@collegecuriois15
Worth is a very individual and subjective measurement.
Value is more objective and there are websites that rank ROI by school, major, profession, etc.
@alphabetatrig I think it could be, depending on your other offers.
For those that have seen this already 3 times, sorry, but here is this information again since questions of timing have come up and people tend not to go back to far on threads…
For 2016 they are saying mailing on Wed the 23rd with portal updated 26th which is Saturday. This is a day later in the same week last year. They may back that up a day as they have in the past, but don’t hold me to it. I think they pad the announcement with a day of cushion and will mail Tues the 22nd with portal update on Friday morning the 25th just after midnight. But plan on 23rd, like they posted on their admissions page and you won’t be going crazier than necessary.
Here’s the summary of what to look for and when:
ACCEPTANCE PACKAGES:
For 2015 March results, packages were mailed on Tuesday, March 24, and started arriving in some locations on Wednesday March 25th. Most received them Thursday, the 26th. In 2015, USC did announce they were mailing both rejections and acceptances at the same time. However, large colorful acceptance envelopes are sent priority, while rejections are thin typical white letter envelopes sent regular first class mail, they start arriving a day after acceptances. (For 2016, I think they will arrive on March 23, 24, 25th and portal updated on 12:10 am on the 25th.)
PER THE POST OFFICE, THEY ARE REALLY ACCEPTANCES sent in BIG ENVELOPES, NOT A PACKAGE:
Acceptances are sent in a large colorful envelope that is NOT trackable, via USPS. It is NOT considered a package. It is just a large envelope for mailing purposes. btw, USC posts a picture of envelopes leaving the office to their admissions Facebook page. It has been bright yellow or red over last few years.
REJECTION LETTERS: Rejection letters (mailed regular first class mail) started arriving on Thursday, the 26th in Socal, one day after acceptance packages began arriving that were mailed Priority. (For 2016, rejections would arrive Thursday March 24th, if they follow same pattern, the 25th if they go a day later like they state.)
PORTAL UPDATE:Status was updated on portal just after midnight at 12:10 am on Friday morning March 27th. (For 2016, this would mean portal updated Friday March 25.)
The portal changed and was updated to look like this:
Admission
Admission Decision
Enrollment Commitment Deposit
Withdraw Your Application
Submit Documents
Financial Aid
Apply for Financial Aid
Financial Aid Summary & Tasks (FAST) page
On-Campus Admitted Student Programs
Explore USC
Preview USC
Admitted Student Day
Campus tours
Off-Campus Admitted Student Programs
Apply for Housing
INTERNATIONAL:
Packets go DHL and typically take 3-4 days to central Europe as a frame of reference, rejections letters can take up to two weeks (International only) cause they are sent regular mail. Portal updates long before the rejection letters arrive internationally. Sometimes it seems they get international envelopes out to DHL a day early because I see some internationals posting they get a package in those first couple days as well, but can’t confirm that, just a guess. Do not know about ability to track DHL - not sure if that is option they offer.
Disclaimer - they could change things up, but they usually do it the same year after year, this is just what I know having been through it several times in recent years.
@CADREAMIN what do the portals look like if you’re rejected? Does it tell you as soon as you log on or is it just assumed from the lack of info for admitted student programs/housing etc and made available in PDF under a different section like the notices for merit scholarship rejection?
I emailed a friend of mine cause I wasn’t exactly sure, and they said nothing changes except a letter is added under “additional or new information about your admission” or something like that, and it is a copy of the rejection letter. Brutal stuff no matter how it is delivered. Good luck, fingers crossed for you!
Is USC a school that is really hard to get into? I heard a lot of people saying that it is their first choice college and all and because the acceptance rate is around 18%, it makes the school very selective.
Also, are there any people who applied for engineering and got accepted already? And when do the news for the scholarships come out?
Yes it is selective at 18%, School of Cinematic Arts acceptance is closer to 4%. Scholarship decisions came out already at end of January, so yes, some people know they are accepted, including engineering students. Regular decision is out next week.
Does anyone know how someone is notified if they are accepted to the Spring Semester instead of the Fall Semester?
@LindsayRB , your acceptance letter will note that you’re admitted to the Spring semester.
Has anyone (who was invited to USC Explorer for trustee/presidential scholarship interview) heard from the school about the scholarship interview results? If you’ve received mail regarding the results negative or positive please respond. Thank you.
@CADREAMIN Thanks! I already got accepted into the Viterbi School of Engineering for aerospace engineering and I was wondering if they will announce the scholarship winners with the other regular decision people.
Viterbi is a dream and I’m incredibly jealous. Congratulations! @rkn0706
Scholarship results posted 3/22 last year - which would be March 20/Sunday this year (if they do it the same).
May all your dreams come true 
How much do you guys think geographic diversity matters? I heard it matters to an extent but I am just curious about what you guys think. If my state only has one person attending currently, do you think that may help? It is also all the way across the country… Thanks
@nonnnee88 I think its incredibly hard to think about your specific case… even if only one person from your state is attending (which sounds doubtful…?)
@nonnnee88 Geographic diversity does matter. Colleges are trying to make their classes as diverse as possible.
Any Biology Majors here?
I know USC is competitive, but do you guys think the acceptance rate is distorted because it receives so many applicants who want to live in LA but probably don’t have the right résumé? Or by say, the film school applicants and acceptance rate? I’m just curious. Also terrified/bracing myself for rejection.
My daughter’s friend got a wait list notice today (not sure if it was email or portal). Does anyone know if wait list/deferred notices come out on a different schedule?
Pretty sure USC does not use wait list.