usc chances

Colleges & Universities University of Southern California
1

<p>(btw sorry for double post, i read a forum that said this was better)</p>

<p>hello. i am new here and i have done rigorous research on the schools i want to attend and wound up here. Im sorry if this thread has been posted more than a hundred times but i figured it would be easier for me to post here. please help.</p>

<p>Im currently a junior in highschool and i want to attend 4 highly recognized schools</p>

<p>-USC
-Michigan
-Wake Forest
-UT</p>

<p>GPA:
3.76 unweighted/4.26 weighted
Class Rank: 48/551</p>

<p>SAT: 1850-1900 (assuming, i havnt received my scores yet)
Teacher Recs: very well rounded and put together.
Ap Courses: 4-6</p>

<p>Extracurriculars/Honors:</p>

<p>National Honor Society - 2 years
Spanish National Honor Society - 2 years (Leadership)
Choir - 4 years(Leadership)
track and field - 4 years
cross country - 4 years
History club - 4 years (Leadership)
Muy Alpha Thea(Math Club) - 1 year (Leadership)
HOSA - 1 year
Leadership class - 1 year (teach kids and stuff)
Project Serve (city wide clean up and educate under priveleged kids) - 6 years
Youth - teach VBS - 4 years
Work for Parents company every summer - 5 years
Distinguished Plan Graduate for pursuit of higher education with AP courses and scores</p>

<p>Essays: Very well put together.
2010 Graduate; I plan to more than likely enroll for the college of letters Arts and Sciences at USC</p>

<p>MISC. I live in Arlington, Texas, My sister attends USC,</p>

<p>basically, i want to know if my 4 schools are a reach, and what i should do from here to the fall of my senior year to ensure my chances at these schools, im really scared at the thought of applying to college so any information would help, please and thank you.</p>

<p>Lastly, My sister currently attends USC and will be a Senior there when i go to college, my question that i’ve found is often time not cleraly answered in this forum is, will She being at USC account for me being any type of Alumni/SCion at all? and if this will
play any factor in adminstration? please and thank you</p>

2

<p>you are on the right track but beef up those sat scores. There is a new sat scoring policy so TEST TEST TEST AND TEST SOME MORE</p>

3

<p>thanks i really appreciate the feedback. still cant help but worry a bit though.</p>

4

<p>

</p>

<p>It would be better to conduct your chance thread with real scores, rather than assumptions.</p>

5

<p>you’re absolutely right, but i didnt 100% pull those scores aout of the air. i based the range on multiple practice tests thats all. i just wanted to know where i stand and if im even in the running for USC and my other schoools, thats all.</p>

6

<p>anyone else out there? thoughts, opinions, or even criticism?</p>

7

<p>I have virtually the same GPA, but my test scores are a little higher and my rank is like upper 20’s out of about 570. I got into Michigan, but my friend who had a 32 on his ACT and 3.6 GPA got deferred and still has to hear back. My recommendation would be to apply early action to Michigan. As for USC, it seems like they’re focusing a lot on test scores, so I would try to bring that SAT up to around 2000. Also, every AP course you can take helps. Most people who have gotten in so far have at least 6. Remember, this is just my advice and I’m only one person so take it lightly.</p>

8

<p>well the thing is, how my schedule worked otu to where my AP classes all end up my senior year, so by the end of senior year i will have taken 6 to 7. I plan on applying before the end of my first semester senior year, will i be able to notify to usc that i’m in the process of taking my AP courses or will it not matter.</p>

9

<p>Yes. They ask for the classes you’re currently taking during your senior years, and you will likely have to send your first semester grades, which they will consider for admission. So if you’re taking 6 to 7 by the end of senior year, you’re in pretty good shape. However, like I said, most of the applicants who have been accepted have had at least 6 AP classes, so you won’t really be towards the top when it comes to courseload, you’ll be somewhere in the middle.</p>

10

<p>Bring your test scores to at least 2000, 2100 to be safe (it’s superscored, so take the SAT multiple amount of times). </p>

<p>I honestly don’t think that the amount of AP classes matter that much, unless you have zero or an insane amount. Somewhere in the middle should suffice (5-8 is good). Your e.c. are all good and well rounded, but try to focus on one club or activity, so you can give USC the impression that you have depth and commitment, instead of simply grocery listing. I’m not saying you aren’t committed to your clubs, but I just think that applicants with 10+ activities are a dime a dozen to prestigious universities, so you need to impress.</p>

