@Lindagaf WOOOHOOO - Congrats!!! After having 4 accepted to USC and having at least one (or two) attending there for 9 consecutive years (one still there - will pass a solid decade at USC soon), I will be glad to tell you everything I can about USC and TTP. I know it soooo well and am pretty involved in some things on campus still (no not helicoptering)! Unlike you, my kids would be horrified if I posted specifics about them, so I need to keep those specifics in a PM, (and I don’t want to derail this thread) but here is the first post of the TTP thread that I start every year around this time on the USC forum (that’s where I live, ha). This will help you come up with some questions. I love USC, we are a Trojan family, but I really try to present the good, bad, and the ugly - I will call it like I see it and won’t paint a rosy picture if there isn’t one. I’m here if you need!
Trojan Transfer Plan
For those who got TTP in their denial letter - it is not offered to everyone. You are “denied” this year but encouraged to apply next year as a transfer. You have a very good chance of being accepted (almost a guarantee so I wish they would make it one) as a sophomore transfer if you have a good gpa and take the right classes. For those who got TTP in their rejection letter - it is not offered to everyone. You can attend a CC, a state school or any 4 year university for your first year. You can do study abroad through universities that USC partners with. They have more articulation agreements (a list of courses that are acceptable at USC from another school) available from CC and state schools, but there are some from 4 year universities, and it is completely acceptable to come from any 4 year. Obviously you may attend your 4 year and decide you want to stay, and say heck with the TTP. If you decide to go for USC as a sophomore you will need to apply as a transfer applicant before February 1st during freshman year (back to the common app again, weeeee).
How does this differ from a regular transfer applicant? The difference - you are given the opportunity to meet with a USC advisor in June or July BEFORE freshman year to make sure you understand what is best for you to take during that first year at your other college - what looks best to increase your transfer chances. They do not go over specific courses at your college, but just an idea what fits into their GEs, and what is good to get over with and bring to USC. They do not offer this consult to “regular” transfer applicants. It may be a way for them to meet you as well, but it is more to go over stuff with you. Apparently, if you meet a 3.7-3.8 recommended gpa first year and get the right credits you need (30), you are almost guaranteed a spot. Note almost. It means you may have an edge over those applying as a transfer without TTP. Nothing is ever guaranteed in college admissions till you get your packet!
So what do you do? You move on with your life and plan on attending another school first. Then you can pursue the TTP by expressing interest and signing up for meeting in summer. Then go to your other school. If it is a CC (2 year), you can work really hard to make the transfer happen. If it is a big 4 year school, I would embrace it, commit to it, and give it a chance. If you don’t love it after first semester, you can apply by February 1st for the transfer as a TTP applicant. If you have adjusted, love your new school and forgot about USC - then just don’t apply. It’s that simple.
Personal thoughts - for those that are 100% committed to graduate from USC it can work out and let you still have your dream, and even save a good amount of money (if you go to a cc for a year for example), or study abroad. Some kids feel if USC didn’t want them the first time, they don’t want USC later. For others, it’s not a bad back up plan - you can go to another school and if you don’t like it, go for this. For some, it can turn it into a hostage acceptance, because the student (and parent) hang in limbo for a year while trying to meld with the other school, and just don’t because they still dream of USC. How you treat it is up to you. They will give you the idea a cc is better, but it doesn’t matter where you go (they can’t encourage a 4 year because it would be un-PC to do so). I would strongly think about whether you really want to change plans and give up another great 4 year college and the freshman experience you could have on a maybe from USC (in the case of doing cc rather than 4 year).
It is stressful all over again, no question. They do the common app and go through the acceptance cycle again in the spring. Brutal. Frankly, I wish they were guaranteed with a GPA, or even a date of acceptance, the stress of waiting till May or June to find out if admitted is unnecessary. Housing is often filled by them and not guaranteed to transfers. At the meetings, some advisors will be positive and reassuring, others will treat them like they are lucky to even be in this pool and tell them it’s not guaranteed over and over. Not a fan of the second class citizen treatment.
Point is, some will say heck yes, and some will say, heck no, it is an individual choice. Biggest thing to keep in mind is it doesn’t matter if you are coming from a 2 or 4 year. So don’t feel like you have to attend a cc or state school, or something other than you intend currently, to make USC happy. It doesn’t matter. Make yourself happy. GPA and the correct classes are all that matter for the Trojan Transfer Plan.
