USC class of 2023 Applicants Thread

Colleges & Universities University of Southern California
1321

This year’s are already done and no, I don’t think it will effect next years at all.

This. ^^^^

As @WWWard said, 99.99999% of students and parents can be proud they got in on their merit.

I do think it might slow the roll out of acceptances a little bit as they ensure nothing is awry. Or admissions may be putting in more hours between now and mailing - that is pretty much a certainty after this. There are a lot of school scandals - one notices those that affect the schools they are interested in and disregard the rest. Besides being a big story it is bigger because of celebrity and big names. People love to see the mighty falling.

On the fun side of all this, we did like how ABC national news kept referring to USC as an elite school. They wouldn’t have referred to it that way a decade ago.

1322

My DD was accepted, and has USC as her #1, but she is concerend (as are we) about what all of this will do to the worth of her degree. We already knew many schools had a preferential process for athletes, and that “development admissions,” were a thing, but now how much more scrutiny will people give her admission, simply because she is a woman. On this forum, I have read comments about some feeling that they “deserve admission,” because of their stats, ec, etc, but feeling like they were denied because of their race or gender. If the admissions are easily influenced by money, and fake athlete status, how much more will people make assumptions about how or why she was admitted (regardless of her endless qualifications). She has already faced unspoken questions, and today it definitely ramped up. We will need to think on whether or not this is the place for her, a few more days. She has loved USC for years, and is literally heartbroken at the continued scandal. USC is not the only school affected in this scam, but the depth of the scandals at USC (all of them) indicates a bigger issue. I hope the administration addresses it, specifically.

1323

@17yeargap From what I can gather… many current & prior USC students simply find this amusing… joking how they each got in on their merits and without having to pay hundreds of thousands or even millions in bribes, etc. to gain admission.

Your family, as each family needs to, will have to decide on where to send your graduating senior for the fall. I was happy and eager to send my two daughters to USC, and I do not regret that decision one iota. My younger daughter, who is currently there, chose USC over other quality options like Princeton, Rice and Emory… and she has not regretted her decision at all. Things like today’s revelation barely surface as a blip on the radars of current students who are far too busy to worry about such nonsense.

Two past and two current USC employees got caught taking huge bribes. Nationwide, 30-50 or so parents were silly enough and desperate enough to offer up insane amounts of money to acquire what your child has already accomplished on her own. Money, especially large amounts of it, can make even a normally sane person do dumb things. But none of that is an indictment of these elite colleges and universities, and it is especially not an indictment of the over-achieving and well-qualified applicants who actually gain admission through their actual talents and skill sets. And in this case, USC is far from alone. It involved UCLA, Stanford, Georgetown, Yale, UTexas and others. None of those programs will be tainted. And none of their future graduates or present alum will be tainted by the petty actions of a few desperate people. If such a minor event affecting circa 24 admits at USC over a five year span is enough to sway an admitted applicant away from attending USC (minor in the sense that its only 24 or so out of 44K+ admitted during that same five year time span), then maybe USC was never truly the best fit. And if it did sway someone… logic would dictate avoiding schools like Stanford and Yale too. But… none of these schools are at fault. And your daughter’s decision as to where to attend college should not be based on something that was out of USC’s control institutionally. My current USC student couldn’t care less. She is enjoying her spring break with friends from school, and this issue barely garnered any attention from them.

And in terms of future years / admission cycles… I predict that it will not slow the # of new applications at all. In fact, it will likely continue to increase. Look at it from the macro point of view as future high school seniors will see it… USC is such a popular elite university that the super wealthy (celebs and business tycoons alike) are willing to spend whatever they deem necessary to make sure their kids can get in and attend. That level of commitment is a huge compliment to USC. Yes… its a tragedy that two past and two current employees gave in to the temptation of bribery, but look at the overwhelming popularity of USC and its downward falling admit rate (predicted to be 12% or lower this year) that has driven a handful of silly people to act out of desperation.

But good luck with your family’s decision-making process…

1324

@WWWard what is your thought (and, others, feel free to chime in) on letters of recommendations? Many would say those are opportunities for the privileged. Others would say they are a means to ensure their child’s application is seriously considered in a fiercely competitive and not perfectly objective process. Do you think what has been exposed today, and what will be considered as remedies to this terrible scam going forward, should include a revision of consideration for letters of recommendations in the admissions process?

