The “Guaranteed Pathway” plan was only offered to a few dozen applicants. It is basically deferred admission. Applicants who accept have to go to another college for their freshman year (preferably a CA community college so credits transfer better), maintain a 3.3 while taking 30 semester units through Fall-Spring. If they follow this plan successfully along with other USC standards mentioned in the letters they are granted admission to the Fall of 2018 (sophomore year) without having to re apply.