Not getting into USC is a bummer. There is no way around it, but if you were banking on Southern California next year, it is time to make a new plan. You still have time; it just takes a little determination and some work.
Summer Strategy for USC
USC. Amazing school. Excellent academics. Fun, big-school spots vibe. Sunshine for days! What’s not to love? For the 20,700 some undergraduates who go there, there’s lots! But you’re going to have to work hard if you want to join the ranks of Trojans who work hard so they can lounge on the beach on the weekends. USC has just a 12% acceptance rate. The SAT acceptance range is 1450-1550 and the ACT range is 32-35, per U.S. News & World Report.
Applying to the University of Southern California as a Student Athlete
The University of Southern California, or USC, is a top-tier private research university in Los Angeles, California. Notably, it is not part of the University of California system so there is no in-state tuition benefit. However, it does have the scale and breadth of a public university. Students have access to a globally-leading array of resources, faculty, and peers — there are 21,000 undergraduates, and nearly 50,000 students total.
Deferred Early Action by USC 2024-2025
Until recently, you couldn’t get deferred by USC. They only recently introduced an early action option. However, since 2023, The University of Southern California (aka USC) has started deferring students from their EA round to the RD round. Since it is such a new program, they are still figuring it out, and the rules have changed since last year. If you have been deferred from USC, don’t worry; we are going to walk you through it.
How to Write the USC Supplement 2024-2025
Don’t be fooled by its name, The University of Southern California is not a UC school. Instead, it's a mid-sized private research university in Downtown Los Angeles. USC is actually the state’s oldest private research institution. The school is famous for its media programs and sports; however, they have a whopping 350 academic program options and over 1,000 student organizations.
The Best Majors at the University of Southern California (USC)
The University of Southern California (USC) is a leading private research university – emphasis on private, as some students assume USC is part of the University of California system. It’s not, it’s a private institution with exceptional resources in one of the most exciting cities in the world. USC is at “today’s global epicenter” of “creativity, diversity and innovation.” Los Angeles isn’t just sunny. It’s also a business, innovation, financial, and of course entertainment global hub. There are 21,000 undergraduate students and a total student population of 47,000.
How to Get into USC
The University of Southern California, usually just called USC, is California's oldest private research university. Don’t let the name fool you. While it might sound like a UC, it is not a part of the University of California system. USC is one of the most popular schools for students looking for an Urban mid-sized campus experience. Located near downtown Los Angeles, USC is especially known for its film and media majors. However, the school offers over 350 degree paths. So, whatever you want to study, they probably have it.
Applying to USC as an International Student
If you’re considering applying to college in the United States as an international student, chances are that you have the University of Southern California (USC) on your list. International students make up more than a quarter of the total student population at USC, and it’s an extremely popular school for international applicants. The most represented countries outside of the US are China, India, Canada, United Kingdom, South Korea, Singapore, and Hong Kong, but there are students from 135 countries. That’s additionally impressive given that the USC acceptance rate is a mere 10% out of more than 80,000 applicants.
Deferred from University of Southern California (USC) Early Action (2023-2024)
Rejected from USC Early Action 2023
We know it doesn’t feel great to get rejected from your top-choice school. You spent a lot of time working to get in and really envisioned yourself there. Before we go any further, we want to make sure you know that it’s not personal. Like, really! College admissions are insanely competitive these days.
How to Write the USC Supplement 2023-2024
If you are looking for a medium-large school in a major metropolitan area, you are probably already thinking about USC. The University of Southern California might sound like a UC school, but USC is actually the state’s oldest private research institution. USC has an undergraduate population of about 21,000 at its downtown LA campus. While the school may be most famous for its film program, the university hosts over 350-degree options. USC is test-optional for the 2023-2024 application cycle, and the school has recently introduced an Early Action application option (still no word on if they will ever add an ED option). Last year, USC hit a record-low acceptance rate of 9.9%. With rates as low as this, the USC supplement has never been more critical.
USC Legacy Strategy
“Will being a SCion help them get in?” It’s a question we get a lot from USC alumni parents. For those not in the know, ‘SCion’ is the term that USC uses for legacies and the children of donors. The short answer is that yes, it will help but probably not as much as you think. Legacy admissions are more complicated than the easy-in that many alumni parents expect them to be. So, we wanted to break down all the complex ins and out of legacy admissions at USC.
USC Deferral Rate
The University of Southern California’s, or USC, acceptance rate has been dropping steadily for years. In 2022, they only accepted 11.88% of students who applied — the first time under 12% for the university ever. Over 69,000 applications were reviewed by 65 people. That’s over 1,000 applicants per reader, so when you wonder whether your applicant reader remembers your essay…picture that stack of 1,000 applications. Unless you’re really strategic, it’s hard to stand out.
Regular Decision to USC Strategy
This year was USC’s first year of offering Early Action. Previously the school only had a regular decision option. This is pretty big news given how much more competitive to get into USC it has become over the years. Last year they had about a 12% acceptance rate. Adding an EA option is going to make regular decision at the school even more competitive. You might be wondering, why is that? Well, let’s break it down.
How to Write the USC Supplement 2022-2023
The University of Southern California is the oldest private research university in California. USC has been famous for its sports for years, but the university has much more to offer. Located in downtown Los Angeles, USC has an undergraduate population of about 21,000. Last year their acceptance rate was about 12%. USC has one of the more creative supplements that can be fun for some students and nerve-racking for others. So let’s break all the dos and don’ts down of the USC supplement.
Breaking News: USC Added Early Action
USC Legacy Guide
So you went to USC and now your kid wants to go, you might be asking yourself, will your alumni status help get them in? If so, how much will it help? We work with legacy candidates all the time and navigating legacy admissions at top schools can be more complicated than you think. Especially, because a lot of what we know about legacy admissions on USC’s campus today comes from a recent state audit. This might sound odd, but it’s actually a really good thing. We comb through data and talk to insiders every year and legacy admissions data is one of the topics that universities tend to obscure as much as they can. Having a recent official record is kind of a godsend! So today we wanted to break down the ins and outs of legacy admissions at USC and answer some of our most asked questions.