Ask a USC student anything! - Page 28

Yasmin · 05-20-2009, 04:42 AM

Is it true that USC LOVES high scores? rather than high grades?
my HS tanscript sux...wer looking at:
grade 9: B-
grade 10: A-
grade 11: B+
BUUTTT i got 2300 in my SAT
my ECs are okay...I take dance classes 4 times a week, volunteer sometimes during weekends....and I did a translating internship once, be doing it again this summer.
How do I stack up?

alamemom · 05-20-2009, 10:09 AM

Yasmin, USC does like high scores, and yours certainly are high, but I don't think it could be said USC wants high scores "rather" than a strong GPA - they want both. The average UNweighted GPA of accepted students for 2008 was 3.8, and it looks like it will go up a bit for 2009. Freshman profile: http://www.usc.edu/admission/undergr...file2008v3.pdf Check the stats thread for 2009: Stats Only - USC Decisons 2009 Be sure to have good safety schools on your list as well as school like USC. Good luck!

Yasmin · 05-20-2009, 01:35 PM

wow okay...along with that...
I'll hopefully try to get my GPA up nxt yr...so that could help atleast a teeny bit rite?
thing is my first trimester grades usually come out around december 10ish, just in time for me to send them to other schools with a 01/01 deadline but the deadline for USC is like 11/30 so will i be able to send them those scores to increase my chances a bit?

alamemom · 05-20-2009, 05:00 PM

The regular admissions deadline this year was Jan 10th (the December 1st deadline is for scholarship consideration) so you would have plenty of time to submit your first trimester grades. Better grades can only help. Everyone who applies has "a chance," so if USC is a school you would really like to attend you should apply. Do so understanding that it would be a high reach for you and have other schools of your list where you are very likely to be accepted.

There are more than 2,000 four-year colleges and universities in the US, and you are very well qualified for more than 1,900 of them - broaden your search to schools that would not only accept you, but that might consider offering merit aid to a student with your great SAT scores. (Are you likely to be a National Merit Scholar? There are probably lots of schools that give automatic acceptance to NMFs with a 3.0.) Don't turn your nose up at the second and third-tier schools - you can get a GREAT education and save a bunch of money. Good luck!!!

lazpotatohead01 · 05-20-2009, 09:45 PM

If you take CC first semester and enter in Spring.. how does your GPA work? is it a blank slate or r do the grades you get at CC become your GPA?

uchopeful73 · 05-20-2009, 10:30 PM

^pretty sure you start at ground zero upon arrival to usc, so blank slate.

jbusc · 05-20-2009, 11:27 PM

Except for university honors (cum laude, etc)

Quote:

** NOTE: University honors are based on either the GPA
for the combined transferred and resident course work or
the GPA for resident course work, whichever is lower.

War Chant · 05-20-2009, 11:50 PM

Yeah, you have a separate transfer GPA.

ladybug1013 · 06-18-2009, 07:53 PM

How is Parkside International Residential College for a dorm?

Hawkwings · 06-18-2009, 08:19 PM

It's a great place. It's new, you get AC, your own bathroom that you share with only 3 other people, and maids even come clean it. It's suite style, 4 2-person rooms and a central common area. And Parkside dining hall is right there and very convenient.

akalboy · 06-18-2009, 09:03 PM

If you're planning on living on Parkside, I'd recommend Parkside Arts & Humanities over IRC as Arts & Humanities is a little nicer (has a common room-ish that connects the 4 rooms) and is more sociable than IRC.

War Chant · 06-18-2009, 10:32 PM

Yeah, ditto what akalboy said.

AJwants2go2USC · 06-19-2009, 01:11 AM

did you take all honors freshman year?

Hawkwings · 06-19-2009, 02:21 PM

define "all honors"

Trojan_Architect · 06-21-2009, 02:04 AM

How do the people on campus view skaters/longboarders, cus I plan on using my longboard to get around campus? I know that they don't take too kindly at fUCLA.