Sophomore USC Transfer

[jacefromLA]

<p>Hi,
I was recently rejected by USC for Fall 2011 Freshmen Admission, and I recently found out that they offer sophomore transfering. So I was wondering how easy this process is, and how difficult it might be depending on your major like business administration or accounting? Would it be smarter to just head to my local community college for my first year, or attend one of the universities I was accepted in and then transfer after that first year?</p>

[MitchAPalooza]

<p>Sophomore vs Junior Transfers:

Originally posted by Cvjn
You can transfer after only one year.</p>

<p>Pros: You can experience the “real” college experience sooner and more of it
You can get to know people for 3 years rather than 2</p>

<p>Cons: Your high school record will matter more (if it is a con for you).</p>

<p>The big pro of transferring after two years is that, let’s say you were a decent student in your HS career (3.3-3.5) and you earn a steady 3.7+ in college with lots of credits and good classes, then well, you’ll have a better shot at those colleges that may have been out of your reach.</p>

<p>You should have enough college background for them to judge you after 1 semester. However to get a more complete picture, they will take a lot from HS. SATs/ACTs will play a factor, but not as much. I’d be willing to say they are important enough to possibly retake (assuming the school is willing to accept retakes).

</p>

[jacefromLA]

<p>I thought USC will not look back at your high school record if you complete the 30 credits which is required in order to transfer?</p>

[MitchAPalooza]

<p>There are some discrepancies. The below posts are taken from the USC 2011 Thread. I would suggest you take a look at that as well.

“Hello, If we don’t have 30 units by Feb 2, but we will have 30 or more by the end of spring semester- must we also include our SAT/ACT score in the part 2 application? I ask because I haven’t taken the SAT/ACT score yet”</p>

<p>and the response was this…
“You need to have 30 units completed by the end of your spring semester in order to disregard the SAT/ACT requirement.”

I just talked to an admission counselor and they said they will look at your high school record if you do not have 30 units completed by the time we apply which is FEB 1st 2011.

a bit of a confusion. I emailed one of the assigned admission counselors and she said that they wont look at your hs grades if you have 30 credits or more by the end of the spring semester. However, when I called the admission counselor who answered, he said 30 credits by the time that you apply.

I just called the USC admission office, and yet again we have a new answer, the person said that from his perspective you should send in your SAT/ACT score if you won’t have 30 units by feb 2. So I asked him further about a email response that I received from that very office that said something different, and he basically told me that we can’t guarantee giving a SGR to everyone in such situation…I essentially got the “holkey” impression that the SAT/ACT req is a back-up cushion just in case type.

As you see the answers vary. I’ll leave you with the post below. Very informative from a informative respected USC poster. It explains the whole HS grade situation.

Originally posted by alamemom
I think the confusion comes from the flexibility of USC’s admissions office - you are all looking for a black or white answer and are missing the shades of grey.</p>

<p>I’ll offer my opinion once more (and try to explain it more clearly this time), and emphasize that it is JUST an opinion - you are all free to disagree, disregard and offer your own opinions - all of which are just as valid and valuable as mine.</p>

<hr>

<p>If you are applying as a Junior transfer (completed two years elsewhere), the admissions decision will be made based on your college record. (I don’t think there is any confusion here - right?) If you had great test scores, it won’t hurt to send them along, but no test scores are needed.</p>

<hr>

<p>If you are applying as a sophomore transfer, there are varying scenarios (the shades of grey):</p>

<ul>
<li><p>Sophomore transfer applicants who had high school records (GPA + Test scores) that likely would have resulted in admission to USC plus a good first semester of college (3.5+, 3.7 better) have a good chance of admission without an SGR. They should submit their ACT/SAT scores regardless of the number of units they will complete by Feb OR June.</p></li>
<li><p>Sophomore transfer applicants with excellent high school records (uw GPA 3.8, rigorous schedule), but test scores below the middle 50% of matriculated freshmen (so below about 1900) and an excellent first semester of college (3.7+), will likely get an SRG. It would be fine if those applicants don’t submit SAT/ACT scores even if they won’t reach the 30 unit total until the end of Spring - USC has flexibility there, which is why you get different answers from different USC sources.</p></li>
<li><p>Sophomore applicants who high school records (GPA and/or rigor) were not the type that would be accepted as freshmen, but who had high test scores (2100+) and an excellent first semester (3.7+) will likely get an SRG. Those applicants should submit test scores.</p></li>
<li><p>Sophomore applicants who high school records and test scores were both below what would typically be admitted as freshmen but with an excellent first semester (3.7+) of college work may receive an SGR (if there were circumstances explaining the hs record), or they may be rejected - USC will want to see two solid years of college work from those applicants.</p></li>
<li><p>Sophomore applicants with a crummy first semester of college (probably 3.2 or less? Not really sure of a specific number here… but you probably can identify “crummy” yourselves) will probably need to work on the GPA and try again next year regardless of hs record and/or test scores.</p>

<hr></li>
</ul>

<p>So don’t worry that your application will be “incomplete” if you choose not to submit your test scores. Present your application in the way that you feel puts you in your best light and USC will consider it - they are pretty flexible. If you have great or good test scores, submit them. If you don’t have test scores or don’t like your test scores, don’t submit them.

</p>

[jacefromLA]

<p>what’s an “SGR”?</p>

[MitchAPalooza]

<p>Spring Grade Request.</p>

<p>Take a look at <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/transfer-students/990410-usc-2011-transfer-thread.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/transfer-students/990410-usc-2011-transfer-thread.html&lt;/a&gt;. Contains useful information.</p>

[elevenn]

<p>Hi im a senior mostly likely attending a cc next year. I was wait listed at ucsb but the outcome doesn’t seem favorable . I really want to transfer in one year and I was exploring my choices when I saw that USC required 30 units . </p>

<p>Here are my high school stats and according to the list above I think I am under the category in which they will send me an SRG or reject me depending on how well I do in my first semester.</p>

<p>GPA: 3.42 UW 3.8 W (without second semester of senior year)
SAT: 1840
APs passed: US Hist, Euro Hist, Eng Lit, Psych (entering cc with 13 credits)</p>

<p>My questions are:

1. How well do I have to do first semester so that my HS stats won’t count as much?
2. Should I fill up my first semester of college with classes for my major or GEs?
3. Since I have 13 units done due to APs, I will need to have 17 done by spring semester?</p>

<p>Sorry for my long post, but this seems to be my only hope</p>

[lakergang]

<p>50 units
3.9 college gpa
attend four year university in California
high school gpa 3.0 (yes, terrible)
sat 1510 (terrible)
ec-volunteering at hospital, future doctors’s of america club, track and field, internship at pomona college with professor of neuroscience.</p>

<p>I know the high school grades are bad, but my college career is a lot better. What are my chances of getting in? please let me know!</p>