A few weeks ago, USC announced a test-optional policy for the 2021-2022 academic year. Obviously, this means that if you’re applying to USC later this year, standardized test scores are not required.** However, there seems to be some confusion. Many people are under the impression that this policy will make it easier to get into USC, when it reality it will be just as hard, if not harder, to get in. Lowering the barrier of entry means that more people will be applying, which makes it that much harder to differentiate yourself from other applicants.

**If you have already taken the SAT and/or the ACT, you should absolutely still send in your scores. USC will still consider your scores if you submit them.**

If you’re a high school junior, or a parent of a high school junior, keep reading if you have plans to apply to USC in the fall. We’re breaking down our plan of attack for our blog readers. Spoiler alert: you should start working on your common app essay ASAP.

FINISH JUNIOR YEAR STRONG:

We know, you might be reading this as your junior year ends. You might only have a few days or weeks of school left, and you’re ready for summer. We’ve talked to a lot of students who feel like the end of their junior year was a wash, and the transition to pass/fail grades caused them to loosen the reigns a bit. Don’t fall into this trap! Pretty soon, you’re going to have to ask for letters of recommendation. We’re willing to bet that those students who didn’t give up and check out are going to have stronger letters written on their behalf. Even in the absence of a letter grade, show your teachers that you’re still deserving of a stand-out nod. And when you do ask, ask nicely.

DO YOUR RESEARCH:

So you want to go to USC. Why, exactly? USC is wildly popular, but you still need to clearly define why it’s your dream school. And no, not because it’s in sunny California and has recently gone test-optional. We’re talking about legitimate **academic** reasons that have been thoroughly researched by you during the wee hours of the night, or during the day if you’ve mastered the whole time management thing.

When we research schools with our TKG clients, we do not pay attention to rankings or “status” of any given school. Strip USC down to its academics and consider all of the majors that you might want to study. There will likely be a bunch of majors that don’t interest you, so focus on the ones that align with your current academic interests. What ~specifically~ do you like about the English, History, or Computer Science program? You might think you’re getting ahead of yourself with this research, but you’re not. You need to define exactly what you like about the school in order to best position yourself to apply.

KEEP PURSUING YOUR ACADEMIC INTERESTS AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES:

Let’s say you’ve decided that USC is the school for you because of an offering under their environmental science umbrella. Eventually, you’re going to have to write about why that program is for you when the time comes to complete USC’s insanely long supplement. Spend some time (right now) thinking about how you can continue to pursue your interests that just so happen to align with USC’s offerings. Without all of the grades and extracurricular activities to help make you look good, how are you going to set yourself aside and show USC that you’d be a great addition to their community? Consider books, online classes, independent research projects – pretty much anything that allows you to keep at it. Get creative, the (digital) world is your oyster!

ESSAY, ESSAY, ESSAY:

2020 is the year of the common app essay. Now more than ever, it’s crucial that you use those 650 words wisely. When working with TKG clients, we sometimes start our brainstorm process by identifying important characteristics that might be worth writing about. Are you intellectually curious, dependable, or super creative? You might start by asking your friends and family to describe you in a few words. We genuinely hope that you will start your common app essay now. Yes, now. Because in the absence of standardized test scores, it’s going to have an even bigger impact on your admissions viability. Whatever you choose to write about, make sure that it’s told in the form of a story with a beginning, middle, and end.

We’re helping students and families navigate this tricky time. Contact us here if you need help.