FAQ for USC Admissions - Page 11

Nikara · 02-12-2009, 01:36 AM

No, it most likely won't help. Just relax for now, and see what happens.

Nicole B · 02-12-2009, 03:52 PM

so it wont even help if the school said they would make a note of it in the application?

madbean · 02-12-2009, 04:26 PM

Over the past 10 or 15 years, such a letter or phone call will not overcome a mediocre application package even if the donors were your parents or grandparents. If your GPA, test scores, etc are truly borderline for acceptance, a steady history of large family contributions might get you the tip. But we heard a story about the president of USC writing a nice letter for a student... who did not get accepted. In general, the letters of rec that have the most power are those written by adults who have known the student (not just the family or parents) personally and well, seen a lot of the student's work and can explain how that student's specific talents and strengths match the program they are applying for.

Nicole B · 02-12-2009, 10:54 PM

yeah they did write about my talents and stuff and all the things i have done

mamacol · 03-03-2009, 06:54 PM

Do you think it might be a good idea to phone and let USC know that my son went from NMSF to NMF? I am worried that he hasn't heard from them yet. Honestly, I thought he would have a good chance at acceptance...not enough community service I imagine...oh well.

Georgia Girl · 03-03-2009, 08:22 PM

happy_sunflower,
It may surprise you, but the SAT scores of entering freshmen are higher at SC than at UCLA. Also, SC law graduates now pass the bar at a higher rate than law graduates from UCLA.
It is not easier to be admitted to SC than UCLA these days. SC has a holistic selection process for admission. I have seen two posts from unhappy dads whose seniors were not admitted to SC with scores of 2240 and 2250. Madbean has posted regarding NMScholars who did not receive admission. Last year SC had 35,901 applications for a targeted class of 2600. The university received more acceptances and ended up with a class of 2744.
SC is a Tier I university. It is considered highly selective. Some posters on other selective college forums are finding admissions selection to be a mystery. Parents wrote students were not admitted to a safety college, but received admission to their top reach college. Others, unfortunately, posted their seniors were not admitted to any college.
Perhaps you may wish to visit the College Admissions forum to learn more about the process.

My2CentsRwrthMor · 03-15-2009, 11:02 AM

@Georgia Girl: It may surprise you, but the SAT scores of entering freshmen are higher at SC than at UCLA.

Not entirely surprising. UCLA does practice more holisitic admissions, does reject higher SAT applicants in favor of more needy, less rich, folks having more hardships, but otherwise talented. Also usc is known to play us news ranking game well (nothing wrong with it). One fact alone that usc superscores sat but ucla does not could account for the above differences.

ellec · 03-22-2009, 06:22 PM

Question: I was accepted into USC's College of Arts and Sciences yesterday. However, I have recently decided I would like to pursue architecture. How can I go about switching into the architecture school?

Thank you!

Nikara · 03-22-2009, 06:58 PM

Contact the architecture school ASAP and see what you need to do. This is a school that you definitely need to transfer into immediately, because the classes start right away there, and are quite intense.

noregrets43 · 03-23-2009, 11:00 AM

Has anyone ever been admitted to USC with a 19 on the ACT and a 3.7 GPA...

kenzay · 03-26-2009, 01:17 AM

I haven't read the whole thread but I'm hoping I get into USC. My stats aren't amazing, but I think my recs were good, essays were good (and showed my sense of humor), and as a person beyond the test scores, I'm an interesting applicant.

I hope that's enough to get in!

uscgirl192 · 03-26-2009, 01:24 AM

I'm right with you kenzay! I hope I get in too!!

julsandfam · 03-26-2009, 09:22 PM

no regrets...
maybe a star quarterback ala Matt Leinart?! I'm afraid that ACT composite is very low for the pool. most admitted freshman in recent years have been in the 27-33 range.

noregrets43 · 03-27-2009, 12:16 PM

Ughhhh I wish they didn't judge on ACT scores.
I have done an awful lot for the field that I want to major in beyond the ACT scores

Im with Kenzay too. I hope they look at my application like that...

masterhammy · 03-29-2009, 02:48 AM

I haven't heard back from USC yet. I applied by December 1st for Merit Scholarships and received the letter telling me I didn't get their 2 biggest merit scholarships. I have some friends that have already heard back, but nothing for me yet. Will it come by mail or is it online too?