what do you think about my chances for USC

Chance Me / Match Me!
1

<p>I am a junior at Burroughs High School. I want to know what your opinion is on my "app." I would really like to go to USC but I also would like to go to other colleges like UCLA but haven't made up my mind on exactly what colleges I'm going to apply to. I also havent made up my mind on what i want to major in but im leaning towards journalism, but i also like forensics (but i dont know of any well known universities that offer that as a major).
anyway here it goes:</p>

<p>-Freshman Year
Honors English
Geometry
Art 1
Geography
Biology
Spanish 1
P.E.</p>

<p>-Sophomore Year
Honors English
Honors Modern World History
Chemistry
P.E.
Spanish 3
Newswriting - Ads Manager
Advanced Algebra
Habitat for Humanity Club
Who's Who Among High School Students</p>

<p>-Junior Year
Newswriting -Ads Manager
AP Biology
AP U.S. History
Honors English
ASB - Junior Class Vice President
Precalculus
Art 2
Community Service Tutor
Habitat for Humanity Club - Public Relations Officer
Who's Who...
United States Achievment Academy
CSF </p>

<p>-Next year's schedule
AP English
AP Macroeconomics
AP Microeconomics
AP Spanish
Physics
Newswriting -Ads Manager (i wanted to be editor but the only reason i didnt get it is because they thought i couldn't handle it because of the things i'm doing already, ugh what do they know)
ASB President :)
CSF</p>

<p>-Ethnicity= mexican american
-GPA=3.7
-Top 6%
-SAT=1710 (i plan on actually studying for it next time so i can get a higher score
-Subject test=i took the biology and spanish tests but havent gotten my scores, i expect to have done really well on them
-I've attended leadership conferences for school, like for ASB.
-I was chosen as alternate to attend a Pepperdine Summer Conference
-I was also accepted into a summer seminar for Journalism at USC but am unable to attend financial means (i applied and received financial aid but it wasnt enough for me to be able to go)</p>

<p>Potential colleges:
Safety=not sure
Regular(haha i don't know what you would call it)= USC, UCLA
Far-reaching= Cornell, Stanford</p>

<p>Where do you think I should improve and do you have any ideas of colleges that might fit me? What do you think my chances are to get into USC, how can I enhance my app to get into USC? Also, do you know of any universities known for forensics?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

2

<p>*in addition to next year's schedule - im going to take calculus at the community college in my town next year since it is only offered the same time as ASB</p>

3

<p>Sorry you couldn't afford to go to the Journalism summer program at USC because of the financial aid problem--that's a shame.</p>

<p>As far as the rest of this, to help you with chances we need to know if that 3.7 GPA is unweighted or weighted. Also, for the UCs, they go by the UC GPA--which is computed by taking out the PE courses and health courses, then taking the grades earned during just your sophomore and junior years and adding one extra grade point for each of the first eight (and only the first eight) honors, AP, or IB courses taken.</p>

<p>Example: You take five classes in your sophomore year, five in your junior year--five of your courses are honors/AP/IB course. You get 10 A's and 10 B's (20 semesters right?). Your UC GPA is 3.90 (10x4 plus 10x3, which is a total of 70, plus 8 extra grade points for the honors courses, which equals 78. This gets divided by 20 courses, for a total UC GPA of 3.90).</p>

<p>You need a 4.12 UC GPA or so for UCLA, with a SAT I score (single sitting) of around 2000 out of the 2400 possible points. For UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara, and UC Davis, you need about a UC GPA of 3.88 to 3.90, with a SAT score of around 1850 or so.</p>

<p>Presuming you have a 3.7 unweighted, you need about a 1850 to 1900 SAT score to have a shot at USC (maybe slightly less as a URM--under-represented minority). I'd stick with your journalism major--USC has a good school in this--or Economics--which seems to be your other interest. </p>

<p>Oh, and drop the "Who's Who" listing in your applications to the colleges--the "Who's Who" people are running a scam (they will list anyone who pays to be in their publication--you can send in your dog's name and they will print that).</p>

<p>For a safety/safe match, consider the other UCs (Irvine, Santa Barbara, Davis, Santa Cruz, Merced or Riverside)or top Cal States (San Diego, Los Angles, Fresno, Long Beach or Fullerton)--they are all fairly cheap. Or go to a community college for two years and then transfer to a UC. (cheapest route)</p>

<p>Best of luck.</p>

4

<p>thank you!</p>

5

<p>USC is a significant reach.</p>

6

<p>oh and i forgot to add ap govt to next year's list</p>

7

<p>If you need scholarship money and would like to go private, consider some smaller schools like Seattle University or Loyola Marymount or University of San Diego. Also, go to your local library or guidance counselor and get a copy of Rugg's Recommendations. It will tell you which schools have a forensics dept, and which are good in journalism.</p>