-2012 Enrolled
Asian/Asian American 25%</p>

<p>Freshman Profile 2012-2013
Asian/Asian American 23%</p>

<p>Freshman Profile 2012-2013
All Ethnic Groups</p>

<p>Pacific Islander/Native American------2%
African American------6%
Latino/Hispanic------13%
Asian/Asian American------23%
International------10%
Caucasian-----45%</p>