I’ve read a lot about USC admission and i’ve learned that college essays are the most important thing so long as your grades are pretty good. I have a 3.7 UW, 4.0 W and 4.2 W not including freshman year grades. I got a 30 on the ACT but i’m gonna try to get a high score with the SAT. If my essays are good enough will I most likely get in? I’ve talked to people I know who got in and they had the same scores. What do you think?
Do you mean USC (South Carolina) or USC (Southern California)?
southern california
There are many many students with 4.5+ and 33-34 ACTs that didn’t get in and you can bet they had great essays and ECs. There are just too many students bringing the whole package to schools like USC. You can google the article - USC turned away 3000 students with scores/grades in the 99th percentile like those I just mentioned. So no, just good essays will not “likely get you in.” There is way more to it than that. Have several schools you would really like to attend that fit your scores/grades and deliver good essays on top of those to increase your chances of getting into a great fitting school. Also, this is not a UC, freshman grades count, they all do.
USC has holistic admissions, but it is very competitive. You don’t mention what major you would apply to and that is an important factor. You also don’t mention your ECs or if you happen to be first generation or URM. In any case, it’s not possible to know with any degree of certainty whether you’ll get in. Don’t waste time on chance threads. Use your time to focus on doing your best, being involved in things you love, and making a case that you bring something that will contribute to the university community. @CADREAMIN has compiled an amazing amount of information on the USC application process that may be helpful to you, so check out her threads.
@edvw31 Hey I just reread my post it may have come off a little harsh (I was heading out to dinner so wrapped it up quickly). Didn’t mean to sound like you don’t have a chance - that is not true - but it is so hard to see kids think getting into any school, and particularly USC, is at all easy or can be done with just one aspect of an application being great. That just leads to heartbreak come next spring and that is very hard for us long time posters to see. So get your scores up to the best they can be and if you do put together a cohesive package with great essays, maybe that big white box will come to your mailbox. Good luck!
You can never really tell what will or will not suffice in terms of grades/stats. USC is now an university with over 55K applications per year. And USC is likely only going to accept 8750-9000 of those, given current yield trends and their goal of netting 3K freshman commitments. During that process, as suggested above - they have recently denied 9K out of 10K or 90% of all legacy applicants and have also denied over 3K applicants with test scores in the 99th percentile.
USC thus admits many applicants with lesser stats, favoring instead those who sparkle or shine somehow in other ways… ECs, leadership, auditions, creative portfolios, writing samples, artwork, etc. Those applying to the creative schools… SDA, SCA, etc… have a certain amount of potential leeway if the applicant demonstrates the creativity or performance skills that sway the admissions staff and faculty reviewing such within each individual program. But keep in mind that unless you are admitted Undeclared (no assigned major), you are basically being evaluated and granted admission twice… once by USC generally and once again by the individual school that houses the major being sought. So - as also suggested above - the program you are seeking matters a great deal.
If only the university overall admits you, you can be admitted Undeclared. But - if the university overall is not likely to admit you (and they do consider everything - grades/stats, ECs, writing), the individual school may choose to fight for you to be admitted as an exception. But… those fights are likely limited in both scope and number.
From my experience, the range where applicants are deemed acceptable… or the safe minimal level (other than those really being sought after - like recruited athletes, etc.) is with an unweighted GPA of 3.7 or higher, being ranked in the top 10%, having an ACT score of 30 or higher and/or an SAT score of 1370 or higher. Obviously… there are exceptions to every rule (like being the son or daughter of someone super famous, etc), but doing that well or better… plus having strong ECs, good writing samples, showing and demonstrating a true passion and making it clear both why USC is a good fit for you and vice versa seems to be the safest approach. I am sure they admit some with lesser grades/stats, but there would most likely need to be some justification… URM, First Gen, QuestBridge, etc. With 84% or so of all applicants getting denied these days, you need to find a way (or more than one way) to convince USC that you belong in that 16% or so category.
Good Luck
Don’t waste your money on USC. You will not receive the quality of education and personal attention you should be getting for paying a very expensive private school tuition. If you are attracted to a school like USC, then go to a good state school and save your money.
I cannot imagine a better experience than we have had at USC. My current freshman already has close relationships and several faculty mentors in three different departments, but she is go-getter. You get out of any college what you are willing to put in. But each student, including the OP who would like to attend USC, should find the school that fits them and their budget best, and most importantly, that accepts them. No school is for everyone.
Our family echoes the sentiments expressed by @CADREAMIN above. We each have had multiple children admitted to USC who also then chose to attend USC. As a parent, I have dealt with USC for the past four years now and have two daughters in attendance there currently (senior and freshman). While USC may not be the right for everyone, our family’s experience has been strictly positive. And thankfully, both of my daughters are extremely happy that they in fact chose USC over all other options available to them.
Good luck…
Well, if we going anecdotal.
I have one relative at USC and one at Cal. They both love their schools.
And my D18’s list has UCLA and Cal over USC, if those were the only 3 schools on her list. But they’re all excellent schools and it just depends on what the individual wants from a school.
Reading between the lines, your freshman grades lower your GPA? Your chances of getting in will depend a bit on how much lower they were.
You certainly could be accepted to USC, esp. if you are looking at Dornsife. CA, Annenberg, Viterbi and Marshall UG will be a bit more of a challenge, but Viterbi and Marshall would also be possible depending on some other things in your application. It is very difficult to say any student will “probably” get into USC unless they have really high stats or some other unusual talent (ie. sports) that SC might want, but there are certainly 3.7 GPA/30-31 ACT students who get in. (I know a couple) So the best thing is to try to get as high an ACT/SAT as possible, show as much additional strength in your app as you can (like your essays) and demonstrate as much interest in USC as you can.
It sounds like you’ve gotten the basic advice.
Sign up for an interview ASAP if you haven’t already (assuming you’re a senior). There are a limited number and my guess is the school judges interest a bit off of that. Might be too late already, but try if you haven’t.
Be sure you apply before Dec. 1st “merit aid” deadline as I think this is also used as an indication of interest.
Be sure to interact intelligently with USC as much as possible (when appropriate.) If you are local, or can get to LA, go by, say “hi” to as many admissions folks as possible. It is my instinct that USC responds best to students who make it clear USC is the school for them.
If your school guidance counselor has a relationship with USC, make sure they know that SC is your first choice. They may be able to convey that info. Also think about if you would be open to being a spring admit or doing some of the other things that SC offers some students if they can’t/don’t want to accomidate them as fall freshman admits.
Again, I’m no expert, but from my experience clear, legitimate, demonstrated insterest is often the tie-breaker at USC.
Good luck!