<p>Hey there! I'm a rising senior, and I hope to be applying to USC next year as a viola performance major.</p>
<p>Obviously, USC is very selective, and not all of it rests on grades and test scores, but I was wondering how much test scores were weighed in admissions. Because my school is an arts school, the data on Naviance for Thornton primarily shows low-testing applicants who perhaps may have been significantly better musicians than me.</p>
<p>Do you suppose I would first have to be "cleared" by USC before my audition for Thornton was considered?</p>
<p>What are your stats? Audition results are hugely important, but realistically you have to be ‘in the neighborhood’ scores and grades-wise.</p>
<p>I have heard (rumor only) that the audition is a key factor in admission. I believe that the section or instrument instructors are selecting the few musicians they want to work with so it can be not only competitive but subjective since these few auditors will have major impact. </p>
<p>Once an applicant’s audition has been approved, the other college stats will need to be in the ballpark for a talent-based admit. For music (again, only rumors), I’ve heard that SAT scores should be over 1900. Obviously, the better the academic gpa, the easier it is for Thornton to make a case for slightly lower scores. There is no way to predict the magic formula of what sort of talent/awards a musician must bring to allow Thornton to go to bat for her/him with general admissions. We see the same sort of admissions patterns in the other talent-based Schools, as well. But the majority of those admitted to those schools have stats equal to the university-wide averages. And the students who are offered the highest merit scholarships, of course, bring higher grades/scores along with outstanding talent-based achievements.</p>