Getting Into USC: 5 Best Admission Tips

5 Tips to Help You Meet the Requirements for Admission to USC

Let’s look at how to get into USC now that you are familiar with the application process’ details. What should you include in your application to improve your chances of being accepted into USC, one of the most esteemed universities in the nation?

#1 Obtain a high GPA.

USC admissions candidates often have GPAs that are exceptionally high.

The 25th/75th percentile high school GPA range for the fall 2021 class was 3.75-4.0. This indicates that the majority of applicants who were accepted had generally good marks, earning largely As and probably a few Bs.

Your chances of getting into USC will probably be lower if your GPA is below 3.75. It is therefore ideal to strive as high as you can, preferably at least around a 3.85, so that you will be significantly above average but won’t suffer too much if you receive a B in one or two classes.

If you’re struggling to keep your GPA high, identify the subjects that are negatively affecting your performance, and then think about investing additional time in your preparation for those classes or hiring a tutor to provide you with the extra assistance you require.

#2: Enroll in Difficult, Demanding Courses

Evidence of a demanding course load is another crucial quality USC looks for in applications. The best candidates will have participated in a decent number of AP, honors, and/or IB courses.

USC’s webpage for undergraduate admissions provides the following description of its ideal candidates:

“There is no set curriculum that must be followed, although those who are accepted usually opt for the most challenging options in the subjects of English, math, science, social studies, foreign language, and the arts. Preparation for the desired major is given careful consideration.”

Strong applicants will have performed exceptionally well in their classes as well as in a demanding academic program, especially in courses related to their selected majors.

Try to enroll in some AP®, honors, or IB classes the following academic year and for each additional year you are in high school if you are a junior or younger and haven’t taken any tough courses yet.

It’s ideal to select demanding lessons that concentrate on subjects in which you already excel or have a keen interest. For instance, if science is your passion, you might enroll in AP® Bio or AP® Physics.

While you don’t have to take extremely challenging classes every semester, start your junior year at the very least and plan to enroll in three to five upper-level courses annually. Although it’s not a bad idea to take the AP® exams that go along with these courses as you might get some college credit, this does not obligate you to do so.

#3: Achieve high SAT®/ACT scores

For applicants in 2021–2022, USC will not require a standardized test. 47% of applicants for the 2020–2021 application year provided SAT® or ACT results. If your test scores are very high or you believe they more accurately reflect your abilities than your GPA, you could still wish to submit them.

USC generally anticipates good applicants to get fairly high SAT®/ACT scores.

The following table shows the middle 50%, or average, score ranges* for the fall 2019 USC freshman class on the SAT® and ACT:

SAT®

• Composite: 1420-1520
• Evidence-Based Reading and Writing (EBRW): 670-740
• Math: 690-790

ACT

• Composite: 31-34
• English: 32-35
• Math: 28-34

*The 25th percentile is the lowest score in each range, suggesting that only 25% of applicants or fewer received that score, and the 75th percentile is the highest value, implying that only 75% of applicants received that score.

In order to be a competitive applicant to USC, you’ll need to have a relatively good SAT®/ACT score. Most candidates have a SAT® score of at least 1420, or the 95th percentile nationally.

In contrast, the majority of applicants had an ACT score of at least 31, or the 95th percentile nationally. In other words, to meet merely the 25th percentile score at USC, you’ll need to score in the top 5% of test-takers.

Although receiving a score below USC’s 25th percentile cutoff does not guarantee rejection, it does suggest that it will probably be more difficult for you to enroll at USC unless you have other notably outstanding traits.

The wisest course of action if you don’t score at or above this “minimum” mark (1420 on the SAT® and 31 on the ACT) is to work on improving your score. Making a study plan for the SAT®/ACT that takes into account your deficiencies is one method to achieve this. I also advise you to look through our guidelines if you want some advice on how to raise your SAT® or ACT score.

Consider using our online SAT® or ACT prep program, which is 100% personalized to your test-prep needs and includes authentic questions produced by real top scorers, if you prefer more hands-on supervision during your test preparation.

#4: Produce Top-Notch Essays

You must write two shorter essays as part of the USC Writing Supplement in addition to the Common App essay. Each essay must be no more than 250 words long, which is roughly the same as the average college admissions essay.

You must select one of three prompts to answer to for the first USC essay:

• USC thinks that connecting with people from various backgrounds, experiences, and viewpoints is the greatest way to learn. Tell us about a time when you encountered a novel concept or had one of your beliefs questioned by a different viewpoint. Talk about the experience’s relevance and how it affected you.
• Academic opportunities that cross disciplinary boundaries are prioritized by USC faculty. Describe a topic you are interested in learning more about that is not part of your original academic concentration.
• What aspect of you is crucial to comprehending who you are?

Pick the prompt that most interests you and that you can answer clearly and thoughtfully.

Write about a specific instance when a belief or opinion of yours was contested for the first prompt. Here, it’s important to concentrate on how you responded and what this particular experience taught you about yourself. This could be a viewpoint on a social issue, a political position, or a religious conviction.

The second essay question asks you to describe an unrelated area of study that you are also interested in. Discussing how you became interested in this particular topic and what you might accomplish with it in the future is a wonderful idea at this point. For instance, you might be a computer science major who has lately discovered that you have a significant interest in understanding the history of paintings after taking a mandatory art class.

The final essay question is extremely open-ended and gives you the chance to discuss anything you think the USC admissions committee should know about you. Introduce a specific passion, talent, or experience you have. You might also provide an explanation for a flaw in your academic history, such as a semester where your grades dropped off the rails or a low SAT® score.

You will also need to compose a second essay for the USC Writing Supplement in addition to this one. There is only one prompt for this essay; you have no other options!

Describe your academic goals and the reasons you chose USC in particular to attain them. Please don’t hesitate to mention your top two choices for majors.

This essay question merely asks what you intend to major in at USC and how you’ll pursue your academic objectives as a student. In essence, what intellectual course do you anticipate taking at USC?

If you want to major in English, for instance, you may describe how you want to adopt a more multidisciplinary approach by adding courses in foreign literature to your course load.

In conclusion, use detailed information, be honest about your experiences and sentiments, and edit and review each essay before submitting it to USC to guarantee that you are submitting two top-notch essays. 

It’s also crucial to keep in mind that some programs and institutions demand supplementary essays or brief responses. For instance, the Architecture Writing Supplement requires applicants to the School of Architecture to respond to additional questions.

The three general USC essays you must write are not less significant than these school-specific essays, if not more so. Why? Because the questions in these essays are considerably more detailed and pertain to your preferred subject of study. The reason you are interested in the field, program, or school you are applying to must be explained in detail.

#5: Create an Outstanding Portfolio (Required for Certain Programs)

Along with the more general requirements mentioned above, some USC programs also ask for  submission of creative portfolios.

If a portfolio is necessary, it’ll probably rank among your application’s most crucial components. Make sure your portfolio complies with all requirements, is entirely original, and reflects your own creative spirit, skills, and objectives.

All USC schools that demand the submission of a portfolio are listed below:

• School of Architecture
• Roski School of Art and Design
• Iovine and Young Academy for Arts, Technology and the Business of Innovation
• USC School of Cinematic Arts
• USC School of Dramatic Arts
• Glorya Kaufman School of Dance
• Thornton School of Music