USC Chances?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Southern California
1

<p>USC is my top choice/dream school but I don't really know if I'll get in! Any and all input is welcome and appreciated. I need a reality check according to my sister. I plan on applying to the College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences as my first choice or the Davis School of Gerontology as my second choice.</p>

<p>Chinese, Female, NJ</p>

<p>School Type: Public School (1800+ students)
GPA: 3.3 / 4.0 Unweighted (SO terrible, I know:/ I partied too much junior year..it dropped from 3.5 to 3.3)
Rank: School only ranks top two, but I know I'm top 20%</p>

<p>SAT I: 2000 (650 CR, 720 M, 630 W) I'm going to retake it in October for, hopefully, 2100+
SAT II: 740 Math II, 710 Bio M, taking Spanish in the November
ACT: n/a</p>

<p>APs: Biology (pending), US History (pending)
Senior year APs: AP Spanish, AP Physics C, AP Environmental Science, AP Calc BC
Other classes: All honors</p>

<p>ECs:
Dance-since I was 4
Varsity Dance Team- 4 years (expected senior captain)
Rockette Summer Intensive
National Spanish Honor Society- 2 years (junior, senior), vice president
National Honor Society-1 year (senior)
National French Honor Society-1 year (senior)
Student leadership- freshman and sophomore class secretary
Interact and Able- 4 years
Model UN-2 years</p>

<p>Volunteering:
Hospital pharmacy-2 years (100+ hours)
Math tutor- 3 years (30+ hours)</p>

<p>Work Experiences (as of now):
McDonald's- May 2010 to present</p>

<p>Academic Achievements:
National Spanish Exam Honorable Mention
Academic Achievement Society</p>

<p>USC is definitely a reach for me. My GPA is definitely my weakest part of my application. But I do intend to apply to USC in the fall.</p>

<p>Other schools I plan on applying to:
Butler University
UC Berkeley
George Washington University
Indiana University at Bloomington
Lehigh University
University of Miami
New York University
Rutgers University (and Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy)
Wake Forest University</p>

<p>Feel free to chance me on any of these schools too!</p>

2

<p>You are right in saying that your GPA is low. Try and get straight As in your first semester of senior year. </p>

<p>Also, your Writing and Critical reading SATs are average (maybe slightly below average) scores for shoo-ins at USC. I think if you managed to raise both to 700+ your chances would definitely be more favorable. A good SAT might give some excuse to the low GPA.</p>

<p>Make sure you get really good recommendations from your teachers who can speak to your strengths/positive qualities and your counselor. Write some stellar essays, and don’t use the common app for USC either.</p>

<p>You have very good ECs, which tends to be a rarity around here. I’d say this (and good AP scores, if you get them) will be your strong points. </p>

<p>As of now, I can see you as a spring admit or rejected applicant.</p>

<p>As for the other schools:</p>

<p>DEFINITE NO
UC Berkeley
Wake Forest
NYU</p>

<p>MAYBE
George Washington
Lehigh</p>

<p>GOOD CHANCE
Rutgers
Butler
University of Miami
Indiana U</p>

<p>I think these are some schools you should look at as favorable reaches or safeties:
Penn State
Michigan
UT Austin
Tulane
Boston U
Northeastern</p>

<p>If you want to go to California:
Santa Clara
Pepperdine
LMU
Chapman</p>

3

<p>^ Actually solid HS ECs seem to be quite common, well at least for most people I know (mostly lower classmen lol). Anyway, OP has good ECs but none of them seem to be able to compensate for the subpar GPA. btw I believe USC only considers UW GPA. You better step it up senior year and 4.0 first sem (give up your social/extracurricular life if you have to). Itl be pretty embarrassing too if NHS kicks you out for your low GPA (pretty sure the threshold is 3.5). Still, this will boost your cumulative GPA by a relatively small amount only, so I suggest studying your ass off for the SAT/ACT. Enroll yourself in a 1 month SAT camp now, and hire a private tutor when school starts again. A 2300 should somewhat offset the 3.3 GPA. Nowadays a 2000 SAT is only satisfactory at best.</p>

<p>If you still end up with subpar stats, apply to USC anyway - maybe you’ll get lucky. Apply to Berkeley - their acceptance rate is increasing like every year and quite frankly if you can pay the full tuition your chances will be better lol.</p>

4

<p>The Good</p>

<p>Excellent SAT IIs
Solid, not spectacular ECs, Community Service & Work Experience
Some Academic Awards</p>

<p>The Average (for USC)</p>

<p>SAT I - 2000 is just below the midpoint, a 2100 in October will be just above the midpoint
Gap between UW GPA and weighted implies a number of Honors & AP classes</p>

<p>The Ugly</p>

<p>3.3 UW GPA with a (big) drop junior year. How bad was junior year 2.8-2.9?</p>

<p>You know the problem. Your GPA took a hit as a junior - the last full year that colleges get to look at your profile. You need an explanation and “partying too hard” isn’t going to cut it. You also need a stellar 1st semester senior year (4.0). Your SATs say that you can handle the work, your performance as a junior seriously raises doubts about your maturity. I’m not telling you this to upset you but to make sure that you choose teachers who can talk to your maturity and the lessons you learned from messing up junior year. Even doing that may not help; you’ve given yourself a pile of lemons, it’s time to figure out how to make lemonade. Even with all that I think you’re looking at a USC Spring Admit at best.</p>

<p>As for your other schools (including ZeldaF’s suggestions):</p>

<p>Rejections</p>

<p>UC Berkeley
Wake Forest
NYU
Michigan (application count way up due to switch to Common Ap)
UT Austin (State Laws have 90+% of students from Texas so they only take perfect OOS)</p>

<p>Maybe</p>

<p>GW
Lehigh
Miami
Tulane (big maybe)
USC (the switch to Common Ap could push admit rates to <= 20%, bad for you)
Northeastern</p>

<p>Probably Yes</p>

<p>Butler
Penn State
IU
Rutgers
BU
LMU
Chapman</p>

5

<p>Another possibility may be the University of Iowa. They have a straight formula to decide admissions. Plug in your numbers at the link below and see where you come out. I suspect it could be a good safety. </p>

<p>[Admission</a> to Iowa’s Regent Universities: Regent Admission Index](<a href=“http://www.regents.iowa.gov/RAI/]Admission”>Regent Admission Index | Board of Regents State of Iowa)</p>

6

<p>GPA is really important but DO NOT LET IT BRING YOU DOWN. I am going to be a Trojan this year (class of 2015 wooo lol) and I had a 3.5W & probably around a 3.3 or 3.2 unweighted. work really hard your senior year, get straight As & it’ll def go up. i got a 2100 on the SAT. the standards are going to go up for next year’s class but don’t let that discourage you.</p>

<p>definitely play up your strengths on the application (ECs). try to focus more on ECs that will help you in your future field. one of the key things USC looks for (it’s listed right on their website) is “potential in future career field.” show them you’re going to be a success in whatever you want to do!</p>

<p>make your application personal & passionate. be 100% open. it sets you apart from the sea of data. one thing people need to realize about USC is that ALL of the top students in America are applying there. Everyone has a 4.0+, everyone has 2100+ but USC still seems to let in those kids with a 3.0 GPA & subpar SAT scores because they see something in them --whether that be passion, the Trojan spirit or something else, USC will always surprise you with their choices. I was one of those people this year & it just goes to show that passion is everything with USC.</p>

<p>if you have any questions, feel free to PM me! good luck! fight on!</p>