Hi: I am a OOS USC applicant.
I’m applying direct to Marshall School of Business, with a focus on Marketing.
UW GPA of 3.81; weighted 4.7
Standard APs
Extra-curriculars include two very important marketing-related internships, and I will be able to show demonstrated interest to USC and marketing program in my essays.
My question is this: Over the past 5 years, 63 kids have applied to USC from my high school, and 9 have been accepted. I have a 33 ACT, which is about a 1470 SAT Score. Of the 9 accepted, 4 students have had ACT/SAT lcores lower than me, and 5 have had higher, and I suspect the five that have had higher had been admitted over the past 2-3 years.
I’d say, submit it. A 33 is a very good score; if you don’t submit, they certainly won’t assume you would’ve gotten a 34+! If you submit and aren’t accepted, you can safely conclude that you wouldn’t have been accepted test-optional either. The score may not help a lot but it can only help and not hurt.
USC is a private school, so being in-state or out of state doesn’t matter (50% of undergrads being in CA is a function of preference—same reason why the Ivies have a ton of undergrads from the Northeast.)
The general advice is to submit if your score is within the 25th-75th percentile. A 33 is, so I would submit.