<p>It’s not obvious that AP scores would be a bonanza of scholarship mojo. Son had fabulous AP achievements, and again he was not interviewed.</p>
<p>I’m not sure any one thing is a “silver bullet” for scholarships…but I think the achievements above and beyond straight A’s and high SAT scores are what do it.</p>
<p>Last year, my son had three AP scores of 5 & one AP score of 4. He was not even interviewed either. He was awarded USC scholarships because he was a National Merit Finalist.</p>
<p>My son had 12 AP scores racked up by the end of 11th grade: mostly fives. Again, it did not, by itself, do the trick. There are simply an awful lot of very qualified students applying to USC, so no silver bullet jumps to mind for winning the top scholarship.</p>
<p>I think AP’s help with admission, but not so much for scholarship. It seems you need the SAT scores, EC’s, recs, and GPA first. The AP’s probably make up for a lower GPA more than anything else (i.e., they’re fine with lower GPA if it’s only because you challenged yourself)</p>
<p>In general the attitudes here towards AP (after admission & scholarships) are kinda mixed - and I would lean toward agreeing with that. I took 7 AP exams overall (got six 5’s and one 4) and really, they are nothing like the kind of courses I’ve taken so far here, so I sort of understand how they don’t take that as seriously. But I can’t see them ignoring AP’s completely.</p>
<p>I have another child at USC on a Presidential. His brother was hoping to follow. After what I have read here, I suppose we were fortunate with the first. I got the feeling that SC liked the SAT scores and GPA, but I had no idea so many similarly qualified students were not offered an interview.</p>
<p>I took place in the interview process this year, and found that the big things that made a difference at that point were the essays and ec’s. Also, being a well rounded person in general were very helpful. We only glanced at scores, and asked questions only if it seemed as though there was a discrepancy in the scores.</p>
<p>ok honestly…let me tell you this straight out…it is NOT the SAT scores that determine it…cuz i got a trustee with a 2120…and SAT II scores of 720 720 and 740. I had taken 5 APs by the end of my junior year…i was however in the top 1% of a top arizona high school. My essay was ok? maybe good? no one proofread it…and i did it in about an hour but it included what it needed to have. I think passion that you show on the application helps. I didn’t even interview until i got the scholarship nomination. Much of it is also your major because the school gives out the scholarships. So moral of the story is…be passionate…not statistical. Numbers can’t guarantee anything! 
best of luck to Class of 2007 in applying…and YAYYY CLASS OF 2006…here we come! :)</p>
<p>USC is getting tougher. My stats are nearly identical to sbehbaha’s (2080 SAT, 800 + 800 + 770 + 770 SAT II, 4 APs by junior year, ranked first) yet I only got a pity scholarship of 4k. So, I agree: passion probably played a big role. I don’t have any particular interest or achievement that stood out; I tended to do fairly well in all subjects instead of excelling in one.</p>
<p>Bottom line: Find something that you like to do, and pursue it wholeheartedly.</p>
<p>i am a trustee scholar junior at USC and have been a student interviewer for the Trustee and Presidential scholarships for the past 2 years, so all of you guys who got one of those scholarships this year - be grateful, because it may have been me who gave it to you! haha, in all seriousness though, it is all of the things that people have been mentioning, SAT scores, passion, EC’s - basically, have a resume that will stick out, whether is it from high test scores, GPA, sports, President of 150 million student clubs, or something like that - those kinds of things will get you to the interview round, and after that, its all about how much the interviewers like you (which is why some kids get the scholarship who have lower SAT scores and other who have higher scores do not get it) - it is a huge achievment and honor to be asked to interview for the scholarship, but that is because it is very hard - my little sister was accepted at Princeton and Cal Tech this past year (straight A’s - and I mean not ONE B - and 2340 on her SAT’s), and she wasnt even invited to interview for the Trustee scholarship (she didnt really have ANY ec’s since she spent all her time studying) - if that doesnt say that USC is getting better than I dont know what does - if any of you future seniors have any questions, just let me know and ill be happy to answer them …</p>
<p>Murasaki- i got 2280 SAT, SAT2s were 730 and 760, top 10% of my class, some great ECs (senior class prez, internationally known choir), national merit commended scholar, plus a sob story (rare, often fatal lung disease, diagnosed beginning of junior year…and yes, i used that in my essay haha) i got deans, so i’m pretty happy, but honestly- you can’t predict anything.</p>
<p>I don’t think that rank is really taken into account-I’m not in the top 20% of my class of 60 girls, but USC really does take into account the environment at each high school. I went (it feels so strange to use the past tense) fairly competitive, small, private all-girls school, and while my GPA was pretty respectable I did have three B’s, all in unweighted honors classes. It really helps, though, if you do well in all of your AP classes. You don’t have to be good at everything, but it helps to have a variety of interests and be really involved in a few, especially if they’re in areas for which USC has strong programs (i.e. music, communications, engineering-especially if you’re female, cinema, etc.). Doing more unusual activities outside the usual student government, school newspaper, varsity sports, etc. makes you stand out more easily-robotics is a surprisingly good EC in this aspect as there are so many different things you can do, from building to PR to website design. All of the girls I know who did robotics in some form are going to good colleges: Brown, MIT, UPenn, Northwestern and USC :)</p>
<p>I am always blown away and freaked out by reading other peoples’ stats on this site. I’m dying for the Trustee’s because money isn’t easy to come by, and I’m dying to get in to USC Cinema-television. I’d hate to get in and not be able to go because of the cost.