<p>With that said you have a good shot. SAT scores are quickly rising for USC, so you’ll need to get on that fast.</p>

11

<p>Very well put. I think they do definitely look at your courseload though. My friend who had 10+ AP classes was the second person to get in from my school. longnguyen was right on the money with the test scores though. It’s becoming a major factor for USC.</p>

12

<p>i’ve been working non stop on my SAT and am signed up to take it this May again, subject tests in june, and a third SAT in october of next year if needed. So im working to bring those scores up. Apart from that factor, are my chances for usc even in the ball park or should i give up now. and does anyone know about the question of my sister currently attending usc?</p>

13

<p>I was told having family as alumni doesn’t really play a part in admission, but we had a discussion about it early in one of the other threads. I think it only plays a role when it has come down to applicants who have similar statistics, but one is related to alumni. Other than that, I don’t think it will play a major factor in your admission. As for your chances, I would say they’re solid. Just do the best you can on your SATs, and get the best grades you can. Your ECs seem solid and I’m sure you’ll have at least a good essay if you really want to go there. In the end though, it’s up to the admission committee.</p>

14

<p>thanks so much for the responses. the reason i ask is because when checking out the stats for usc the majority percentage of accepted students had alumni ties.</p>

15

<p>I think that’s because so many kids of alumni, and brothers and sisters of alumni, apply there because they’ve been on campus or heard about how amazing it is. Basically what I’m saying, and I’m just hypothesizing, is that they have a lot of family related alumni applicants.</p>

16

<p>oh alright. well so as far as the info i provided you goes and assuming im able to raise my sat about 200 poitns or so, am i in good shape or am i still hindered in my attempts to go to usc im some way or another</p>

17

<p>You’ll be in great shape. However, I’m just one dude with his opinions.</p>

18

<p>alright im back with a little more information and any advice out there would be greatly appreciated.</p>

<p>freshman - track,honors english,honors geometry,honors bio,multimedia productions,spanish I, choir,health/speach</p>

<p>sophomore - honors comp sci,spanish II, choir, world history, honors chem, weight lifting/nutrition, honors english, honors algebra.</p>

<p>junior - track, Ap english for a semester/english second, choir, honors physics, track, APUSH for a semester/us history second, honors precal, honors spanish III</p>

<p>senior (expected with no drops) - ap chem, ap bio, ap spanish IV, ap stats, ap english, ap calc BC, track/leadership class, choir, dual credit govt/economics in the summer</p>

<p>my sat was what i predicted whcih was an 1850, but i will repost my may sat as i feel i did much better on that one.</p>

<p>Im posting to ask mainly about my junior year, i took a semester of AP english and AP world but wouldnt keep up so i went to regulars for the second semester junior year and (to no surprise) did very well. finishing this year i will expect my GPA to be around 3.8/4, 4.3/5. i was wondering if dropping those 2 classes for a semester junior yera will look horrific in my applications - (im still adamant about going to USC). i plan to stick out the classes i’ve selected for my senior year and will not drop any of them. will i be able to say i TOOK ap english and apush even though it was only for a semester? will they look at say “hes a quiter”. im mainly concerned about those 2 classes and leaving them for a semester. any input form anyone? and when i put honors for my classes, they’re actually marked “pre-ap” for my school as they are for many school sim guessing, will those honors be taken into consideration at all or do they not carry much weight at all? i’ve started putting together my EC and i have more than i originally posted, and i plan to naarrow them down to the more important things i’ve been doing for my college essays which i believe i will shine on (my essays). please help, any information will be greatly apprecaited, thanks.</p>

19

<p>oh and one more hting i was concerned with. itook an Honors enginneering class for a sesmter junior year which i got a C+ in. i didnt think too much about it because it didnt count toward my GPA and it wasnt a “core” class that i need to graduate with like math or science. will this also look god awful on my app? </p>

<p>my teacher recs will be very good as i have a good relationship with them, and i have already gotten recs from them for various other things. and for my essay i plan to talk about how being assigned an elementary kid to look after for a year changed the way i perceive children and how i’ve come to realize learning is not as material as books and computers, but communication as well</p>

20

<p>anyone? i know im sounding a bit pushy, but im honestly losing sleep and killing myself with all these questions</p>