Question: What is the lowest SAT score you would submit to USC? I’m reading that even if you fall within the average range of admitted students’ scores from the prior year, if it’s on the lower end, you should not submit.
The common data set for 2022-2023 would is 1460 (25%) 1510 (50%) and 1540 (75%). Personally I would submit anything 1500 and above for STEM/engineering majors. I would submit 1450 and above for all other majors.
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Less than a month until the EA deadline. Who is planning on applying? And to what major or school?
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Our child is applying to Viterbi
4.0 UW/4.33 W 36 ACT superscore
Midwest
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S24 is applying to bio, 3.91UW/4.44W, East coast
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S24 will be applying. This is a high reach for him but he wants to give it a try.
Major: economics
GPA 3.83 uw/ 4.33 Weighted
SAT 1530
California
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thank you. this makes sense to me.
My child is on the fence about early action for USC - primary reason would be try qualifying for merit scholarships but that seems like a very high bar and my child just qualified for Nat’l Merit (semifinalist) so I feel like that’s another possible way to get non-need-based aid. (We will unlikely qualify for need-based aid.) I’m wondering if my child’s application at EA stage will be overshadowed by other high achievers who are also trying to get merit scholarships and if they’d be better off applying in later group.
Stats if it helps -
Major: Undeclared humanities
CA resident (northern california)
3.98 UW/4.24 Weighted
ACT 35
NMSF
Speech and debate and writing for school paper are primary EC’s.
Any thoughts/input welcome.
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All students not admitted EA are deferred to RD.
If EA is required to get the automatic NM award, I wouldn’t give up that chance on the theory that admission is somehow easier in RD (which I doubt).
The NMF award is completely independent of EA or regular decision. You “just” need to be accepted - at any time - and be an NMF to get the 1/2 off tuition (Presidential) award.
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I would submit the application when they know they have a finished and polished application to submit. It’s not like the people applying in January are the slackers and the EA kids are a completely different level. They turn away more than 3K students every year with a 4.0+ and 99 percentile test scores. There is no division of entrance stats between early and reg admission. Me thinks you are overthinking and trying to out-strategize admissions, which I don’t think is a winning plan.
With time, it has become more obvious who gets accepted - and who gets merit - and those students stand out in both cycles. Grades and test scores are such a small part of it at USC. So apply when they feel they have done the best they can on the app. But because merit is often more about how they present themselves on the app (versus scores/grades like at some schools), I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to go for merit (IF their application is truly ready). I know why mine got scholarships - and it wasn’t because of their grades or scores - it was because of who they were and the unique perspective/experiences/reflection they brought.
Frankly, honors kids aren’t smarter/brighter/better than the other students, they just put together a better application that stood out for reasons USC was looking for. They have to balance a lot in an incoming class and a student may just be that piece of their puzzle they need. But we will never know what those pieces are as they change each and every year. So while it’s not good to over-estimate chances of merit, one shouldn’t disregard the idea either.
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Son applying EA most likely to the Marshall School of Business though we heard that it is very very hard to get into Marshall and way easier to transfer into Marshall after freshman year so he may apply for Econ (Dornslife) and switch, not sure.
1560 SAT, NMSF, 4.0. (W)/4.35 (UW), good leadership at school and outside, SF Bay Area resident. Will be a competitive applicant but we all know that USC is super hard to get into. He has no dream school but Marshall is in the top 3
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Does USC consider your 2nd choice major if you’re not admitted for first choice?
It depends. What majors are you considering?
USC Viterbi only considers applications that have selected a Viterbi School major as their first choice major. We will not consider applications that have a Viterbi School major listed as their second option.
School of Architecture
Basically, most applicants to USC are being evaluated on 2-3 fronts… by the university overall and by the individual School or Schools within USC that represent the first and second choice majors selected. If the School or Schools want an applicant, but USC overall is reluctant, that School may have to fight for an applicant. That scenario is usually more common in the creative and performance Schools. The # that they can do so for in an individual cycle is likely very limited… so it is usually the other way around.
If USC and both programs want the applicant, he/she will be admitted and to their first choice major. If USC and only the second choice want the applicant, he/she will be admitted and to their second choice major. How often it happens likely just comes down to the combination that the applicant listed. I presume it happens rather often.
Based on the choices, it may simply depend on the #s admitted to each program and how those programs rank you versus other applicants they want. That is also how Spring admits emerge. If USC wants to admit you and so does a program, but there aren’t quite enough spots available… but spots are available for the Spring… an offer of admission starting in the Spring may be forthcoming. It just comes down to how they rank you specifically for that program and where that ranking fits into the # of spots available for the Fall vs the Spring.
USC does also admit a good # of students each cycle as undecided. My younger daughter was one of them. And during orientation, she was put into and met a group similarly admitted. In her case, both of her major choices were highly competitive SCA majors. Both passed on her, but USC saw fit to admit her Undeclared. She enrolled anyhow and applied for an internal transfer into SCA over the summer in July and was admitted to her SCA major by October. Generally speaking, it is far less competitive trying to internally transfer – even into the most competitive programs - versus applying originally as a high school senior. So I would not let getting admitted undeclared scare you off if USC remains your top choice.
Generally speaking, Dornsife is easier to gain admission to than the most competitive Schools like Marshall, SCA and some others… albeit just gaining admission to USC at all is still a major accomplishment these days. As I understand it, the most competitive schools, like Marshall, will not consider you just as a second choice. Dornsife would however, and many people thus select a Dornsife major for their second choice. I am not sure about the School of Architecture in that regard.
Good Luck…
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That’s helpful information to know. I will have to discuss with my S to see what he would like to list as his 2nd choice major if he really wants USC.
You’re welcome. Good luck to him.
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Looking for advice on submitting SAT or going TO. Applying to Viterbi.
Daughter is in Top 5% of her class at a large selective enrollment HS in major city.
UW GPA 4.0, weighted is 5.2.
12 APs - Calc BC, Physics 1, both Physics C, APUSH, Lit, Lang, Gov, Human Geo, Euro, Spanish, Comp Sci A. All 4s and 5s so far (mostly 5s).
Multi sport varsity athlete since freshman year, and team captain of all three teams this year. Will not compete in college.
Comp Sci research internship at major university this year.
Volunteer and paid tutor, PT job, hundreds of service hours.
SAT superscore - 770 math, 700 verbal. Given the rise in USC’s test scores, torn about what to do. We know she’s below the 50th percentile but math score is strong. Will it help or hurt?
The latest available common data set says only 50% of enrolled students submitted scores (34% SAT and 16% ACT). The 25% of the score is 1460 and 50% is 1510 and 75% is 1540.
Engineering majors tend to have higher scores then the rest of the school. The math 50% for the school is 780. Based on this I would lean towards not submitting. This is border line case so it not a easy decision.
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