My stats, since stats are so popular:
2220 SAT I (700 CR 720 M 800 W)
SAT IIs 800 Spanish 780 Bio 750 US history
4.0 unweighted GPA, rank 1st in class of 155 (private school)
AP bio, spanish, and US history all 5s, taking AP Calc AB, English, and Art History next year
ECs:
Girl Scout (not seeking Gold Award in protest of Studio 2B) for 11 years, patrol leader for intrntnl exchange with Japan
Ballet for 12 yrs
8 years choral singing, appointed president of show choir
Debate for 2 sport seasons (as long as the group existed)
ATDP at Cal for Understanding and Creating Movies
Will be in school musical, but not until april</p>
<p>i post this as if it would actually help…</p>
<p>Don’t know about CNTV or Trustee, but USC is definitely a match for you. I’d say you have an excellent chance at Presidential, though.</p>
<p>I’d say you’ll get something, but the school you apply to affects things so the CNTV will be tough. A classmate got bumped from a presidential to trustee for the CNTV school. Good luck.</p>
<p>makkuroi…your SAT scores range “average” for trustee scholars (I believe the average was 2200 this year?). Your SAT II’s are good, and your extracurriculars as well. I’m not sure about CNTV (I’m not really familiar with it :)) but I’d say you have a good chance of getting a merit scholarship. But remember to write a great essay on your app.</p>
<p>I don’t think it may matter much whether you get Presidential or Trustee. I got Deans then got bumped up to Presidential, but my total fin aid package didn’t change (they just lowered my university grant). I assume it wouldn’t have changed either if I had gone from Presidential to Trustee.</p>
<p>aww boo, i didn’t get bumped from Deans to Presidential 
maybe it has to do with the school (for me engineering)? well, fortunately, the school was nice enough to grant me a load of money, and on top of that one of my dad’s veteran’s organizations gave me a scholarship of almost exactly what was left to pay off for tuition. so in the end, i suppose the difference wouldnt be as drastic.</p>
<p>No gold award in protest of studio 2B? That’s weird. Most of the troops in my city simply aren’t switching over to the new program, and sticking with the old. My sister, who is earning her gold right now, certainly isn’t involved in Studio 2B. What are your particular reasons?</p>
<p>Well, the whole Studio 2B thing just kind of got flung at us out of nowhere. My troop hasn’t met in a couple years, my meetings are mostly with the GS Japan exchange. None of the leaders I’ve spoken with (three or four from three different troops) know much about Studio 2B or like the change. The information never reached me like it should, and everything is in a transitional period that I don’t trust. They apparently changed the requirements for the gold award so that you have to do it the studio 2b way to earn it, and I dont like the direction it’s taking the organization. Come on, they just released a “Couch Potato” badge! And earning necklaces and charms as recognitions is preppy. They’re trying to be popular instead of wholesome.</p>
<p>On the USC website, it mentioned that SAT Subject tests were optional, but I was wondering, if submitting/not submitting the subject tests would affect one’s chances of getting selected for the scholarships???</p>