@dancinginastorm gives me hope thanks!
How do I know if USPS delivers in my area on Saturdays? I live in NYC
wait, i thought informed delivery shows all packages and letters, like amazon packages too… no? packages won’t be scanned but it will say where it’s coming from…
So do we receive either a white box or letter?
Yep!
I want to get in, but I am sure I won’t. My ACT is too low - 27 to be precise.
I know that USC does a holistic review, but so does everyone else. I have been getting rejections upon rejections from so many schools. I don’t even have a college to attend now. Maybe I became too optimistic regarding the review process. Looking at the acceptance threads, everyone has a 32+ score. I arguably have some of the best extra curricular activities, yet still no luck.
I hope you guys get in, but from my experience it is only possible if you have an above average score for that university.
@asking4help2 same tho i have a low act score 26 and avg gpa 3.65 but amazing EC’s. I have been rejected from all the UC’s so far, except Merced. But hang in there!!!
Also does anyone know if their international relations program is impacted or hard to get into?
Does UCLA provide holistic reviews?
@nyudream2221 not really tbh
I’m tryin to pull myself out of this mess, but I’ve gotten into two selective LAC’s, (but they’re in minnesota… screw that lmao). Anyways, my tutor (a former journalist who knows how to write, and has been working with prospective college students on their applications) told me even with my low-ish GPA (3.5 ish I think), combined with an above average test scores (33 ACT), I should get in. He helped me craft some really good essays, one that revealed how I am able to work with groups well and solve problems quickly. He also helped on another one that helped me show my interest in USC and on how it can help me pursue my short term to graduate goals. After a lot of self deprecation, I’m starting to grow some confidence, while staying humble about it. He told me “You should have a big chance at getting in,” after considering my father factor (my dad went and graduated from grad school at Marshall). I want to go to USC, but I gotta just wait it out. Last yr, one student got into USC spring semester, but got rejected by EVERY OTHER SCHOOL (not even sure how that’s possible). Apparently, his GPA was sorta low, but students regarded him as smart (he was bombarded by the worst schedule as a junior).
@jj1999 I hope you get in!
@CADREAMIN Can you please explain informed delivery? I made an account just in case I can see a denial letter coming. I’m not sure it’ll work though because it says I have 0 incoming mail for the whole week which doesnt seem right haha.
Last year people could track their rejection letters, but people who were accepted couldn’t see the package? Seems like a clear indication of decision before they’re really out. If that was the case last year however, they’ve probably already addressed that issue…
Anyway, thanks for all of your helpful posts so far!
And good luck to everybody- a lot of these rejections have been tough but just push through it. Show 'em what they’re missing out on!
good luck to everyone!
@jj1999 To my knowledge, the spring semester admittance is somewhat of a backdoor and not a very reliable way to get into USC. It’s better to just be accepted regular decision.
One more time for the people in the cheap seats! (i.e., new posters to the thread) & @clowery
WHAT?
Regular Decision is coming and they are being mailed TOMORROW!
Over 63,000 students have applied and acceptance rate is down to 13% per statements made at recent USC events by the AD.
WHEN?
Mailing is THURSDAY THE 22nd. We saw the instagram of the stuffing, they should post a photo of them going to the trucks tomorrow with the entire staff smiling (cause they are done). They will start arriving in Socal between 10:30am-11:30am on Friday. Obviously depends on your mail time. Much of Socal receives first day, but a lot in San Diego don’t get theirs until second day so don’t freak out there. Norcal is always second day so will arrive there on the Saturday. The surprise is how fast these things move and how they reach a great part of the country on the second day after mailing including major metros, the east coast and FLA - all on the second day. So the majority around the country do receive them the second day after mailing, but that said, there are plenty of folks that don’t get them until after the portal update that night at about 12:01am PST March 25th - so Saturday late night/early Sunday morning. For the last couple years portals start updating right after midnight. The portal process has been painful, with it staggering throughout the morning, but most acceptances come within the first 2-3 hours. Late night, at least its a weekend! They say by noon on the 25th, but have always started between midnight and 1:30am, depending on how fast their CS folks press “go.”
THE PACKAGE
The packages are white boxes that fit in most mailboxes, some are left on porches if not. They are a little bigger than a piece of paper and about a half inch thick. They are impressive and beautiful packages that are gorgeous on the inside.
The package includes an acceptance letter, a certificate of acceptance, and tells you which major/school you were admitted. It also includes some general school/housing/marketing pamphlets.
YELLOW Package - In recent years they have used a light yellow box to indicate a spring acceptance.
HOW?
It is sent United States Postal Service - the good ol’ mailman. It is not UPS (the brown trucks). Since they come USPS, meaning postal service, and in your mailbox, setting up a My UPS account won’t get you anything here. INTERNATIONAL packets are sent DHL, some of those arrive quickly (areas of China reports early, sometimes on day 2) but some take weeks (reports of some places in India). Internationals should plan on portal update.
USC does not enable tracking on these packages, so you cannot track it. The SENDER (USC) has to enable tracking. But ahhh some of you think - “we have have Informed Delivery Daily Digest” - the postal service that tells tells you what is coming in your mail that day. HOWEVER - these packages are not scanned into that system, because USC doesn’t want them to be. This was again tested during the scholarship period in January, no one saw it in the Informed Delivery Daily Digest. There will be many conspiracy theories on findings ways to beat the system and find out early. It never works or hasn’t so far.
SHOW ME THE MONEY
Folks awaiting scholarship news - last year, the portals updated with scholarship interview results the same day as packages were mailed, at 4:02pm. If they stick to last years model it will be the tomorrow. Some have spoken to admissions and they are saying Friday, but if you have been on here for years, you know they say one thing when people call then do another. They usually don’t want scholarships decisions getting entangled with regular decision conversation so I am still guessing tomorrow. I apologize in advance if wrong, been pretty good at guesses so far so I hope I have some credit to burn here. 
MERIT & FINANCIAL AID AWARDS - Financial Aid comes out March 27 per USC Instagram. It is usually within a week or so of decisions so this fits. It is not with your acceptance package, so some will be very excited to get in then have the big downer when they find they can’t attend because they don’t get the aid they thought they would. So if you interview for let’s say Presidential, you will find out if you get that scholarship (yay) with the regular decisions, and you will not know until April what your financial aid award is (if you applied for FA). So this process is complex, and final answers about merit $$ vs FA will come through separately.
DO THEY SEND A LETTER IF DENIED?
Last year they still sent letters with the news that a student is not being admitted. They go out same day as packages, but they are sent first class which is slower than the priority mail of packages. However, they tend to catch up with the packages and some in Socal do get it the first day, the same day packages start arriving. Is it possible to see the rejection letter in the informed digest? Maybe. That service wasn’t up and running so not sure. But one more time, THE ACCEPTANCE PACKAGES CANNOT BE TRACKED.
Good luck all! USC is utterly fantastic, I wish there was room for all that want to attend.
@Acceptmeples what do you mean by spring admittance being an unreliable way to get in?
Of course people prefer fall, but spring is still a great way to get in if all you want to do is go to USC. There is nothing unreliable about it. You get accepted for spring and decide if you accept that offer, and if you do, then go. They have orientation and events for spring admits to get you acclimated. with a 13% acceptance rate, some people would be thrilled to have spring as an option, particularly over not getting in at all!
I think the worst part is missing your first football season (not the actual game but all the stuff around them), making friends is easy whether fall or spring.
I say that because in spring, you would have to take an extra year to graduate, which would cost a lot considering the tuition cost of USC. In addition, many of the students who make it in are from USC affiliated schools and programs, so its not as general for everyone.