I started out well, getting into UVA, UNC, UMich, and UCLA all OOS. But this past week has been tough. Rejected from Duke and Berkeley (somewhat expected) and today rejected from USC which I did not expect at all. I just don’t understand how I could get into UNC OOS and then be straight up rejected by USC! USC was high on my list too! I guess I just don’t have good luck with private schools. My stats are ACT 35, SAT 2240, 3.96 UW GPA, 4.39 Weighted. I’ve done 2 varsity sports all 4 years and am involved in leadership positions in NHS, Boy Scouts, and even Chinese Club at my school! (I’m not Asian BTW). I didn’t take Duke or Berkeley too toughly but I was really taken by surprise by USC. I just don’t understand how I got into some great schools that are extremely selective, but not into others. Although I’m not too mad, because I do love the schools I got into 
when someone figures out admissions policies of various schools, they will make tons of money. don’t overthink it. there are many similar stories to yours - my daughter got into 2 sub 10% acceptance rate schools and was waitlisted by a 23% acceptance rate one (which she was treating as a near safety - so all she did was laugh and move on).
OP you have some great choices. Your stats are incredible and you have a great future ahead of you. I agree, it is weird. Maybe yield protection? Unofrtunately you will never know, so don’t sweat it – just enjoy and focus on your big decision!
You have a lot of great options and a lot to be proud of. Enjoy wherever you go and USC’s loss
I’ve noticed USC can make strange admissions decisions (seem to be driven by $ more than other top privates)…bottom line is that your rejection had 0 to do with your academics/extracurriculars being considered poor quality
Agree with @dblazer USC is believed to prioritize dollars and financial/cultural fit. Remember there is a reason the school’s moniker was “University of Spoilt Children”. Back then they used to admit average kids whose parents had deep pockets. I honestly don’t think they are any better than nyu on this issue.
They aren’t as predictable as most other colleges focused on academics, ECs, essays alone. So it might have nothing to so with you.
Congrats on being accepted into great schools and for your very impressive stats! I will share some insights with you into the addmission process of private colleges that I received from a close friend who worked in addmissions for a very well regarded private school.
The private colleges like to have a mix or a balance of backgrounds, talents and interests within their incoming classes. A student could potentially get in one year but not the next with the same stats, it just depends on the pool of applicants for a particular year. Within the acceptable range of grades and scores, they are looking for some diversity in the students; one year they might need musicians and the next artists or great singers etc. Her advice to my kids has been never take it personally and no matter how great your stats; it’s still a crap shoot.
You were well within the accepted student range for USC this year even with the acceptance rate dropping to around 16% so I can understand your frustration. I am sure you will be highly successful and I hope happy at the college you choose. Good luck and again congrats on having some outstanding choices.
You’re not alone. 5th in class, 45 college credits already, extracurricular , the works, but SAT not as good as your’s wait listed or rejected at all but the safety schools, Basically, you’re good with what you have and don’t worry about what you don’t. I’d love to send replies asking why, but you know they just laugh since they’re accepting such a low percentage already. I’ll save the 100K for grad school.
Hard to consider Cal a loss considering that he got in to UMich, UVa, and UCLA (all fairly similar to Cal).
In any case, admissions to colleges with an admissions rate below 50% can be pretty idiosyncratic. Don’t overthink it. I’m positive that there are applicants who got in to USC but not UMich/UVa/UCLA/UNC.
Duke is a crapshoot, and I’m shocked you didn’t get into Berkeley. I got in OOS with a way lower GPA. It’s their loss. Don’t worry about USC. I truly believe UCLA/UVa/UMich are better schools than USC anyway.
The above most likely from UCLA!! The schools you were accepted into are all great but so is USC. USC is considered an excellent school (except by those that attend UCLA and take the rivalry a tad too seriously). I am from California and no it’s not regard below UCLA. You applied to great schools and got into many, so again congrats.
USC rejected a lot of kids from our local school which is traditionally a big feeder for them. It’s not about money, everyone in our area is full pay. It’s about yield for them. They are rejecting kids that are getting into ivies and Stanford. They know who is using them as a backup.
@fgw805 I don’t attend UCLA. I was admitted to USC, UCLA, Berkeley, UMich, and UVa. USC is a great school. UCLA is considered “better” where I’m from, but I don’t know what it’s like in California.
OP I got into Johns Hopkins and Bowdoin but waitlisted at Tulane and rejected by UCLA. Nothing makes sense, don’t try and figure it out. It’s not worth the trouble.
Congratulations on your acceptances! My daughter had an unexpected denial of admission (I hate the word rejection) last year with amazing stats. She is five weeks shy of ending an amazing freshman year at a school she loves. I can tell you this…a year from now you too will be almost finished your freshman year, the application process will be a memory, and if it goes well for you next year (as it is likely to), you won’t care one bit that you got rejected by some schools. You can only go to one.
^ That. It’s not like you can go to more than one school at a time. You already have good options. Just pick one and forget about the rejections.
First of all congrats! Sometimes you can make it and sometimes you can not make it but as other people struggle each year trying to figure out why they did not get in, you will probably not know. Your stats are really solid but some students have better grades and some do have better EC’s but the process to get in is unknown. If it will be known then everyone will try to follow that. You really have good options over there and you should see which one you will lile to go. Also USC is a really hard school to get into so do not feel bad. I had a friend who made it into spring simce she was waitlisted with lower stats but as I said the process of how top schools will be always mysterious since sometimes the students think they are a perfect match for the school but remember that the average of admissions are like from 7% to 21%.
Were UMich RD released?
UMich-AA releases decisions in rolling waves
@bigrings98 my older S got into the same three wonderful public EA schools several yrs ago. Boy was it great to know going into winter break he was into UNC, Michigan and UVA especially after being deferred by his ED private school(his ED school allowed him to apply to EA non binding public schools in case anyone thinks you can’t).
Than came all the private school rejections including Duke and some Iviies.
I think with big state schools, even highly ranked ones like UVA, michigan and UNC, there is LESS of a holistic review, and just admissions by stats and academic qualifications.
He did end up getting in and going to Berkeley and loving it and agree with @NorthernMom61 the application and rejections a yr from now will be a distant memory.