What can I do to improve my chances here?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Southern California
1

<p>Rank: 8/373 (Top 3%)
GPA: 3.9 uw / ??? weighted
White Male, Public High School
Loc: North Texas</p>

<p>-ACT: 31 (E:29,R:29,S:31,M:33, Essay:6/12)
-SAT: 1950 (probably will not send)
-SATII: Math II: 650, BiologyM: 690 (should I send these?)</p>

<p>Courseload:
-Freshman: 4 PreAPs (Cores), required health/speech, Spanish I, top band, top jazz band
-Sophomore: 5 PreAPs (Cores, extra is comp sci), top band, top jazz band, Spanish II
-Junior: AP Bio (4), AP CompSci (3), AP EngComp (5), PreAPPrecal, PreAP Physics, top band, Leave Early (top jazz band last period, lowers GPA)
-Senior: AP Lit, top band, AP Chem, AP Env, AP Calc BC, Leave Early last 2 periods (1 period empty, 1 period top jazz band)</p>

<p>--So far, I have received all A's except one semester of AP EngComp which was a high B</p>

<p>Extra Stuff:
-Marching Band (Equipment Manager (11), Trumpet Section Leader (12))
-Duke TIP Summer Studies - 7th grade/ intro to medsci, 8th grade/ nanotechnology
-NHS
-Tri-M Music Honor Society (120+ hours)
-Spanish Club (2 years, while I was taking Spanish)
-Qualified for Region Band/ Area Competitions all three years (trumpet)
-Qualified for Jazz Region Band (10 and 11)
-Volunteer for Sertoma (helping deaf and blind <-- probably will write essays on those experiences)
-Took community college dual credit courses (US Hist 1 and 2 (both A's), Gov (B) and Econ (C)</p>

<p>Can anyone suggest what I can do to improve my chances at USC? This is my top choice college and I REALLY want to get in. Thanks!</p>

2

<p>Your essay on your ACT is low. Not that that matters really much at all but still. You should retake the SAT and try to get over a 2100 and only send THAT SINGLE SAT and not your 1950 one even though USC says it’s mandatory (it’s not). Otherwise you look good, good luck.</p>

3

<p>I agree.</p>

<p>/10char</p>

4

<p>Thanks g0ld3n! </p>

<p>To anyone else reading this:
Would it be bad if I just sent in the ACT by itself?
I despise the SAT… And if I churned out a great Common App essay, would they not care so much about the ACT essay?</p>