Admissions and the Registrar are two different things. How FA office interacts with admissions can be unique.
It doesn’t hurt to find out information on NM deadlines either about roster information for choice of college.
Yes USC is in a mess. That doesn’t mean students and parents cannot ask for and receive relevant information.
IDK about the info @menloparkmom posted.
How one wants to ‘nail down’ their college process is up to the student and parent.