Would I fit at USC?

Colleges & Universities University of Southern California
1

<p>Would I fit at USC?</p>

<p>ACT: 32
GPA:3.8/4.4
APS: This year: Physics B, Calc AB, Lang/Comp, Microecon
Senior Year: Spanish, Calc BC, Government, Human Geograph, Lit
Medium Size highschool, nearly 300 in class, top 5 %
ECs: Varsity Football Cheerleading (3 years) Co-captain/captain(2 years)
VArsity Basketball cheerleading (3years) Co-captain/captain(2 years)
Varsity competition Squad(3 years, second in state in 2004)
VArsity soccer (will be 4 years)
JV Soccer(1 year)
Club soccer (11 years)
Marching band (2 years)
Pep band ( 1 year)
Mock Trial team(3 years, once third at regionals, once first)
Social committee
Prom committee
Youth group (5 years)
Library Volunteer(5 years)
Younglife
Various mission trips and other volunteer work
Awards: Honor roll, academic all conference, Hopefully NMSF, with iowa’s nice and low cut offs! Shrine Bowl Cheerleader</p>

<p>As far as personality stuff I’d Like a bigger school (no small lacs!) and lots of fun and interesting people (not so nerdy…) I really like sports and being outside too…</p>

2

<p>Your profile sounds like a good one. GPA and test scores are right in there with others who have been accepted, including those who were offered good scholarships. Your ECs sound good. The proof will be in the details. I don’t know, with any certainty, what USC looks for in ECs, and activities. I know what my son was involved in, and what his numbers were, and that he was accepted, and received a good scholarship. Again, I think that your information looks good. </p>

<p>I will offer Three things for you to think about now, ahead of when you go through the process next year. </p>

<p>(1) Letters of Reference/Recommendation. USC asks for a few of these. Think about who you will ask. Ask them early, so they have plenty of time to write them, and get them back to USC. You don’t want whoever is writing a LOR for you, to feel rushed. And, hopefully, whoever you ask, admires what you have done, and will write a good LOC. :-)</p>

<p>(2) Essays. Download USC’s current Freshman Application “Essay” questions that were asked this year. It will probably be different next year. But read it, and think about it, and write it. Next year, when you do the real application. Get the quesiton as early as they post it. Think about it. Write it. Ask a couple of teachers to read it, and provide feedback.</p>

<p>(3) Service. Most colleges are big on Service. Sounds like you have some service hours ( Library Volunteer, Younglife, Various mission trips and other volunteer work). Without knowing the details, that might be a weak area for you. Find some local Service Organization (Food Bank, Red Cross, Senior Citizens Assistance, Lung or Heart Disease organization, Leukemia Society, Animal Shelter, etc.). Find something that interests you, and get involved. Spend at least a couple of hours each week. Even if it is grunt labor, or background assistance. It will look good on the college application.</p>

<p>Good Luck to you.</p>

3

<p>You have posted elsewhere, but you really haven’t provided enough information about what you are looking for other than you want a school larger than 5000. What do you want to study? Will going to a school in a large city very different than Iowa work for you? Can you afford a very expensive school like USC? Will you be comfortable at a college as ecomomically and ethnically diverse as USC? </p>

<p>Why don’t you spend some time going through all the threads on this forum. This might give you an idea about USC and whether it’s for you. I suggest that you do that for all the colleges you are interested in.</p>

4

<p>I plan to get a pre-law majore…which can be virtually anything but i want to get a law related minor as well, which usc offers. I’m very willing to go to a place much different from Iowa…seems like there is so many more opportunities. I think college is a good time to see a lot of different people and ideas, so I’m open to diversity. This summer I plan to visit the campus and get a better feel for it. I’ve looked at usc because it seems like a good size, location, and academic fit and hopefully I can pick up some merit money if I’m a NMF-which is not too difficult in iowa. Is there anything else to consider? What are the people like there, in general? What are the stereotypes?</p>

5

<p>Well, you should be able to get into USC…I think you might find most of what you want at USC. It seems well-rounded with a smart population, sports, etc.</p>

6

<p>I think you’d fit in perfectly. USC is incredibly diverse. I believe there are more international students here than at any other school in the country. Of course, you also have lots of students from the states, and even many from the surrounding Los Angeles and Southern California area.</p>

7

<p>you have a good shot. i got into usc with almost no extracurriculars. your act is very good.</p>

8

<p>Would i have a chance w/ something like a 1360, 4.2, and 2 varsity sports, leadership position, lots of service, and a great deal of tutoring for NHS.</p>

9

<p>I played two varsity sports (soccer, lacrosse) had a 4.22 gpa, around a 1330 (old SAT), was a captain for soccer as well as management position at work, and did an ok amount of community service (some for NHS.) The only difference I would say is that I was an Eagle Scout as well, but you look pretty darn close to my stats. This is in no way a gaurantee, but a pretty good endorsement, I’d say. (I got accepted to CNTV for Critical Studies, if you wanted to know.)</p>

10

<p>thank you for your response, mad-toast.</p>

11

<p>no problamo.</p>

12

<p>actually…i think USC only asks for a counselor recommendation letter…and maybe a teacher’s??? i’m not too sure actually…but i remember i only sent in like one rec letter.</p>