1325

It’s not this one thing. Like many others, I am concerend about the pattern of scandal at USC. Every school will have issues, especially those that are called “elite,” just because of the competiveness and prestige associated with admission, but not every school will have several major scandals year, after year. While it may seem amusing to some, it is serious, when we are talking about $70k for an institution with systemic issues. You are right, it may not be the place for her, because she actually has to care about what her degree means in our real world. We have seen people impacted by significant scandal, at other universities, and know what happens when you don’t live in a world of privilege. I am sure many will attend, and many will apply in the future, but none of that makes what is happening okay. This is why it has happened, because people discount its importance. People were rejected, because of this. Opportunities were lost. That matters, and doesn’t matter if it was one or 2000. The number is irrelevant. That is occurred is important. Have a great night.

1326

@sprinttotheend For a school like USC, I personally do not feel that letters of recommendations carry all that much weight when compared to other critical elements… like an applicants’ writing ability, their hopefully well-researched and though out “Why USC?” answer, etc. The vast majority of LORs are going to generally praise the applicant and serve to reinforce other aspects of the application, especially the academic record, for example. Most are not going to be from significant or recognizable people… and if they are, they would really need to exhibit a true depth of connection before they would be deemed all that meaningful to an admissions officer. A LOR from someone rather famous only lends true value if you can tell that they truly know the individual well.

Instead, USC tends to care more about fit… both in terms of how the applicant sees themselves fitting in at USC and vice versa. Far too many stellar applicants (at least on paper) likely assume too much in terms of their qualifications for admission and then fail to truly demonstrate in an adequate manner why gaining admission to USC and attending there… versus say attending any other elite college or university… is specifically important to that individual applicant. Applicants need to make the case. For example… I feel like I belong at USC because… or I feel like I need to attend and study/research at USC because… etc. And conversely, what does USC gain by admitting you specifically? If you as an applicant do not find a way to convey it, USC may simply deem you yet another quality applicant among tens of thousands of others like you who could be well served attending many other colleges.

To me… those elements are far more critical. I doubt that very few admission decisions come down to an AO citing a LOR or some influence peddlers as a compelling reason to admit. Clearly, some do get in because they are well qualified or at least deemed qualified enough and also the son or daughter of (insert a famous celebrity). That happens at the HYPS level schools too. Most – and I mean the vast majority - get in instead on their merits alone and how they sell themselves to admissions. But that’s just my take on it…

1327

@lakergirl6232 none of those. can’t say my school nam due to press issues right now

1328

@WWWard thank you for your reply. My son is applying and is qualified and, in my opinion, made a good argument as to why he specifically wants USC. But he also had a letter of recommendation written for him from a prominent supporter…someone he does know. I think he is concerned (as am I) that this will be used against him now.

1329

@sprinttotheend You’re welcome. Absent the prominent supporter being tied to this specific scandal, I would not fret over it. What you are describing is rather common and has been for decades. It is a natural inclination to seek out such recommendations. Good luck…

1330

I know many people are discounting this scandal as “silly nonsense”, but there are wider, real consequences to consider. As part of the fraud happened with ACT and SAT testing, what will the impact be for students who actually need testing accommodations? For those teens with true learning disabilities, it will mean jumping through even more hoops to get access to accommodations. Some who really need these will probably be denied, which is unfair. So these “silly” parents will be affecting many more students than just the few who were denied admission.

1331

I do hear and feel what @17yeargap is saying. We have all known and mostly accepted the wealthy legacy donor road to the elite institutions. Heck that’s why many of these schools are now “elite” after 200+ years of legacy donor monetary connections. Schools have to make their money, as they say. Those beautiful campus buildings don’t build themselves. But even in those cases the donors tend to be alums and are related to the school and care about the school’s future and the success of the school. They want their kids to have the same advantages or experiences they fondly recall. That’s not what this scandal is about. Not at all. We also know that athletes land on various college campuses at the D1 level that would not necessarily qualify had they not been athletes. That’s extremely annoying as well but… better sports teams bring the school more money and more prestige and more admission applications. But what this scandal is, is random rich people, with no affiliation with the school (except for the SC dentist prof or staff!) no love for the school’s future success just greedy school staff members making the money for themselves not the school and frankly the students are not even athletes that will put rear-ends in seats for the games. That so many fake athletes found their way as admitted students is shameful. It may come forward that this is the first wave of schools and parental cheaters caught and that many other colleges were hit the same way but as of today SC uniquely had an athletic admin assisting in multiple wrongful admissions for dirty money along with multiple coaches. There can be stigma felt by the student body more so than even the sex abuse scandal from that doctor because that didn’t call into question any student’s legitimacy in being admitted.

