[ size=4][ color=red][ b]Decision: Rejected**[/color][/size]
[ b]Date applied: ** Early November
[ b]Date decision postmarked/received: ** Was out of town
[ b]Which school/major at USC:** Marshall
[ b]Scholarships:**
[ b]Objective:**
SAT I (breakdown):
ACT (breakdown): 31 (27 Math, 34 English, 33 Science, 30 Reading)
SAT II (place score in parentheses):
Unweighted GPA (out of 4.0): 3.84
Rank (percentile if rank is unavailable):
AP (place score in parentheses): Euro (4), Psych (5), Lang (5), Physics (2), Spanish, Stats
IB (place score in parentheses):
Senior Year Course Load: A little lax but still I’d consider it rigorous
Major Awards (USAMO, Intel etc.):
[ b]Subjective:**
Extracurriculars (place leadership in parentheses): Senior Vice President of a local community service organization, NHS, SHS, I’m a pilot, probably other stuff I’m forgetting I’m kinda done with this haha
Job/Work Experience: Ran a customer service team for a large company in 7th grade, have had lots of jobs since including working at a summer camp.
Volunteer/Community Service: Lots
Summer Activities: Working at a summer camp
Essays (rating 1-10, details):: These were my strongest essays for sure. I really worked hard on them and tried to make it clear why I wanted to go to USC. Maybe 8.
Teacher Recommendations (rating 1-10, details):: Probably 10.
Counselor Rec (rating 1-10, details):: Probably 10.
Additional Rec (rating 1-10, details)::
Interview: Flew to DC to interview, $300 plane ticket down the tube lol. Not that I expected to buy my way in with an interview, but kinda sucks.
[ b]Other**
Applied for Financial Aid? No
State (if domestic applicant): Ohio
Country (if international applicant):
School Type: Large extremely competitive
Ethnicity: White
Gender: Male
Income Bracket:
Hooks (URM, first generation college, etc.): Undiscriminated white male
[ b]Reflection**
Strengths: Again, this was my strongest application. I worked it. I was working my butt off to establish a relationship with my counselor, show how passionate I was and how much I wanted it, and really tried to seem different and like I did my research on why I wanted to go to USC.
Weaknesses: ACT, course load
Why you think you were accepted/deferred/rejected:
Where else you are applying or have already applied:
General Comments/Advice/Hindsight:
It’ll all be okay guys. A few months ago I thought I didn’t know what the heck I’d do if USC rejected me, and now I’m kind of grateful because I don’t think I would’ve accepted admission, and it would’ve killed me and I would have lost a lot of sleep coming to that conclusion. YOU WILL SURVIVE. However, be smart about your actions and apply to plenty of colleges. My biggest singular piece of advice, as harsh as it is, apply in such a way that if you only get accepted by your safety schools, you’ll still be happy. Maybe not your first choices, but you’ll go, get a good education, and be happy. If you’re looking at USC then chances are your safety schools are pretty dang good schools, USC is top tier. It’s okay to not be top tier. Move on, get in the group me’s for whatever you go, and get pumped! Don’t dwell on the past, it happened for a reason. Big thanks to USC for IMO is one of the most personal and fair admissions processes. UVA and UNC were extremely distant and cold with their communication, and I think USC gets more apps than them (if not they both get a ton) and USC is waaaaay classier with how they do everything. I really feel like I did everything for my application, and I feel confident that they gave me every chance to be offered a spot for admission.