Thanks for the info. At the USC Virtual Info Session, they also did not recommend sending resume.
I need advice on which teacher to approach for the Letter of recommendation. I want to apply for BS in global health studies major, which is STEM related. Should I ask my Math/Science teacher or my history teacher who knows me very well and can speak to my personality.
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You’re welcome. But maybe update your assigned AO later should there be any significant updates by mid-January. You can locate yours via this link…
Meet us – Find your Counselor (form) | USC Undergraduate Admission
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I would recommend whoever knows you best, especially if they can offer some additional insights that could serve as a differentiator in terms of setting you apart from other applicants. USC does want to gain an inside look into what kind of student and contributor to the greater USC community you would be if granted admission. So, I would go with the recommender who is most likely to speak well of you in those terms especially. In other words, which recommender might share new information about you not already readily apparent based on your application as submitted by you? Who helps to paint a broader picture?
Thank you!
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Are you the parent or the student? Have you already asked your math, science and history teachers for LOR? If not, it might be a little late to ask now. Are they all 11th grade teachers?
Are you still planning on applying test optional? If so, I would lean toward a science teacher first. If not then choose a teacher who can speak about what type of student you are in the classroom. Do you participate? Take the lead? Are you collaborative? Do you ask questions? Are you hard working? Do your peers respect you?
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you’re welcome
I posted this question through my mom’s account. Yes, I already asked my math and history teacher from 11th grade for LOR.
I am planning to apply TO. My school discontinued IB Physics last year, so I registered for AP physics but ended up dropping that class as it was too difficult and it started to affect my grades in other subjects. I do have the disadvantage of not having a science course in my Junior year.
But my IB chem teacher this year is willing to write a LOR.
In that case, I would choose an 11th grade teacher who can write about who you are in the classroom. That isn’t necessarily the same as a teacher who can write about your personality. The 12th grade science teacher would be okay but they haven’t known you for as long.
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Have a question:
Applying to USC Fall 2023 Major : Business Admin tonight via common app. My regions Admission Counselor is visiting my city soon. Will be at a local hotel USC event + my high school the following morning. I am planning to go to the USC hotel event with my parents. I really do not have any questions at the moment. How should I approach the meet, talk/ask ? Should I take my resume with me (No resume required with application). Thanks. @lkg4answers @CADREAMIN
You’ve asked about a resume a couple of times. What is in your resume that you were not able to include in your application?
I would attend both the hotel event and your HS event. If there is a sign in sheet, make sure to sign in. If you don’t have any questions that you want to ask at either event, you don’t need to. Follow up with a short email thanking the AO for visiting.
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There’s no reason you can’t introduce yourself when you check in, they are usually floating around. I assume you can figure out who they are before you get there. Just say hello and introduce yourself.
Ya, you gotta get off the resume, as indicated, several of us don’t understand why you think they want this - you had pages of a college application to tell them about yourself. Having to give them an additional item to represent yourself would not be seen as a positive.
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Thanks for your input! On the resume - it has more details on each activity/honor; some universities I am applying to have it as required (or optional). But understood, USC does not ask for it, so I will stop harping on it for USC.
No problem, best of luck to you! There is an additional information section at the end of the common app (assume it’s still there?) - if you think there is something really important that didn’t fit in to your essays or elsewhere, you can always add it there. I wouldn’t just add more info on activities already listed however, they understand each activity all too well. Sometimes less is more. 
But if there was something remarkable or influenced you greatly that you did outside of what is already included within the app - this would be the place to put that.
Mine were always able to meet their advisor at these USC events, I think you will find a way to get your name in front of them. You can always ask them about their experience/time at USC versus bringing up a random question whose answer is on the website.
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if anyone could answer this it would be great!
a USC admissions counselor came to my high school the other day to gave information and said USC doesn’t track demonstrated interest. is this just something admissions officers say to test who has genuine interest in a school and isn’t just reaching out for the sake of reaching out or do they genuinely not track interest at all?
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Did they say that they don’t track interest/interactions or that it isn’t a factor in admissions decisions?
Page 8 of the Common Data Set has a chart of factors used in selection. Next to “Level of Applicant’s Interest” it says “Not Considered” That said, they likely track effectiveness of their marketing and outreach efforts.
They do actually consider it, and depending on what you tell them, they will notate such to your file. I suggest reading through the insider’s guide to USC admissions. Within it, they explain it more clearly…
My daughters both demonstrated significant interest in USC and on a # of occasions. They made it clear that USC was their #1 choice. And then each sent a single follow-up email after not gaining admission during the merit round to reiterate their continued interest in USC. They each even committed to attending if admitted. Both eventually were accepted and attended. That approach clearly cannot work for every applicant, but if true, there is no harm in saying so.
Good Luck
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I’ve heard Brunhold speak on several occasions and he always mentions this.
A UNIQUE GAME PLAN
Curating a great freshman class starts with identifying great students.
USC’s admissions professionals don’t sit back and wait for a flood of applications to arrive. Instead, they recruit aggressively, well before application deadlines loom. They visit 2,200 high schools a year, three times more than any other university. Brunold spends up to 60 nights a year on the road, traveling from Nashville to Mumbai to Hong Kong and beyond. “The class is not the way it is by chance. It’s because we have constructed it to be that way,” he says. “If we want more of a certain type of student, we have got to go find that student.”
I’ve heard him talk about the efforts that USC makes to identify and recruit the type of student they want and then evaluate whether their outreach is working to attract that student. He has said that their efforts start long before a student is a senior in high school. He has stated that they are always surprised at how many applicants that they feel are excellent fits for USC, were not on their radar.
For what it is worth, I’ve also heard a UC representative talk about the data mining they do when looking for students.
Thank you for sharing the information that 90% of legacy applicants were denied admission. My husband and I went to USC along with my siblings and my parents, etc. My S23 is not planning to apply to USC because he has an unweighted GPA of 3.4 and not likely to get in… but I am exhausted by the number of people telling me “he will get in anyway because of legacy”. Now I can repeat the stats you shared when people question why we aren’t applying. 
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