1332

Thank you @MsArdychan for highlighting that this is a problem with college admissions that has implications for future applicants and individuals with disabilities. This is not a lighthearted matter to find amusing. It is actually worrisome that accommodations that are in place to protect and aid individuals with disabilities have been abused by “silly parents” who believe that they are above the law and above moral standards due to their wealth. It is really sad that USC has once more been implicated in another scandal. But, at least it has opened the conversation for current applicants and alumni to stand up against corruption in the the higher education system.

1333

Just fyi, there is an entire very active thread on the admission scandal in the College Admissions forum.

http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-admissions/2130479-feds-uncover-admissions-test-cheating-plot-p1.html

1334

For those who seem quick to disparage USC overall for the actions of two current (until fired today) and two past employees, or for even those who are just understandably concerned about the reality of things, I would simply encourage you to keep in mind that these are in fact isolated incidents in terms of it being what some term an USC scandal. It has not been linked to USC Admissions or USC’s senior administrative staff. In fact, most recent scandals cited have been equally isolated to one or two individuals and not examples of systemic or institutional failures on the part of USC.

Between its academic and administrative staffs, USC employs nearly 20,000 people. So far, only 2 prior and 2 current employees have been implicated as accepting bribes for improper influence. It is hardly then fair by any measure to suggest that any of the other 99.9998% of the nearly 20,000 employed by USC in total are somehow tainted or harmed by association.

USC is also comprised of over 45K students… over 19K undergraduates and over 26K graduate students. This scandal wrongly led to the improper admission of only 24 or so students over a five year span. Another 44K+ were admitted during that time span without any impropriety. And since its inception in 1880, USC has produced 300K+ alumni, including standouts like Neil Armstrong, John Wayne and George Lucas. Among USC’s alumni, 22 have gone on to become billionaires and many have become Rhodes, Marshall and Fulbright Scholars… and Nobel laureates and MacArthur Fellows.

In 2018 alone, USC had 14 Fulbright Scholars among its undergraduates. USC also had recipients in each of the following undergraduate fellowship categories: Astronaut Scholarship, Boren Scholarship (Undergraduate), Critical Language Scholarship, Fulbright US-UK Summer Institute, Gilman Scholarship, Goldwater Scholarship, Marshall Scholarship, National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program, Rotary Global Grant Scholarship and Schwarzman Scholarship.

As an admitted student or the parent of such, these are the type of real world opportunities that I would be focusing on.

While any bad publicity or form of scandal is un-welcomed, annoying and clearly something that USC would prefer to avoid, it is not then in my opinion fair to speak in broad or general terms as if the individual actions of a few have somehow cast doubt on USC as a whole. Unless or until something systemic or institutionalized is proven or even alleged, I will remain content and steadfast in viewing USC and its employees, students and alumni in very high regard.

As a parent with two daughters having attended USC, I have been extremely impressed over the last 5 years in terms of all the things that USC does regarding internal communications with their student body, external communications with parents, financial aid, all of their various online portals related to registration and a host of other services. USC has simply been a very well-oiled machine in almost all regards from my family’s perspective.

Myself and @CADREAMIN (who as a parent has sent even more children to USC) post here on CC often exactly because of our overall strong sentiment in favor of USC. Is it perfect and without flaws? Of course not. But it has certainly met and exceeded my expectations as a parent. And moreover, it has exceeded my daughters’ goals for what they hoped it would be as their chosen university. And that’s really all that either a parent or student can strive for or toward.

