Does anybody know around what date SCA starts sending out interview requests?
Do they mail rejections the same time they mail acceptances?
They update portal the third day after mailing, students will see if they are rejected there first. There is always a question if they mail the rejection letter at all anymore with everything online.
@jerber It is likely happening already. Of course most do not get such a request.
There has been a lot of speculation over the years regarding the issue of SCA interviews because many do get in without every being interviewed and many also get rejected without ever being interviewed. Also, many who are interviewed still do not get in. Some have speculated that professor-requested interviews are primarily for those applicants that may be “on the bubble” or where clarifications may be deemed warranted via the faculty requesting the interviews.
With SCA, the acceptance rate is only in the 2-11% range anyhow, depending on the major, so 89-98% get rejected (again, depending on the major) any way you look at it. But these are creative majors and so much of that holistic review process is entirely subjective. A good interview could of course aid your efforts.
If offered, I would be inclined to think of it as a good thing… or at least as one more opportunity to put your best case forward. But again, many get in without ever being interviewed.
Good Luck
Does anyone know when final decisions will be released? Are they rolling or a single day? I know they say by April 1, but do they typically come out before then?
@am0423 Yes. Acceptances are mailed via USPS Priority Mail (DHL for International), likely during the week of March 20th (March 23rd I believe last year), with admission portal updates and emails letting you know about the portal update thereafter a couple days after the mailing. USC is “old school” and wants admitted students to have a “mail box moment” when the white acceptance boxes arrive. They want you to find out by mail first. They are all mailed out the same day. They also do not enable USPS tracking. The portals update almost all at the same time, but realistically it takes a few hours to update tens of thousands of portals. Good Luck…
im leaving for Costa Rica on march 25th (Sunday), do you think letters will arrive before then??
No one can tell you that, particularly not knowing where you are located. The first day mailed will likely be between March 20th-23rd, so if in Socal and they are sent as late as March 23rd, you could have a shot. Won’t know till they are sent. But you can check portal from Costa Rica a couple days after they are mailed.
@prepro986 Yes… as stated above. Depends on when they are mailed and where you live. Most likely, you will learn via the portal update instead.
Does anyone know how the notification process works for Thornton Music School applicants? Is there an early admissions notification/interview process for those selected (in programs eligible) to receive academic or music school scholarships?
There have not been many posts from music applicants describing the process…leading me to believe it all happens in late March. However, that can’t be the case since I assume some applicants would have to be interviewed prior to the award of any of the full/half tuition scholarships.
@winjammer look at post #63 on page 5.
Thanks @pdxtigermom!
It appears from post #63 that the scholarship notification process starts immediately after the audition since she was notified 2 days later for Thornton merit and 3 days later for Trustee scholarship (without even interviewing).
As a composition applicant, my son did not audition. He was required to submit a composition portfolio comprised of 3 original compositions along with their music scores by December 1st. I don’t know any other composition applicants to inquire as to whether they’ve heard anything yet.
As one of the top music schools in the country…and perhaps the highest ranked, most selective USC school (with the exception of SCA), I’m a bit surprised that the process is less clear for all applicants.
@winjammer you can PM the OP of this thread, although it was several years back,
http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/columbia-university/907702-columbia-juilliard-dd-or-usc-thornton.html
I think for performance or composition majors, the live audition or portfolio serve as the same purpose as interviews.
anyone know the typical decision release dates and times from previous years? thanks
@pdxtigermom thanks!
I reviewed the post and appreciate the suggestion. As frustrating as it is to not know and have to wait, I’ll just have to do a better job of distracting myself between now and late March. It’s just that Thornton is his first choice school and it would save me a lot of time, money and travel if I could take the other schools off the board right now. Oh well…onward.
@syd24ranger if you are referring to Thornton School typical release dates, they are the same as for the general population of USC applicants…last week of March.
I was interested to know if there was an early notification process specifically for music school applicants as there appears to be for those applying to other USC schools who receive full/half tuition scholarships. (These applicants find out in February.)
The answer seems to be “yes, no, maybe so”…for now at least.
@winjammer yeah, I feel you. Think of other performance major students, they have to travel every corner of the country and audition for every program that they apply to especially those play larger instruments. I do feel lucky after reading all the struggles during the audition season since most of the music institutes are on the other side of the country with one digit temperatures.
@pdxtigermom I agree.
It’s a grueling process that probably has the (intended?) effect of narrowing the applicant pool as students realize the travel schedule is too much for them to handle and so they cancel auditions at schools they aren’t seriously interested in attending.
Even as a composition major, many programs require an instrumental audition so my S still has to travel…though not as much…thankfully.
@winjammer @pdxtigermom We got Thornton acceptance package last year on Friday March 24. The scholarship decisions came out the following week on weekdays. My daughter had six live auditions. We made four trips to south and east coast. The whole audition season was long, tiring and expensive. We did have some fun though. My daughter ran into many friends she met at summer camps. And the weather was much better.