If you are an applicant fortunate enough to gain admission to USC, I simply urge you to consider USC in its entirety… from what your four years there may be like for you individually… to what the global strength of the 300K+ Trojan Family can do for you as you join the ranks of its alumni.

Choose wisely… and good luck…

1335

I have drafted two different emails and both times @WWWard has expressed my sentiments exactly before I got them posted, and much more eloquently than I ever could. I agree with his assessment 100%. We are both on CC often to support current and future Trojans with open dialogue and information we have gained through years of experience. We are not here as naive or blind cheerleaders. We understand that every school has positives and negatives, including USC. For our students, it is obviously very positive, but we are also the first to point out any issues we have had or see.

My USC sophomore is home for spring break. We discussed how unfortunate the timing of this situation is for current applicants to any of these schools since acceptance for many roll out in the next two weeks. It can certainly create a cloud in their consideration of school choices. It’s like the big storm moving in before their first time away from home at camp, or a measles outbreak before they start kindergarten, or political issues that come up in a country before they head off to study abroad - parents constantly deal with interference that creates a pause in a decision process. Only you can decide if and how it impacts your family, your student, and your decision.

USC is a melting pot of so many talented students from all over the world, the diversity of USC in so many regards is really something to behold; therein lies the true riches of USC. Thousands and thousands of incredible students and staff have made it one of the nation’s best universities. I understand it is distressing that people have cheated their way to unfair advantages at many schools. Frankly, I didn’t find it that surprising knowing how the world works. The institutions involved took swift action, and the system will be better for it in the long run. Personally, I haven’t lost an ounce of faith in USC. Individuals have been disappointing, but the school my kids chose, and worked very hard to attend, is still the best for them. I wish you all well as you decide what is best for your student.

1336

@MsArdychan My comment on testing accommodations is not going to please some folks but I am glad there will be more hoops. If you need to take a test over two days that others take in one perhaps you should work on your need for that accommodation before you take the test or you might not be ready for college in the first place. Is this same person going to work next to me and need twice as long to complete a job assignment that requires reading and reflection? And the truth is the overwhelming majority who get the extra time now want it more than they need it. That is why there is a direct correlation between the affluence of a school and the number of students getting extra time on the SAT. At a minimum, colleges should be informed that a student has gotten extra time so that it may be considered in their evaluation of the student. My oldest was diagnosed early with ADHD and a reading disability that is connected to a vision issue he has. It affected him mostly on the Reading and Writing sections of the SAT as he scored perfect on Math. He was offered accommodation on school tests and on the SAT but turned it down because he felt he would have to deal with his issues rather than constantly get extra time in his future. I was proud of that decision but worried about him competing with a lot of people in his school that went doctor shopping to get extra time,. Let me add I am not talking about dealing with certain disabilities such as dyslexia but the more generic requests for extra time that make up the bulk of the requests.

1337

@CADREAMIN very well said.

1338

Since the ringleader was in CA, it makes you wonder about all the celebrities’ kids who got into top schools in the last few years. Even if they earned it, no one will believe that they really did. Catherine Zeta Jones’ and Michael Douglas’ kid just got into Brown. I wonder …

1339

What terrible timing? When parents should be focusing on college admission and weighing things out, the discussion is more focused on this scandal and diluting the excitement around admissions. Everyone knows about this loophole in the system for legacy admissions and for recruited athletes. The added loophole that is more shocking is the SAT and ACT testing scandal. That is not related to the colleges. My daughter is admitted to USC on merit and we have no doubts on the high standards in the college or her future prospects. USC gives a great well-rounded learning experience and no scandal can take that away from them. I would just focus on my child and her interests than get carried away by such episodes that are totally unrelated to her academic school. If she were a recruited athlete and if she was denied admission over these kids, I agree that I should be angered. If not, I think this is just yet another scandal that definitely is upsetting. But will have no weight on our college decisions. That’s my 2 cents on this for now

1340

This scandal definitely impacts whether I will send my D to USC if she gets in. She goes to a very competitive high school and is surrounded by other motivated and high achieving kids. There are no kids in any of her classes who sound like Lori Loughlin’s daughter. I think it would be demoralizing for her to have worked this hard for 4 years to end up at the same place as these kids who bought their way in, even if they only make up a small percentage of the student population.